MINUTES OF THE AGM OF THE INTERNATIONAL CLUB OF ESTEPONA HELD ON THURSDAY 14 MARCH 2024 AT THE CLUBHOUSE
Membership was represented by 70 members present and 29 postal votes
Management Committee Present: Sheila Fox (President), Daniel Hackston (Vice President)
Paul Parrick (Treasurer), Margaret Whittley (Secretary), Brenda Taylor (Housekeeper), Diane Hackett (Welfare) Ian Horwood (Bar Manager/Acting Maintenance Manager) Jennifer Davies (Member)
There are currently 286 members of the Club, 74 have not renewed this year and there have been 54 new members so far this year.
AGENDA
President’s Welcome
Minutes of the last AGM
Matters Arising from Minutes
President’s Report
Auditor’s Report
Financial Report
Bar Report
Catering Report
Maintenance Report
House Manager’s Report
Membership Fee for 2024
Proposal – abolishment of the one-off admin fee on joining
Elections
AOB
PRESIDENT´S WELCOME
MINUTES OF THE LAST AGM – The minutes were posted in the Club premises for the required 90 days during which time members were requested to read same.
MATTERS ARISING
There being no other matters arising the Minutes were proposed by Sue Potter (2003012) and seconded by John Barr-Richardson (2018055)
PRESIDENT´S REPORT – Sheila Fox (2014074) is attached
AUDITOR´S REPORT – Ron Pegrum (2011010) is attached
FINANCIAL REPORT – Treasurer´s Report - Paul Parrick (2022062) The Balance Sheet is attached
The following points were raised:
Also her wages had been reduced due to her lack of presence being required on Thursdays in the kitchen due to fewer meals being cooked.
Proposed by Ryan Horwood (2024031) and seconded by Richard Wood (2000017)
BAR MANAGER´S REPORT – Ian Horwood (2019039) is attached
Nick Smith (2022027) asked if the higher turnover was due to members drinking more, increase in prices or tapas income. Ian thought a combination of all three but tapas income was included which did indeed play a large part.
CATERING MANAGER`S REPORT – None
MAINTENANCE REPORT – Ian Horwood (2019039) is attached
HOUSE MANAGER´S REPORT – Brenda Taylor (2009047) is attached
MEMBERSHIP FEE FOR 2025
The Committee proposes that the amount of 40€ will remain the same for the year 2025
THE PROPOSAL to abolish the one-off admin fee on joining the Club had been proposed by Daniel Hackston (202006) and seconded by Frances Horwood (2018049) and having been submitted by the due date was discussed.
Daniel:
Sheila replied:
Voting took place on the proposal with the following results:
Remain at 20€ Reduce to 10€ Abolish
63 25 12
NOMINATION OF COMMITTEE POSITIONS
Frances Horwood (2018049) had completed the appropriate nomination form by the due date and was sponsored by Sue Potter (2003012) for the post of President
Voting took place with the following results:
For Against Abstain
88 8 3
John Barr-Richardson (2018055) had completed the appropriate nomination form by the due date and was sponsored by Nick Smith (2022027) for the post of Vice President
For Against Abstain
89 9 1
Jennifer Davies (2023037) had completed the appropriate nomination form by the due date and was sponsored by Jo-Anna Huisman (2004022)
For Against Abstain
97 0 2
AOB
As No Other Business was raised the Meeting closed at 12.27pm
Signed ____________________________
Date ____________________________
PRESIDENT´S REPORT 2024 - Sheila Fox (2014074)
As I’m sure you are all aware now, I am stepping down as President today. I have been a committee member for 7 years, first as Magazine editor for 3 years, and for 3 years as President.
As is the usual procedure at this time, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many volunteers who ensure the smooth running of the Club. I do appreciate their help and commitment to the Club.
Thanks to Dan Hackston for being the Vice President for the past year. Dan is stepping down from this position but he will remain on the Committee.
Thank you to Maggie Whittley, who continues to do a sterling job as ClubSsecretary and along with others is responsible for selling the tickets for events and trips. We have extended the times and days for ticket sales to include Sundays. This is proving popular with members who are unable to get to the Club on Thursdays.
Thank you to Paul Parrick, who has now completed a full year as our Treasurer. We trust him to ensure that our finances are in order and manage the Club spending and funds.
To Diane Hackett for her work as Welfare Officer and Organiser of wakes, of which we have had an unprecedented number in the last year.
To Brenda Taylor for Housekeeping.
Thanks to Ian Horwood and his team of volunteers who help run the Bar and to Ian for continuing for yet another year to double as Maintenance Manager. Dan will now be taking on the position of Maintenance Manager.
Thanks to Jenny Davies who we co-opted onto the Committee last year and she has done an excellent job as our Trips Organiser, arranging some wonderful day trips as well as the upcoming holiday in Italy. You will be asked to vote for her to become a full Committee member from today.
Thanks to Ron Pegrum who stepped in as Auditor for 2023. I shall now be taking on that role.
Thank you to Jacqui Parrick for standing in as Catering Manager for the last year and along with Dan & Renee Hackston and Sue & Rob Potter, Grant Mill and the group of volunteers, produced such lovely meals on Thursdays and for some of our special events.
Thanks to Lynne Danby for organising Ladies’ Lunches each month.
Thanks to Dave Hackett for running the Lottery every week, and to Ken Holloway who stands in for Dave when he is away.
To Peter Galloway for continuing to maintain the book library, week after week, year after year.
Thanks to Betty Fooks who was the editor of the magazine and Newsletter for the last 4 years. Betty has had to relinquish the post as she is no longer a Club member. Fortunately, this position has been filled by Denis Fountain, a new member this year and he will produce the April Newsletter. I think you will agree that the introduction of the Newsletter, which wings its way to your email inboxes every month is the best way to update you all quickly, easily and cheaply.
Thanks to Sally Holloway for the collection of membership fees and updating the computer records. Our membership database is more important than ever, now that we are using your email addresses for the Newsletter. We are pleased to be able to accept payments now by card, with the introduction of our new card-reader.
To Vic Loughran and Maggie Whittley for printing posters, tickets, and restaurant vouchers, sometimes at very short notice. Thanks also to Vic Loughran for managing and updating the website.
To Maureen Winkle who sells the tickets for those lovely meals on Thursdays, as well as cajoling money out of you all for the raffles we hold at many events.
To Stephanie Monahan for meeting and greeting visitors at the front door on Thursday mornings.
Thanks are due to the organisers of all our regular events:
Art group, Bowls, Bridge, Film Night, Golf, History, Krafty Club, Mah-jong, Quiz, Rambling. Spanish. Unfortunately, Martin Holmes is no longer able to run the Spanish classes as he has for many years due to his ill health. I have, however, recruited a new Spanish Teacher, Raquel, to run these classes. I am very hopeful for these classes going forward and that she will become a Club member.
I would like to thank all the Committee for their help and support over the past year.
If I have forgotten anyone I apologise sincerely.
Our Club is based on the premise of volunteers. We do not pay anyone for the work they do and if we do not have these volunteers the Club cannot survive in its current form. We all pay our annual membership fees, but still it is necessary to volunteer to run some activities where you can to keep the Club going.
Please can I remind you that we are not aware of member’s special birthdays or anniversaries, so please inform Diane so that we can help them to celebrate. Special Birthdays to celebrate are 80, 90 & 100. Anniversaries are 40, 50, 60, 70 & 75. In fact, we don’t know everyone’s birthday, especially if you have not provided the information on your membership form.
I would like to thank all the members for their support of me and of the Committee at all the events and trips we have held this past year.
Maintenance of Club premises and equipment is always ongoing, if you see anything that needs to be repaired, please inform Dan Hackston or Brenda Taylor or one of the Committee.
You will see that we have a new computer for the use of our members. This is a much better spec pc than we have had before. It has been donated to us by member Brian Hooper (walking group organiser) and I have reset and installed it for your use.
The Committee is continuing this year with Margaret Whittley as Secretary, Ian Horwood and Diane Hackett continue unopposed in their roles as Bar Manager and Welfare Officer and Wakes Organiser respectively and Brenda Taylor will continue the role of Housekeeper. Dan Hackston as I said is stepping down from Vice President, but will continue as a Committee member.
Sue Potter will continue, when her health returns which we hope will be soon, to work in the Bar, kitchen, DVD organiser, Film night and run various events and activities and of course she will keep us up to date on FaceBook and the Website with the ongoing government regulations.
We still have the following Committee positions available – Catering Manager and 3 other positions.
Before I finish thanking everybody, I would like to inform you that we now have 816 members on our FaceBook page, not all of them are ICE members but they are following us. This is an increase of more than 300 in the last 12 months. It is a good tool to advertise our Club and the events we hold. Those of you that follow us, I hope you all find it helpful and informative. All the information we post on our FB page is also on our Website and updated by Vic. However, I would like to point out, that we have always strived to keep this forum positive as a marketing tool and to try to avoid negative comments as these are not helpful.
Thank you once again everyone for all your support.
AUDITOR´S REPORT – Ron Pegrum (2011010)
I have audited the ICE Balance Sheet and Income and Expenditure account for the year ended 31 December 2023. These are limited financial statements and do not purport to show all the information that would apply under the rules generally accepted accounting principles applicable in Spain. In my opinion these financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the Club´s affairs as of 31 December 2023, and its income and expenditure for the year there ended.
FINANCIAL REPORT – Paul Parrick (2022062)
BAR REPORT – Ian Horwood - (2019039)
2023 has been another busy and profitable year for the bar, which continues to provide much needed revenue for the club.
As explained by the Treasurer, the bar profits has increased by about 20%, partly due to the necessary price rise to some (not all) of the items available, but also because of the newly implemented Bar Snacks menu (tapas). Bar prices were increased in June 2023, and Bar Snacks were improved/enhanced in October, as well as providing for non-cooked meal Thursdays.
Whilst prices for certain items still continue to be challenging I have no immediate intentions of increasing bar prices further. As to Tapas, some things have gone well, and some not so well. I will be reviewing the Bar Snacks on offer, as well as the Bar ‘specials’ to ensure that the bar offers meet the needs of the members.
One obvious downside to the bar of doing more bar snacks, especially on a Thursday, is that the workload on the bar volunteers (and me) increases as we must take the orders, prepare, cook, serve, and clean up afterwards. This is also being reviewed and will help to define what type of Bar Snacks are available going forward.
One of my main responsibilities is the weekly (sometimes twice weekly) stocking of the bar for both drink and food. To enable me to control and monitor usage I track all purchases made down to the units which does provide me with some interesting stats. For instance, in 2023 you (the members) consumed the following:
As you have all no doubt noticed, we still have the old coffee machine which has been promised to be replaced since time immemorial. I have been actively searching for both the right option for the club, and the right vendor/supplier, which has been a bit of a struggle. However, please be reassured that it will be done as quickly and as diligently as possible to ensure that we get the right machine that will last the club well into the future.
I continue to receive feedback from members regarding the bar offerings and I appreciate that people like options especially when enjoying a special occasion, but the ability to hold large quantities of differing choices does means a higher level of wastage. I am always open to suggestions and recommendations so please do come and talk to me, BUT they must meet the needs and tastes of the majority of club members to make it financially viable.
MAINTENANCE REPORT – Ian Horwood, Interim Maintenance Manager (2019039)
Where do I START?
I think the first thing to say is that maintenance of this club is an important function and as such does need the focus and attention of a dedicated member. I am hopeful that this will happen today, and I look forward to working with the new maintenance manager in their tasks of ensuring that the club is both functional and fit for the purpose of its members.
Having said that, things have been done during 2023, with the various issues and improvements made.
The Lift is MUCH more reliable, with regular scheduled maintenance to ensure that it stays that way. I have spent much less time reseting and ‘fixing’ the lift, and most issues are now down to user error (taking their fingers off the button!).
We had a full review of the electrics within the building as we were experiencing full power outages affecting both the kitchen and the bar resulting in stock loss with defrosted chillers and freezers. Unfortunately, the electrician found major issues with the main breakers and an auxiliary breaker which meant that that had to be replaced as a matter of urgency. This was done and the system fully documented and we have had zero issues since.
We continue to have all the important systems serviced (such as air-con) and also ensured that the annual fumigation was been completed at the correct time. We have just had the main roof repaired and sealed, but still have a problem with the upstairs patio area leaking into the downstairs toldos area. This is being resolved as I speak by our excellent external handy man.
We have also made improvements to the internal security system by adding door sensors to all downstairs external doors. As well as having the Toldos windows cleaned which has made a big improvement in the aesthetics of downstairs.
The buildings maintenance is an ongoing need so please let us know if you see anything, or think that something is wrong, or needs to be done.
I would personally like to thank Willy McIntosh for all the work that he continues to do for us, which is always completed to a very high standard, and at a very reasonable rate.
HOUSEKEEPER´S REPORT - Brenda Taylor - (2009047)
The year 2023/2024 housekeeping has not had excessive spending trying to keep spending to a minimum.
I have purchased all essential items to enable Isabella to be able to clean the Club and the kitchen area after Thursday lunch and other functions, also paper towels and toilet rolls
I also had all Table Cloths used in the upstairs area cleaned. There are plans to replace the Table Cloths for the Bar area in liaison with the Bar Manager
During the year I was incapacitated for several weeks and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Diane, Ian and John for covering my duties.