GovCom – Serpentine Running Club – 7 Oct 2024

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Minutes

Attendees: Veronique Leroy (VL), Imran Ahmed (IA), Catharine Sowerby (CSo) and Catherine

Shelley (CSh)

Observers: Giulia Crepaldi (GC) and Jerry Lockspeiser (JL)

Minute taker: Ruth Murphy

1 Transition from Serpentine Running Club (CASC) to Serpentine Running & Triathlon Club (CIO)

VL requested the next GovCom meeting be held before the 1st December 2024 transition date to the CIO to approve the CASC draft accounts and approve and sign the transfer agreement.  VL and CSo need to resign as committee members of the CASC prior to this meeting; this can be done through sending written resignations to the secretary. CSh and IA will remain on the GovCom and will approve and sign the transfer agreement in late November 2024.

IA reported that the CIO bank accounts have been set up and that other transitional activities are underway.  IA has given notice to close the CASC Virgin Money account. The new transition date of 1st December 2024 has been advised to England Athletics.

IA has drafted a communication for VL to send to all club members, updating them on the transition to the CIO and what it will mean to members; this should be sent out as soon as practicable.  Another communication needs to be sent on 1st November 2024 advising members that they are deemed to have applied for membership of the CIO and providing one month’s notice of the membership transition to the CIO.  

CSo highlighted that new members joining the club between 2nd November and 1st December 2024 will not receive the communication and she will advise them individually.

VL requested to increase the cadence of all the committee meetings. GC suggested preparing a calendar on a page of all meetings alongside the agenda points, and to store this calendar in a shared area.  Action: CSh to circulate a calendar with scheduled meetings for 2024 and 2025.

2 Finance update 

IA reported that both revenue and expenses are lower than this time last year and a large surplus is forecast for the year.  IA had asked for suggestions of additional events for the club to fund entry for this year but has received nothing so far.  CSo suggested hiring a hall for an event for Jim Ashworth-Beaumont to speak at. 

IA will follow up on the top five suggestions received from about how to spend the excess reserves; JL and IA will agree next steps as part of the working group. The long-term home is a key one but not easy to progress.

Action: CSo and IA to perform a reconciliation of the small reduction in membership income with changes in member numbers to check this explains the decrease.

3 Membership update 

CSo reported that membership has been stable. Since last month trialists can now sign up via the club website.  CSo highlighted the challenge in retrieving insightful data which will come from the data warehouse.  Two individuals are volunteering to assist with data analysis but data needs to be available.

4 IT update 

VL chaired a meeting on 23rd September 2024 with the website team to review how the website was being maintained, the existing technology supporting it and new developments. VL can share the presentation materials.  The meeting agreed to create a group, led by Abhi Jain, to address the future-state technology to support the club website.  This group will investigate alternative solutions to the existing technology stack and make a recommendation. It also agreed to change the hosting provider . The cost of the current hosting provider was deemed too high and alternative providers should be sought, including providers who give discounted rates to charities. 

The CASC GovCom agreed that clarity is required around target dates to address website modifications and fixes, the membership area of the website, and content updates.  

There was consensus that someone needs to lead the project to get website content updated. Communications have been issued to club members, requesting volunteers to help in this area, however no responses have been received yet.  VL will send a follow-up requesting, but it was agreed that webpage owners should maintain the content of individual pages.  IA suggested generating a list of live website content, alongside web page ownership to continue to move forward in the absence of volunteer support. 

Action: CSo to outline what is needed in the member part of the website.

5 Volunteer recruitment update 

The Marketing Lead role was posted on Reach by IA but no applications have been received yet. VL will look to advertise the role on the ActiveWestminster Volunteering and Volunteer London websites. 

One more non-executive trustee is needed.  In addition a volunteer lead is needed and also someone to liaise with Lord Mayor, ActiveWestminster and other partnerships.  These roles are yet to be advertised. It was agreed to advertise the non-executive Trustee internally and externally..

CSo raised the concern that it is difficult to track the activities that individual club volunteers are involved in. 

Action: VL will create a role profile and send to members and IA to post on Reach Volunteering.

6 Proposal for Life Members 

The CASC rules stipulate that the GovCom is responsible for granting Life Membership, and up to two of these can be granted per year. It was agreed to vote for two individuals at the next meeting. 

7 Winter Party 

GovCom agreed earlier in the year to provide a subsidy to the Winter Party.  It has been proposed that the subsidy is distributed to those members who need it most by providing free tickets for up to 10 club members who otherwise would not be able to afford the ticket.  GovCom agreed with this proposal.  IA proposed individuals apply, in confidence, to the Club Secretary for a free ticket to be allocated on a first come first serve basis; the process will be based on trust and there will be no check on the individual’s financial position. 

8 Donation of funds from SRC to SRTC

IA proposed the CASC make a charitable donation of £1,000 to the CIO to cover fees which need to be paid by the CIO before the asset transfer.  GovCom agreed to make the donation.

Action:IA to execute the bank transfer.

9 Risk appetite 

IA has drafted a statement outlining the Club’s risk appetite for training sessions and associated Athletic Body and Club requirements  across three categories of activity; formal training, club runs and members getting together. This will need to be included on the website.  It was acknowledged it needs to be expanded to cover cycling, swimming and prospective member trialists, including any requirements from British Triathlon and British Cycling which VL will add.  JL suggested requesting that trialists sign disclaimers, before attending club sessions. 

CSo will ask Hamilton Huxham for guidance around cycling trialists; it was acknowledged that there is no proposal to offer swimming trials to prospective members. 

VL is discussing how to encourage more club members to become qualified Run Leaders with Lina Ambruleviciute;.

10 Change of policy for reimbursing LIRF training costs for individuals who have been SRC members for at least one year

IA outlined a proposed change for reimbursement of LIRF training costs; The Technical lead proposes that individuals who have been a member for over a year should have the second 50%   reimbursed after providing 10 hours of training.  GovCom agreed to the change.