Lost Loiners AGM : Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:02 pm  

Ladies and Gentlemen (and Gareth) We are due to hold our AGM and it has been suggested that we finish training a little earlier one night to have a quick meeting in the bar. There are lots of exciting things to discuss and it is important that everyone has the opportunity to express their own feelings and also to hear those of the other members. The AGM is therefore to be held on Monday 8th March at approx 8.30pm in the main bar at Morley RF Club. If anyone has any issues they wish to be aired at the meeting please send Scott, Sam or myself a note before the end of this month. We were also reminded by the club that, as we are all members of Morley RFC, we are entitled to go drinking there on evenings other than Mondays! For news of all events at the club check out the website: Morley Rugby Football Club See you all Monday. Harry

Ladies and Gentlemen (and Gareth) We are due to hold our AGM and it has been suggested that we finish training a little earlier one night to have a quick meeting in the bar. There are lots of exciting things to discuss and it is important that everyone has the opportunity to express their own feelings and also to hear those of the other members. The AGM is therefore to be held on Monday 8th March at approx 8.30pm in the main bar at Morley RF Club. If anyone has any issues they wish to be aired at the meeting please send Scott, Sam or myself a note before the end of this month. We were also reminded by the club that, as we are all members of Morley RFC, we are entitled to go drinking there on evenings other than Mondays! For news of all events at the club check out the website: Morley Rugby Football Club See you all Monday. Harry

Hunslet Hawks offer for discussion at Lost Loiners AGM : Wed Feb 10, 2010 5:34 pm  

Lost Loiners,

We have been contacted by representatives from Hunslet Hawks to become part of the Hunslet Hawks Charitable Foundation Trust ( not sure of the proper title) to enable them to fill a gap in their ‘Inclusion’ policy and which would benefit us by enabling us to take advantage of the Hawks facilities and infrastructure. We met with Ian Johnson briefly on Monday and he has outlined the offer below:

• We would be entitled to use the pitches, changing rooms and bar(s) at South Leeds Stadium for training, games and functions free of charge
• Assistance with (if not free) equipment such as balls, kit, etc
• Occasional coaching sessions
• Use of gymnasium and access to physio (by appointment)

The Lost Loiners would have to change our name to become part of the Hunslet Trust and the exact details would have to be agreed between both Clubs, however, we would still be responsible for, and have internal control over, the running of our club including subscriptions, etc. The timing of the “move” would be to suit us and, if we wished, we could still train at Morley. Hunslet appear to be open to negotiation on the practicalities of running our club and the support we would like/need from them.

As this is such a major decision for the Lost Loiners I suggest that there is a vote of the whole club membership at the forthcoming AGM on 8th March. In the meantime could everyone consider the above proposals and let Scott, Sam or myself have comments or questions as soon as possible. If anyone wishes to discuss the details feel free to speak with us at any time if there are any queries that need a response from Hunslet we can have these answered before the AGM to enable us all to make an informed decision on the 8th.

Re: Lost Loiners AGM : Wed Feb 10, 2010 5:46 pm  

Preliminary Agenda for AGM:

* Introduction & welcome (description of who and how the club has been managed for the past 12 months)
* (No minutes of previous meeting)
* Accounts 2009
* Voting/Agreement on Officers for 2010: Chair, Treasurer, Secretary
* Subscription increase
* Tag Merit League
* Functions throughout year: Murrayfield, Summer Party? Christmas party/presentation night?
* Hunslet offer
* Any other business - raised by members (in advance)


Can all Lost Loiners please let me know if there are any issues that you wish to raise under Any Other Business as only specific issues can be discussed in order to keep the meeting to a reasonable length!

Issues can be posted here, pm'd or emailed to myself, Scott or Sam but must reach us by Monday 22nd Feb in order to be added to the agenda.

Thanks,

Harry

Re: Lost Loiners AGM : Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:24 pm  

We were informed last night the subs were going up to £3 a week (50% increase, you're worse than bankers). Is that up for discussion (its' on your agenda) or is it already determined?

It may be difficult to do anything about it but is Morley the right venue given the major topic for discussion may involve us leaving there?

If the AGM is to start at 8.30 we will probably have to finish training at 8 to be showered and changed etc. Will we still be charged £3 for that session, assuming the 50% increase has already been determined? If so, and I show up only for the AGM, will I still be charged.

If the Hunslet proposal is accepted is the gym use 7 days a week, anytime or just Monday evenings? I'd like more information about this gym business.

That is all for now.

Re: Lost Loiners AGM : Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:39 pm  

G1 wrote:

We were informed last night the subs were going up to £3 a week (50% increase, you're worse than bankers). Is that up for discussion (its' on your agenda) or is it already determined?

It may be difficult to do anything about it but is Morley the right venue given the major topic for discussion may involve us leaving there?

If the AGM is to start at 8.30 we will probably have to finish training at 8 to be showered and changed etc. Will we still be charged £3 for that session, assuming the 50% increase has already been determined? If so, and I show up only for the AGM, will I still be charged.

If the Hunslet proposal is accepted is the gym use 7 days a week, anytime or just Monday evenings? I'd like more information about this gym business.

That is all for now.

G1, I assumed looking at you that you were already a gym member and spent a considerable amount of time there already?

Re: Lost Loiners AGM : Thu Feb 11, 2010 12:04 am  

broadrhino wrote:

G1, I assumed looking at you that you were already a gym member and spent a considerable amount of time there already?

Yup, sculpting my cannons!

Re: Lost Loiners AGM : Thu Feb 11, 2010 1:16 am  

I understand that the gym is very small and run by LCC, however, we would be able to get passes from Hunslet to use it whenever it was open.
As for the subs, etc, the £3 was suggested to cover the cost of the Morley rent and also to allow for a "safety net" when we got less than 12 players turning up and also to help fund alternative pitches when the Morley pitches were out-of-bounds. If there are excess funds at the end of the year then it's up to the members to decide what to do. Can I suggest that all comments/suggestions/alternatives are discussed before the 1st March so that we can use the AGM to vote/ratify rather than discuss topics?
I also suggest that the session that evening should be free (if Club funds permit) and yes, we will have to finish at 8.00pm.
HTH

Re: Lost Loiners AGM : Thu Feb 11, 2010 7:11 pm  

Uncle_Harry wrote:

Can I suggest that all comments/suggestions/alternatives are discussed before the 1st March so that we can use the AGM to vote/ratify rather than discuss topics?

In theory, this sounds reasonable but how is it going to work practically. Do we need to set up a pre-AGM ? Also, it's fair to say that some of the discussions will be around money so if we can't see the accounts until 8th March, how do we discuss the financial aspects of the club.

I don't know how much we currently pay Morley per month, but for the past 6 months we've had pretty good numbers every week (on average I'd take a guess at 20), which would bring in £160 per month. I assume we don't pay anywhere near that for the pitch (it was £75 per month when G1 and I ran the club 4 years ago so I'd expect some inflation), but I am at a loss as to the reasoning behind the increase in subs (£12-16 per month for a couple of hours rugby on a Monday night seems excessive - and more expensive than our monthly gym membership at work !). I'd pay £3 per week if I was seeing some other return for the money - discounted/free gear (t-shirts etc.) but it seems a lot for a "safety net".

I agree the club needs to be run more astutely than it has been in the past, and I perceive this to be the case with the current Board of Directors !!, however I wouldn't want to take away the cheap, fun element of a Monday night run around with the lads - which is why it was first established.

Just my two penneth. I am sure I'll have more to add at the AGM !

Re: Lost Loiners AGM : Thu Feb 11, 2010 7:44 pm  

The only issue I raise is the idea of a change to our team name. Lost Loiners is at least ten years old and I believe we need to maintain our identity and association with Leeds rl and carry on representing Leeds.

I, among others have spent £200+ on kits of the lost loiners, including one for this season which will have our logo and name on it.

Re: Lost Loiners AGM : Thu Feb 11, 2010 8:39 pm  

OK, if we're getting the discussion going before the AGM here's my thoughts.

Firstly, let me congratulate Scott, Harry and and Sam for the way they have run the club since taking over from their predecessor. I think the club is better run than it ever has been and I actually include the days Adam and I ran it in that. I hope all three continue the thankless task for a while longer and I hope everyone else is as appreciative of their efforts as I.

I am not a fan of the subs increase. I know its' only an extra £1 but I think psychologically its' a big jump from a couple of quid to £3 a week. I understand the reasoning but we've rarely been below 12 and are usually well above it. I assume if we accept the Hunslet offer (I'll come to that later) that there will be no need for subs? If we stay at Morley and we're struggling to cover the costs I think Morley need to lower their prices rather than us increase the subs. They're getting rent and valuable Monday night bar takings which I am sure they'd rather not lose, especially as we now appear to have options.

The Hunslet Offer looks attractive to me. I am struggling to make many weekend games these days and my main interest is the fun elements of Monday nights. I would be keen that the casual, fun nature of that is not lost. If we can have access to better, free facilities and offer of support with coaching etc without it going to a more serious level then I would be for it. If we're going to do it, we should do it and I don't think the half way house option of doing it and staying at Morley is the way to go.

Having said that, we have a good thing going. Morley have always been very supportive and its' been "home" for several years. If it aint broke etc.

I am not concerned, one way or another, with the name change. Although we have always been predominantly Leeds supporters we have always been inclusive and I wouldn't have it any other way. Not that Hunslet fans are reciprocal to Leeds fans with those values mind.

In a nutshell, my views are summarised as follows. I am just a casual participant these days. I don't really want to pay £3 a week and don't really have strong feelings for or against the Hunslet proposal.

Does that take things anywhere Harry?