REPORT ON THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2005 HELD AT THE RIVIERA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE, TORQUAY 28, 29 and 30 May 2005
Delegates:  John Clark (Chairman), Cathie Clark (Committee Member)     INTRODUCTION (and extracts from presentations)   At the opening of Conference, 85 Standards were paraded.   Elections The following had been elected to National Council by their regions: M R Tighe West Midland Region W J H Lodge Northern Region K F Prichard South Eastern Region A I V Lyon (continues in office) Republic of Ireland District   NOMINATIONS FOR THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE FOR THE YEAR 2005 ANNUAL CONFERENCE A.R.P. Goodwin BEM East Midland Region 332 votes carried Miss S.E. Kelly Northern Region 345 votes carried E.J. Seymour Eastern Region 284 votes   B.C.N. Soffe South Eastern Region 200 votes   Miss H.B. Trant MBE South Western Region 346 votes carried   PLACE OF YEAR 2009 ANNUAL CONFERENCE Cardiff Gwent County 172 votes   Eastbourne National Council 360 votes carried Note:  the venues for the following years are: 2006 Blackpool 2007 Bournemouth 2008 Southport   Summary of Addresses to Conference National President,  Commander The Earl of Effingham The National Chairman detailed some of the visits he had made during his first year in office.  This included the Holocaust Memorial Event, ANZAC Day, Women's Section Conference, Liberation Parades in Holland and the VE Day Service and Wreath Laying. He stressed the importance of the Welfare Committees, the Collectors, Organisers of the Poppy Appeal. He stressed his support for Charter Motion Number 1 and even had time to crack a couple of jokes. He congratulated the winner of the National Standard Competition - John Grimes.   National Chairman, Mr John Hawthornthwaite JP (A copy of the full speech can be seen by pressing here) The National Chairman covered various administrative points. He stated that last year's Bucket Collection realised £1915.79, down £302 from the previous year. The Annual Conference in Southport in 2008 will be the first two day conference. John took part in the Normandy Bike Ride and  various D Day celebrations.    Secretary General (SG) - Mr I G Townsend   (A copy of the full speech can be seen by pressing here) The SG gave details of the change-over to the new Board of Trustees, Membership Council and Advisory Assembly.  A review of the Remembrance Service is underway at the present time, but this is not a Legion-led initiative.  The strength of the membership is 463,588 with 64,070 in the Women's Section.  However, a total of 73,025 pay by Direct Debit. (This shows us in a very good light with approximately 96% of us paying by this means - Ed.)  Gift Aid realised the sum of £340,000. General Treasurer - Mr J A Tedder John Tedder gave a breakdown of the accounts for 2004 as shown in the Annual Review.  (Details of these are available from the TRBL website.) Informative and amusing addresses to conference were given by the following: Peter Killick, Mayor of Torbay Mrs Pat Valler, Vice Chairman of the Women's Section Mr Eric Munro, Chairman of the Royal British Legion Scotland Colonel David Hayes MBE, Colonel of the Brigade of Gurkhas,  and Captain (Queens Gurkha Officer) Bhaktabahadur Limbu (son of the last Gurkha to be awarded the Victoria Cross) A rousing reception was given to the walkers who had walked 100 miles from Weston super Mare.  They were of an average age of 55 years and were pledged the sum of £13,000 for the new Somerset House.  Beccles Branch tandem relay riders rode the 350 miles from Suffolk to raise the sum of £2,500 for the Poppy Appeal. A bucket collection for the Poppy Appeal on Monday 30 May realised the sum of £2,008.27 with Gift Aid adding the further sum of £183.71. It was announced that the Poppy Appeal for 2004 raised the sum of £23,327,071.58 which was 8.7% up on 2003.   Delegate Numbers at Conference   Voting Non Voting Total Saturday pm 577 48 625 Sunday am 563 43 606 Sunday pm 540 41 581 Monday am 540 45 585 Monday pm - - -     CHARTER MOTIONS (Charter Motions are worded to show all changes to all appropriate paragraphs in the Charter – most of these have been removed to save space) 1.   This Conference agrees that a new class of membership of The Royal British Legion be introduced for Ordinary and Associate Members as "Members" and that the Articles and Rules be altered as set out in the Addendum to this Agenda, notwithstanding that the Beneficiaries of the Legion shall remain the same as defined by Article 2 of the Royal Charter            BIX OXFORD COUNTY   BROADSTONE DORSET COUNT   HADDENHAM AND WILBURTON CAMBRIDGE COUNTY   HUSBANDS BOSWORTH & DIST LEICESTER AND RUTLAND COUNTY   KEDLINGTON AND DISTRICT SUFFOLK COUNTY   NEWLYN WEST CORNWALL COUNTY   NEWQUAY CEREDIGION COUNTY   SPROWSTON NORFOLK COUNTY   WANTAGE BERKSHIRE AND VALE OF WHITE HORSE COUNTY     CHESHIRE COUNTY     DEVON COUNTY     DISTRICT OF GERMANY     NORTH WALES DISTRICT     SOMERSET COUNTY     SOUTH WEST COUNTY      For 394 votes; 174 against; 5 spoiled papers; total 568 .  ⅔ majority required 379 votes. This motion was won. 2.   Rule 39, insert new sub paragraph:   "(c) 40% of the tax recovered from the Inland Revenue in respect of each member of that Branch who has completed a valid  Gift Aid Declaration".     ILLINGWORTH & BRADSHAW                                                                                                      SOUTH & WEST YORKS COUNTY     For  270; against 302 total 572.  ⅔ majority  not achieved.       Lost 3.      Rule 44.  Renumber existing Rule 44 as Rule 44(a) and insert new Rule 44(b):   "Where a Branch has less than 100 members, and less than £200 in reserves at the end of the previous financial year, the approved expenses for a delegate to Annual Conference may be met from Central Funds".     NORTH WINGFIELD & DISTRICT                                                                                                                                   DERBY COUNTY      For 242; against 321, 1 spoilt, total 563.  ⅔ majority not achieved.  Lost 4.   In the following Rules delete "Secretary General" and substitute "Director General"; 9(c), 9(e), and (h), 29(b), 33(a), 36, 38(b) and 39(a) and (b).         If this Charter Motion is carried, the Board of Trustees will make the necessary changes to the Governing Regulations.                                                                                                                                                                                               NATIONAL COUNCIL       For 411; against 141, 7 spoilt papers, total 553.  ⅔ majority achieved.  Carried 5.     In Rule 32(a)(ii), after "the Benevolent Fund" insert "established for the purposes defined in the Objects of this Charter".     COOKSTOWN                                                                                                                                           NORTHERN IRELAND DISTRICT     For 530; Against 28; 2 spoilt papers, total 558.    ⅔ majority achieved. Carried         6. Article 3(b) delete "women and children" and insert "spouses, children and dependants".                                                                                                                                                                                                  HANTS COUNTY This Charter Motion was seconded by John Clark on behalf of Garats Hay      For 538; Against 12, 1 paper spoilt; total 550.   ⅔ majority achieved. Carried             7. This Conference agrees that the National President should remain an Officer of the Legion, should preside over the Board of Trustees and therefore approves the necessary alterations, set out below, to the Rules to achieve this:     Rule 8(a) delete "National Officers" substitute "Chairman and Vice Chairman". Rule 13(a)(i) delete the last sentence. Immediately before Rule 14 insert "PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENTS" as a heading. 14(a) re-designate as "14(a)(i) and insert: "(ii) The President, although not a member of the Board of Trustees, is entitled to attend and speak but not propose, second and vote at meetings of the Board of Trustees and Annual Conference." (iii) The President shall not be entitled to attend Annual Conference as a Branch, County or District delegate."                                                                                                                                                                                 NATIONAL COUNCIL.   For 521; Against 14; total 535, ⅔ majority achieved. Carried     MOTIONS The subject matter of motions marked * is already Legion policy   GROUP "A" - PENSIONS AND DISABLEMENT       1.   This Conference urges the Board of Trustees to make representation to HM Government to ask them to state what provisions will be made to ensure that the current War Pension Scheme will not be compromised by the new Armed Forces Compensation Scheme when it is introduced.  Furthermore, to request an assurance that those who qualify under the old scheme will continue to do so until the last qualified pensioner has claimed       LISKEARD                                                                                                                                                        CORNWALL COUNTY     A statement on behalf of National Council was made by Eddie Dixon Carried           2. This Conference calls on the Board of Trustees, as a matter or urgency, to ask the train operating companies to provide suitable access to and egress from trains for those disabled ex-Service personnel using Electrically Propelled Vehicles.       LITTLEWORTH AND DISTRICT                                                                                                                        WORCESTER COUNTY       Carried   GROUP "B" - REMEMBRANCE, FUNDRAISING AND PUBLICITY     3. This Conference calls on the Board of Trustees to make funds available in the next Legion financial year to facilitate a National Royal British Legion Advertising Campaign, utilising Television, Radio and national and local newspapers.     A statement was made by Peter Cleminson on behalf of National Council. BALLYMENA                                                                                                                                        NORTHERN IRELAND DISTRICT       Carried        4.   This Conference is concerned that local BBC radio coverage of the 2004 Poppy Appeal was minimal and that some aspects of the BBC's "Children in Need Appeal" clashed with the Poppy Appeal period.  This Conference therefore requests that in future the "Children in Need" appeal and the advertising of it take place after Remembrance Sunday.     BACKBARROW                                                                                                                                                            LANCS COUNTY       Carried   5.* This  Conference urges the Board of Trustees to look at means of generating income for the General Fund other than by raising the Affiliation Fee.     MIDDLEFORTH                                                                                                                                                           LANCS COUNTY       Carried     6. This Conference recommends that the Annual Poppy Appeal League Tables, the top fifty district/borough councils, be discontinued     STAMFORD                                                                                                                                                                LINCOLN COUNTY       Carried   GROUP "C" - WELFARE AND RESETTLEMENT 7. This Conference requests the Board of Trustees to review the distribution of the funds raised so that a minimum of 1% of the total funds raised by each County/District during Annual Poppy Appeal shall be returned tot he respective County/District Benevolent accounts to be used exclusively by that County/District for local benevolent purposes.     BIDFORD ON AVON                                                                                                                                            WARWICK COUNTY       Lost     8. This Conference agrees that the Board of Trustees should approach the Trustees of the Churchill Centre with requests to re-consider their decision to close the Centre or with a view to taking the Centre under the control of the Legion.     NORTHOP AND DISTRICT                                                                                                                       NORTH WALES COUNTY     A statement was read by Eddie Dixon on behalf of National Council   Carried GROUP "D" - GENERAL (INTERNAL)     9. This Conference urges the Board of Trustees to select one permanent location for the Annual Conference, to be sited in a central location.     ST. AUSTELL                                                                                                                                                  CORNWALL COUNTY       Lost          10. This Conference views with concern the number of delegates who are absent at Annual Conference when crucial votes are being taken.  It calls on the Board of Trustees to look at ways to eradicate the problem.                                                                                                                                                                                          KENT COUNTY   (A system of bar-coding was trialled this year to book delegates in and out of the hall)     Carried     11. This Conference requests the Board of Trustees to consider allowing Branch. County and National awards to ge given posthumously     CROXTETH & GILLMOSS                                                                                                                        WEST LANCS COUNTY       Lost     12.   This Conference resolves that a reduction by 50 pence per annum be applied to the Annual Affiliation Fees in respect of Ordinary and Associate Members who declare for Gift Aid in respect of the said Annual Affiliation Fees and pay such Affiliation Fees by DDSP, this to be applied with effect from 1st October 2005.     ROCHDALE                                                                                                                                               SOUTH LANCS COUNTY     The National Treasurer spoke against the motion.     Lost     13. This Conference requests the Board of Trustees to consider, within the constraints of the law, the formation of a Club Management Company to assist the administration of RBL properties which are under the Corporate Trusteeship of the Board of Trustees, to establish a means of ensuring that in future a realistic proportion of the income be paid to the Management Company for the sole purposes of maintaining and developing the properties to maximise their value and attraction for existing and future Members.     WINTON AND MOORDOWN                                                                                                                            DORSET COUNTY     A statement was made by John Farmer on behalf of the National Council. A Property management Company is currently under consideration.     Lost     14. This Conference resolves that Branch delegates to Royal British Legion Annual Meetings of the County Conference and the Annual Conference of The Royal British Legion must be a member of the Branch they represent.                                                                                                                                                                                   LINCOLN COUNTY   Lost     15. This Conference resolves that the Annual Affiliation Fee for Ordinary and Associate Members be increased to £10.50 with effect from 1st October 2005                                                                                                                                                                               NATIONAL COUNCIL   Carried after a count by Scrutineers - 318 for; 214 against, total 532     GROUP "E" - GENERAL (EXTERNAL)     16. This Conference deplores the failure of the Ministry of Defence to comply with E.U. rules relating to an employers responsibility adequately to provide their employees in the Armed Forces with the right tools in quality so that they can carry out their objectives in as efficient and safe a way as possible.     NEWBRIDGE                                                                                                                                                           GWENT COUNTY       Carried     17. This Conference deplores the Government's decision of September 2004 in only granting UK Citizenship to those members of the Gurkhas discharged after 1997 and calls on the Board of Trustees to lobby Government to adjust this ruling to include all ex-Gurkhas who may wish to apply.     BALLYMENA                                                                                                                                                NORTHERN IRELAND DISTRICT     A statement was made by Peter Cleminson on behalf of the National Council.  This is an immigration issue.     Carried .   18. This Conference urges the Legion to make representations to HM Government to increase the Senior Citizens' Retirement Pension to a more realistic figure, so as to benefit ex-Service Senior Citizens.     LYCHETT UNITED                                                                                                                                        DORSET COUNTY     Carried 19. This Conference urges the Legion to make representation to HM Government to increase the applicable amount to a more meaningful figure when assessing Income Support for the ex-Service community.     LYCHETT UNITED                                                                                                                                        DORSET COUNTY       Carried          20. This Conference is concerned by the lack of Residential Homes in the West Country for all ranks of ex-Service Personnel     BROADWINDSOR                                                                                                                                       DORSET COUNTY            Carried     21. This Conference views with favour the establishment of "International Friendship and Reconciliation Sunday" on the Sunday on or immediately after 15th August, the anniversary of the end of the Second World War.     BIRMINGHAM FORWARD            Lost     22. This Conference abhors the decision of the Government to close some rural Department of Works and Pensions offices which adversely affects the ex-Service community.     LAMPETER                                                                                                                                                CEREDIGION COUNTY       Carried     23. This Conference urges the Board of Trustees to approach the Minister for Veterans' Affairs with a view to further improving the access of United Kingdom Veterans to United Kingdom Military, Welfare and Educational facilities.                                                                                                                                                                        DISTRICT OF GERMANY   Carried         24. This Conference views with concern the moves by HM Government to control mercury emissions from crematoriums and the financial implications this may have on the ex-Service community.     MORLEY                                                                                                                                  SOUTH & WEST YORKS COUNTY       Lost     25. This Conference calls on the Board of Trustees, as a matter of urgency, to make representations to HM Government to ensure Reserve Forces serving in HM Armed Forces are offered their former employment on their return from service.          CROXTETH & GILLMOSS                                                                                                                      WEST LANCS COUNTY     A statement was made on behalf of National Council.  Only one case has come to light.     Carried   MOTION OF URGENCY   This Conference deplores the situation which prevented some Service personnel voting in the recent Elections and urges the Board of Trustees to make representation to HM Government to prevent a re-occurrence of this error in voting procedure.     NEW EDGWARE                                                                                                                                     NORTH WEST COUNTY       Carried Cups and Awards were presented by the National President.  The National Standard and National Junior Standard were presented to their new recipients. The National Chairman acknowledged those members, past and present, of National Council which would cease to exist at end of Conference. The National Vice Chairman gave thanks to all those who assisted Conference, and this was seconded by Jim Hughes, Past National Chairman. The National Chairman closed Conference until it met again in Blackpool in 2006.