By CAW Roving Reporter
May 25 2003

The evening began at 19:35 with a welcome from Julian Easterbrook, chairman of the HSC. He swiftly passed on to the secretary, Sarah Dorling to read out the apologies for absence. In no time at all, the minutes from last year were approved. This meeting looked like it could all be over in time for us to get home for the second half of the England football match (or so perhaps we thought!).

We then moved on to the approval of the revised rules. We heard a detailed talk on the reasons why change was necessary.

Changes to the dates of the AGM, subs due and rules on re-election of committee members all seemed to be reasonable amendments. The changes to the rules for calling an SGM did, however, cause some consternation amongst the attending throng.

An amendment was proposed to the effect that if 60 signatures were obtained, the committee MUST call an SGM (the draft was to the effect that they MAY call one). This was voted on and, amid chaotic scenes, the amendment was defeated by 8 votes to 6 with 4 abstentions and one person not voting! One chap even spoke in favour of the amendment and then voted AGAINST it.

Once this vote had been dealt with, the chairman then proposed the rules be passed and they duly were by 7 votes to 6 - this time 6 people abstained!! I know it was a difficult decision to make (after all, we were voting on how to save the world!!) but six people abstaining?? One person said they couldn't vote because no room was made for the suspension of membership if an SGM was called. Others said they were now totally confused?!?!

During this discussion, the chairman (with the backing of the rest of the committee members) went on to say that this season's application for an SGM (or attempted coup depending on which side of the fence you are) had failed because only three people signed the request. This was, and has never been, fully explained - one side say one thing and the other say the opposite. At this point I decided that it was probably easier to find out who shot JFK than get to the bottom of this mess!!

Moving on to the accounts for the year, it was said that the main club wouldn't promote the HSC or allow it to sell its wares. Sponsorship was nil and when the chairman pointed out that our name was worth something, someone piped up to say that it was obviously wasn't!!

Onto the chairman's report. He said that the aim for this year had been to try and get the Club to take more interest and to try and unite the whole club (ladies, hopa etc etc etc). The mag had been re-styled but there had been few contributions.

He then moved on to an attack on what he called a "rogue website" and members trying to obtain a vote of no confidence in the committee - this had been quashed as the committee decided that there was a lack of evidence. Dialogue had been opened but said member would not reply (said member says committee wouldn't speak to him!) - see comments above about JFK.

The Chairmans's Report ended with that famous line "Come on you mighty Quins" Did I hear (or imagine) one or two cries of "SA" at the end of the last word? He went on to say that he only dealt in fact - at this point some wag asked if it was true that he used to be the Iraqi Information Minister? This got the biggest laugh of the evening!

On to the elections - Julian said that there was no need for voting as everyone had been unopposed. At this point HESM (Nick Blanchard for those who aren't aware) spoke up and asked if his application had been received. This was where TMJ dropped his bombshell - he wasn't standing for re-election this year!!!! He would instead become Treasurer after the departure of Simon Coleman to set up "another association" .

So, the new committee will be:-
Chairman - Nick Blanchard (it will be interesting to see if he can come good on his election promise to unite the two supporters clubs?)
Secretary - Sarah Dorling
Membership secretary - Andrew Coombs
Treasurer - Financial Ali (I mean Julian Easterbrook)

Other committee members
Warren Vokes, Angela Atkins and there might have been one more but I had switched off by this point (apologies if I've got anyone's name wrong).
The outgoing chairman stood down and was greeted with a round of applause for his past work.

The date of the next AGM was left over for the Committee to decide
Meeting finished at 21:25 - damn, missed the footie!!