Council Minutes - 12th September 2017

The President opened the meeting at 10:00.

1. Apologies – received from Maurice Perrin, Ross Hunter, David Walker and Graham Slack.

Mark Lockie as President opened the meeting by welcoming the Council Members especially the new Members and noted the good turnout.

2. Confirmation of Minutes to Last Meeting – 16 th May 2017

The minutes were agreed to be a true record of the meeting.

3. Update on Action Points

Bob Barnes/Clive Robinson Paper on Membership – Item suspended for six months, any papers to be circulated to group members - ACTION CONTINUES

ACTION: Nick Gladwell to report on vertical audits achieved. Vessel Irene has been audited with Non Conformities on Bob Medler/Jon Leach. Audits to be vessel specific in future. Action continues

ACTION: FEMAS Meetings – Nick attending Hamburg Oct Meeting, 56 Members FEMAS registered. Viability of membership to be monitored - Ongoing

ACTION: All – Contributions for Link Magazine, especially big ship items, to be sent to Norman. Contributions are problematic – Ongoing

ACTION: All – Liaise with SCMS Office and put together a list of useful clients which might like to receive Link Magazine, such as A + P Appledore Falmouth, Dunstans, etc. – Ongoing

4. Proposed Improvement and additional services offered to members

Allan Larsen introduced his suggestions for increasing membership and adding benefit to existing members. These included:

a)    Lloyds Maritime Academy – Link to students and offer of Membership discounts

b)    Link to Insurance Agents for PI discounts

c)     John Good Group – Discounts on travel costs

d)    IMO Publications @ discount – Through Larsens

e)    Routes to registration for C Eng etc – Liaise with IIMS et al

f)     Access to BS & ISO Standards – Seek group deal via membership

g)    Regular news update on requirements using Website/emails – Ballast Convention. Investigate G Captain, Regs4ships & Manta Maritime.

h)    Discounts on Survey equipment, Like YBDSA members – Tritech, NDT, Cygnus, Tramex and Sovereign.

Action Point: SCMS CEO to investigate above possibilities

5. Seawork 2017

Stuart reported that the show went well and many SCMS Examiners called into the stand as well as owners and companies that we deal with. This year we did not have many new membership applications from the show (although our link with Lloyds MA were now generating these) but many SCMS Examiners used the stand as a bag drop off place and meeting area. It was confirmed the benefit of maintaining this stand next year and any SCMS Members were welcome to join the usual NWA and AMC joint stand area for 2018.

6. Training Days

Mark informed the Council he was arranging more training days the next one being before Christmas. Topic being proposed for future events included:

a)    MLC

b)    Cranes

c)     Under 500 GT Code

d)    Towing

e)    Crew Qualifications and certification

f)     Confined spaces

g)    Witness for Inclining Experiments and Heel Testing

h)    Fire equipment

i)      Dangerous goods

j)      Lifesaving appliances and life rafts

Event venues suggested included Manchester and Glasgow Airport Hotels as well as current RYA/MECAL/YBDSA/SCMS venues.

Post Meeting suggestion from Bob Barnes: most of the above items (a. to j.) could be considered as small ship items. For large ships, Ballast Water Management and Emissions reporting loom large on the horizon next year. We could give further thought to using drones for structural surveys, autonomous ships, LNG bunkering and safety of HV electrical systems and azipods, if we can find the necessary expertize.

7. Benevolent Fund

Stuart reported the funds currently stood at:

a)    Benevolent fund investment = £256,436

b)    Access account = £3479

Stuart said that Peter Hicks had not reported in recently (last was June) so we had not paid the now due £1000 instalment of his agreed support. Nick would mail him a letter reminding him of the requirement condition of his benefit payments to phone us regularly and ask about his health. Action Point: Nick to contact P Hicks by mail/phone.

Stuart told the Council the gains made on stocks and shares Benevolent Fund Investments recently was far in excess of outgoings and we should again remind Members of the availability of financial support to needy members and their families. Action Point: Norman to include Link Magazine advert to repeat availability of Benevolent Fund finances to the needy.

8. Financials

Stuart Gladwell went through the key financial summary:

CCLA Benevolent Fund Shares value Dec 2016 £240,631.19, June 2017 £256,436

Nov – Same as no update

Lloyds Benevolent Fund Account 15/5/2017 £4,478.86, Sept 2017 £3479 Nov = £2,549.62

Lloyds Membership Current Account 15/5/2017 £13,800.62, Sept 2017 = £1,359, Nov = £253.98

Lloyds Savings Account 15/5/2017 £2469.98, Sept 2017 = £2470, Nov = £2,470.34

Lloyds Visa Card 15/5/2017 -£493.29, Sept = -£120 Nov = £77.52

Lloyds CA Trading Account 15/5/2017 £31,706.58, Sept 2017 = £51,068, Nov = £45,868.30

HSBC Money Manager 15/5/2017 £60,753.89, Sept 2017 = £60,762, Nov = £60,764.39

HSBC Business Acc 15/5/2017 £685.40, Sept 2017 = £703, Nov = £707.90

Total money in Bank Accounts 15/5/2017 = £109,000, Sept 2017 = £ 116,243 This is an increase of about £7,043. 13/11/2017 = £110,142.43 decrease of £6,100

Budget for 2017 – Stuart confirmed that the finances were roughly following the draft budget proposed by Petar but about £8k down for the year so far from the guestimate.

9. AOB

Mark said that after discussion with Paul and others it had been agreed we needed to put in place a method of appointing/reviewing the position of CA Committee Chairman. Paul had been in the role for a number of years and doing an excellent job but it was noted he might at some point want to have a replacement and we need a method to do this. It was agreed that we would task the Management Team (Mark, Paul, Stuart and Nick) to propose a procedure. Action Point – Management Team to propose a procedure for appointing/replacing the CA Chairman.

Bob asked if Companies House had been informed on the required “on line return” of any persons with Significant Financial Responsibility. It was reported that Petar had made the response on time and met the requirements. It was later noted from Petar that we did not have to name a person as no one person had significant financial responsibility.

Bob reported that he and others had received scam emails and thought the SCMS website listing of members was responsible. Stuart replied that we had received complaints about this and he was also aware some of these had been generated by attendance at Seaworks 2017 as they had sold delegate information. Stuart reported he was investigating with our IT advisor’s ways to stop our website information from being subject to attack by scammers. Action Point – Stuart to consult with relevant IT advisors on ways to protect the contact details on our website.

Mark raised the question as to when the Companies House registration would be changed to reflect the 2 Directors that have been changed to ML and NG at the AGM 2017. It was also suggested that perhaps we should include both V Presidents and hence include AL. Action Point – CEO to amend Companies House regarding Directors of SCMS.

Paul advised Council the annual MCA monitoring visit went well with minimum action points and MCA congratulated SCMS on all the changes and improvements they had made. Details will be discussed at the CA Meeting in the afternoon.

Date of Next Meeting – Tues 14th Nov 2017