The Board of Trustees met at Central Office on Saturday 23rd July. In the morning, there was a training session for Board and Senior Management Team members on roles and responsibilities, and ways to work together most effectively.
Announcements
The Board noted with sadness the deaths of Bronwen Williams, who had been the administrator in our Welsh office for many years, and Cyril Jones, Footpath Secretary for Clwyd.
The Board offered congratulations to Kevin Edwards, Finance Officer (Areas and Groups) who had recently become a dad, and Annette Bell, Get Walking Keep Walking Outreach Officer in Manchester, who had recently become a mum.
Chief Executive’s Report
The Chief Executive reported that the Wales Office was now fully staffed, with the three posts filled, and that the new Director of Wales, Angela Charlton, would be meeting the Welsh Assembly Government minister at the Eisteddfod festival shortly.
He reported that Shona McMillan had now taken up her one-year post to promote walking in Scotland in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games. One of her tasks will be to promote the Ramblers Scotland Commonwealth Games 'Medal Routes' scheme.
He gave an update on various campaigns including: protecting forest access, implementing coastal access, responding to the Government's Natural Environment White Paper, Vixen Tor access, and footpath protection work.
He said that Nicky Philpott would be joining us as our new Director of Policy and Campaigns in September. Nicky comes with 18 years experience of policy and campaigning work in the voluntary sector, most recently at the NSPCC.
Finances
The Board received a forecast to the end of the financial year (end of September) as well as the latest monthly accounts. They show a forecast surplus to the end of the year of c£430k, against a budgeted deficit (including investments) of £316k. This is largely due to additional legacy income of c£590k (one-off) but it is also helped by good performance with some other income sources (eg sponsorships).Membership income had held up despite a fall in membership numbers (partly because of a change in the mix between full and concessionary subscriptions).As a result of this, the balance sheet is projected to be healthy at the end of this year.
Key Performance Indicators
The Board reviewed the latest monthly Key Performance Indicators. These are 16 key indicators – covering finance, membership, campaigns, and organisation – which give a snap-shot of how we’re performing against the Business Plan targets. It is a mixed picture: of the 16, we are on track with 7, and behind with 7, and slipping with two. We discussed those where we are behind - in particular, only 191 footpaths had been reported as opened thanks to Ramblers work, against our target of 350. It was felt this was due to non-reporting rather than footpaths not being opened. Footpath secretaries are urged to report successes to us, to help with campaigning and fundraising.
The Board noted that we are now below our ten-day target for turning around membership applications and renewals, which is good news. There were no outstanding applications beyond this 10-day target. The Board thanked staff in the membership services team for its hard work in achieving this.
Budgets and Targets for 2011/12
The Board reviewed the Business Plan and Budget for 2011/12 (starting from October), and approved the budget which, with the spending of some of the surpluses from the last two years on targeted investments, would mean an overall deficit for the year of £495k. It was felt that the additional investments would help in stabilising, and then turning around, membership numbers, and could be afforded because of the large surpluses in the past two years.The Board took into account the risk of performance being worse that the budget.
The additional investments include topping up the legal fund to pay for national legal walking environment casework by £60k; funding the extra permanent staff post in Scotland and in Wales; membership marketing activities including a regional member acquisition pilot in the south east region; work to develop our website, and an online routes database for members; and the development of ‘flexi-groups’ to help increase the range and types of Ramblers led walks (something that members say they want).The total budget for Areas and Groups is budgeted to increase to £450k.
The Board also agreed that membership subscriptions would increase by broadly the rate of inflation next April (rather than this October), and that further work would be done in the meantime to look at the differentials between the rates.
The Business Plan, as well as a four page summary, will be published in September for Areas and Groups.
Sub-Committees
The Board agreed that Jonathan Kipling, the Honorary Treasurer, would chair the Finance and Audit Sub-committee; Robert Peel would chair the Strategy and Governance Sub-committee; and Kate Ashbrook would chair the Campaigns and Marketing Sub-committee.
Co-options
The Board agreed to co-opt Laurie Young onto the Board.Laurie has a great deal of experience in marketing, something that the Board had identified as one of its weaknesses, and that is critical for the charity at this time.
Devolution working party
The Board approved the two Memorandums of Authority which had been drafted by the devolution working party and approved by the Scottish Council Executive Committee and the Welsh Council Executive Committee, and thanked the devolution working party for all its hard work.The Memorandums provide for considerably greater autonomy for Wales and Scotland, as well as greater stability over funding.
September Away Weekend
The Board, with the Senior Management Team, will be meeting in Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore, on the weekend of 16th-18th September. It is believed to be the first time in living memory that such a meeting has taken place in Scotland.
