General Council 2012

General Council 2012

General Council 2012 will be taking place at Gilbert Murray Conference Venue, Manor Road, Oadby, Leicester LE2 2LH over the weekend 21st & 22nd April 2012.

Final Motions agreed/lost at General Council 2011 - click here

Final motions agreed/lost at General Council 2012 - click here

This webpage will be updated regularly with more information as it becomes available.

Who goes to General Council?

What does General Council do?

Submitting motions to General Council

Standing for an elected position

Travelling to General Council

Walks Schedule

General Council Papers

Membership Presentation from Saturday morning workshop - click here

Draft 2011 General Council minutes - Click Here

Update on 2011 Motions - Click Here

Guide to Procedures Click Here

Questions & Answers Click Here

Registration will be from 10.00am-10.00pm on Saturday 21st April 2012 in the Gilbert Murray Conference Venue.

On Satruday 22nd April, the first Council session will begin at 2.00pm, and the final session will finish at 1.30pm on Sunday. Lunch will be provided on both days.

Council sessions will take place in the Gilbert Murray Conference Venue. Bedroom accommodation at the university will be in standard single study bedrooms.

Full details of all the weekend's events will be sent direct to those attending General Council on 29th March 2012.

Who Goes to General Council?

Most delegates at General Council come from the Ramblers Areas. The number of delegates an Area can send depends on how many members it has. Areas also send a number of visitors - either for a day or for the weekend.

In addition, the Ramblers Board of Trustees, the President and Vice Presidents, and members of the Agenda Committee attend, as well as representatives of affiliated organisations.

Ramblers Areas are encouraged to send at least one delegate who has not attended General Council before. This is to ensure that different people get a chance to take part.

Booking Form - please give each person's full name and address (including postcode), daytime telephone number, email address and Ramblers membership number. To be returned (if possible by email) to jo.smith@ramblers.org.uk by 16th March 2012. - click here

Special Requirements form - list here any special diet, rooming or other special requests of those attending General Council. Please complete a separate form for each person and return (if possible by email) to jo.smith@ramblers.org.uk by 16th March 2012. - click here

Full attendee list - click here

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What does General Council do?

General Council elects members of the Board of Trustees. Amongst its responsibilities, the Board of Trustees is legally and ultimately responsible for the charity, providing security and continuity and ensuring delivery of our charitable outcomes. To find out more about the Board of Trustees responsibilities, and who the trustees currently are, click here

General Council also discusses and votes on motions. They cover policy matters and internal governance. Most motions are submitted from Ramblers Areas. Motions that are passed are then referred to the Board of Trustees for action.

General Council also receives the Annual Report & accounts click here and there's plenty of time for sharing ideas, as well as socialising.

If you have any queries regarding General Council, please do not hesitate to contact me on jo.smith@ramblers.org.uk

Key Dates GC01 - click here

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Submitting Motions to General Council

Motions submitted to General Council 2012 - Click Here

Motions (and amendments) need to be formally submitted to Central Office by the deadlines below:

• Saturday 25th February 2012 - for motions proposing alterations to the Memorandum & Articles of Association
• Saturday 10th March 2012 - for all other motions
• Wednesday 17th April 2012 - for any amendments to motions submitted

Explanation of rules for submitting motions GC03 - click here

To submit a motion to General Council, click here

The Agenda Committee meets on the 17th March 2012 to discuss the motions that are submitted to General Council. Final motions will be posted here once they have been agreed by Agenda Committee.

Any member of General Council, an Area or an Affiliated National Organisation can submit amendments to motions (other than those affecting the Memorandum and Articles of Association). Please note the deadline for submitting amendments is the 17th April 2012.

The Agenda Committee has similar powers in the handling of amendments as for motions (as set out in Standing Order A5) and at its meeting at General Council considers any amendments and objections which have been received at central office by the above date.

As with motions there is a right of appeal against decisions made with regards to amendments. If any objections to Agenda Committee decisions, either on motions or on amendments, have not been satisfactorily resolved before the start of the formal business of General Council, the complainant has the right to put the matter to the Council for decision.

Form for submitting amendments to motions GC13 - click here

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Candidates for Board of Trustees and Agenda Committee 2012 - Click here

Each year there are a number of positions which are elected at General Council.

The positions for election this year will be:

Chair

Honorary Treasurer

Three places for the Board of Trustees (to serve for three years) -

Please return this form by post to Jo Smith, Ramblers, 2nd Floor Camelford House, 87-90 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TW by 10th March 2012.

Nomination form for Board Members - click here

In line with good practice, the Board of Trustees has undertaken a review of its skills, diversity and experience. This is to ensure it provides the strongest possible leadership for the Ramblers. It has identified the following areas of relative weakness which need to be filled:

• women and people from black and ethnic minorities, as well as a continued need for younger trustees
• experience of central and local government
• experience in fundraising
• experience in urban walking
• experience of the voluntary sector
• experience of constitutional issues
• experience of property matters

A person is not eligible to be elected as a member of the Board of Trustees unless they have been an individual member for at least 12 months as at the 10th March 2012. Nominations should be endorsed by three individual members who have been individual members for at least 36 months as at the 10th March 2012.

Please include brief biographical details (up to 300 words) and a photograph of the candidate standing for election to the Board by Saturday 10th March 2012.

President and Vice-President - Please return this form by post to Jo Smith, Ramblers, 2nd floor Camelford House, 87-90 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TW by 10th March 2012.

Nomination form for Officers - click here

5 places on the Agenda Committee - Please return this form by post to Jo Smith, Ramblers, 2nd floor Camelford House, 87-90 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TW by 10th March 2012.

Please include brief biographical details (up to 100 words) and a photograph of the candidates standing for election to the Agenda Committee by Saturday 10th March 2012

Nomination form for Agenda Committee - click here

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