4 Mar 2012 ... Jo has offered to help with some groups in West Yorkshire and Jol has offered to
help ... MAG UK Annual General Conference (Jol Lawson):.
Minutes of Regional Meeting Sunday 4 March 2012 The Breighton Ferry, Selby Attendees: Yorkshire York Wakefield East Yorks
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Huddersfield Leeds Colne Valley Sheffield Scarborough Hull Gloucester Dorset
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Neil Stevenson, Julie Stevenson Kev Winship Neil Liversidge, Steve Travis, Justine Travis, Eddie Johnson Kev Davison, Sarah Davison, John Metcalfe, Ian Cook, Wayne Rooney, Jol Lawson, Pete Walker Linz Foody, Andy Foody, Ross Ferguson, Andy Hoyle, Mark Ogley, Debs Hoyle, Ali Preston Richard Manton, Keith Maven Sandra Garside, Dave Garside Oliver Rose, Gary Johnstone Stuart Gething A Anderson Den Powell, Phil Powell Max Phillips
Apologies
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Bob Kendall, Jo Ferguson
1. Yorkshire Rep Report (Wayne Rooney, for Nicki Gage): Hi everyone and thanks for coming to the meeting today; I am sorry that I cannot be there, but would like to thank everyone for helping with today’s meeting. I sent out an email recently asking for some help with the local groups and was very happy with the response I got. Jo has offered to help with some groups in West Yorkshire and Jol has offered to help with East Yorkshire and North Yorkshire. Wayne has said he will step in where he can for all groups in his role as Vice Rep, so a big thank you to you all. I have spent many, many hours since the NC meeting on the computer and telephone. Since the NV we have had lots of discussion around the constitution and around the Board of MAG is run. I can assure you I have been firing off emails to keep the pressure on to make sure there is nothing pushed through before my Region or others have a say in any changes. As usual, I am sure I am not making myself popular but I am doing my job correctly and I am fighting Yorkshire’s corner. I have also tried to push that Yorkshire MAG start getting the recognition that you all deserve for the effort you put into the fund raising, it is time that MAG UK and all that entails stand up and thank you. I am hoping to have a huge turn out from the region in support of Vanessa who is handing over the cheque and for all of you to, for once, take the applause that you all deserve. I personally will be contacting each group individually to say thank you. But we will say now a big thank you and congratulations to everyone who has put in the effort to raise any money for MAG we are in a position where the bank account is amazing and to say there are thousands in there is just brilliant and shows what a great group of people we have. Please send in the forms, they are a massive help to me; thank you Stuart who took the time to post his to me and to Ant and Manny who have both sent in forms full of ideas and great information. Have a great meeting and see you all soon.
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2. National Committee Report February 2012 (Jol Lawson): •
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Campaigns: Framework Regs (Article 18) extends to bike shops, etc. Discussed at FEMA. Coming round to fact that ABS is not good unless it can be switched off. Call to continue writing to MEPs; volumes being received are making them take notice and less standard responses are being sent. Options for mass action (after April 2012) - need to ensure we have lots of support; mass means mass! Hi-vis: There is mileage in protesting (picketing embassy?) France has a day of action on 24 March. Motorcycle training schools don’t want a sea of hi-vis as their learners will be lost in it. MAG will be well represented on day of action on 7 March at Houses of Parliament in London. FEMA meeting: BMF no longer have voting rights due to non-payment of dues and no showing no interest in discussing payments. MAG stand at NEC: Need to know how many memberships were taken at NEC. Concerns that MAG stand did not look like a MAG stand (was more a Get a Grip stand); that offer of custom bike was not taken up and instead a manhole cover was on display; location of stand (out of way and next to Streetfighters) was not prominent. KD asked for assurance that this won’t happen again; JL could not give any guarantees, but said that things have been put in place so that it won’t. Speed limit on motorway: JL said there is nothing in the notes, but he has seen somewhere about speed limit being raised to 80 mph will be looked at in 2013. Helmets off at stations: lots of discussion re people who have had difficulties; many instances raised. Tony Cox (North West Rep) has formed Alliance Party purely to fight at Police Commissioner elections. Mulhouse Declaration: this is relevant again. NL explained that this is against anything that removes control of motorcycle from the rider to remote systems, ie ABS (which can’t be turned off) and telematics (downloading info about how you ride). Need to make sure that this is not made compulsory. Direct Debits: will be live from the end of the month. Sponsorship from bank has helped with this. Should help to retain members. Membership is up as of end of 2011, with 1300 life members, 7417 members and 689 renewals/new members in January 2012. Issue with affiliate clubs costs not being covered; looking at providing clubs with MAG logo to use on their own cards rather than issuing separate cards from MAG which costs us.
Request via NG for volunteer marshals to operate a control in or around York in this year’s ACU National Road Rally from 2 pm on 30 June to 8.30 am on 1 July (so overnighter!) DETAILS TO BE CIRCULATED TO REPS (LF) As of April 2012, Neil Liversidge will be representing West Yorkshire as a MAG UK Director. 3. MAG UK Annual General Conference (Jol Lawson): The AGC is being hosted by Wycombe MAG and is on Saturday 14 April 2012. JL is trying to get round all local groups to encourage attendance. For the first time in 10 or 11 years, Yorkshire MAG & MAP will be presenting a big cheque at the AGC as our donation; this will highlight to all groups the scale of the donations we make to MAG UK. Vanessa will be presenting the cheque and it will be good to have a big turnout from Yorkshire to support her. Also JL is standing for the vacant Director place, so would welcome support! WR has made an enquiry with Tetleys coach firm about putting a coach on from Leeds and this being subsidised from Regional funds; would need to leave Leeds at 5 am to get there for 9.30 am (for the 10 am start). Thoughts? JT said that in the past, fare-pool has not worked. Other suggestions were a coach for the weekend; going the day before (free camping available on Friday night!); self-drive minibuses. Manny to discuss potential discounts with contact at Tetleys. ACTION: TAKE TO GROUPS AND FEED BACK TO NG ASAP 4. Campaigns – MAG UK (Jol Lawson): • • •
Partly covered in item 2. Type approval: still fighting it (changing regularly). Enough pressure is being put on the people voting on this to push the vote back, which gives time to get more facts, which is good. France: from 1 July 2012 it will be necessary to carry a disposable breathalyser kit. In reality this requires carrying two, so that you still have one in the event one is used! Not carrying a kit will incur a fine of €11. KD said this is only for cars at this time. Other issues are compatibility of kits purchased in the UK, and the potential for neighbouring countries to look at introducing this. Page 2 of 4
5. Campaigns – Yorkshire, including ideas from Reps (Wayne Rooney): Does the Region want to push a certain campaign or back the MAG UK ones? Suggestion was the state of the roads / pot holes. KD requested that a decision is put off until after 1 April to see what happens with the Humber Bridge and toll charges for motorcycles – if they are not dropped then he would want to pursue that. ACTION: TAKE BACK TO GROUPS AND REPORT BACK AT NEXT REGIONAL MEETING 6. Reports/Forms from Local Reps (Reps): •
Sheffield (OR): Since last meeting, group attendance has increased significantly. Group has been out and about; attended Peak District meeting with MEP. Feeling positive about the Group now.
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Huddersfield (RF): Held AGM this week and Committee membership has changed. Have plans for the year. Making a £250 donation to Region. Group members have attended different events and runs.
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Colne Valley (DS): Been quiet. Group members have been out and about and attended other events. Have a couple of new members.
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East Yorkshire (KD): Getting between 15 and 25 members at meetings. Had a day out at Beverley Minster yesterday. Planning an Easter egg run but haven’t sorted out where to donate them to. Group riding en masse to AGC. Holding AGM this Thursday.
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Leeds (RM): Held AGM; Committee remains the same with addition of New Rider Rep; important that young and new riders are recruited, so that should reap some rewards with young people coming in to the Group. Meetings have 15+ attendees. Had good attendance at Valentine Party in February and raised £340. Had 137 bikes at Fred Hill Run and raised £144. Group donating £500 on top of other donations to Region. Having an easter egg run in a few weeks and a demo ride in May with camping at Squires (which is North Yorkshire rather than West so there may be an issue with the Police)/
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Wakefield (ST): Held AGM. Raid £600 at post-Christmas party, of which £400 is for MAG with remainder being split between Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Hospice and another charity. Held 10th birthday party and Fred Hill Run. Going dog racing next week. Holding a pet food run in March. Helping Barnsley MAG with bike show on 1 July. Making a donation of £700 to Region.
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York (KW): Held Christmas Party. Has £200 in bank. Attendance at meetings is poor. Have AGM next week where the Group will decide whether there will be a York MAG group or not.
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Scarborough (WR/SG): Getting 14 at meetings. Held post-Christmas Hangover Party. Been mass letterwriting to MPs over EU. Have Easter egg run coming up. Want to be able to check whether local MAG memberships are up to date easily rather than having to trawl through loads of names. Looking at putting on a small invite-only rally in August. Trying to get more involved with Region. Trying to get Ryedale Riders on board with MAG.
7. Donation to MAG UK (Wayne Rooney): Looking to make a £100,000 donation from Yorkshire MAG and MAP to Central at AGC. This to be £70,000 from MAP and £30,000 from Yorkshire MAG. Attendees assured that this leaves Yorkshire with a reasonably healthy balance. JS explained that MAP pays Yorkshire MAG for use of marshals - £30k donation made up from £10k from 2010 and £20k from 2011. Proposed: Jol Lawson Seconded: Oliver Rose Unanimous vote for. Agreed donation of £100,000 8. Facebook Rules, as stated on NC (Jol Lawson): Facebook is recognised media and very useful for communicating information. Also recognised that FB is open to abuse; issued raised with a couple of local groups being infiltrated by a loan shark. Need to insist on no personal advertising on MAG FB pages other than selling a bike or advertising events. Need to be careful about what appears on MAG FB pages. If Groups have any queries, contact Central. Request that Groups keep an eye on their pages in this respect. Page 3 of 4
9. Next Meeting: 11.00 am on Sunday 22 April 2012, at The Breighton Ferry, Selby. Meeting to be followed by the MAP meeting at 1.00 pm. 10. Any Other Business: Manny: Tracy Wyatt and Dave Hammond (Peterborough MAG), who marshal at FYP are getting married in Helmsley on the Saturday afternoon of the FYP. Can we organise a stag and hen night for them on the Thursday night? Any suggestions? Presentations and Q&A from candidates for Chair of MAG UK – to be circulated separately
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