## Annual General Meeting 2022 To be held at 7.30pm on Thursday 15[th] September 2022 ## online via Zoom ## AGENDA 1. Apologies 2. To approve the minutes of the 2021 AGM 3. To receive and approve the Accounts for the year ended 31st July 2022 4. To re-elect Lewis Daniels as Trustee 5. To re-elect David Luggar as Trustee 6. To approve the appointment of Andrew Hedges as independent examiner 7. To receive and approve the Trustees' report No official motions having been received from the membership, the meeting will conclude with an informal (un-minuted) discussion. ## **AUDITED ACOUNTS 1st August 2021 - 31st July 2022 1[st] August 2020-31[st] July 2021** |**INCOME**||| |---|---|---| |subscriptions BACS|785|140| |subscriptions Paypal (net)|796.92|548.63| |Gift Aid|0|215.76| |VAT repayment|121.17|1187.17| |grants|2269.45|3404.48| |**TOTAL**|**3972.54**|**5496.04**| |**PAYMENTS**||| |HRA subscription|75|75| |insurance|179.84|176.72| |planning application|490|515.92| |(Ilfracombe home signal)||| |heritage installations inc VAT|564|6000| |(Ilfracombe station sign)||| |Image licence|60|| |(Ilfracombe station sign)||| |**TOTAL**|**1368.84**|**6767.64**| |opening balance 1st August 2021|3603.26|4874.86| |income|3972.54|5496.04| |expenditure|-1368.84|-6767.64| |closing balance 31st July 2022|6206.96|3603.26| **Minutes of 2021 Annual General Meeting** 18.09.2021 3pm by Zoom Trustees present: John Burch – Chair Richard Heacock – Treasurer Yvonne Hin – Secretary and notes Members present: Glyn Pollington, Tim Steer, Tony Warren - 1) Apologies from: Adam Cooke, Margaret Faultless, John Horne, Gary Best, Dave Griffin, Nicholas Jackson, Alan Lovegrove and John Saul. - 2) The 2020 AGM minutes were proposed by Richard and Seconded by Glyn. - 3) Richard took us through the accounts after which the accounts were proposed by Richard and Seconded by John. - 4) Yvonne was newly elected as Trustee and was proposed by Richard and seconded by John 5) Glyn was elected as Trustee which was proposed by Yvonne and seconded by John. - 6) We re-approved the appointment of Andrew Hedges as our independent examiner. This was Proposed by John and seconded by Yvonne. - 7) John gave interesting visual presentation of his Chair’s report which was proposed by Richard and seconded by Yvonne. Our guest speaker was Fremington Councillor, Director of Bideford Railway Heritage Centre, ACE Rail Director and Combe Rail member Tim Steer. Tim introduced us to the ACE Rail (Atlantic Coast to Exeter) project to reopen the railway line from Barnstaple to Bideford. ## **Report of the Trustees of Combe Rail CIO for 2021-2022** ## **Appointment of Trustees** The Trustees of Combe Rail in 2021-2022 were Richard Heacock (Treasurer) Yvonne Hin (Secretary) Lewis Daniels, John Burch (Chair) Glyn Pollington and David Luggar. Under UK charity law, two trustees must be elected/re-elected at each AGM. Lewis Daniels and David Luggar are standing for re-election. No additional applications to become a trustee were received from the membership. ## **Chair’s Report by John Burch** Once again, the Covid pandemic curtailed some of our activities in 2021-22, but we were able nevertheless to progress two heritage projects: In December 2021 we installed a heritage “Ilfracombe Station” sign at the top of Station Road. This was designed (free of charge, by Combe Rail member Kyle Chivers) in 1960’s BR(S) style and features a 1947 “Devon Belle” poster, which we licensed from the Science Museum, London. The sign marks the former passenger steps up to the station (it is actually mounted on the surviving 1929 concrete gateposts) and it acknowledges all our sponsors’ financial support along with the free professional support provided by some Combe Rail members. In May 2022 we received planning approval for a new Ilfracombe down outer home signal post, to be installed alongside the cycle path. Our planning application was submitted for us, free of charge, by Combe Rail supporter Lewis Andrews. We will affix the original 1929 signal arm, generously donated by Sue Bidgood. We are currently reviewing construction options for the signal post We still await delivery of a redundant track panel from the West Somerset Railway. This has been held up, because the pandemic has had a serious impact on the WSR too, but they have now recommenced operation and we are hoping to have the track panel delivered in the near future so that we can once again re-start work on the demonstration track section. Our finances for heritage work were boosted in 2021-22 by generous grants from Ilfracombe Co-op (1,269) and the Fullabrook Foundation (£1000) ## **Taw Link** In March 2021 we made a second application to the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Restoring Your Railway fund. Our bid received continued support from the office of Selaine Saxby MP, including a public transport survey, delivered to residents along the proposed route. We finally heard back from the DfT in October 2021. They suggested that whilst our proposal had merit, our bid (for funding for initial feasibility studies) was not suitable for their Ideas Fund. Whilst we were understandably disappointed by this response, we did note that several proposed schemes serving even larger populations than Braunton-Barnstaple were similarly unsuccessful. Combe Rail had a presence at three local events in 2021-22. On 16[th] October 2021 we attended the Fete of the Planet sustainability fair in the Lantern, Ilfracombe. On May 19[th] 2022 I gave a presentation to the AGM of the Tarka Rail Association, which had some high-profile guests present from Devon County Council, Network Rail and Great Western Railway. On 12[th] June, we attended Bideford Railway Heritage Centre’s 150[th] Anniversary Gala at Bideford station. I’d like to pay tribute to my fellow Trustees who have continued to support the Combe Rail project with their amazing fundraising work and contributing to our various activities. This has been especially the case during these difficult times where contact between us has been restricted. I very much hope that we will see a continued recovery from the pandemic in the year ahead. I would like to think that the year ahead will enable us to once again undertake activities in connection with our work raising awareness of the old line. It would also be absolutely fantastic to be able to welcome some more members of our community to join in with this work. We are continuing to review our policies and procedures to ensure that we comply with the Charity Commission's guidance on good management. Approved by the Trustees 16th August 2022 John Burch Chair of trustees, Combe Rail ## **Combe Rail CIO - Annual General Meeting 18[th] September 2021 Ballot Paper/ Proxy Form** If you are unable to attend the AGM, but wish to exercise your membership right to vote, you can use this form to do one of three things: - 1) appoint a proxy to attend the meeting and vote on your behalf - 2) appoint the Chairman to vote as they see fit 3) register your votes for or against, on the agenda items (below) Proxy forms should be sent to: The Secretary, Combe Rail, Flat 5, Holly House, Avenue Rd, Ilfracombe EX34 9AT or by email info@combe-rail.org.uk to arrive no later than 2pm on Thursday 16[th] September 2021 **1)** I,………………………………………………………………… membership number…………….being a member of Combe Rail hereby appoint (name) …………………………….................. of (address)……………………………………………………… as my proxy, to vote in my name and on my behalf at the Annual General Meeting of Combe Rail on 18[th] September, and at any adjournment thereof. ## **FOR AGAINST** |**2) I appoint the Chairman to vote as they see fit**|☐|☐| |---|---|---| |**(place cross in box)**||| |**3) I wish to register my votes as follows (place cross in box)**||| |Item 2: Approve minutes of 2020 AGM|☐|☐| |Item 3: Approve draft accounts for year ended 31st July 2021|☐|☐| |Item 4: Re-elect Yvonne Hin as Trustee|☐|☐| |Item 5: Elect Glyn Pollington as Trustee|☐|☐| |Item 6: Approve the appointment of Andrew Hedges|☐|☐| |as independent examiner of the accounts||| |Item 7: Approve the Trustees’ Report|☐|☐| |Signature…………………………………........................|Date…………………….||