Join in at our AGM

Clevedon Marine Lake will be holding its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 21st at 7pm. In keeping with lockdown, it will take place over Zoom.

Clevedon Marine Lake is run by a charity called Marlens (MARine Lake ENthusiastS), and every year we hold a meeting for everyone who enjoys the lake. Last year, the AGM took place on March 15th just a few days before the country went into its first lockdown. We talked about upcoming events with an idea that some would probably be cancelled but with no idea of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Agenda

This year, the agenda is as follows:

1. Welcome and Apologies

2. Approve Minutes of Previous AGM (15th March 2020)

3. Trustees Report

4. Financial Report

5. Election of Trustees & Officers

Our constitution requires that one-third of the trustees retire at each AGM.

Retiring: Bob Slee Steve Price Joe Norman

We have the following Trustee candidates, who need to be approved by members:

Laura Nesbitt: Proposed by Joe Norman, seconded by Rowan Clarke

Quentin Crew: Proposed by Joe Norman, seconded by Rowan Clarke

1. Member Resolutions – none have been received so far. Deadline 9 March.

2. Questions, Answers and Open Discussion

Please e-mail a copy of your questions to the Chair prior to the meeting: chair@marlens.org.uk

NOTES

1. Trustees:  We currently have 11 trustees. Chris Blades, Barry Cherokoff, Rowan Clarke, Joe Norman, Steve Price, Bob Slee, Laura Nesbitt, Quentin Crew, Hilary Jenkins-Spangler, Mike Perrott and Myles Podmore.  Laura and Quentin were co-opted as trustees during the year.  This needs confirmation by the members at the AGM.

1/3 of the charity trustees must retire at each AGM, so Bob Slee, Joe Norman and Steve Price are retiring this time. All three have now completed three stints as trustees, so are not available for re-election until a further 3 years have passed.

Joe Norman and Steve Price will still be around and happy to help.

Bob Slee is retiring as a trustee but is willing to remain as treasurer.

Clevedon Town Council is able to appoint one trustee and in January 2018 they appointed Councillor Barry Cherokoff for a 3-year term.

1. Nominations:  Any member may volunteer or nominate somebody for Trustee.   Nominations may be sent to the Chair by email (chair@marlens.org.uk) or post (Newton House, 25 Hill Road, Clevedon  BS21 7NE) . Each nomination should include the names of the nominee (who must be 16 or over), proposer and seconder.  Before nominating please confirm that the nominee is prepared to act if elected. Nominations should reach the Chair by 7th March.  Nominations will also be accepted at the AGM.

2. Resolutions  Members may propose resolutions to put to the meeting. Resolutions must reach the Chair by 7th March. 

3. Voting:  Paid-up Marlens members (which includes Marlens Lottery members and Friends of Clevedon Marine Lake) have a vote. Others are welcome to attend and join in the discussion.  

Join in

All members of the community are welcome. You can join this year’s AGM from the comfort of your home using Zoom. You can get Zoom on your computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone. If you haven’t used Zoom before, you will need to download it first, so please give yourself plenty of time to get to know it. You can find out how to use Zoom here.

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87536987263?pwd=R0ZSUGZKaERiOUdPUm4rTmg0T2ZZZz09 Meeting ID: 875 3698 7263 Passcode: AGM2021 

The minutes from last year’s AGM are below.

AGM Minutes, 15th March 2020

MARLENS AGM Minutes 

Sunday 15th March 2020 

6:30pm start 

Kindly hosted by  

Clevedon Sailing Club 

16 members of the community were present, of whom 12 were paid-up members, so the meeting was quorate. See the list at the end of these minutes. 1 Joe Norman took the chair and thanked everyone for attending. Apologies: see list at end of this document.2 Minutes of Previous AGM (17 March 2019): The minutes were approved by the members. 

Proposed by: Linda Knott, Seconded by Liz Jarvis 

There were no matters arising.3 Trustees Report: The Trustees Report was available at the meeting, 4 Financial Report: The financial report was available at the meeting. The  Accounts had been inspected and approved by an accountant (as required by the Charity Commission) and reflect the year-end as of 31st October  2019. The current financial position (money in the bank) is lower due to planned subsequent expenditure on lake improvements including six new benches and a week’s dredging. 

The report was presented by the Treasurer, Bob Slee, and approved by the members. 

Proposed by: Bob Slee, Seconded by Linda Knott5 Election of Trustees & Officers: 

Our constitution requires that one-third of the trustees retire at each AGM,  but may stand for re-election.  

Retiring: Tony Cherry 

Linda Knott 

Chris Blades (current trustee seeking re-election) 

Linda Knott had been associated with Marlens ever since it was set up by 

her husband Arthur in 2005, and took the opportunity to make a statement thanking everyone for their support and urging the need for a new generation to take Clevedon Lake forward. 

In addition to Chris Blades, three new Trustee candidates volunteered at the meeting. All four were proposed en bloc and approved by the members. 

Chris Blades 

Mike Perrott (Clevedon Canoe Club) 

Myles Podmore (Clevedon Inshore Rowing Club) 

Hilary Jenkins-Spangler (lake swimmer) 

Officer Posts 

Treasurer: Bob Slee was prepared to continue in office as honorary  Treasurer. No other nominations had been received, and Bob Slee was  approved by the members. 

Secretary: Vacant. No nominations had been received but two people had answered the recent advertisement for a paid post. 

Joe Norman had been acting as Secretary (as well as Chair of Trustees) and would continue until a replacement could be found.6 Member Resolutions: No resolutions had been received.

The Trustees expressed their thanks to  

1. Viv French, Marlens’ bookkeeper, for keeping the finances in great order. ∙ Linda Knott, who is retiring as a Marlens’ Trustee, following 17 years of bringing life to the Marine Lake. 

2. Marlens’ Saturday Cleaning group for a phenomenal job keeping the lake ship shape. 

3. The Community for its engagement with the lake – without which it couldn’t survive. 

The formal meeting closed at 7:30 pm 

This was followed by light refreshments and a question and answer session including an informal review of forthcoming activity on and around the lake. 

Lake Safety:  

It was agreed that Clevedon Sailing Club, Clevedon Canoe Club, Clevedon Marine Active and Matt Taylor (hire boats and zorbs) would liaise via What’s App to coordinate larger group sessions, to ensure all users have adequate space to run tuition safely, especially when the sailing rope is in use. Changes to be communicated to Viv French to update the lake calendar on the  clevedonmarinelake.co.uk web site. 

2020 Events, subject to Covid-19 guidelines: (some cancellations probable) ∙ Bristol Old Vic tour – 2nd April 

1. Lake Day – 9th May, 1pm start this year because of overtopping tides in the morning. Lake Day have-a-go sessions confirmed by Clevedon Canoe  Club, Clevedon Sailing Club and Clevedon Coastal Rowing plus lakeside activities. Volunteer rota to be compiled by Lorrie Parnell.  

2. Arnos Vale morbid curiosity tour – 10th June 

3. Marlens’ Musical Extravaganza – 2nd October. Volunteers needed – 8 fire marshals and a Master of Ceremonies. 

4. Light up The Lake – 5th December. Light up The Lake – Marshals required to manage access points. For safety reasons the lakeside will be cordoned off, and entry in/onto the water by invitation only. Spectators welcome as  before on the upper promenade  

5. Winterfest – 30th January 2021 tbc

The clearance programme in March was very successful, increasing the lake depth to 3ft around the promenade perimeter. Possible conveyor systems to be considered and costed for future dredging, to speed up the process. 

The small original penstock broke during the drain-down for dredging. This was not replaced in 2015, during the renovation. North Somerset Council is obtaining a quote from Dyer and Butler to replace it, possibly during the next dredging drain down planned for October 2020.  

The slipway at the splash pool end has a sharp concrete lip where the tide scours away the gravel bottom. Marlens to assess the best solution to eliminate injuries from the angular finish to the slipway (for example replace rubber edging, concrete inclined extension), possibly implemented during Oct 20 drain down. 

See whether some space could be reserved on the NSC event boards on Salthouse  Field, to advertise Clevedon and lake events. 

16 Present, including 12 paid-up members (Lottery or Friend) and 5 trustees: 

Marlens  Lottery 

Ken Ellis X Jenny Ellis X 

Friend of CML 

Trustee 

Joe Norman X X Maggie Norman X 

Rowena Hastings X 

Chris Cooper Clevedon Sailing Club. X Liz Jarvis X 

Linda Knott X X Mike Perrott Clevedon Canoe Club. X 

Lorrie Parnell X 

Matt Taylor 

Kate Gay X Chris Blades X X Alison Holland Clevedon Marine Active.  

Stephen Holland Clevedon Marine Active.  

Bob Slee X X X  11 Apologies 

Michael Batchelor Barry Cherokoff Viv French Tony Cherry John Merritt Bryn Hatch Paul Edwards Stephanie Collins Carolyn Waite Marilyn Edwards Rowan Clarke 

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