AUK AGM

[hellymedic]

Room 101, Library of Birmingham. I jest not.

I don't think I'll be going.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Well done Mattc on his Eiger Sanction, but what is a PRoF?

[hellymedic]

Well done Mattc on his Eiger Sanction, but what is a PRoF?

Permanent Ridden on FOREIGN soil.

[mattc]

Well done Mattc on his Eiger Sanction, but what is a PRoF?

It's quite simple - you have to call me Prof for a year. (Or Professor, if you insist on being formal.)

[Zed43]

Sorry to say I won't be coming over, with the excellent excuse of riding a BRM that day 

Must say I found the annual report to be well written and wholly sufficient for casting my vote online. So a big  to all who were involved in creating the report and making online voting on the resolutions possible.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Well done Mattc on his Eiger Sanction, but what is a PRoF?

It's quite simple - you have to call me Prof for a year. (Or Professor, if you insist on being formal.)

Certainly.

[MikeFromLFE]

Sorry to say I won't be coming over, with the excellent excuse of riding a BRM that day 

Must say I found the annual report to be well written and wholly sufficient for casting my vote online. So a big  to all who were involved in creating the report and making online voting on the resolutions possible.

Seconded - the report was a model of clarity.

Sent from my P01W using Tapatalk

[tonyh]

Must say I found the annual report to be well written and wholly sufficient for casting my vote online. So a big  to all who were involved in creating the report and making online voting on the resolutions possible.

Seconded - the report was a model of clarity.

Thirded!

[whosatthewheel]

Good report, voted.

313K in the bank seems bonkers in this day and age... given the inexistent interest rates, effectively AUK is burning 10 grand per year due to inflation.

[Delph Cyclist]

Good report, voted.

313K in the bank seems bonkers in this day and age... given the inexistent interest rates, effectively AUK is burning 10 grand per year due to inflation.

Did you read the bit about "why £313 in the bank?"  That first item, the update of events database and website, is going to take care of much of that.

[Delph Cyclist]

I'm glad to see that there are three excellent candidates for the Membership Secretary post.  I'm not sure how you chose but their Personal Statements make good reading.

[whosatthewheel]

Good report, voted.

313K in the bank seems bonkers in this day and age... given the inexistent interest rates, effectively AUK is burning 10 grand per year due to inflation.

Did you read the bit about "why £313 in the bank?"  That first item, the update of events database and website, is going to take care of much of that.

I understand the need for money in the bank... but being a saver myself I am also well aware of how quickly this money gets eroded in this low interest rate + currently devaluation scenario

[tonyh]

I'm glad to see that there are three excellent candidates for the Membership Secretary post.  I'm not sure how you chose but their Personal Statements make good reading.

Excellent candidates indeed! Just as well, they've got an excellent act to follow.

[wilkyboy]

Good report, voted.

313K in the bank seems bonkers in this day and age... given the inexistent interest rates, effectively AUK is burning 10 grand per year due to inflation.

Did you read the bit about "why £313 in the bank?"  That first item, the update of events database and website, is going to take care of much of that.

I understand the need for money in the bank... but being a saver myself I am also well aware of how quickly this money gets eroded in this low interest rate + currently devaluation scenario

Yebbut —

1. As Delph says, a huge chunk of that is allocated to the new systems
2. For years it has been near-impossible to find worthwhile things to spend the money on (see previous AGM reports), so it has been increasing year-on-year
3. You're desire to "save" £10k per year in cash-deflation would result in having no money in the bank — which is a crippling position to be in when the sh!t hits the fan!  The point of having liquidity is specifically to ride whatever storm comes next, and organisations that fail to recognise that, or fail to do something about it, quickly discover their fatal mistake ... Carillion, anyone?

£313k sounds like a lot of money, and it is to individuals like you and me, but what's better — £200k?  £100k? One pound?  Where do you draw the line? 

The cash pile was not a stated aim, it was an outcome of market-realistic membership fees coupled with non-member penalties for riders not being members when they wanted to ride an audax  — there has to be SOME advantage to being a member!  Across so many events every year, it all adds up.

Oh, and years of not being able to come up with anything that the membership would consider worthwhile to spend it on.  Until now.

[wilkyboy]

I'm glad to see that there are three excellent candidates for the Membership Secretary post.  I'm not sure how you chose but their Personal Statements make good reading.

Three great candidates with very different backgrounds and each of whom would bring very different insights to the Board through the MemSec role.

I know who I'll be voting for 

[grams]

Oh, and years of not being able to come up with anything that the membership would consider worthwhile to spend it on.  Until now.

Possibly this is the wrong forum for this, but am I the only one who has concerns about whether replacing what appears to be a working system with some all-singing all-dancing new system with no clear goals other than being "new" is actually a worthwhile use of money?

I'm sure the current system has a million flaws and is insecure and is held together by string, but ground-up rewrites are generally considered to be the worst way to solve those problems.

(that said, I have zero direct knowledge of what this new system is or who's building it. I'd love to be told I'm wrong)

[whosatthewheel]

I wonder how far that kind of money would go to buy a building, kind of an AUK hostel, to be used by organisers as overnight control as well as rented out to the public for profit...

The website is old fashioned, but it works well... membership number is up, as a sign that there is no need to invest in self-promotion.
My feeling is that AUK needs to concentrate more on organisers rather than riders. Invest in great, memorable events!

As it appears, in 2018 we might have a new website, but no National 400... I know which one I'd rather have... 

[jsabine]

Oh, and years of not being able to come up with anything that the membership would consider worthwhile to spend it on.  Until now.

Possibly this is the wrong forum for this, but am I the only one who has concerns about whether replacing what appears to be a working system with some all-singing all-dancing new system with no clear goals other than being "new" is actually a worthwhile use of money?

I'm sure the current system has a million flaws and is insecure and is held together by string, but ground-up rewrites are generally considered to be the worst way to solve those problems.

(that said, I have zero direct knowledge of what this new system is or who's building it. I'd love to be told I'm wrong)

I think you're wrong. There.
(But those questions have been asked a few times over the past few years.)

More to the point, we're not developing a new browser or office suite on a new code base. We're much closer to developing a new website and database using an existing (though new to us) CMS and database engine. And the current system is not only held together with string (it probably hit the end of its design life a few years ago), but more or less wholly dependent on the efforts of a single volunteer - the goal of the new one is that it should be much more sustainable for AUK, as well as scaling better with increases in membership and ridership, and simplifying admin for members, event organisers, and the organisation as a whole. 'Being new' is an outcome, not a target.

[Paul H]

What has increased is the number of permanent and DIY rides. So a lot more km, but not very sociable ones!

We probably don't know how many of the none calendar rides are ridden in a group, I know some of them can be very sociable.
No shortage of events here in the Midlands, with new ones coming along all the time. I ride mostly solo DIYs, but that's because they fit my odd shift pattern rather than what's on offer.
When I do get to an organised ride, it's usually under the banner of a club, mostly CTC Member Groups, and those I know have enough money to cover any risk.

Back to the AGM - I broadly like the way things are being run, so am inclined to use the Chair as proxy with discretion.  I'm assuming that acts as a vote of confidence and that this member wants it to carry on as it has been.

[Delph Cyclist]

As it appears, in 2018 we might have a new website, but no National 400... I know which one I'd rather have... 

The Board is addressing the first point - and it is desperately needed.  The second is down to the membership.

I am certainly concerned that Membership numbers are up but number of Events has remained constant.  I've just closed the Newport 200 for entries as I have as many riders as I can safely look after, so I would be looking for new Organisers to come forward with new rides.  Looking at the map of AUK events, a facility I've just been reminded of, indicates parts of the country ill-served by AUK events.

Here's a personal challenge (aimed at everyone, I'm not picking on whosatthewheel - could you add something to the Calendar of Events?  I think it's worth repeating the link recently provided by jsabine : Organising an Event.

Ian H certainly lives up to his own requirement of a ride that "goes somewhere" with his new one-way 400.  Great concept!

[Kim]

Also no great expert, but I'd say it's about 50:50.  Some events involve hiring of halls, which tends to include the provision of hot drinks, CAKE and so on.  Others rely on commercial controls, and involve little more than an organiser being in the right car park / cafe / pub at the right time.

I suppose mostly a it's a scale of event thing (though obviously geography will also be a factor).  If it's just a one-off populaire, or a bare-bones longer ride, there's less sense in the organiser providing things.  On the other hand, if it's an assortment of simultaneous events or antisocial start/end times mean that commercial options are limited and sleeping facilities are desirable, then it's another matter.


Back on-topic, Room 101 is a short bicycle ride from home.  Is it worth attending this AGM thingy?

[Veloman]

Back on-topic, Room 101 is a short bicycle ride from home.  Is it worth attending this AGM thingy?

IMO the answer is yes if it is local. You get the chance to have a chat and ask questions as well as seeing some folk.

Voting is irrelevant as the 'postal' vote ensures all matters are decided without the vote at a AGM (based on previous AGMs voting outcomes).

I have it in my diary as Brum is a short and cheap train journey away.

[mattc]

Please see my inline responses:

I wonder how far that kind of money would go to buy a building, kind of an AUK hostel, to be used by organisers as overnight control as well as rented out to the public for profit...
-  that's an interesting idea  , but the devil is in the very many details. I'm sure AUK would appreciate someone putting together a proposal (even if it just ends up being the template for a future venture)


The website is old fashioned, but it works well... membership number is up, as a sign that there is no need to invest in self-promotion.
- Yup! 

My feeling is that AUK needs to concentrate more on organisers rather than riders. Invest in great, memorable events!

As it appears, in 2018 we might have a new website, but no National 400... I know which one I'd rather have... 

- That's not a sensible comparison. In no way has AUK decided to channel funds into the website at the expense of NOT having a Nat400. There have been Nat400s since the website project got off the ground.

[jsabine]

Back on-topic, Room 101 is a short bicycle ride from home.  Is it worth attending this AGM thingy?

Oh, I think you should come.  We'd love to see you.  We might even get you a coffee.  If past experiences is anything to go by we might even end up in the nearby Wetherspoons.

Coffee is a given (other hot beverages may be available).

Last year we ended up across the road in the Wetherspoons for (latish) lunch. While I don't object to Wetherspoons, I wouldn't mind local knowledge for a better cheap lunch ...

[jsabine]

As it appears, in 2018 we might have a new website, but no National 400... I know which one I'd rather have... 

The Board is addressing the first point - and it is desperately needed.  The second is down to the membership.

It's a slightly smart-arse response, but there's a real danger that without a new website (or more accurately, without a new IT infrastructure), we might find ourselves without any events at all, or at any rate without the ability to administer and support them in any realistic way. Not much use having the events if we can't publish a calendar, the organisers can't see entries or validate finishers, and riders can't find out about them in the first place, let alone enter.

Obviously the immediate future isn't *quite* as doom-laden as that - but the IT project is intended to postpone the apocalypse for quite a while.