Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

I disagree on stability - this is a time of change, and that will be destabilising in places. We will learn a lot when the AGM papers come out, as matters that were unclear a year ago will flush through the 2023 accounts. If well founded concerns are right, this will bring significant issues to a head, quite apart from the questions of who should run the trust.

Calm and respect are required, from all.

 

That is the key the body of trustees should work together. Hopefully whoever is elected to fill the four places which will contested will do this so that the railway can move forward.

 

It is key, but it is also key that the other sitting trustees also work together with the newly elected, whether or not they would have been those candidates' choice. It takes two to tango, and it is clear that a major part of the recent issues lay with incumbent trustees' refusal to work effectively with people they did not want on the board.

The current sitting trustees do not have a monopoly of wisdom, and it is not appropriate for any trustee to refuse to work with another, or for trustees to be complicit in such refusal.

 

Do leopards change their spots ? , so will the present trustees, who let's face it, got their way, 2 members they didn't accept into their little clique are no longer trustees, change their way, I don't expect they will, why should they, see in their eyes, it's their organisation, to do with as they see fit, they will only change, when change is forced upon them, accepting the status quo, won't change anything, change IMHO , can only come when the cancerous growth, that is the Chairman, and his side kick are removed and a whole new board elected, the old guard has nothing to offer, and I see no place for any of them, The only way forward is to ensure your chosen trustees have the majority on the board, and then, use that to pressure the others to put the trust first, and vote to remove the Chair, and if they won't call an EGM, where the old guard are charged with bringing the trust into disrepute, and hope you have the votes to remove them,

 

I can understand and sympathise with that sentiment.

My concern however would be that it would lead to a (possibly quite large) proportion of the membership saying "oh dear, here we go again" and suggesting that the new Trustees are trying in effect to do exactly what the old Trustees have just done and therefore 'the new are no better than the old' and it could all back-fire.

 

That language doesn’t help. These are people who have devoted years to the L&B, and achieved a great deal.

Their tragedy, and that of the L&B, is that they have reached their limit and reacted badly. To fix that requires change, but that change has to be about the railway, not just changing the people.

Some will need to move on, others will have a place. As members, our role will be to assess the various claims that will be made, and consider how they can make the future.

As the saying goes, he was the future once.


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I seem to recall that it was one of "the six" established trustees who refused to work with one of the newly-elected trustees last year. which went a long way to creating this situation in the first place...

 

You're right, any more just splits the vote. But the four need to be a coherent cohort who present themselves as a group with a consistent and coherent policy of change with a clear way forward.

 

Not only that but he is also a director of the CIC

 

Having listened to Mr Miles at the meeting dismissing or ignoring what every speaker from the floor said, I do not have faith that the goings on that have been reported will change in the future with any new Trustee with whom they disagree, or, it would seem, take a dislike to.

 

For sure, look forward to it, @DaveE

 

Just got home.

One thing I meant to write earlier but was driving was that one person to whom a special vote of thanks is due is Brom Bromidge. I'm reasonably sure that Mr Bromidge and I will disagree on virtually everything to do with the current running of the Trust, but he ran the count and the proxies impeccably yesterday under pressure and in a position where there was every reason for both sides to be suspicious.

I've no idea if he reads this, and I'll drop him a line by post, but I for one am very grateful for the manner in which he ran the vote. Bravo Brom!

 

For all his faults, you can not but help like the bloke, he likes to see that things are done right. I haven't always agreed with his point of view, but when the day comes and he wants to step down, then the L&BR will miss him. He is what they call a safe pair of hands.

 

Having repeatedly seen Brom involved in every pie to do with this railway since the 80s, I can add my view that he is a stickler for things being done properly regardless of what else might be going on. I believe his only official role now is Secretary to the CIC, and I wish he would provide this assurance in the Trust.

 

Well if he can't then we have a bench mark for the next Trust Secretary to be compared to then.

 

there were winners yesterday, the special resolution was firmly thrown out so that was most definitely a win, the down side is that the 6 are the ones driving the wedge and any new trustees will undoubtedly have an uphill struggle to to make any difference

 

I can honestly say that the crown hotel in Lynton is a much better choice for a pint and something to eat

 

The Crown is sometimes the only place left open in the evenings in Lynton to get anything at all now and you have to book but it has Tribute!

Went there a few times last year when staying in Lynton.

Wasn't that impressed the last time I had fish and chips from the back of The Queens and many other restaurants close at 5pm.

I can remember when I first went with Mum and Dad some years ago you were spoilt for choice!

 

There were at least 12 of us in a couple of groups, just turned up, no booking, all had food, around 15 minutes from ordering to being served, and they had a busy restaurant too so absolutely no complaints at all

 

That's actually surprising, mind you, it was around around the gala times I was there so maybe a little more into holidaymaker season plus those around for the gala. In the spring there was also the Reading Bikers Tour of the SW although they only stayed for one night and the Cliff Railway Steampunk event so booking was probably essential then.