INCORPORATED BY
ROYAL CHARTER
FULL RECOGNITION
BY THE ROYALNAVY
REGISTERED CHARITY
REGISTRATION
NO. 266982
Annual Conference
28th June 2008
THE CAIRD HALL
DUNDEE
Conference 2008 – The Caird Hall, Dundee – 28th/29th June 2008
The 2008 Conference in Dundee was not as well attended as some in recent years with some 108 delegates attending supported by about 100 observers. Despite this, it proved to be a most businesslike and useful event and the citizens of Dundee made members of the Association very welcome. The facilities of the Caird Hall were superb while the Church Service in the Cathedral Church of St Paul and its associated marches were truly memorable. Even the sun shone on the righteous and the rain held off (literally) until the parade fell out on completion of the march, at which 34 Standards were paraded. The Civic authorities, local police and a magnificent pipe band (Arbroath Royal British Legion) were wonderfully supportive and could not have been more helpful.
Prior to the commencement of Conference, delegates and observers were entertained by an organ recital on the historic organ of the Caird Hall and this was enjoyed by the majority. Conference commenced with bidding prayers intoned by Archdeacon The Venerable John Green QHC, Chaplain of the Fleet. The National President took the opportunity to transfer custody of the National Standard from the former National Standard Bearer (S/M M Kieran (Coventry)) to the newly inducted National Standard Bearer (S/M Bob Coburn (Inverness)). The National President invited the General Secretary to read out Patronal Messages and Fraternal Greetings.
The General Secretary read two messages received from HM The Queen:
Firstly, “Please convey my warm thanks to the Officials, Delegates and Observers of the Royal Naval Association for their kind message of loyal greetings, sent on the occasion of their Annual Conference which is being held today in The Caird Hall, Dundee. As your Patron, I much appreciate your continued support and, in return, send my best wishes to all concerned for a most successful and enjoyable gathering”, and
Secondly, “The Queen has asked me to thank you, the Chairman, National Council Members and Members of the Royal Naval Association for your kind message of congratulations, sent on the occasion of Her Majesty’s Official Birthday. As your Patron, The Queen much appreciates your thoughtfulness in writing as you did and, in return, sends her warm good wishes to all concerned”. Private Secretary.
The General Secretary read a message received from The Royal Air Forces Association :
The President, Chairman, Central Council and Members of the Royal Air Forces Association send fraternal greetings and sincere best wishes to all Officials, Delegates, Members and Guests attending The Royal Naval Association’s 2008 Annual Conference and AGM in Dundee this weekend, and to all Members of the Association across the world. Once again, we recognise the traditions of our respective Associations, and are aware of your proud record of achievement and the high regard in which you are held internationally. We also recognise and applaud the continued good work you do in support to the wider RN family and trust you will continue to do so for many years to come. Every best wish from The Royal Air Forces Association. Air Commodore Edward Jarron, Secretary General.
The National President welcomed The Lord Provost of the City of Dundee and Admiral of the Tay (Councillor John R Letford) and Flag Officer Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland and Flag Officer Reserves (Rear Admiral Philip Jones).
The Conference was formally opened by The Lord Provost of the City of Dundee and Admiral of the Tay (Councillor John R Letford).
Thank you very much for your kind words. Admiral McAnally, Admiral Jones, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Royal Naval Association, Shipmates, on behalf of the citizens of the City of Dundee, I extend to all of you a very warm welcome. It gives me particular pleasure to welcome you here since, as you all know, Dundee is a city with a long-standing connection with ships, the sea and the Royal Navy.
In extending a welcome to you, perhaps you will allow me to give a very special welcome in another respect and, in so doing, give a vote of thanks by reading a letter to you. It says: "My Dear Lord Provost, As Mayor of Sefton, I am proud of our many connections with the Royal Navy, both past and present. I was gladdened to note that members of the Crosby Branch, located within our Borough, of the Royal Naval Association will be attending the Association's National Conference in Dundee. "During the Conference those attending from Crosby will take the opportunity to meet with families of two young men from Dundee who were sadly killed when HMS Barham was torpedoed whilst off the Orkneys in December 1939. It was whilst the Barham was in Gladstone Dock here in Bootle prior to undergoing repairs that the sad discovery of the two bodies was made. Both men were laid to rest here in Bootle. On behalf of the families the graves of these two sailors have been located and have been tended and restored with volunteer help from HMP Altcourse. The work carried out has had an emotional and transforming effect on the inmates and 5they have now successfully integrated into their communities. "I am delighted that this visit is taking place, thus allowing those involved with this link from the past to meet and share their experiences. On behalf of the Borough of Sefton, may I thank you for your hospitality and support to those attending the Royal Naval Association's National Conference". Therefore, I extend special thanks to Crosby and to all the people who have taken the trouble and time to remember two young people from Dundee. (Applause)
We have our historic ships of which we are justifiably very proud and which attract a large number of visitors from all over the world. The Tay Division of the Royal Naval Reserve provided the manpower and expertise which made it highly valued and admired in naval circles; we remember it with fondness and proud nostalgia. We are also proud of our flourishing Sea Cadet organisation, of which I am Honorary President. As well as welcoming the RNA delegates, I particularly wish to welcome our local Flag Officer, Rear Admiral Philip Jones. His title of Flag Officer Scotland is historically important, and the appellation of his additional responsibilities for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Flag Officer Reserves make him an important man indeed - but remember that Scotland appears first in his title and therefore must take priority! We are glad to see him here for what I hope will be the first of many visits and I look forward to cementing and strengthening the relationship between Dundee and the Royal Navy. When I speak of historical importance, you will be pleased to know that, in addition to Lord Provost, I have the grand title of Admiral of the Tay, bestowed on my predecessors by the Duke of Lennox on behalf of King James VI on 21 August 1641. In 1641 the Lord Provost had the right to levy all sailors who were not Dundonians who sailed on the Tay, and he also had a share of the cargo. No such luck these days, of course! Perhaps some time in the future!
Dundee is extremely pleased that you have chosen to have your Conference here, and I hope that you will take full advantage of what the city has to offer. It has much to see which is of interest. Apart from Desperate Dan and the Dandy, it has had a number of important citizens, including the pioneers of marmalade, aspirin, electric light, wireless telegraphy, manned flight, X-rays, the adhesive postage stamp, keyhole surgery - and fish and chips! Dundee enjoys having the world's leading pharmaceutical companies who have invested £15 million in research at the University of Dundee, which is home to the world's leading research scientists in cancer and diabetes. In a seafaring sense, as I mentioned earlier, Captain Scott's RRS Discovery was built here in Dundee, and HM Frigate Unicorn, berthed at Dundee's City Quay development, is the oldest naval warship still afloat, dating back to 1824. When you go to church tomorrow, at the entrance you will see the statue of Admiral Duncan, who was Lord Nelson's mentor. I had the great privilege and honour of planting a tree in his memory in Camperdown Park. These comments are a snapshot of Dundee's rich history and of our present. We have now transformed ourselves into a modern, vibrant regional centre. We must not, however, forget our glorious past and we celebrate part of that here this weekend with your 2008 Conference. I hope that you enjoy your visit to the city and to the historic Caird Hall, which I believe to be one of the finest conference venues in Britain.
I will have the opportunity, together with my colleagues, to meet many of you over the next two days at various entertainments and, most particularly, at your church parade and service tomorrow. I hope that you have met old friends and made new ones here in Dundee. I also hope that you will be able to visit us longer next time. Enjoy the silvery Tay and what the warm-hearted citizens of the city have to offer. I look forward to seeing some of you again and wish you a most successful Conference and reunion. God bless each and every one of you, and have a safe journey home. (Applause)
Following the official opening, Conference was addressed by Flag Officer Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland and Flag Officer Reserves (Rear Admiral Philip Jones).
Rear Admiral Philip Jones :
Lord Provost, National Chairman, Chaplain of the Fleet, National Council members, delegates, observers and fellow guests, thank you very much, Admiral John, for your warm welcome. It is a genuine pleasure and privilege for me to be with you here today.
I feel something of a fraud in welcoming you in the presence of the Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant of this fine city, but at least I can say that you are on my patch in naval terms, although, as you have heard, that patch these days spreads rather wide round the United Kingdom. I will try to put that in context for those of you from other parts of the UK who may wonder why, as the Lord Provost correctly pointed out, Scotland comes before anywhere else in my title. My post originally was, and still officially is, called Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland - a post which goes back a long way in naval history, representing naval business in those three critical areas of the country. However, I had counterparts who did that job in the rest of the UK. Those posts no longer exist, and the responsibility for naval regional activity at the two-star level now lies with me. I have four very busy, active naval regional commanders around the country. Indeed, I hope that many of you come across them on a regular basis. They have headquarters in Rosyth, here in Scotland - that is Charles Stephenson. who looks after Scotland and Northern Ireland; in the wonderful new naval headquarters in -Liverpool you will find John Madgwick, who looks after the whole of Northern England; in Bristol, at HMS Flying Fox, there is the inimitable and tirelessly active Jamie Miller, who looks after Wales and Western England and vies with me, I understand, for the title Flag Officer Wales, which he rather thinks
is his. That is for another debate! Last but by no means least, there is Ewen McDonald, who works in the splendid naval headquarters HMS President in London and looks after the Eastern England region. I mention those in particular because the growing sense of unity between the Royal Navy and the Royal Naval Association will, I think, be manifested in the way in which your activity and engagement with the regular and reserve Navy and our youth and cadets activity will be channelled through the work of those naval regional commanders and their staffs. I look forward to a flourishing and on-going link between your Branches and Areas and those naval regions. I see a rich and prosperous future there. I have also been given responsibility within the Navy at two-star level for recruiting for our youth and cadets work. I shall touch briefly on that because it is a thriving and fascinating aspect of our work. You may be aware of an initiative that the Prime Minister has launched to see an almost logarithmic expansion in the number of cadet places available, principally through the combined cadet force units in state schools, but also more widely in what are known as the community cadet forces - the Army Cadet Force, the Air Training Corps, and of course our own and much cherished Sea Cadets. That is significant work that we are seeking to take forward at the moment to respond to the Prime Ministerial directive that we are thrilled with and would like to see taken forward. Beyond cadets work, there is a significant element of youth work that is pivotal to the contribution that the uniformed services can make to the community and society in the round, looking to bring to bear all that is good about military people and their approach to life and try to get that influence across to young people who will probably never quite feel drawn towards time in the cadets, still less a military career, but are into a bunch of people who look as though they are sorted, together and focused and have a sense of what their life is for and can give them motivation to get out of what are sometimes very difficult domestic circumstances. That is important work that is parented regionally by my naval regional commanders and their headquarters. I hope you will see evidence of that activity as you draw closer to the Royal Navy.
It is very good to see all of you here today as representatives of an Association which I know seeks to take into civilian life all those aspects of service in our cherished Royal Navy which we value most - unity, comradeship, loyalty and patriotism. Each facet is vitally important as we seek to bridge the gap between what we all enjoy about service in the Royal Navy and what we sometimes have to endure in civilian life. It is that unity on which I shall concentrate principally today. Unity is important because it is the cohesion that marks out a body of like-minded individuals with common goals and aspirations. It is a unity which seems to be not always as common a currency as it once was in our country. The nation seems to be increasingly regionalised, and self-government and devolution are trawled as concepts to which everyone should aspire. That in itself is not an impediment to unity, and part of my function in Scotland is to be the manifestation of a Royal Navy still controlled, politically and operationally, by Governments in Whitehall but lives and breathes in a nation that is experiencing the flush of devolution and what that might mean for the future, and it is perfectly reasonable that we do both at the same time up here. In your own careers in the Navy, you came from different ships, you served in different theatres of operation, and you were trained in different branches and specialisations; but that does not mean in any sense that you were from a different Navy.
I mention that, because I am well aware that your National Council has made, and continues to develop, plans for the future about what that unity might mean. Doubtless those plans will not find favour with every Shipmate in the Association or even with every Branch and Area, but I know from my contacts with those at the head of your Association that they are plans which are made for the future good of the Association and its linkage with the Royal Navy and that, once those plans are made and explained by the National Council, they need your support to implement them in a spirit of unity, in the same way that in the regular Navy we have to work hard at developing the plans that the First Sea Lord thinks appropriate and then unite behind them as he takes them forward.
One of the most important aspects which I know needs tackling is to build stronger linkages between the Association and the Royal Navy. Many of us in both organisations believe that the two should become self-supporting. You in the Royal Naval Association, I believe, need the continued assurance and vitality of youth to invigorate the Association which closer linkage with serving members of the Royal Navy will bring. Those of us still serving in the Royal Navy need your experience, your wisdom, your encouragement and the esprit de corps that you demonstrate so well on a daily basis to enable us to do better and to enable us to keep what is good about the Royal Navy and to take it forward into the future as we rise to the many challenges that the Royal Navy faces in terms of number of ships, numbers of people in the Royal Navy and a constant shift in the new tasks and missions we are invited to undertake.
Your National Council, following the guidance issued at Conference in 2007, has negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding with the Second Sea Lord, who is my immediate line superior, which will, if ratified and implemented, automatically enrol every serving member of the naval service as a de facto member of the Association. The membership card for them will become the naval identity card.
I believe that this agreement will enable a number of things, including the attendance of serving naval personnel at RNA Branches, the setting up of formal links between your Branches with every ship, establishment and unit of the Royal Navy, and a nominated Royal Naval Association liaison officer in those units in order to make sure that the interchange of ideas and social programmes and how to get the best out of that unity can be taken forward. It will also allow, I think, the Association to communicate more effectively with sailors and their families through the Royal Naval Communities Information system and in due course, hopefully, permit formal serving naval representation on your National Council. Thus, at a stroke, the adoption of these proposals would more than double the membership roll of the Association and could, of course, beyond that, multiply your influence group many times over. It is an exciting set of proposals, and I know that I speak for all at my level in the Navy when I say that we are hugely excited at the prospects of that change.
In many ways, the ethos of the Royal Naval Association is like a golden thread: it runs from our serving days through the rest of our lives and gives a sense of context to both. I believe that it is the preservation of that unique corporate care and consideration for each other which we all hold so dear from our own time serving and which is one of the greatest strengths of the Association seen from inside the Royal Navy looking at you today. Preserving our special relationship is hugely important since the RNA is another window which encourages our whole nation to keep in view today's Royal Navy. If a civilian can identify and appreciate the special characteristics of Royal Naval service and seek to do likewise, it does not matter whether he gets that from a member of the Association or from a member of the Royal Navy. Therefore, from that point of view, I see the Royal Navy and the Royal Naval Association inextricably bound together in protecting, preserving and indeed enhancing the rich maritime heritage of our nation and its maritime future against all the challenges that threaten that future but also recognising the huge potential to exploit that future.
So we have much to help each other with, and I can assure you that, if you accept the proposals, the fleet which you will draw closer to is still a hard-working and highly respected one across the world. It is far from the biggest, but still undoubtedly one of the best. As you know, we have plans in train to enhance much of our capability over the next few years, and I am convinced that the expansion of our capability will enable the Navy to retain its position as a cutting-edge world class navy which many still look to and aspire to model for their own development. For example, our new Type 45 destroyers, which are building on the Clyde at the moment - one is already through contractor sea trials and is close to hoisting the White Ensign for the first time - are world class ships that have impressed and astounded all who have seen them at sea. They are indeed the envy of the world.
There are the about-to-be-ordered aircraft carriers. We are literally within a week, I hope, of a high profile contract signature for those carriers. I cannot tell you precisely how and when that will happen as we are still in the shifting sands of ministerial expectations and ministerial diaries, but I would keep close to the media for the next seven days if I were you! That gives the Navy the opportunity to refresh and regenerate a fixed-wing strike carrier capability the like of which we have not seen for a long time and has enormous potential to keep the Royal Navy at the cutting edge of maritime technology and striking power.
The first Astute class nuclear submarine building at Barrow will, hopefully, be at Faslane flying the White Ensign before the end of the year, taking that element of the Navy's hard-won and time-honoured capability into the cutting edge 21st century of submarine capability.
However, contrary to rumour, size does matter, and in many ways we in the Silent Service have been our own worst enemy. We have lost a lot of shore establishments and we have lost a lot of people from the Royal Navy in the past 20 years. In many areas of the country that you represent in your Branches, the full-time regular naval footprint is very small, if it is there at all.
But it is men and women who make the Navy, and not just ships and shore establishments, not just grey steel and bricks and mortar. Regrettably, over the years sailors have tended to be too self-deprecating, too quiet, too content to go about their own jobs without championing to the nation the fact that we need support, both moral and financial, in order to be able to take forward the Navy of the future. We have wasted many opportunities for getting on to the front foot and telling the world just how good we are and what we are doing around the world to make it a better place.
We are recognising that now. We are trying to make the most of a programme called Sea Vision in order to get into as many areas of the country as possible to ensure that people do understand, first, that they have a Navy and, secondly, what the Navy can do for them. We welcome enormously the recommendations of Quentin Davies's National Recognition Study, many of which we are already putting in train. We look forward to taking all the remaining recommendations forward robustly as we try to reinsert the Armed Forces into the focus of a society that often is too willing not to notice us.
The Royal Naval Association can be of material assistance by remaining informed about what the Royal Navy is doing and by, in turn, informing the public and extolling the virtues and skills of the men and women who man today's fleet. A very good way of doing that is through publications such as Broadsheet, which I am pleased to see in ample numbers in boxes outside the hall. I recommend for your attention and highlight the CD in that publication which contains a compelling interview with the First Sea Lord by the BBC reporter Kate Silverton. In it Sir Jonathon Band articulates, in that wonderfully lucid way of his, exactly where the Navy is today and some of the challenges we have had to rise to, not least the huge knock back of the arrest of the Cornwall boarding party last year and the lessons we are learning from that.
I look forward to seeing the new relationship between the Association and the Royal Navy develop into the future. I wish you huge success with your Conference and look forward to having the opportunity to attend at some time one of your Conferences elsewhere. As you will understand from my job title, as long as you can arrange it in the United Kingdom, I can claim almost anywhere to be on my patch. Who knows, perhaps I will be able to attend a Conference where there is a serving uniformed Royal Navy delegate, but maybe I am flying my kite a little bit high! Thank you for your attention. Thank you for your hospitality at your Conference this morning and at your pre-Conference dinner last night, which I enjoyed very much. I wish you well for the rest of your time here. (Applause)
The National President :
Thank you very much for your address, Philip. We have rarely had at Conference an address from a serving senior officer which has been so focused on the Royal Naval Association's particular interests. I should like to assure you that we are right behind, alongside and with the Royal Navy. We support it in every way. We will be celebrating next Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday when the carrier contract is finally signed. We do not just believe that the Royal Navy is one of the best; we know that it is the best. It is now my duty, Shipmates, to bid, not farewell, but au re voir to the Lord Provost and Flag Officer Scotland. I have something to give them to help them on their way. (Presentations made)
The National President's Address :
After those two splendid addresses, anything that I say will be something of a damp squib, so I am glad, and no doubt you are, that what I plan to say to you will be a bit shorter than normal. Shipmates, we have had the privilege this morning of hearing the Chaplain of the Fleet commend our endeavours of today to Almighty God, and later of being addressed on the subject of unity, or one-ness, by Admiral Jones. Both stressed the need for corporate endeavour: working together as a team, as a ship's company as we all did and try to continue, a family of Iike minded individuals focused on common goals, in our case unity, comradeship, loyalty and patriotism. These things, the common targets and responsibilities, bind us together, but such is the size of our Association and its dispersed nature that we have to entrust its administration, guidance and direction to the National Council, who act as trustees of the Association and are responsible, morally and legally, for the affairs of our ship's company - the RNA family. You the membership choose these individuals to represent your interests. They are not delegates who are expected slavishly to follow the instructions of their Areas. They are representatives who are tasked by their Areas with using their judgement, intelligence and experience for the good of the Royal Naval Association community in general. They are trusted, and they hold our Association in trust for us all. Because they are trustees, they are to be trusted, and as volunteers they give up a great deal of their free time in looking after the Association. But they are trustees and not curators. A curator is someone who looks after something valuable with a view to keeping it as it is. On the other hand, a trustee has a moral responsibility for maintaining what is good and improving or developing that which is capable of a more active or extended life. Curators should not take risks; trustees are compelled to take some risks if they are to justify their existence. Because trustees take risks, they are sometimes misunderstood, as individuals or as members of the trustees' group. Because not all of us think the same way, not all of us are exposed to the same amount of information and not all of us interpret the information in the same way. Thus, almost a core responsibility of any trustee is to take the blame, and often there is quite a lot of it. Occasionally I think that the thing we can most agree on in our Association is our propensity to disagree. The same piece of information may be interpreted in many different ways. Often constructions are put on occurrences which are quite a long way away from the truth, and often a crumb of information is misinterpreted or misrepresented in a way which does our Association damage. This reminds me of the admiral who took his grandchildren to a safari park. In the course of inspecting the lions, one lion escaped from its enclosure, leapt over the fence and seized the admiral's three-year-old granddaughter. Just as it was about to eat into her, the admiral leapt forward, gave the lion a bang over the head with his stick and snatched his granddaughter to safety. This was seen by a passing reporter, who wrote it up under the headline "Admiral beats up African immigrant and steals his lunch"! You might say that there was a grain of truth in that version of the event, but perhaps it did not accurately inform its readers. Occasionally we might have parallels with this situation in the RNA and sometimes the authors of reports about an admiral who beat up an African immigrant respond by saying, "It's only a bit of fun" or "You must not take this too seriously; it is just a bit of mischief among friends". Much of what we do, say and publish is available to the general public via the RNA website and the various sites maintained by Areas themselves. In many instances, the general public readership does not possess that robust, developed and arcane sense of humour peculiar to those from a naval background, who do not understand the mess-deck banter that we all enjoy. There is a risk - and it is becoming more frequent - that the uninitiated readership may take up the wrong idea about what is going on and what our real values are. I suggest that your trustees need to be appreciated occasionally rather than reviled. They need the respect and trust of their contemporaries if they are to continue to work for the Association in the selfless way that they do. We who are trustees need your support, and we need you to trust us when we say that we are working for the revival of the Association. We need you to take a broad look at what we are trying to achieve on your behalf and to ignore parochial issues. We need you to want the Association to remain in being after you have gone - indeed after we have gone. We need you to tell everyone you meet what a fine organisation the RNA is and why they should seek membership. We need you to welcome visitors to your Branch and club in the way that only matelots can. We need you to remember that once you were young and to forgive the young for existing, because they are the future. Above all, we need you to give us your confidence. Trust us in what we are trying to do for our Association and for all those who will, hopefully, follow. Trust us when we say that the Royal Navy desperately wants us to succeed as an association. Trust us when we say that they need us just as we need them. Much of this is about communication, which has not been as good within the Association as it ought to be. It will be a main focus of activity once we have settled in at Portsmouth. But we are not waiting for that before making a start. The National Council held, not yesterday's meeting, but the one before in Liverpool and followed it with an open forum discussion between National Councillors and members of No. 10 Area, particularly the Area Committee. I think that it was a great success, and indeed our hosts urged us to repeat it around the country. We certainly would like to do that, but it is not easy, both in terms of time and expense. Another innovation is that we are to hold a meeting in London for all Area Presidents and Area Chairmen, and with the National Council, where we will go through the issues, and when we have done that for about 40 minutes we will be joined by the First Sea Lord, who will speak to us, and then we will have lunch and a few pints together - probably more than a few pints! I hope that that will be a helpful means of communication. Much of what I have said might appear to be a bit of a Presidential rocket. It is not intended to be taken in that way. I know, because I have the privilege of going to all the Association Areas, just what a lovely bunch you are. I was in Crosby RNA last weekend for a superbly organised and very enjoyable veterans' Sunday. Some of you may think that Crosby have been getting too many plaudits. Today the Lord Provost mentioned them as well in connection with the two lost sailors from Dundee who are buried in Bootle. It was a lovely initiative and much of what our Association is about, which is paralleled all over the country. There was a splendid ceremony in New Maiden not long ago which the Deputy President attended to put a special plaque on a World War One memorial commemorating Lieutenant Firman, VC, and at which the Chaplain of the Fleet led the singing - something that he had not expected to do.
The President’s Awards for Recruiting
The General Secretary announced the awards, which are as follows:
The Sword of Honour, which is awarded to the Area with the greatest increase of full members during 2007, goes to 3 Area. (Presentation made).
The Briggs Dirk, which is awarded to a Branch with more than 30 Full Members recruiting most Full Members from June to June, goes to Gosport (Presentation Made).
The Briggs Rose Bowl which is awarded to a Branch with fewer than 30 Full Members recruiting most Full Members from June to June is shared by Bracknell and Stafford (6 months each) (Presentation Made).
The Overseas Certificate which is awarded to the overseas Branch with more than 30 Full Members recruiting most Full Members from June to June goes to Torreveija, Spain (Presentation Made).
The Overseas Certificate which is awarded to the overseas Branch with fewer than 30 Full Members recruiting most Full Members from June to June goes to Eastern Cyprus, (Presentation Made).
The Tasker Bowl which is awarded to the Area recruiting the most Gift Aid Registrations goes to No. 4 Area (Presentation made).
Special Occasion Certificates
A 50th Anniversary Certificate was presented to the Shrewsbury Branch, it being but 7 years after the event.
Standing Orders Committee Report
The Chairman, Standing Orders Committee (S/m Jeremy Owens) briefed delegates on the voting procedures and outlined the actions taken on the Conference Motions by the Standing Orders Committee. A full transcript will appear in the Conference Minutes.
Election of National Council Members
National Council Elections were not required this year.
Election of Standing Orders Committee Members
Two members were due to stand down this year, Messrs S/Ms Avery and McDermott. However, in the absence of other candidates both agreed to continue in post.
Minutes of the 2007 Conference
The National President asked if any Shipmate had any difficulty with what is recorded in the Minutes as having been said in 2007? (No Response).
The Minutes were adopted on a show of hands.
Matters arising from the Minutes of the 2007 Conference
The National President asked if there were any matters arising from the Minutes of the 2006 Conference? (No. Response). There were no matters arising.
The Honorary Treasurer’s Report and Annual Accounts for 2007
The Honorary Treasurer presented his Report and the Annual Accounts. There were no questions on his detailed report which appears in the full Minutes of Conference. The Honorary Treasurer’s Report was approved by acclamation.
The National Council’s Report to Conference for 2007
This Report was accepted by acclamation.
Motions of Urgency
a. Proposed by National Council AND seconded by Beccles. Firstly, that the draft Memorandum of Understanding negotiated between the Royal Naval Association and the Royal Navy, pursuant to a Resolution at the 70th Annual Conference on 16 June 2007, be noted with approval. PASSED
b. Proposed by National Council and Seconded by Beccles. Secondly, that the Memorandum of Understanding between the Royal Naval Association and the Royal Navy be finalised, subject to any minor changes to the draft which are agreed between the President of the Royal Naval Association and the Second Sea Lord. PASSED.
Proposed by Maldon Branch and seconded by Chelmsford. That National Council take steps to enable the 2010 National Conference to be held at a suitable venue in London. Debated as an amendment to Motion No. 8.
Branch Motions
Motion No. 1. Proposed by Saltash Branch (Seconded by Liskeard Branch).
“That the National Council provide an up to date statement of progress, including intentions for future action, on the asbestos compensation issue, arising from Motion No. 8 at the 2005 Annual Conference”. PASSED
Motion No. 2. Proposed by Peterborough and District Branch (Seconded by Newbury and District Branch).
“That the Royal Charter, Rules and Bye-Laws, as appropriate, be amended to allow Associate Members who have completed at least five years membership of the Association to be designated by their Branch as the accredited Branch delegate, with the power to vote, at Area Meetings and National Conferences”.
Amendment from the Floor Proposed by Frome and Seconded by Greenford
- Amend the last phrase of Rule 9(a) to read “subject to the exceptions in (b) and (c) below”.
- Insert new Rule 9 © :
“c. Associate Members who have completed at least five years membership of the Association may be elected as Branch delegates, with power to vote at Area Meetings and National Conferences”.
- Renumber existing Rule 9 ©, (d), (e) and (f) as Rule “9 (d), (e), (f) and (g)” respectively. The Amendment PASSED.
On a CARD VOTE the Amended Motion FAILED
Motion No. 3. Proposed by Worthing Branch (Seconded by Waterlooville Branch).
“That Bye-Law A16 be amended to read : “A capitation fee of 10% of the subscriptions received in Headquarters by 31st December each year shall be paid to each Area in respect of Branches within its Area”. FAILED
Motion No. 4. Proposed by Isle of Sheppey Branch (Seconded by Maidstone Branch).
“That vacant positions on the Royal Naval Association Headquarters Senior Staff be advertised widely in appropriate journals”. FAILED
Motion No. 5. Proposed by Isle of Sheppey Branch (Seconded by Maidstone Branch).
“That the Royal Charter, Rules and Bye-Laws, as appropriate, be amended to provide that decisions on the appointment of Royal Naval Association Headquarters Senior Staff be taken by the elected members of the National Council”. FAILED
Motion No. 6. Proposed by Huddersfield Branch (Seconded by Mexborough Branch).
“That the Royal Naval Association represent to the appropriate authorities that suitable inscriptions be added to existing war memorials in recognition of subsequent conflicts involving United Kingdom Armed Forces”.FAILED
Motion No. 7. Proposed by West Lothian Branch (Seconded by Inverness Branch).
“That biennial National Standard Bearers’ Competitions be held during the appropriate National Conference weekend”.
National Council proposed amendment seconded by York and District – Motion should read “Where practicable the biennial National Standard Bearers etc” AMENDED MOTION PASSED
Motion No. 8. Proposed by France Nord Branch (Seconded by Aquitaine Branch).
“ThatFrance Nord Branch host the 2010 National Conference”. PASSED
(Debated in parallel with a Motion of Urgency Proposed by Maldon and Seconded by Chelmsford) “That National Council take steps to enable the 2010 National Conference to be held at a suitable venue in London”
This Motion of Urgency FAILED.
The Conference Raffle – Results
The results of the Conference Raffle (organised and directed by Shipmate Tony Sattin) are as follows :
First Prize of £400 - S/M T Tubb, Peterborough
Second Prize of £300 - S/M C Walford, Thetford
Third Prize of £200 - Bridlington RNA
Fourth Prize of £100 - S/M S South, Liverpool
Conference 2008 - Pooled Fares (Bye Law 3 amended by National Council) TRAVELLING EXPENSES TO AND FROM NATIONAL CONFERENCES
a. Delegates are to report their reasonable travelling expenses to and from National Conferences in the manner prescribed by the General Secretary. These sums will be pooled and the liability will be equally divided among ALL Branches of the Association, in the United Kingdom and Eire.
b. The difference between the pool share and the travelling expenses for the delegate will be adjusted. Branches whose delegate's travelling expenses exceed the pool share will receive the difference from Headquarters, and those whose delegate's travelling expenses are less than the pool share will be called upon to pay the difference into Headquarters, subject to a subsidy from Headquarters for small branches.
c. The subsidies shall be 50% of the pool share for branches with 15 or less full life and full members and 25% of the pool share for branches with 16-30 full life and full members. Branches with 31 or more full life members shall pay the full pool share. The number of full life and full members for each branch as calculated by headquarters for the previous year.
d. Branches in the UK and Eire who do not send a delegate to conference shall pay the pool share, subject to any subsidy as appropriate.
(i) The total fares shown by delegates was £13,368.21
(ii) There are 380 Branches in the UK and Eire liable to pay Pooled Fares
(iii) £13,368.21 divided by 380 is £35.17 (Branches 31+).
(iv) 25% off Pooled Fare is £26.37 (Branches 16-30).
. (v) 50% off Pooled Fare is £17.58 (Branches 15 or less).
EXAMPLES:
(i) Saltash (28 F/L & F members) sent a delegate. His fare was £311.00. They will be credited £284.63.
(ii) Wigan (12 F/L & F members) did not send a delegate. They will be debited £17.58.
(iii) Eastbourne (56 F/L & F members) did not send a delegate. They will be debited £35.17.
- Any query should be directed to the Assistant Secretary. Delegates who DID NOT fill out fare on cards will have, as in previous years, been charged the standard Pool Fare Rate
