Tynedalesman - AGM Report & Society Officials

Annual General Meeting 2005 Report

The twenty-second A.G.M. of the Society (in its present form as a company limited by guarantee) took place on Saturday 5th November 2005 in the Masonic Hall at Alston. The attendance, regrettably, only managed to equal the record low of 21 from two years earlier.

The meeting was opened at 2.03 p.m. by the Chairman, Mike Le Marie, who welcomed those attending and gave a reminder that the formal A.G.M. was to deal only with the business on the agenda in accordance with company legislation.

Apologies for absence were recorded from the Society's Patron, Lord Inglewood, and 15 other members. The minutes of the 2004 A.G.M., copies of which had been circulated to members previously, were adopted as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, on a proposal by Dave Hughes, seconded by Michael Smith.

Written reports from the Chairman, Secretary, Membership Secretary and Heads of Departments had been circulated to members in advance. One query was raised concerning a minor discrepancy in the figures relating to membership changes in the past year, which would be checked with the Membership Secretary. There were no other comments or questions relating to the content of the reports.

Copies of the written reports are reproduced below:-

Chairman�s Report
by Mike Le Marie

Presenting a Chairman�s report is never an easy task. Yes, I could fill several sheets of paper outlining the past year but that would be at the cost of duplicating the reports from the Heads of Department, and they are the guys who actually did the work. So I shall simply outline some of the activities of the past year and let others put the meat on the bones.

The Santa Specials were once again very successful despite the operating challenges caused by having to withdraw one of the steel coaches from service.

A considerable increase in the number of coach bookings has helped increase passenger numbers but also resulted in having to agree to provide a special train on a number of non-operating days.

Helen Kathryn has returned to steam following her 10-year major overhaul. It was a great pleasure to welcome the Stevens family and members of the Stephenson Locomotive Society to the railway for a renaming ceremony and to dedicate a seat at Kirkhaugh in Roy Stevens� memory.

�Outdoor Week� saw a start on replacing track in the North yard which in conjunction with other work will make the yard easier to operate.

A Business/Development Plan has been produced for the planned extension to Slaggyford. This is an essential task prior to seeking funding. The purchase of a large quantity of 75 lb rail for the extension has been agreed.

A complete review of the Rule Book and Operating Manuals is very close to completion. These will be issued in loose leaf format allowing for easy amendment in the future.

Major changes have been made in the recording and documentation of training to enable us to comply with present and probable future legislation.

Finally, we have operated more days this year than we have for some time. Despite one or two difficulties the service has been maintained and as at the time of writing passenger numbers are up by very nearly 2,000.

None of the above would have been achieved, nor indeed many other tasks not singled out for mention, without you, the members who so willingly give of your time, skills and motoring costs to make this railway a success. I would also like to mention the Territorial Army who have held several Training Camps over the past year and have given us some valuable assistance.

To all of you who have given your time, be it a single day or many weeks, may I say a big Thank You. To those of you who were unable to help this year or who are considering joining us up at Alston, may I say you will be made very welcome.

Michael J Le Marie.

Secretary�s Report
by Steven Dyke

After thirty years� involvement in Society administration, (beginning with the formation of a local branch in Sunderland in the Summer of 1975), I am no stranger to paperwork. Despite this, my predominant impression of the past year is that, to a greater extent than ever, it has seen a �tide of paper� - for many people besides me!

There are, of course, the routine items such as minutes, meeting papers, financial reports, maintenance records, press releases, Tynedalesman and On Track. As well as these, we have had the rule book and operating manual revisions, the business plan for the Slaggyford extension, new training and certification procedures, lottery grant progress reports, a vastly expanded health & safety policy, insurance claims and a visitor survey report - plus other things I may well have forgotten. Although this may be seen as an unwelcome mountain of bureaucracy, the heartening aspect is that the Society is fortunate in having the services of volunteers who can deal with various parts of it - if not exactly enthusiastically, at least in a very competent manner.

As always, there is the risk of offending those who do not receive a mention, but I feel that a special thank-you is deserved by: Tom Bell (taking temporary responsibility for operating as well as continuing in his role as Assistant Secretary), Jim Harper (rule book/ operating manual), Glen Kilday (extension business plan), and Liesel Metz (safety policy). Liesel�s spell in the Tynedalesman editorial chair was also appreciated, but it is understandable that she has had to relinquish this in view of the demands of her Health & Safety Officer role.

Since the last AGM, there have been eight meetings of the Council of Management, with some uncharacteristic variation of meeting times. The January 2005 meeting was an all-day two-part affair so that safety, training and rule book could be considered in detail; the time of the July 2005 meeting was advanced to allow our Ukrainian visitors to be welcomed later in the day; and the September 2005 meeting was on a Thursday evening (in the Cumberland Hotel, for some reason ...). My thanks, of course, go to all of the Council members and officers for their role in managing the Society. A very special mention is deserved by Colin McIntyre, who has decided not to stand for re-election this year, for his tremendous contribution to the Society�s work since its early days.

Apart from the �tide of paper� already mentioned, my other main impression of the past year is that, in various respects, it has been one of consolidation and �catching up�. Part of this, of course, has been the procedures/documentation aspect, but similarly with work on infrastructure, locomotives and rolling stock. Maintenance, repairs and improvements are perhaps not very obvious other than to those involved, but are essential to provide a sound basis for the continued day-to-day operation of the railway, especially for the time ahead when the extension will place greater demands on our limited resources.

The 1st May 2006 will be the 30th anniversary of the closure of the standard-gauge railway to Alston. Some of us who travelled on that �last� train certainly hoped that trains would return to Alston, but could anyone have foreseen the popular and successful South Tynedale Railway as it is now?

Steven Dyke.

Membership Secretary�s Report
by Kathy Aveyard

Membership Statistics

At the time of my reports to the 2001, 2002 and 2003 AGMs there were 260 members. This reduced by 15 to 245 in 2004. The lowest figure since 1979. The figure for 2005 is 244, representing a further slight decline.

In 2004 there were 15 new members, with 27 members lost from the figures from non-renewals and 3 members deceased.

In 2005 there were 14 new members, with 10 non-renewals and 4 members deceased.

Of the 14 new members, none are from Alston. 9 are from the North East and 1 is from the North West. 9 (54%) of these have expressed an interest in becoming actively involved with the Society's activities.

Of the total membership:-

46% are from the North East;
25% are from the North West;
7% are from the West Midlands;
34% (86) are life members;
38% (90) are members, paying the full annual rate.

We have 2 complimentary members in recognition of services to the Society. The remaining members pay reduced rate (66%) subscription (junior, senior citizen or subsequent member at the same address as a full member).

Membership Subscription:-

The Council of Management recommends that the rate of subscription remains unchanged for 2006.

Members who may be interested in converting to Life Membership are reminded that eligibility for Life Membership is restricted to those who have been annual members for a continuous period of 5 years, with the option of payment in 2 annual instalments.

Kathy Aveyard.

Infrastructure Department (Forum 1) Report
by Richard Graham

Global Warming, they say, is what is causing the extremes of weather that we are suffering increasingly. 2005 started rather badly in that respect. Members of the Territorial Army periodically do work for us, as a part of their training regime, the visit in January 2005 was an interesting one for them. The mains power went off at 3 in the morning and didn�t come back until after 1 pm, so they had no heat and no light - at least they cook by gas!

Then the rain was so bad there were floods again bringing silt and debris down from the main road and depositing it on the railway, all over the ballast we have just replaced. When not trying to implement flood protections, their real tasks have been to reconstruct some re-gauged ballast wagon wagons, and most importantly to get the mobile crane in working order. We had some specialist help from a local engineer to get the main hydraulics connected up, and on the Army�s return visit in July 2005, they were able to go for a test. Apart from some minor oil leaks and a defective starter motor, things are looking good. Both the crane and the ballast wagons will be essential tools when we start extending the main line north from Kirkhaugh.

In February 2005, the points leading from the main line to the yard (No. 6A) were lifted with a view to rebuilding them at a shallower angle. As we stripped the crossing, we found that it had previously been welded together at something sharper than its natural angle. It�s not often that we find something working for us! By Easter the points were several feet longer and it was immediately noticeable that stock was not jerked as it went round the curve into the yard.

Whilst in the mood for building points, in April 2005, we reconstructed the ones that had been in the Carriage Works to a new site outside, providing an extra short siding. Then, in May 2005, the drives from the Ground Frame were re-routed and the interlocking changed to suit the new layout. Once this was complete, the area was levelled out and the hollows filled in to make the whole approach safe to walk on.

With safety and security in mind, the main gate leading to the Water Authority (Sewage Works) Crossing was replaced with a galvanized steel one. This is now kept locked once again, as it used to be when the railway was first opened. This has made it more difficult for pedestrians to use the crossing, so it is proposed that the stile will be replaced with a wicket gate.

The Staff Room on the platform was vacated in 2004 and all of the fixtures, fittings and furnishings were removed, while the roof was being repaired. It had been intended that this room would have been re-commissioned as a Waiting Room in time for the 2005 season, but the Contractor has still not satisfactorily completed the work, so it remains empty. For the benefit of the Catering Department, a tap was fitted to ease the servicing of the Buffet Car.

The job arranged for Outdoor Work Week at the end of May 2005 was a bigger one than many people had anticipated. Fortunately, this time it did not affect any of the Main Line or track required to operate a passenger service. The points immediately outside the Carriage Storage Shed had been built there to allow delivery vehicles to drive up the yard, but, being in such a restricted space, were unacceptably tight.

The plan was to remove the short platform outside the loco shed, and build a new point half way up the yard, clear of where ballast delivery wagons would need to manoeuvre. Ground level would remain at rail level. All the existing track was lifted (not that there was much holding it down) on the Saturday and Sunday. Excavation and levelling was done on Monday and Tuesday. Track laying began on Wednesday. The new points were completed during Thursday and then we ran out of volunteers ... so it was the second week of June 2005 before we managed to remake a connection to the Storage Shed. The track was all laid on new sleepers, surrounded by clean ballast, and then filled up to rail head with a mixture of ash ballast and quarry waste, which sets like concrete. It was not until almost the end of August 2005 before the shed bypass road was joined up again and the area levelled off.

The hot humid weather of late Spring and early Summer 2005, meant that the undergrowth started to get out of control, but circumstances meant that the weedkiller was not applied until July, none too soon as the rails were starting to disappear in places! It was also in mid July when it got so hot that the Carriage Shed door stuck and nobody could get in. Then the handle broke off the door and you now have to be careful not go get locked in! For all the heat, we had no trouble with track distortion.

Several train failures had occurred as a result of dirty diesel fuel. This, coupled with the fact that the old mobile fuel tank had been damaged by thieves, led to a new fully bunded tank being installed outside the loco shed. It�s hi-tech as well, with a remote sensor that indicates the level and if there are any leaks - no more dipping with dirty sticks! The other kind of fuel - water for steam engines, has been a bit of a problem at Kirkhaugh several times, either due to the source burn being in flood or sheep breaking the dam. We are probably going to have to build a more permanent header reservoir.

Throughout all these projects, Slaggyford Lever Frame construction has continued; the locking has been designed and is now being manufactured.

In the background, routine maintenance continues - oiling, greasing, strimming, lawnmowing, painting, etc., etc. - all sorts of things that enhance the experience for our visitors.

Richard Graham.

Operating Department (Forum 2) Report
by Tom Bell

This report only covers the period from January 2005, when I took over as Temporary Head of the Operating Department. First I should like to thank my predecessor from whom I received the details of all the operating staff in a single folder and much other information on computer disc, which I believe is the first time proper details have been provided when the Head of the Operating Department has changed!

Despite a significant increase in the number of days the passenger service has been operated during 2005, the service has not had to be cancelled due to lack of staff and for this I wish to thank Robin Alderson, who continued as Rostering Officer following his retirement as Head of Department, and all the volunteers who have turned out, sometimes at very short notice.

The main emphasis during the year has been the updating of our training and certification programme for all our working volunteers, with the introduction of two new Certificates of Competence, both of which are available to any person over 16 years of age.

The Railwayman Certificate is for people wishing to perform minor work on the railway which may involve walking along the line unaccompanied.

The Shunting Certificate allows the holder to undertake the general shunting of vehicles including the operation of ground frames and hand points, and is seen as a first step towards obtaining a certificate for operating the train service.

The training of volunteers to work in the Safety Critical roles of guard, signalman and engine crew has been placed on a more formal footing, although the basic content of the training programmes remain unchanged. I should like to point out to everyone how fortunate our Society is to have such a high proportion of the membership, who take an active role in running the society and operating the passenger service. At the present time we have 71 active volunteers.

The final change we are in the process of making is the production, by the Health & Safety Officer, of a new system for authorising more Persons In Charge. These are volunteers who take the responsibility for ensuring that the railway runs in a safe manner on each day that they are signed on for duty.

The main reason for introducing changes in the training and certification programme has been because of new and planned future legislation. At the same time we, or rather Jim Harper, the Deputy Head of the Operating Department, has been rewriting and updating the rule book. It is expected that the new version, which is divided into two sections, will be completed and approved by the Council of Management by the end of the year and Section A will be circulated to all members of the society before the start of the next operating season in early 2006, as will Section B to all the working volunteers.

With the changes which will have been introduced by the start of the 2006 operating season, the society will be in a position to continue operating our railway safely within the terms of the current and immediately foreseeable legislation. As you will read, I accepted the post of Head of the Operating Department on a temporary basis, and if there is anyone out there who wishes to take it on, I shall be only too pleased to relinquish the post.

Tom Bell.

Engineering Department (Forum 3) Report
by Alan Blackburn

This does seem to have been a particularly busy and fraught sort of year. Busy, in that we have been working flat out for most of it, and fraught because of the numerous little things that go wrong or break, and throw that epitome of an organised mind, the schedule, completely out of the window.

The plan was to finish the boiler on Helen Kathryn, stick it all back together and have it running by July 2005, when we could get some speed up on Thomas Edmondson, which was �scheduled� to be finished by March of 2005.

Well it didn�t work out like that. We had leaking tubes on Naklo and Helen Kathryn, then a loose wedge on Naklo seemed to trigger off several related problems in the motion. The steam pump on Helen Kathryn simply would not govern itself properly, and we had trouble with the injectors, the rear coupling, and the regulator.

The new forklift also decided to be awkward and despite many attempts, the braking system refused to work, until an expert in obscure and redundant pressurised braking systems was located. It made up for this in being able to lift an entire coach in one move, which was a lifesaver when we had a sudden axle failure on a coach, and we had to spend a lot of time lifting coaches and stripping bogies.

I would have thought that even �Murphy� (he of the laws of infinite awkwardness, total unreliability etc) would have cried enough by now, but he threw a blinder at us when the automatic battery charger for the battery electric loco ceased to be automatic, and fried the entire battery pack! Serious money, fortunately offset by our insurance.

So the big push on Thomas Edmondson ended up more of a gentle nudge, and we had to ask the Heritage Lottery people for an extension to Spring of 2006. We did manage to get the boiler welded where the shell had penetrated the barrel, various weld repairs to the tubeplates, and the new smokebox rolled but not fitted. The frame is cleaned painted and awaiting the wheelsets (which are going away to have new crankpins fitted). New springs, refurbished axleboxes, motion etc are all more or less ready, though the bearings themselves await white metalling. Many other smaller parts have been cleaned, refurbished and painted ready for fitting.

We also managed to repaint Naworth, the mainline diesel, in new colours for the start of the 2005 season.

On the carriage and wagon front it has mainly been maintainance and minor repairs. Coach No 6 finished its new seating refurbishment early in the year 2005, and was the last one to be completed. Two hopper wagons and a brake van, 2ft 6in gauge, were obtained from Ministry Of Defence sources, and the hopper wagons are in the process of being regauged, with much help from the Territorial Army lads, who also helped with repairs to the Massey Ferguson digger amongst other things.

That�s about it for another year, it only remains for me to thank everyone who laboured, sometimes against the odds, in the shed this year. Next year I�ll have the brick wall pulled down, as we won�t be needing it again, will we?!

Alan Blackburn.

Commercial Department (Forum 4) Report
by Ivan Ward

From the commercial department�s point of view the past year has been reasonably successful.

Our 2004 Santa Specials were, as ever, very popular and our customers - both young and old - enjoyed themselves. The new decorations and lighting made a big impact and for once there were no cries of �It�s the same as last year.� The type of lighting and decorations which we require to withstand the Carriage Works environment are expensive, so there may not be many changes this year.

Due to the popularity of this event it was decided to have an additional day in 2005 (Thursday 22 December), the idea being that this will spread the passenger loadings and possibly attract a few more customers. Preparations are well in hand for this year�s Santa Specials with only 320 presents left to buy. Have you ever wondered how we know how many presents to buy, when we do not operate a booking system? Well, why not come and help, then all will be revealed.

Our other special events - Halloween (2004) and Teddy Bears� Picnic (June 2005) - were both well patronised and are proving to be as popular as ever.

This was the first year, 2005, when we did not hold a special event in May and there was a considerable amount of concern that our passenger numbers would be drastically reduced. This proved unfounded as it was decided to operate extra days in May and June and, coupled with a very substantial increase in group bookings, our passenger numbers are up approximately 10% as at 4 September (see also Tynedalesman No. 143 - Treasurer�s Report).

The increase in group bookings compared with the previous year is huge, from 8 to 54, the bulk of which were from a national coach operator. When the extent of this new business was realised it was decided that we would operate trains on non-timetabled dates to suit our new customers� requirements.

Under John Gillott�s capable management the publicising of the railway has continued apace during the year, every opportunity being made to take advantage of any free publicity. The publicity budget is the largest single item in the Society�s expenditure and its control is very important so that we get the best value for money.

In this respect the department commissioned a new Visitor Survey, which was organised by Tom Bell along the lines of previous surveys, to determine the effectiveness of our publicity strategy. As in previous surveys, it is our own Timetable and Information leaflet that brings the majority of our customers to the railway. The leaflet print run is 120,000 and accounts for 60% of the publicity budget. There is a copy of the survey in the mess room at Alston. The survey is 24 pages long (A4) and is in full colour, so if any member would like their own copy then a suitably �large� donation will get you one (stocks are limited). It has been distributed to District and County Councils, Tourist Boards and other interested parties.

We have again been fortunate to have the services of John Wilks to run the booking office and manage the day to day business of the Railway Shop. For the majority of our passengers, John is the first railway �official� they meet and speak to. The major advance in the shop this year has been the provision of a credit/debit card facility. This required a complete re-think of our day to day audit control of ticket sales. Unfortunately it is very difficult for us to determine whether the introduction of this facility has generated any additional sales: it certainly generates additional bank charges.

Each year in January we attend trade shows, or wholesalers come to us, when we can see the latest trends. For 2005 our stock range was increased enormously and as a consequence, coupled with increased passenger numbers, our shop sales are up 6%.

The catering goes from strength to strength. As at 11 September the buffet has operated for 84 days out of a possible 119 days. This is a magnificent achievement and is all due to the efforts of Carolyn Marshall, Marian Ward, Dorothy Wheeler, John Gillott, David Hughes, Trevor Tattersall and Ivan Ward.

It only remains for me to thank all of the members who have helped in whatever way they could to make all of the commercial activities and special events a success.

Ivan Ward.

Treasurer�s Report

The Treasurer, Mike Ryan, presented the statutory reports and accounts for the year ending 31st March 2005, in respect of the Society and its subsidiary trading company, copies of which were circulated at the meeting. He explained that he was continuing to undertake the Treasurer�s duties pro tem, despite his stated intention to resign from that post.

A financial summary had been issued to members in advance, and the full accounts are available to any member upon written request to the Treasurer. The reports and accounts had been examined and approved by the Council of Management, as required by company legislation, at their meeting on 29th September 2005. Although a formal audit is no longer a requirement for small companies, there is independent examination of the financial records in the course of preparation of the reports and accounts by Dodd & Company.

The Treasurer explained that the Thomas Edmondson restoration fund and the Slaggyford extension appeal fund were incorporated into the Society accounts, and he invited members to contact him if they had any queries relating to the accounts that were not raised at the meeting. He then outlined some of the main factors that were reflected in the year�s accounts:-

The decline in passenger numbers during the 2004 season was attributed largely to the loss of the Friends of Thomas events, but an increase in shop sales had been achieved and the overall financial position had improved considerably by the financial year-end.

The reasons for some of the differences from one year to the next were mentioned, such as variations in the timing of Gift Aid claims (affecting amounts shown as donations), subscription payments and coal orders.

It was noted that expenditure on assets that increased their value was transferred to fixed assets (so that the effect of depreciation did not produce an artificially low asset value), and that an apparent discrepancy in expenditure on publicity, newsletters and leaflets had resulted from some payments being assigned to incorrect headings.

The bank loan had reduced to approximately �60,000 by March 2005 and was expected to be around �50,000 by March 2006.

The Sales company accounts showed that there had been an 8% increase in non-ticket sales compared with the previous year, although attention was drawn to the relative importance, in cash terms, of the shop and booking office roles. The value of train tickets sold was around �80,000, whereas shop sales totalled around �20,000.

The meeting then agreed to accept the statutory reports and accounts on a proposal by the Treasurer, seconded by Michael Smith.

The Treasurer then presented a short report on the first part of the current year, copies of which were circulated at the meeting. The figures given in the report covered the period up to 17th October 2005, with comparisons for the same period in 2004, although the effect of the date of Easter on the actual start of each operating season was noted.

For the first time since Mike had taken on the role of Treasurer in 1999, he was able to report some excellent news regarding passenger numbers. Up to 17th October 2005, the number of paying passengers showed an increase of 18%, producing a substantial increase in fare income, and non-ticket (shop) sales showed an increase of 14%.

Three factors were felt to be responsible for this improvement:-

a large number of coach party bookings;

the excellent summer weather;

and the additional operating days.

The Treasurer said he suspected that the last mentioned was the most important, as a reduction in operating days several years ago had resulted in a quite significant financial loss. Other developments had been the introduction of the facility to accept credit cards; the obtaining of business debit cards to simplify purchases of small items by Heads of Departments; and the decision to open a business deposit account to earn interest when we have substantial surplus funds. The Secretary commended the work of those involved in developing the coach party business, after the lack of success of several previous attempts to achieve this.

Election of Council of Management Members

Next on the agenda was the election of members to serve on the Council of Management. As the present Chairman (Mike Le Marie) and Deputy Chairman (Richard Graham) had each completed only one year of their three-year terms of office, elections for those posts were not held.

The ordinary members of Council retiring by rotation and eligible for re-election were Steven Dyke, Jim Harper and Colin McIntyre. Colin, after serving for 29 years as a member of the Council and the earlier Committee of the unincorporated Society, had indicated that he did not wish to stand for re-election.

One new nomination had been made, in respect of John Sutton, but he had subsequently asked for this to be withdrawn, for personal reasons. As there was no request for a ballot, Steven Dyke and Jim Harper were declared re-elected as ordinary members of Council.

Election of Accountants

As small companies, the Society and its subsidiary trading company are not required to have a formal audit of their accounts. In view of this, we do not appoint auditors but we appoint reporting accountants who prepare the statutory report and accounts. The meeting agreed to the re-appointment of Dodd and Company for a further year, at a remuneration to be agreed by the Council of Management, on a proposal by the Treasurer, seconded by Dave Hughes.

Membership and Subscription Rates

The final item on the agenda concerned membership subscriptions. The meeting agreed to adopt the recommendation of the Council of Management that, for 2006, subscription rates should remain unchanged from their present levels, which were as agreed at the 2004 Annual General Meeting.

Editor�s Note: Since the AGM report was compiled, I have been advised that the current membership stands at 244, including 14 new members, 10 non-renewals and 5 members who have died during the year.

Close of Annual General Meeting

Having completed the formal business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 2.42 p.m., after which there was an interval for refreshments before the start of the informal meeting.

Informal Meeting Report

The Annual General Meeting was followed by the now customary informal meeting for discussion of matters that do not fall within the formal business on the A.G.M. agenda. Subjects covered were as follows:-

Authorisation for payments to Council Members in certain circumstances. This had been put forward for discussion at the request of the Council of Management and is outlined under a separate heading at the end of this report.

Signing of the lease for the Gilderdale - Slaggyford trackbed [which was thought to be imminent at that time but has since been further delayed by queries arising from examination of the plans accompanying the lease document]. The possibility of a signing ceremony was put forward, which might help to attract interest and support from potential funders for the extension.

Proposed construction of the extension in two stages; first to a temporary terminus at Lintley, and then on to Slaggyford. Various factors were mentioned that would have to be taken into account in deciding whether to construct a platform at Lintley.

Proposed work to be undertaken during the �Outdoor Week (work week)�, which will be the week prior to the Spring Bank Holiday in late May 2006. This will concentrate on preparatory work on bridge 46 and the Kirkhaugh station area, to facilitate the start of work on the extension.

And last, but certainly not least, how do we increase the number of volunteers? Suggestions included: promotion of specific projects, planned well ahead so that they could be publicised in the Tynedalesman magazine with the inclusion of more advance information, with specific dates for certain work being publicised in On Track railway volunteers newsletter; and publicising the railway to a wider potential audience to attract more new members, some of whom may then become volunteer workers.

The need for a new Volunteer Liaison Officer was mentioned, as a successor to Mike Rapp, who had relinquished that post.

Authorisation for payments to Council Members

At the informal meeting, the Secretary explained the background to this issue, which had already been considered in some detail at Council of Management meetings and mentioned in the On Track newsletter issued to working members. As the Society is a registered charity, Council of Management members are charity trustees and there is a general principle that trustees shall receive no payment other than reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses. In common with many charities, the Society�s governing document (the Memorandum and Articles of Association) specifically prohibits payment to Council Members.

The Charity Commission, however, recognises that there may be circumstances where it is in the best interests of the charity for payments to be made to trustees who are able to undertake certain work for the charity. They therefore permit payments totalling no more than �1,000 in any one financial year for specific work undertaken by trustees, (other than simply for serving as trustees), even where the governing document prohibits payments, providing that various conditions are met.

Under this dispensation, the Council of Management have agreed to payments being made to Alan Blackburn in the current financial year in respect of his project management and supervisory role in the restoration of the steam locomotive Thomas Edmondson in order to meet the Heritage Lottery Fund grant timescale.

The Charity Commission is also prepared to consider giving approval for governing documents to be amended to allow payments totalling more than �1,000 per year. Again, this would apply only to specific work other than performing the basic duties of a trustee, and would be subject to a number of conditions, including checks to ensure that it is in the best interests of the charity, and only a minority of the total number of trustees being allowed to receive any payments.

The Council of Management considered that this option should be pursued to allow for possible future requirements, after taking into account any views expressed by members.

Alan Blackburn provided the meeting with further detail, especially relating to the project management role that will be necessary for the Slaggyford extension. Norman Cook gave additional information relating to grant funding arrangements, and the Treasurer outlined how payments would be identified in the Society accounts to comply with the requirements of the Charity Commission.

The proposal appeared to be acceptable to those present at the meeting, with little further discussion. If the Charity Commission gives approval, the amendment to the Memorandum and Articles would have to adopted by a General Meeting (Annual or Extraordinary), of which appropriate notice would be given, so a final decision would still be in the hands of Society members either attending such a meeting or voting by proxy.

Before incurring further work and expense in pursuing the matter with the Charity Commission and putting a formal resolution to a General Meeting, the Council of Management wish to be reasonably certain that there are no objections from the Society membership. Any member who was not present at the meeting and who wishes to express a view on this matter is invited to write to the Chairman or Secretary.

The informal meeting concluded at 4.43 p.m.

Meeting reports compiled by Steven Dyke.

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SOUTH TYNEDALE RAILWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY
Registered Office: The Railway Station, Alston, Cumbria, CA9 3JB
Tel. 01434 381696.��Talking timetable tel. 01434 382828
Registered Charity No. 514939.

E-mail enquiries - please click on links below:
South Tynedale Railway information - Send e-mail to South Tynedale Railway
STRPS membership information only - Send e-mail to Kathy Aveyard
Tynedalesman information only - Send e-mail to Tynedalesman compilers

Mission Statement for the South Tynedale Railway:-
�To provide satisfaction for our customers and volunteers
by operating a friendly, safe and efficient narrow-gauge railway.�

� South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society, February 2006.

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