Draft at 14 Nov 09
TYA-UK CENTRE OF ASSITEJ
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held at Darlington Arts Centre on Tuesday 10 November 2009 at 7.00pm
Present: Paul Harman (Chair), Guy Holland, Carey English (Quicksilver Theatre / New Diorama), Akua Obeng-Frimpong (Kazzum), Miranda Thain (Theatre Hullabaloo), Chris Elwell (Half Moon), Stephan Aal (Blahs), Jude Merrill (Travelling Light), Steve Ball (Birmingham Rep), Ellen Bianchini (Spark Festival), Tony Reekie (Imaginate),Sarah Richards (Individual )
In attendance: Norifumi Hida (Assitej Japan)
Apologies: Ali Fitzgibbon, Gary Meredith, Wendy Harris, Sarah Argent
1 Minutes of 2008 AGM were approved
2 Chairman’s Report was received
3 Reports from the International Representative and Deputy were received
4 A Financial Report was presented by Treasurer Guy Holland
4.1 Accounts to April 2009 were approved
4.2 Appointment of LMC Accounting Services to oversee and prepare accounts for 2009/10 was approved
4.3 Budget Update 2009 – 2011 was received
4.4 Change of registered address to Unicorn Theatre was agreed
4.5 Membership income. A current update indicated that membership is up and income above the level assumed in the budget for 09/10. Late payment remains a problem.
5 Officers.
5.1 Resolution A: “Current arrangements for national committees and membership of TYA UK Committee shall continue until next AGM” was agreed. The meeting further agreed that current working arrangements should be reviewed during the next year.
5.2 Resolution B: “UK Centre of ASSITEJ will at the General Assembly in May 2011 support the election of a UK candidate to a position on the ASSITEJ International Executive Committee” was agreed in principle subject to further discussion with members regarding the wider role of representing the UK, how the role of International Representative will be funded and supported, and how it relates to current working arrangements.
5.3Resolution C: After discussion this was amended to read: “An election for UK International Representative 2011 – 2014 will be held in May 2010” and agreed
There was further discussion of the role of Deputy to the International Representative. It was agreed that the person elected as International Representative for 2011 – 2014 should serve as Deputy for the remainder of the current term until ASSITEJ Congress in May 2011.
6 The Chair reported that in Northern Ireland companies are working together to develop activity, especially cross border sharing of activity with TYA Ireland
In Wales the eight former County Companies have formed an association which is not currently open to other TYA-UK companies in Wales, so that further discussion is required as to the representation of members in Wales.
Scotland. Tony Reekie reported that discussions are continuing regarding an appropriate representative structure given the many services provided by Imaginate.
England. Steve Ball reported that activity has increased, a number of well-attended events have been held, issues of common concern such as ‘rarely cover’ addressed, and advocacy undertaken through work towards a Theatre and Drama Manifesto.
7 Date and location of next Annual General Meeting. A decision was deferred so that options could be explored, including either holding the AGM at Imaginate in Edinburgh in May, or holding an Annual Members’ Meeting there and conducting formal AGM business separately at a later date.
It was pointed out that new company law permits the transaction of formal business by email, and that it is no longer obligatory to hold an AGM.
The meeting closed at 8.35 pm
PH