Roger Pole

It is with great regret that I have to anounce the death of Roger Pole, who passed away on Monday afternoon.   Roger had been ill since Christmas with a brain tumour that defied treatment.    His passing was peaceful, and I sure the whole trials community will wish to pass their condolences to his family.    I will post details of the arrangements here once they are confimed.

 

I for one shall miss him.    

MCC Committee Elections

In my Lands End post here I said "Lots of "political chat" on the way round, ranging from the letter Dennis has published here through to the restarts on Bishops Wood and BH1 and why the MCC doesn't send out a committee nomination forms. No I don't know how members know which positions fall vacant and I to think you shouldn't have to ask a member of the committee. It's certainly different to any other club or trade association I have ever belonged to, maybe thats part of its charm"

 

Alan Foster has sent me a reponse which I publish here with his permission.

 

Michael

 

"I was interested in the aside comment in your account of the LE about
Executive nominations etc.  A fair question.  The MCC is a Limited Company
and its proceedings are set down in the Memorandum and Articles of
Association ("Mem and Arts").  I have an electronic copy (
alan.foster@pins.gsi.gov.uk <mailto:alan.foster@pins.gsi.gov.uk> ) if you
can't find your Handbook (A5, blue cover).  A root and branch review of
these has been on the cards for a very long time but the task is daunting,
and has made little progress.  If you know of trialists who are expert in
company law, current democratic processes and effective and inclusive
management with weeks of spare time on their hands, the Executive would love
to hear about it.

"The Mem and Arts stem from nearly 100 years ago, before women had the vote.
The concepts of democracy, proxy votes, nominations in advance and so on
were very different:  the Club was London based:  it's members were
'gentlemen'.  The whole historic process revolves around personal attendance
at a General Meeting.  Article 17 sets out the management structure.  All
the officers (except, it seems, the Secretary - which we don't currently
have) and one third of the Executive stand down at the General Meeting and
are eligible for re-election (Article 18).  It is open, as I read it, for
other nominations to be made on the day (others may take a different view).
In theory there could be more nominations than places on the Executive which
would involve a ballot - or a resolution to change the number.  How all this
could be handled at a General Meeting is a frightening thought: an
adjournment to another day I suspect.

"The general principle adopted by the Executive for many years is that
everyone has a job - it is not just about attending meetings.  So if there
are folks out there who think they can put the MCC on a better track, there
is a need for a General Secretary, possibly a re-invented Competition
Secretary, a 'shadow' Sec for the Exeter, a Sec for the Edinburgh and a
Regalia Secretary (all have been mentioned in MCC material over the last 6
to 8 months). Drop me an e-mail if you want to know more - please don't wait
until the AGM."

 

 

Section Begins website

My 'Sections Begins' website has now been moved to a new server. The web address is unchanged and the Home Page is still accessible at http://www.wheelspin.org.uk

 

Any links starting http://www.knightlybrown.net/sectionbegins/ which you may have bookmarked in the past will now generate an error message as the files have been removed. Please enter the new site through the Home Page and update your links.

 

I have changed the Home Page, updated some of the styles, and taken the opportunity to improve the performance of some of the hidden 'techie' bits. I might even get around to updating some of the content when I have received corrections to the Lands End Provisional Results (I believe there are a number of errors affecting the placings in the Marlin MCC League). I also have some updated information on the exact whereabouts of 'Juniper' - the infamous PreWar Cotswolds trials hill, and the latest on the DEFRA Consultation exercise.

 

Andrew

Kyrle 2004

Pictures from the Kyrle added to album

 

Pete & Carlie

Lands End 2004

Marsh/Bowring Insurance

I originally took out insurance with Marsh for the Edinburgh last year and my Letter of Acceptance expires on the 16th Sept 2006. Well it did until I heard quite by chance and then read on the MCC web site that Marsh are not accepting any further business. I have, to date, heard nothing from Marsh. 

Do I accept defeat and write off a few quid or are Marsh liable in any way, as they accepted my  proposal in the first place,  until the end of the three years?

Anyone got any further info or comments?

Myke Pocock.      

 

 

Bead Breakers

Anyone looking for a bead breaker may like to look at the one on ebay, for sale at present, for cars, motorcylces and scooters. At a Buy It Now price of 짙45 including carriage it looks OK to me but anyone able to wield the indispensible trialling tool designed by Mr MIG would be able to knock one up, to suite themselves, with little effort. Guess what my next project is?

Myke Pocock