Report on the 9th Annual General Meeting of The Commonwealth Association, Marlborough House 22 July 2010 

 The ninth annual general meeting was held at Marlborough House on Thursday 22 July 2010. About 60 members attended and there were many apologies for absence and good wishes sent for a successful meeting, including from members living abroad.

 Minutes of the AGM 2009, Chairperson’s Report and Matters Arising

Amendment: There was one request for amendment to the Minutes of AGM2009, in the first paragraph of the section headed ‘Treasurer’s Report and Financial Statement for the year ending 31 March 2009, the second sentence should read ‘He then presented the unaudited 2008/2009 accounts which showed a cash balance of £1,040.91 at the end of the financial year (31 March),’ correcting the date of unaudited accounts from 2009/2010. This was agreed.

 Patsy Robertson’s outlined points in her Chairperson’s Report. A number of issues raised in her report were discussed and decisions taken:

·        Support for Zimbabwe: The Association will continue to be involved in various consultations on Zimbabwe with a view to assisting the people of that country. It is represented on the Zimbabwe Committee of Commonwealth Organisations and a number of members also represent other Commonwealth bodies on the Committee. Two delegates went to The Commonwealth People’s Forum and CHOGM in 2009 and helped towards the inclusion of a statement calling for Heads of Government to look forward to the return of Zimbabwe when the conditions were right. That statement and subsequent repetition in the CHOGM communiqué laid the groundwork for more open 

·        Fundraising: An appeal was made to members to support the Association’s fundraising evening for the Tanzania Albino Centre in Arusha. The Association has been fortunate to get the sponsorship of Rotary Club Westminster West for the 11 September 2010 event. Members were asked to come to the event, buy raffle tickets, make a donation or even contribute food. The funds will go towards educating young albinos who are otherwise shunned by parts of their communities.

·        Oral History Project: Mrs Robertson urged all members once again to contribute towards this important undertaking which was designed to help maintain the Secretariat’s institutional memory by enabling staff to describe and comment on their work. David Blake, who heads the project for the Association, will continue to urge members’ contributions. Former staff members who had already sent in articles were thanked. Their contributions are on the Association’s web site. 

·        Membership: The Association now has 150 members who are spread over more than 10 countries. Mrs Robertson said groups of members in Canada and Australia were being encouraged to come together to start their own activities. It was felt that if membership could reach 200 The Commonwealth Association could be more assertive in the councils of the Commonwealth.

During discussion on the Minutes of AGM 2009 and the chairperson’s report, members said they hoped that the Secretariat had become more enthusiastic about keeping in touch with former staff whose expertise and experience was invaluable and who, moreover, had built networks in their own countries or new places of employment. Some former staff have been placed on election observer missions or interview boards. To a suggestion that the Association maintain a database of skills of members, it was pointed out that the Secretariat had databases for CFTC experts and for short-term volunteer experts and anyone could register on these. The Association should consider approaching the Secretary-General with the suggestion that the former staff could be called upon for assistance.

The Hon Patron Peter Marshall said it might be preferable if the Association put its thoughts in a paper which it presented to the Eminent Persons Group thus using the opportunity to lodge itself in the Group’s consciousness.

On raising funds for the Association, a suggestion was made that members leave legacies to the Association. The tax status of such legacies and the desirability of the Association becoming a charity then came in for some discussion. In the end it was decided that the Treasurer Richard Sisson and member Rickie Sankar should look into the issue.

The Minutes of AGM 2009 and the Chairperson’s Report were approved on the proposal by Asif Khan who was seconded by James Allie.

Treasurer’s Report and Financial Statement for the nine months ending 31 December 2009

Richard Sisson presented the Treasurer’s Report and Financial Statement. He explained that it was for the nine months ending 31 December 2009 because of a change in the accounting period to a calendar year as mandated at AGM 2009. The Association is keeping costs down by communicating more by email and through the web site. Collection of subscriptions and arrears have improved thanks largely to Dharani Rethnam’s energetic efforts.

Mrs Robertson then presented the Executive Committee’s proposal that the subscription be raised to £15 a year from 1 January 2011. After some debate on the quantum, the subscription increase  was accepted on the proposal by Rickie Sankar who was seconded by Azem Khan.

The Auditor, Yusuf Gulamhussein then pointed out that Treasurer’s reports had in recent years been presented unaudited to members and suggested that these should go to the Auditor in good time so hat audited accounts could be presented at the AGM. This was agreed.

The Treasurer’s Report and Financial Statement were accepted on the proposal by Neville Linon who was seconded by Arvind Barve.

Election of Officers

 

There being no other nominations, the following were declared as committee members for 2010/2011:

Patsy Robertson (chair); Stuart Mole (vice-chair); Cheryl Dorall (secretary); Richard Sisson (treasurer); Dharani Rethnam (membership and social secretary); James Allie; Sharon Robinson;  David Blake; Lindsay Ross.

Mr Mohamed Yusuf Gulamhusein was re-appointed auditor on the proposal by Stuart Mole which was seconded by James Allie.

Patsy Robertson thanked the outgoing ExCo member Terry Dormer for his years of dedicated service.

Any Other Business

• Commonwealth Games: Some members felt hat the Association, as a Commonwealth CSO, should be accredited to the Commonwealth Games and asked if the Association could inquire whether this facility was in place.
• Eminent Persons’ Group: Because the Group is working to a tight timetable which must conclude by February 2011, it will set up a web site to canvas comments and opinions. The Association should see how best to make use of this and to also draw up a paper to be presented to the EPG. It should also consider setting up an email network of members to gather opinions.
• CANADEM: Sharon Robinson introduced a project she has been working on with ex-Secretariat staff member Paul Larose-Edwards. The CANADEM roster of experts he runs is used by UN agencies and other international organisations. Mr Larose-Edwards has agreed to set up a Commonwealth Association sub-section through which Association members can register free and be eligible for recruitment. This facility will be a membership benefit for the Association.

 Guest Speaker: Mr Richard Dowden, Director, Royal African Society.

 Mrs Robertson introduced Richard Dowden as a distinguished journalist who had interacted for many years with the Commonwealth Secretariat and had watched the association of countries develop since the 1980s.  

Vote of Thanks

 Sir Peter Marshall, in leading the vote of thanks to Mr Dowden, described his speech and the question-and-answer session that followed as a ‘full and frank discussion’ which had stirred people’s minds. He asked, however, whether there was a distinction to be made between the Commonwealth being UK-based and being Anglo-centric. Additionally, should the Commonwealth be at the micro economic end of the business rather than in the macro political world? If the latter, how would others be more active and what would be their interest? Sir Peter concluded with words from William Blake to the effect that he who would do good to another should do it in minute particulars. Perhaps, Sir Peter said, that is what the Commonwealth does.

Reception

 

After the AGM, members joined Mr Dowden, Minister Coltart, Secretariat and Foundation staff, representatives of Commonwealth organisations and guests of a conference on education in Zimbabwe for a reception in the Blenheim Saloon.

 

 Treasurer's Report 2010:  Receipts and Payments Account for
Nine-Month Period to End 31 December 2009

	9 months to 31/12/09	12 months to 31/3/09
	£	£
Receipts
Subscriptions	1,200.00	380.00
Interest
Sundry
Total Receipts	1,200.00	380.00
Payments
AGM and social functions	1,207.94	878.64
Postage, printing, photocopying	165.21
Subscriptions paid	20.00
Bank charges	28.00
Total Payments	1,421.15	878.64
Excess receipts over payments / (payments over receipts)	(221.15)	(498.64)
Balance Sheet
Cash at Bank
HSBC	820.76	1,041.91
Net Assets	820.76	1,041.91
Financed by
Accumulated Fund	1,041.91	1,540.55
Excess receipts over payments / (payments over receipts)	(221.15)	(498.64)
	820.76	1,041.91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

1. These accounts have been prepared on a cash basis for the period.
2. The subscriptions are paid on a calendar year basis.
3. At the AGM in 2009 a resolution was passed changing the financial year end from 31 March to 31 December so that the accounting year and the subscription year would coincide. Hence, these accounts have been prepared for the 9 months ending 31 December 2009.
4. The resolution at the 2009 AGM also resolved that future accounts should be prepared on an accruals basis. So these will be the last accounts to be prepared on a receipts and payments basis. Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2010 and for future years will be prepared on an accruals basis, the main effect of which will be that any subscriptions requested for that year which remain unpaid at the end of the year will be shown in the accounts as debtors.