AGM 2017 Minutes

The third AGM of Freegle Ltd was held from 0000hrs Monday 25th September 2017 to 23.59hrs Monday 2nd October 2017 on Freegle UK Central.

The Chairman opened the meeting on 25th September by welcoming Members. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FreegleUK-Central/conversations/messages/64756

It was noted that the Chairman was unable to send the meeting announcement as a Yahoo special notice owing to problems with Yahoo. This was re-sent the same day as a Special Notice. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FreegleUK-Central/conversations/topics/64759

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Under Rule 32 we needed to determine a quorum was present, that is either 20 Members or 10 per cent of the membership.

Quorum poll
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1qQRAYNI7Kq8QkohMiJcGJAs6bSVhXz4vJgODRnSw0K8/edit

Quorum announcement
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FreegleUK-Central/conversations/messages/64764
41 Members attended with 4 apologies for absence.

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF LAST AGM

Approval poll
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1xKRhdZoRIbBuOjEgis9Dc-5SSpuYTu2Z1xEiO3BCxC8/edit

The minutes were approved unanimously by 24 voting as a correct record.

3. MATTERS ARISING

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FreegleUK-Central/conversations/messages/64768

The Chairman reported on progress since last year.

Resolution 1 We must enforce the mandatory requirement that groups must be represented on Central. Development will create a procedure for this which includes attempts to contact the group, but if these fail, the group may ultimately be disaffiliated.
Result: 2 abstain, 47 yes

Progress:
We have not yet enforced this, but we've started. Development have created a contact procedure, which Jacky has kindly agreed to run with for now. We have started to use this procedure, and once we've done a couple of manual test cases we will probably tweak it further on Development. There are about 35 of 411 groups which are not represented on Central.

Resolution 2
We must require Freegle groups to use at least one "viable" platform. Tech will determine the viability platforms by discussion and poll, to be revisited annually. Development should create a procedure for contacting groups which are not using viable platforms and encouraging them to do so, but if this fails, the group may ultimately be disaffiliated.
Result: 6 abstain, 2 no, 41 yes

Progress:
We discussed viable platforms on Tech early last year. We voted that the following are viable platforms:

• Norfolk
• FD + TN
• FD only
• Yahoo + FD + TN
• Yahoo + FD

The following are not viable platforms:

• Yahoo + TN
• Yahoo only
• TN only
• Google Groups
• Facebook

We have not taken this further other than the test cases being undertaken as part of the contact procedure, but the next steps would be to contact all groups which are not using a viable platform and encourage them to adopt one. It is likely that this will encounter some groups who we are unable to contact, and we may ultimately disaffiliate those groups either through point 6 (see below) or point 3 (failed groups).

Resolution 3
Groups which have "failed" may be disaffiliated even if they are not abandoned. Development will create a procedure to assess this and which includes attempts to contact the group.
Result: 6 abstain, 6 no, 37 yes

Progress: We've not done this - it's on Development's task list.

'Resolution 4' New groups must be started on Freegle's preferred platform only. Tech will determine the preferred platform by discussion and poll, to be revisited annually.
Result: 5 abstain, 5 no, 39 yes

Progress:
We voted on Tech that the preferred platform was native Freegle Direct (i.e. without Yahoo), and have been creating new groups on that platform.

Resolution 5
New groups must be able to add other platforms in the same way as existing groups (subject to the outcome of 2).
Result: 7 abstain, 5 no, 1 no answer, 36 yes.

Progress:
This doesn't require any particular action.

Resolution 6
Groups must confirm once a year that they still wish to be affiliated with Freegle, via a procedure created by Development. If a group does not reply, then it may ultimately be disaffiliated.
1 abstain, 4 no, 44 yes.

Progress:
We have not enforced this, but we have developed the contact procedure to help with this. We will automate some of this, and we are discussing some aspects of this on Development. We will start doing this soon.

Following this Report Edward Hibbert made 4 proposals:

Proposal 1
Freegle introduces a deadline for getting rid of Yahoo Groups for the main Freegle groups (i.e. remove Yahoo from our list of viable platforms).

Edward clarified that this means:
We should remove Yahoo + FD + TN and Yahoo + FD as viable options which means that such groups must be FD + TN or just FD. We would work with such groups to help them make the transition.
Result
Members attending 28 Yes, 5 No, 1 Abstain
Members not attending 6 Yes, 3 No
Total Members 34 Yes, 8 No, 1 Abstain
Non Members, 1 Yes, 3 No
CARRIED

Proposal 2
If 1 is voted Yes, then the time period for this should be 6 months, 12 months or 18 months.
Result
Members attending 6/6m, 21/12m, 4/18 months, No vote 3
Members not attending 5/6m, 1/12m, 1/18m, 2 no vote
Total Members 11/6m, 22/12m, 5/18m, 5 no vote
Non Members 1/6m, 0/12m, 3/18m
12 MONTHS CARRIED

Proposal 3
If 1 is voted Yes, then we should not add Yahoo to any group from now on. The Returning Officers clarified that voting Yes meant Agree and voting No meant Disagree.
Result
Members attending 31 Yes, 1 No, 2 abstain
Members not attending 7 Yes, 2 no vote
Total Members 38 Yes, 1 No, 2 abstain, 2 no vote
Non-Members 1 Yes, 2 No, 1 abstain
Total all voters 39 Yes, 3 No, 3 abstain, 2 no vote
CARRIED

Proposal 4
We should seek an alternative discussion platform for groups such as Central.
Result
Members attending 29 Yes, 3 No, 2 abstain
Members not attending 6 Yes, 2 No, 1 no vote
Total Members 35 Yes, 5 No, 2 abstain, 1 no vote
Non-Members 2 Yes, 2 No
CARRIED

4. BOARD ANNUAL REPORT 2017

Edward presented the Board's Annual Report.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FreegleUK-Central/conversations/messages/64842
http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Board_Annual_Report_2017

5. FINANCE REPORT

The Chairman reported that in previous years, we have had an Independent Examination of the accounts from an accountant in Cumbria, but this year she is not able to do this. We have explored a couple of options which haven't come to fruition in time for this AGM. The Board would therefore like Freegle to approve the current accounts, on the basis that once an Independent Examination has occurred, any significant changes will be notified to Central.

Result
Members attending 29 Agree, 2 Disagree
Members not attending 4 Agree
Total Members 33 Agree, 2 Disagree
CARRIED

The Board recommended that Freegle Ltd should disapply the requirement for fully audited accounts for the financial year 2017-18. Result
Members attending 31 Agree
Members not attending 4 Agree
Total Members 35 Agree
CARRIED

6. ANNUAL DIRECTOR RESIGNATION AND DIRECTOR POLL

Six elected Directors are in office, so two Directors needed to stand down, who were Andy Ludlow and Cat Fletcher.

The election for new Directors commenced 2nd September 2017, announcing five vacancies, with a nomination deadline of 9th September 2017.

Four nominations were made, seconded and accepted. The four candidates were Jo Fisher, Cat Fletcher, Andy Ludlow and Dee Moss. As the number of candidates did not exceed the number of vacancies the candidates are elected unopposed.

7. VOTE OF THANKS

Chris Cant proposed a vote of thanks “to the Board, the national volunteers, all the local moderators and anyone else who has helped out over the last year. And thanks to Ed and Cat for delivering excellently in their paid duties. Running an organisation online is pretty tricky and we have a lot to be proud of in terms of end results - a huge amount of good stuff is kept from waste and lots of people are helped, many of whom might not have been able to afford it otherwise. It's great that hundreds of volunteers are able to make significant contributions locally and/or nationally across the UK. I know many people put in many hours making Freegle tick behind the scenes - a big pat on the back and virtual hug!”

Chris was thanked for his work on the mobile applications.

8. CLOSE OF AGM 2017

The Chairman closed the AGM by thanking all those who participated and noted that it was quite a momentous one since we've voted to transition away from Yahoo. He also gave thanks to Alison and Jacky for running polls.

The meeting was closed for business at midnight, 2nd October 2017 https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FreegleUK-Central/conversations/topics/64927

Freegle Limited is Registered in England as an Industrial and Provident Society for the Benefit of the Community.
Registration no: 32410R
Freegle is registered as a charity with HMRC (ref. XT32865)

Links

• AGM 2017
• Board Elections