2025-02-01 Notes

Notes on the  meeting of the General Committee on 1 February 2025, originally posted to Facebook by Bob Cox:

This is my personal view of the EDA General Committee meeting of Saturday 1st February 2025 (This is not an official announcement of the EDA – Just my own personal take!)   Please refer to the official minutes for reference.  If EDA members have any questions, please take them up with your district secretary.

• For clarification concerning the registered address for financial EDA matters, the registered address remains that of the home address of the EDA treasurer.

•  EDA bank accounts were discussed.  There was agreement to reduce the number of accounts to two, for simplicity’s sake, with agreement that the treasurer can proceed at their own discretion.

•  The individual draft reports for the annual report were made available.

•  The length of time people can spend in posts on the EDA GC was talked through.  There is a time-length difference between ‘technical posts’ and ‘representative posts’.  After a healthy debate it was agreed to leave the lengths of service as is.

•  As we have very successfully introduced membership software.  We must alter the EDA rules considering this technological process improvement.  Two main reasons presented themselves.  1) We need a clear and easy way of separating ‘payment’ years.  2) We need to stop the reportedly endless chasing of a few members unwilling or expecting to be able to always pay late (for whatever reason).

  • Rule 4a) is proposed to change to:  Subscriptions are due on 1st January. Members whose subscriptions are six months in arrears cease to be members of the Association.

  • Rule 4b) is proposed to change to:  Subscriptions for new members are due on election and are normally due for renewal on the following 1 January.   However, subscriptions for members elected in October, November and December are not due for renewal until 1 January following the first anniversary of the member’s election.

•  It was noted that some of the EDA regulations need updating too.

•  The EDA does not get many complaints – however an internal guidance document has been proposed such that, should a complaint be received, we have a workflow to follow.  This proposed guidance does not include safeguarding complaints.

•  The AGM and striking competition, hosted this year by Huntingdon District, will be at Godmanchester on 17th May.  Open ringing will be at Alconbury and Brampton

•  Replacements for Ringing Master and Recruitment and Training Officer are needed for 2025. 

•  Tom Ridgman was ratified as the EDA report writer in 2025.  Annual Reports are expected to be available for District secretaries at the AGM.

•  The EDA mobile bell needs maintenance.  A grant of £500 was made available to maintain this EDA asset.

Bob Cox
EDA Chair