WSRA Trustee Election Hustings

Seconded. wsr.org is a daily check for me and a way of keeping in touch with the railway from afar

 

Question about the AGM Quorum, the articles of the association read:

9.1 No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present. A quorum is 20 Members and authorised representatives of Corporate Members present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote upon the business to be conducted at the meeting.

With 700 Proxies, would the meeting not still have been quorate?

 

I like the "limp" comment! Yes it is "limp". I don't do "editorials" on wsr.org.uk I try to keep my personal views off the website (got in trouble too many times already). Look, the idea was a brief news item to raise awareness, without the blood, to those who may not know that the AGM did not go smoothly (!) with all business done in under two hours. The fuller accounts can follow. Whilst I'm no longer a trustee I stand by my "150 words" and will continue to work for change.

Mention of the Rally (www.steamrally.org.uk for those not yet availed themselves of online tickets - two days for the price of one) reminds me that I will be there for both days. Happy to share a civilised chat over a cuppa.

Steve

 

I am unclear what it is that you are suggesting. What is it you think the "rebel" minority should do? The way you write seems to suggest that those who work most closely with the railway are not entitled to keep on expressing their disquiet with the status quo.

 

Carry on Steve I'll have a cup of ale with anyone who is determine to make great changes at the top, I'll try to get there. are you buying, wolves don't have pockets. Faol

 

I am sorry to be blunt but that argument is intellectually bankrupt. The report was a complete whitewash carefully designed to mislead the reader into thinking that all was well. Omitting the real reasons the meeting was adjourned gave a totally different impression from what actually happened. Robin White had provided a very balanced report but you chose to ignore it. It was not neutral but clearly biased in favour of the Trustees. The Chairman himself could not have done a better job.

 

Does anyone know if the WSRA accounts will be able to be filed at companies hous withoput the members agreeing them?

Rodders

 

No

What this provision means is that someone (not necessarily a WSRA member) there by virtue of being a proxy for someone else, counts towards the 20. If it were otherwise, the Chairman alone, holding multiple proxies, would be a quorum.

kind regards

Robin

I rarely disagree with Steve's approach but I have looked at this again. Steve's report does suggest that the adjournment was because the meeting ran out of time. That was not so, and to that extent I believe the digest is somewhat misleading. For a neutral report, it might, perhaps have just stated that meeting was adjourned after item 5, as the Chairman plainly intended to carry on with items 6,7 & 8 and it was the will of the attendees to have no part of the meeting thereafter which stopped it.

kind regards

Robin White

 

A vision for the future WSRA........

The West Somerset Railway's supporters' association which exists to support the work of the Railway generally. So well liked by all staff (employed or volunteer) that they would not dream of NOT being a member. Promoting social activities, voluntary activities, filling in gaps in effort and fundraising and supporting the work of others identified as to the common Railway good by open discussions between all the railway folk. Able to fund raise and support railway projects such as Bishops Lydeard Loco shed, Williton water cranes, or aspects of the Station Farm development without having to worry about whether it met the conditions of an 'educational charity'.

Carrying out fundraising activities, such as running the volunteer-staffed Quantock Belle and other activities in a way that neatly and efficiently dovetail with plc, WSSRT, D&EG, station friends and other Railway groups' activities.

A model of openness with its members, an exemplar for the heritage railway movement generally, up to date with electronic communication but understanding that not all folks, especially some older members, don't find that easy.

Led and guided by a Committee who recognise that service on the Committee is a privilege and responsibility, who command universal respect by their inclusiveness, openness and good sense, with room for both long experience and fresh talent from younger generations among the Committee members.

Not really so hard, is it?

kind regards

Robin White

 

I have to strongly agree with this, living so far away from the railway, I look though Steve's website every day and I find it's the best way to keep up to date with what's going on, I especially appreciate the webcams. Having designed and run websites myself for a number of clubs and associations I know how much work, effort and dedication is put into a website such as Steve's. Cut Steve some slack, it can't be easy trying to promote the WSR/WSRA whilst opposing what is currently going on in the Association. Keep up the great work Steve.

 

It is comments like this that got us all into the in-fighting before, now that there seems to be a truce between the various personalities and groups, lets keep it that way, please.

 

I am a disinterested onlooker. As such I see 800 posts with nothing summarising how the association would differ if the four new trustees had been elected. As such had I been a member why should I have made an effort to fill in my proxy. I have made no comment on people expressing their disquiet, but for changes to happen it has to be coupled to something positive, in my view.

 

Agreed. Steve has worked hard for the Railway over the years and runs a superb website that is most people's main source of information on the WSR. Personally, I take the view that the WSRA was wrong in going for the freehold, but it would be a tragedy if the WSRA fell apart and we lost valuable people. The future surely lies in people working to the interests of the Railway rather than clinging onto personal status and power. I don't have a problem with people making mistakes if they own up and behave openly, submitting themselves to the verdict of the membership - the existing trustees didn't do that at the AGM.

John

 

4 new Trustees would have been unlikely to bring instant ant change in Year 1, although it would have been a very good first step.

As it happens, I have just set out my 'vision' for the WSRA in post 849 above.....

One last thought before I turn in. It is now two days since the AGM was adjourned and no hint yet of when the resumed AGM might be. Steve's report on his website is a digest of my report and the WSRA's website's 'latest news' last item is one telling us how the voting procedure will work at the AGM. I wonder how long we will have to wait to find out.....

kind regards

Robin White

 

I am a long time working member, and support WSRAMAG aims, but will express my own view not far different to theirs or Robin.
What do I want to see-
1)an end to the PLC is the root of all evil culture, and reestablish a working alliance with the company-with a PLC rep at meetings.(Why not - WSRA has a PLC board member.)
2).withdrawal from the unilateral ownership freehold,and work with others to establish a Community interest Company or similar cooperative grouping.
3)Open management,publication of agendas, minutes, regular open meetings with volunteers.Monthly on line news,return of letters page.
4) overhaul and updating of A and M to permit broader support/ grants to the railway for their heritage assets, maintainence,and protection,
5)Candidate vote via ballot form and box.
6)Vast improvement in phone/email /letter acknowledgement
7)Treasurer and secretary to be elected trustees with sufficent qualifications to undertake the task.if this means an expanded trusteeship, so be it
8) Greater accountability to trustees and members via separate accounts etc of Promotion subsidiary.
9)Cooptions to be highest losing candidate from AGM, unless very special circumstances.

 

Surely for those offering a vision there is a key question that seems to sit beneath all the other bits and pieces and personalities - which legal entity is 'the WSR'?

• Is it the plc, with the WSRA (and others in support), or is it the WSRA, with the plc as an operating subsidiary?

Without knowing the railway's history, it seems that the legal personality of the railway resides with the WSR plc (Safety case holder, operator, leaseholder, the party with whom others contract, etc) and others are attempting (for whatever reason) to change this position by stealth. Just because other railways are operating subsidiaries of charitable or similar bodies doesn't mean every railway must be (and a plc does have members - the shareholders)

If this is accepted then there seem to be some subsidiary issues to be dealt with:

• How does the plc involve all stakeholders in feeling that they do indeed 'own' and have a place in 'the WSR'? This seems to be a historic sticking point, but one that there have been efforts to move on from. Is there more that might be suggested (as friend rather than rival)
• Who is best owning the trackbed - SCC, the plc, WSRA, a newly established CiC, someone else? For a brief personal opinion - either the plc or WSRA seems fraught with 'politics' - staying with SCC seems the best option, but would a CiC (involving the plc, SCC and others) be a way to go forward if SCC decided to divest itself of liabilities? (NB: I mention this not to start off another war, but to highlight that there are ways of vesting the ownership of the trackbed without italtering the balance of power between WSRplc and WSRA!)

If people can move on from these places where things seem to be sticking, then it should become easy to work out what the vision for each bit of the railway might be. All the time there are two or more bodies trying to be 'the WSR' then things will inevitably go wrong.
As an outsider it seems fairly simple - so I must be missing something!

 

Good questions which I, as another outsider, agree need to be thought about by the plc as well as by the association. It should not be forgotten that the plc's freehold bid was turned down as well as the WSRA's.

 

if the chairman and existing trustees can really upon proxy votes (for whatever reason) this creates a rather intangible and unedifying prospect for the 'active members' who wish to see change. i cannot see a resolution to this impasse. there is no legal or constitutional way of resolving this deadlock in favour of the 'active members'. the problem relates to how historically the WSRA was set up and evolved with its constitution. i guess that the possibility that the existing chairman and trustees will resign to allow the minority of active members to get their 'way' is unrealistic, given that by any view they have a majority supporting them. this seems to me to me to be the nub of the matter, and is not unusual in commercial AGMs of far larger corporate institutions.
whether this is for the ultimate good long term of this wonderful railway is frankly irrelevant - the officers and members can only deal with the constitution as it currently stands, and it would take an EGM with outstanding 'groundswell' support to overturn such a status quo - which is not a realistic proposition at the current time when only a small minority attend the AGM and might attend an EGM for such purposes.
personally i feel all this is somewhat irrelevant for us enthusiasts and the general public who pay the ticket fares and spend money on the railway. this is a superb preserved railway - one on which i have regularly traveled through magnificent countryside behind superb GWR locos in well maintained carriages through splendidly restored stations. i care not a jot about buying a freehold or triangles at Norton Fitzwarren. i love my annual trip on the Waverley from south wales to Minehead and having a lovely day out on the railway!
cheers,
julian

 

Oops, sorry, pressed wrong button again too soon! In my humble opinion, Steven Edge has done the WSR the most fantastic and fabulous service over the years with factual postings, photos and up to date news on his truly excellent website, and is one of the best, most cerebral ambassadors we have. As a long-time media man, I know how hard it is portraying both sides of an argument fairly and in a balanced way without personal rancour, although I'll admit now that I saw blood red on Saturday!