## **Darlington & District Talking Newspaper (DDTN)** ## **Annual General Meeting 2022** We are pleased to invite you to our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on **Monday 11 April 2022 at 6.00pm** . Due to ongoing Covid-19 concerns the meeting will be held using Zoom – the internet meeting facility. If you wish to join the Zoom meeting please contact the office (see below) with your email address and you will be sent a link. You can vote at the AGM if, on that date, you are a member of DDTN (i.e. a registered listener and/ or volunteer). Each member has one vote. If you are unable to attend the Zoom meeting, you may appoint our Secretary, Kate Grogan, as your Proxy to vote on your behalf. You can specify how you want your vote to be cast on each resolution using the enclosed Proxy form. The completed form must be received by the Secretary by **Monday 11 April at 12 noon.** Included with this letter are: 1. AGM Agenda 2022 2. Minutes of AGM held 10 May 2021 3. Trustees Annual Report 2022 4. Statement of Accounts 5. A proposed resolution to accept the Appointment of Taxation Advisory Services as Auditors for 2022 6. List of potential Charity Trustees 7. Election of Officials 8. Proxy Voting Form 2022 _Registered Charity No: 1188452 Website: www.darlingtontalkingnewspaper.co.uk Telephone: 01325 465101 Email: dtnewspaper@outlook.com_ 2 These documents will also available on our website. If you have any questions or comments please email or call us. We hope you **.** will be able to attend and look forward to hearing from you 3 ## **1. AGM Agenda - 11 April 2022 - 6.00 pm by Zoom** **----- Start of picture text -----**
1 Chair to open the AGM . David Smith.
2 Trustees Annual Report and Financial accounts
2021
David Smith & David Green
3 Resolutions:

To accept the minutes of the last AGM

To accept the Trustees Annual Report

To accept the Financial statement

To accept the Appointment of Taxation
Advisory Services as Auditors for 2022

Election of Trustees

Election of Officials
4 Any other business
5 Close the meeting. David Smith.
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4 ## **2. Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held by Zoom on 10 May 2021** **PRESENT: Trustees:** David Green, June Goodrick, Kate Grogan, Richie Hawkins, Paul Knight, David Smith, Pat Walker, **Volunteers:** Fran Bradley, Ged Callaghan, Maureen Gorman, Alison Mannion, David Roberts, Michaela Smith, **APOLOGIES: Trustees:** Michael Taylor, Margaret Harrison, **Volunteers:** John Dunn, Lynne Goodes, Elaine Hurry, Kay & Roly Lang, Stan Renwick, Pat and David S **welcomed** everyone to the first AGM of the Darlington & District Talking Newspaper under the Charted Incorporated Organisation status and our new charity number. Voting this year is by a show of hands if present at this meeting or by prior return of the proxy voting form. The Trustees Annual Report, Statement of Accounts, information on resolutions and election candidates were sent to all members with the invitation to the AGM. The **Trustees Annual Report** was read out by Pat and David S. Thanks were given for this report. Members voted on the resolution to accept this report. There were no votes against or abstentions. Agreed. The **Statement of Accounts** was read out by David Green. Thanks were given for this report. Members voted on the resolution to accept this report. There were no votes against or abstentions. Agreed. Members voted on the resolution to **accept the Appointment of Taxation Advisory Services as 2021 auditors.** There were no votes against or abstentions. Agreed. Members voted on the resolution to **increase the number of trustees allowed in the DDTN Constitution under revised Section 12.3.** Section 12 (3) of our constitution currently reads 5 - “(3) Number of charity trustees……. (b) The maximum number of charity trustees is 10, to include a maximum of 3 co-opted members with full voting rights.” It is proposed to replace this clause with - “(3) Number of charity trustees…… (b) The maximum number of charity trustees is **12** , to include a maximum of **4** co-opted members with full voting rights. There were no votes against or abstentions. Agreed. ## **Election of Charity Trustees** All the current trustees were re-elected by vote; namely June Goodrick, David Green, Kate Grogan, Margaret Harrison, Richie Hawkins, Paul Knight, David Smith, Michael Taylor and Pat Walker. Ged Callaghan was also elected as a trustee. All trustees received a minimum of 23 votes. ## **Election of Officers** Officers were elected by vote as follows: David Smith as Chair, Pat Walker as Deputy Chair, David Green as Treasurer and Kate Grogan as Secretary. All officers received a minimum of 27 votes. DavidS and Pat both said that this time they could only commit to their newly elected roles for 1 year rather than the normal 3 years. ## **Any Other Business** It was asked how much Taxation Advisory Services charge - £220 per year. Fran expressed the thanks of volunteers to the Committee for their work over the last year. Thanks were also given to all volunteers and those who have left over the last year. The meeting then closed with Pat and David thanking everyone for attending and supporting our Talking Newspaper. 6 ## **3. Trustees Annual Report** When I wrote the Chairman’s Report last year, we were still in “lockdown” and it seemed as if we would never get back to normality. I’m pleased to report that things have looked better since then and we are now back to recording on a weekly basis although with a slight change to the way things are being done. We now use only two readers plus the recording engineer, which has been well received by all concerned. The offices at Birch House continue to be used for our studio and office and we are not considering moving anywhere else at the moment. As mentioned last year, our financial resources are gradually being depleted now that we have to pay rent and we depend solely on bequests and other charitable donations to continue. Last year I mentioned that we had changed the status of the DDTN to a CIO which means we can get tax relief on donations and provides financial protection to the trustees. The first annual return as a CIO was made to the Charity Commission last year. June Goodrick, who has been a trustee for several years has decided to stand down and we thank her for her for her outstanding contribution to the running of the DDTN. We are delighted that Lynne Goodes would like to join the committee and hope you will vote for her appointment.. Pat Walker has decided to stand down as Deputy Chair, but remains a valuable member of the Trustees. Many thanks to all of our volunteers and listeners who continue to make the DDTN such a worthwhile organisation. David V Smith - Chair 4. Statement of Accounts SAI￿PA s Accotn D¢natlons P•ld R¢¢ordlng• Fundraiolng 1.646 555 123 1,399 i.iii 432 2,324 2,942 Bank Intete8t Recelv 116 2,352 3,058 M¢etlng •nd Travel ExpeMt• iExnent Maintenance Telephon• and Int•tA•t Po•t•ge Printing St•tion•ry and Con•umabl•• Tralnlttg & R•erultment Llcence• Inouranc•• Rent and Rate• Exp•n#•• B•nk Ch4rge• Accountancy CD• & Wall•t• 616 •98 118 218 89 159 23 47 291 4,440 112 42 291 4,440 29 82 320 407 220 582 7.374 6,181 £ 5,022 £ 3,123 8 ## **5. Proposed Resolution to accept the Appointment of Taxation Advisory Services as 2022 Auditors** Paul Pearson of Taxation Advisory Services has audited DDTN accounts for many years. It is proposed the company continue to provide this service next year. ## **6. List of potential Charity Trustees** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Candidates Notes
1 Ged Callaghan Current trustee
2 Lynne Goodes Seeking appointment
3 David Green Current Treasurer
4 Kate Grogan Current Secretary
5 Margaret Harrison Current trustee
6 Richie Hawkins Current trustee
7 Paul Knight Current trustee
8 David Smith Current Joint Chair
9 Michael Taylor Current trustee
10 Pat Walker Current trustee
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9 ## **7. Election of Officials** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Candidates Post
David Smith (current Joint Chair
Chair)
David Green (current Treasurer
Treasurer)
Kate Grogan (current Secretary
Secretary)
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10 ## **DDTN Annual General Meeting 2022 PROXY VOTE** If you cannot attend the internet Zoom AGM on 11 April 2022 and wish to vote by proxy, please complete, sign and return this form. Name.……………………………………….(IN CAPITALS PLEASE) Address…………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………… As a member of DDTN, I appoint the DDTN Secretary, Kate Grogan, as my proxy to vote in my name and on my behalf at the 2022 Annual General Meeting and at any adjournment thereof. **Signed** …………………………….…… **Date** ……………………… ## **Resolutions:** Place a cross in the appropriate box next to each resolution. The Committee recommends you vote ‘ **for** ’ all the resolutions. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Vote Vote Abstai
for agains n
t
Accept Minutes of AGM held 10
May 2021
Accept Trustees Annual Report
Accept Statement of Accounts
Accept Appointment of Taxation
Advisory Services as 2022
auditors
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12 ## **Vote on Appointment of Charity Trustees** Place a cross next to the candidates you wish to be appointed as Trustees. There are 12 places for trustees, so if you wish you can vote for all candidates to be appointed. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Vote for
Candidates Appointme
nt
1 Ged Callaghan
2 Lynne Goodes
3 David Green (current
Treasurer)
4 Kate Grogan (current
Secretary)
5 Margaret Harrison
6 Richie Hawkins
7 Paul Knight
8 David Smith (Current Joint
Chair)
9 Michael Taylor
10 Pat Walker
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## **Election of Officers** Place a cross in the appropriate box next to each candidate. The Board of Trustees recommends you vote ‘ **for** ’ all candidates. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Vote Vote Abstai
for agains n
t
David Smith as Chair
Kate Grogan as
Secretary
David Green as
Treasurer
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13 Please return your completed form by either: email, a DDTN wallet or by post to: The Secretary, Darlington & District Talking Newspaper, 1D Birch House, 80 Eastmount Road, Darlington DL1 1LA. The form must arrive **no later than** Monday **11 April at 12 noon.** Late forms are not guaranteed to be counted.