Lee Anglers' Consortium

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting

20th January 2005 at the Rifles PH Enfield Lock at 8.00 p.m.

Present: There were 22 present and the following 13 members clubs were represented.

Cormorant Abbotts, Kings Arms, Chingford, Palmers Green, Globe, Lea Division, Verulam, Hertford, Barnet, EHWMC, RSA, Warwick and Ware.

D.Meadhurst, T.Rowley and D.Anderson attended as advisors.

Apologies:

None were received

Previous Minutes

The minutes of the AGM held on 14th January 2004 were circulated and proposed by Chingford and seconded by Kings Arms and agreed unanimously as a true record.

Chairman's Report

A.Wilson thanked all concerned in supporting the Consortium especially our two bailiffs and the secretary without their efforts there would be no Consortium. He also thanked the delegates in attendance and their members they were representing. The report was proposed by Hertford and adopted by Warwick.
Report from Accountant

1. The accounts for the year ended 31st December 2004 were explained. The outturn was still producing the downward trend in income arising from angling.
2. Sales were
   Indiv season tickets were £3925 (225) compared with last year £4062 (232) a 4% drop
   Day tickets were £9792 (3847) against £9733 (3817) a less than 1% increase
   The northern beat was 29% down whilst the southern end went up 19% .
   Clubs down in numbers by 2 plus the Rammey Marsh Cruising Club were no longer corporate members. Final figure was £10438 against £11,862 . This was a 12% drop. Actual ticket numbers went down by 15%. (791 to 669).
3. Total income was £1,300 less than 2003.
4. Total expenditure was reduced from £43,032 to £37786
   Mainly as follows:-
5. Our current licence with BW expires in March 2006. For last year and the next 3 years we have agreed a reduced rent with BW's Fishery Manager. The rent reduction in 2004 was for 3 quarters. The Lee Diversion at the back of Enfield was also given up. Total rent savings amounted to £4,256
6. With the rent reduction new contracts were agreed with our two bailiffs. At the year end they received just £600 less than last year.
7. The financial implication of this is a reported loss £2,810 (compared with last year's £7,000 loss and the original budget of £10,290).
   Forecast for 2005.
8. The lower one year rent agreement has now been extended until March 2008. So 4 quarters savings will be made in 2005.
9. We are committed to a £2,000 payment to the work at Feildes Weir (reported in detail later).
10. Total expenditure may increase in total by £1,300.
11. However, it is now extremely difficult to forecast our income. Any increases in fees would certainly be counter productive. Fishery income last year was £24,000 and therefore bearing in mind annual trends a figure of £19,500 is the most optimistic we can expect. This would result in a deficit budget of £5,900 plus £2,000 for Feildes Weir.
    The financial report for 2004 and the forecast budget for 2005 were proposed by RSA and seconded by Kings Arms and adopted.
    
    Report from Secretary
    Administration
12. Insurance
    From the beginning of the new fishing season 2004/5 all clubs were asked to supply a list of their club members holding LAC tickets in order that we comply with our insurance policy.
13. The litter contract.
    Since the last AGM BW have awarded the LAC a one year purchase order for a contract starting at the M25 and going north to Hertford and at the same price as previous years. It was remarked how important this contract is to our finances and members were asked to report any litter they see to the bailiffs. That is Tom from the M25 to Aqueduct Lock and Dave for our north beat.
14. Handbooks are now out of stock. A reprint has not been considered because to get the price down a significant order would have to be made and it is doubtful we could sell them all. Verulam have asked for the maps to be produced on a CD so they can incorporate the maps in their handbook. The maps are available on our web site.
15. The web site
    is now up and running but more time is needed to make it more interesting The web site can be found on www.lee-anglers-consortium.co.uk. At the moment it receives about 20 hits per week.
16. Publicity
    The weekly papers have held several articles on the Lee Navigation over the past year.

    In addition, the secretary did three radio recordings for the Nick Hancocks 'Fish on Five' programme that goes out early Sat & Sun mornings. No tapes of the transmission were made available but people have reported they went out. The three subjects were fish refuges, crayfish and poaching.
    More recently the secretary was approached to do a small recording for Radio Wales on Radio 4. A 15 minute programme to go out on Sun Feb 6th after Gardener's World. It is believed to be called Streetwise and the subject was to compare fish in the Lee at Bow with the past.

17. Matches

    The officers/bailiffs match was held on Wed May 19 2004.
    This was reported at the May delegates meeting.
    Next year's date is to be announced.
    OAP/Disabled match Wednesday, August 4th.
    This was reported at the September delegates meeting. Those that attend the match will know that the secretary takes many photographs and sends them out to individuals and club secretaries but this year he has been unable to find the time. It is hoped they be sent out in the next few months.
    Next year's date will be on Wed 3rd August.
    Lee McMullens Championship Sunday Oct 3rd
    The match was held at Enfield and hosted by the Greyhound PH and sponsored again by McMullens.
    The results were better than Ware (previous venue) but no bonus fish showed on the day.
    Winner was Simon Montgomery (7.12.00) second Steffan Freeman (5.14.00) and third Trevor Williams (4.10.08). Overall it was a good match and life member John Woods together with everybody helping with the weigh in etc on the day were thanked for their assistance. This was Dennis Ruttledge's, McMullen's public relations officer last day in office.
    The secretary has written to the Company enquiring whether they will continue with their sponsorship. The Greyhounds landlord is happy to do so.
    For 2005 the match is scheduled for Sunday, October 2nd. However, our bailiff has taken an informal booking for the Saturday 1st October 2005 from Eddie Williams to hold the Youth National Championship at Enfield and Ponders/Picketts with the use of bloodworm. No written confirmation of this event has been received but this match could have a serious effect on our match the following day.
    It was agreed to change the date of the McMullens to Sun October 16th.
    (Since the meeting Ware AC, the proposer to change the date, has informed the secretary that Ware A.C. have a booked match on the 16th. The secretary has written again to McMullens and the manager of the Greyhound PH requesting confirmation of their sponsorship together with the change of date and a back up alternative of October 30th.)
    Rifles Pairs Match December 20th
    The match was organised by Tom Rowley, our bailiff with 11 pairs fishing above and below Enfield Lock. It was a cold day with a few decent weights and some blanks especially above the lock.
    
    Fishery Matters

18. Lee Park Way
    The gates have seriously affected the sale of season and day tickets. The annual rent will be about £315 per annum. The licence ends 14 March 2006. The future of this venue will be considered nearer the end of the licence.

19. The Lee Diversion near Rifles Enfield.
    This stretch was given up in March 2004.

20. BW restocking
    BW carried out a further restocking at Enfield with carp from 8ozs to 1lb in January 2004. Angling Times did a centre page feature above Enfield and on the same day Anglers Mail had a bloodworm feature below Enfield Lock. Little if anything has been seen of these fish for months now and one has to doubt their continued existence.
    Two weeks ago another BW stocking took place at Enfield. These were 200 mirrors averaging around 3lbs and they went in by the boom swims at Rammey Marsh. They were valued at around £3,000.

21. Fish Stocks
    In recent weeks there has been criticism for just restocking with carp instead of silver fish. Firstly the LAC has no money to do any restocking and secondly you do not turn down free fish.
    During the repair of the Ponders End lock gates there was a need to completely drain out the lock. BW found hundreds of fish including many small carp the origins of which we are not sure of. They were placed downstream of the lock.

22. Crayfish
    Crayfish BW/LVRPA/EA Scheme
    Since the last AGM the LVACA secured EA FAP funding for the culling of crayfish in the Lee Valley. The scheme allows for the collection and purging of these fish at a holding centre provided by LVRPA and operated by our bailiff Dave Anderson. Members of the LVACA can then borrow traps and if they return their catches to Dave receive free bait. It has proved very difficult to find a reliable sales outlet for our catches. BW will only allow LVACA members to have permission to seek culling licences from the EA for the Navigation. This scheme has limited finances but whilst in operation allows us to cull crayfish and supplement Dave's bailiffing contract payments that are currently poor as a consequence of low numbers of anglers fishing.

23. Cormorants
    The new regulations cannot be used by the LAC because we would never receive permission to shoot off a public towing path. The birds are still heavily predating on the Lee Navigation The secretary recently met one of the co-ordinators from the REDCAFE seminar at Waltham Abbey in 2002. The meeting was for a feedback on the usefulness of REDCAFE. He stated that it was very disappointing that the representative from the RSPB only attended the first FAP meeting and since than there has been no contribution from the RSPB concerning the conflict between fisheries and cormorants.

24. Illegal fishing
    This has not been such a problem this year. It is believed this is because of the lack of suitable fish but it is still occurring.

25. Fishery Action Plan Lee Catchment. Adam Malin of LVACA and our secretary are members of the stakeholders steering group. The first public document is due for consultation in early 2005. Meetings are now quarterly with a new Chair person, Ian Welch of RMC. Whilst the LAC exists it must keep up its contribution to the FAPS. A lot of our fishery improvements in the last year could only have been realised because of our FAPs involvement and good working relationships with the EA, BW, LVACA and the LVRPA.

26. FAP Fish Refuges
    A second tranche of fish refuges has been provided by the EA under FAPS. They run from the Greyhound PH to the boom swims at Rammey Marsh. They were specially designed for the Lee and regular surveys are taking place to see whether and how they give benefit to fish protection. Early surveys for the total length of refuges from Enfield Lock to the boom swims shows an increase in fish populations but unfortunately this does not seem to have transmitted into fishing results.

27. Waterways Trust Grant.
    A £2,000 grant was awarded after constant delays and the deadline for completion is now March 2005. The scheme is to include facilities for disabled anglers. As a result the secretary submitted the project to the FAP group. The steering group agreed to adopt the project by allocating £6,000 EA funding. Groundwork (Hertford) were asked to compile an estimate of tree and site clearance, new platforms including 2 for disabled anglers and cutting back or removing trees. The work has now been combined with the Feildes Charity Trust that is also providing a food outlet and toilets adjacent to the lock house. The estimate for the combined work has totalled £20,000 with £2,000 coming from LAC. All approvals have now been received and work commenced last week. For anglers this will mean 8 new platforms all designed with the approval of the BDAA and renewed paths. There will always be 2 available for disabled anglers and in addition there are to be 2 hard standings for disabled anglers' cars.

28. Feildes Weir Charitable Trust
    The Trust has moved into the old lock house site. They have built a cafe' and toilets and completed certain landscaping. Their scheme will include paths down to the weir for disabled people to have access to the weir. It is hoped that the two projects will be completed as one and the scheme when completed will work together harmoniously. There should be significant publicity when the scheme is complete.

29. Hertford Platforms
    BW have provided 14 platforms along the canalised stretch at its expense. They are of very good standard and will keep the anglers off the towing path. In addition, they are well hidden in the reeds so that are not offensive to the eye.

30. Overhead pylons
    Despite constant reminders to BW and the National Grid there has been no progress on the promised pylon cables risk assessment to be carried out by National Grid safety officers. The issue has been flagged up on the Lee FAP for future action.

31. Insurance
    Lee Park Way - our insurers have indicated that at the time of renewing next year's insurance there would have to be a risk assessment and health and safety statement in place.

    
    RSA wish to have recorded their thanks to the secretary and the two bailiffs for all their hard wok over the past year.
    The secretary's report was proposed by RSA and seconded by Kings Arms and adopted.
    Election Of Officers.
    Elected officers are as follows:-
    Chairman Andy Wilson Cormorant & Abbotts A.S.
    Treasurer Steve Parker Kings Arms A.S.
    Trustee & Committee Chris Bite Hertford A.C.
    Trustee & Committee Roger Edwards Kings Arms A.S.
    Committee Len Pullen Warwick A.S.
    Committee Roy Barber Edmonton Conservative Club A.S.
    All officers have indicated their willingness to stand and were voted in unanimously.
    Notices Of Motions for rule changes
    None received
    Fees for 2005./6
    No changes to the existing prices were being recommended by the committee and none were received from any member clubs.
    Any Other Business
    There was none so the meeting was formally closed.

    
    21st January 2005

Secretary D.Meadhurst