In this section:
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 during the weekend
View General Council e-News online:
No. 1 Monday 25th January 2010
No. 2 Monday 8th February 2010 (text-only: GC2010eNewsIssue2.doc)
No. 3 Friday 5th March 2010 (text-only: GC2010eNewsIssue3.doc)
View the Annual Report and Accounts 2008-09
This section will contain all the information that you need in the run-up to General Council.
Registration will be from 10.00am-8.00pm on Saturday 10th April in the Windsor Building ground floor.
On Saturday 10th 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. From 11.00am-1.00pm on Saturday, there will be informal "ideas-sharing" discussions which all delegates are welcome to attend - more details to follow.
Council sessions will take place in the Windsor Building Lecture Theatre. Bedroom accommodation at the university will be in single study bedrooms. There is a limited availability of twin rooms.
Full details of all the weekend's events will be sent direct to those attending General Council on 18th March 2010.
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.ukby 5th March 2010.
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 5th March 2010.
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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. To see an example of a report from the trustees on action taken on motions this year, click here.
General Council also receives the Annual Report and Accounts, 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
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Motions proposing to alter the Memorandum and Articles of Association should arrive at central office (preferably by email) no later than Saturday 13th February 2010
All other motions should arrive at central office (preferably by email) no later than Saturday 27th February 2010
You can use the form below to submit motions.
Form for submitting motions GC02
Explanation of rules for submitting motions GC03
Back to Top Each year there are a number of positions which are elected at General Council. We will soon provide nominations forms on this site.
The positions for election this year will be:
3 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 27th February 2010.
Nomination form for Board Members
The Board of Trustees has undertaken a review of its skills, diversity and experiences. This is to ensure it provides the strongest possible leadership for The Ramblers. It has identified the following areas of relative weakness which is considers to be particularly important at the moment:
Diversity: younger people; and people from different ethnic backgrounds
Skills and experience: legal and constitutional matters; walking access and urban walking; fundraising; government
It has been decided to provide this guidance to members who are considering standing for election at General Council 2010, and to delegates at General Council who will be voting in the election. Please note, however, that this guidance should not discourage a member from considering standing as a Ramblers trustee, whatever his/her skills or experience maybe. The Ramblers relies on having a strong team of trustees with a range of different skills. Nominations for the Board are warmly welcomed from any eligible member.
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 27th February 2010.
Nomination form for Officers
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 27th February 2010.
Nomination form for Agenda committee
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The Royal Holloway, University of London is easy to reach via bus, road and train. If you wish to travel by train, please complete GC09 form and return to Graham Butler, 1 Leaside Court, Lower Luton Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 5BX or email Butlergc1@aol.com by the 28th February 2010.
By Bus
There are only two local services which serve the Royal Holloway. The 441 service from Heathrow Central bus station via Staines to Englefield Green (30 minutes on Saturday, hourly on Sunday), and Route 71 Slough bus station/railway station to Heathrow terminal 5 (30 minutes on Saturday, hourly on Sunday).
By Road
From the North - via M25 - exit at junction 13 signed A30 Hounslow and Staines. At roundabout below M25 continue ahead to follow A30 signed Bagshot and Egham. Parallel for short period next to M25 and down to second roundabout. Take 2nd left A30 Basingstoke and Camberley and pass Runnymede open space on right. Over the Egham Hill roundabout and continue on A30. 1/2 mile just beyond second footbridge over road turn left into main entrance of Royal Holloway. Follow Ramblers signs to car park.
From the South West - via A30 - pass Sunningdale and continue towards Egham. 100 yards after traffic lights at Englefield Green and just before footbridge turn right into main entrance of Royal Holloway and follow Ramblers signs to car park.
From the West - via the M4 or Slough - exit junction 6 signed Windsor and take A332 later A308 to Staines. Pass through 5 roundabouts and Old Windsor. Approximately 5 miles after passing Bell of Ouzeley Harvester pub on right and River Thames on left approach 6th roundabout. At roundabout take A328 to Englefield Green and after 1 mile pass through village and come to traffic lights at A30 junction. Turn left and within 100 yards turn right before footbridge into main entrance of Royal Holloway and follow Ramblers signs to car park.
All this information can be found on form GC09.
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There are two walks planned at General Council this year both on the Sunday. There is no need to book in advance for either of these walks.
1. Sunday 11th April: Start 7.00am - meet outside the Windsor Building led by Graham Butler
2 Sunday 11th April: 5 miles. Start 2.15pm - meet outside the Windsor Building led by Neil Meek.
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Motions Submitted to General Council
The Agenda Committee met on the 6th March 2010 at Central Office to discuss the motions that had been submitted to General Council. Please find following the final motions that are being put to General Council 2010.
Motions to General Council
Any member of General Council, Area or Affiliated National Organisation can submit amendments to motions (other than those affecting the Memorandum and Articles of Association) but amendments must be submitted to Central Office by 7th April 2010. Complete the form below and return by email to Jo.smith@ramblers.org.uk in the first instance or post to central office by the above date.
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 on Saturday 10th April 2010 will consider 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. To be given the opportunity to exercise this right of appeal, it is suggested that any member of General Council or Delegate of an Area/National Organisation who has submitted an amendment be available to meet the Agenda Committee at 12.30pm on 10th April 2010 at Seminar Room 4 in the Windsor Building at Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham.
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 decisiosn.
The amendment form can be found at this link below.
Form for submitting amendments to motions GC13
Feedback
We would love to hear what you thought of General Council and if you have any ideas for future General Councils.
The link for the feedback survey is here:
<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RDDVV58">Click here to take survey</a>
