Having sat through the recent EGM and been aware of the friction and concerns from both sides of the debate leading up to the meeting of the room being “stacked” in favour of one side or the other I feel we now need to learn lessons.

We need to accept that many people cannot make AGM / EGM for good reason but would still wish to be shown as wishing to have a vote on agenda items Before the next AGM in March, what is stopping us from circulating the agenda items to ALL the membership well in advance of the meeting and including an ability to vote online? Those votes can then be added to those who wish to vote in person on the night to arrive at a far more representational and meaningful result? In these times it cannot be right that 40 plus people can decide on major issues in a golf club which has several hundreds of members.   As part of any ongoing review into our club’s constitution, I would ask that this suggestion be given strong consideration and adopted.

PETER ROGERS

Thank you for your message through the Suggestion Box..  I appreciate that it was addressed to the Trustees but they felt that any response should come from Council.  This response does however have an input from all the Trustees.

The discussions leading up to the recent EGM have drawn the voting provisions in the Rules into greater scrutiny from members with differing viewpoints. The questions raised include:

Should the vote be limited to those attending as in Rule 23, 4th para?

Should there be a wholly postal ballot instead of or a postal ballot for those unable to attend the meeting, those votes being added to the votes cast at the meeting?

Should all motions in AGMs and EGMs require a two-thirds majority under the same Rule?

Council discussed the recent EGM at length and agreed to convene a special committee to consider these and other points with a view to amending the rules in a fashion which will satisfy the membership as a whole and it is the intention to ensure that such a committee fairly represents the membership as a whole and not just Council.

Whether we can agree and achieve a final result in time for the AGM is probably doubtful if we are to canvass members’ views. However, it seems that the election of officers is likely to be the most contentious issue at the AGM.  Fortunately, that is already covered by Rule 21 which states that in respect only of the election of Members of Council, Members not present but entitled to vote may send in a written vote to the General Manager to arrive not later than 5pm on the day that is two days earlier than the date of the meeting.  The notice of the meeting will of course draw Members attention to this.

Does that resolve your immediate concerns?”

Best regards

Peter Rogers