NRA Journal - Summer 2003 - National Rifle Association

get involved in personalising issues. He reiterated thatthere is nothing fixed beyond 31 July 2003.There were 36 for the resolution; 3 against it. Theprovisional Trustees did not vote.The resolution was passed.The PollMr Sarony reminded the Chairman that he had calledfor a ballot of members. Mr Hobson agreed and observedthat there were too few members present to decide thefuture of the Association. Col R MacKeith remindedthe meeting that members had had the opportunity toattend, or write to the NRA. Mr P Dodd agreed andsaid the proceedings were right and proper. Mr A Clarkementioned proxy votes, which the Chairman said hewould support in principle but there was no provisionfor them in the current rules. He asked whether thosepresent would like proxy votes. There was general assentby a show of hands.Mr Sarony asked for a show of hands on the poll. TheChairman stated that if at least 12 of those present wishedfor a poll, there would be a poll; the cost would be around£2,500. After discussion during which some membersregistered their discontent with the need for a poll, theChairman asked for a show of hands to support a pollon a proposition to reject Resolutions 1 to 4.Mr Sarony and 17 others supported the call for a poll.ScrutineersThe Chairman announced that Mr N Molyneux hadagreed to act as the scrutineer on behalf of Council andasked Mr Sarony to nominate the second scrutineer indue course.The Chairman closed the meeting.RECENT DEVELOPMENTSby John F Jackman, ChairmanCharity CommissionI can inform you that the Council has now received a draft of the Charity Commission findings from its recentInquiry to confirm issues of fact (but we cannot query their opinions) prior to finalisation of their Report andpublication. I am told that the Charity Commission Report will be published on the Charity Commission website at the end of May. We shall copy it onto our own web site and any member who would like a copy anddoes not have access to the web should request one from the Secretary General. I can say, however, that theCharity Commission Report will cover the issues which I have reported above and before and will confirmthat, in closing their Inquiry, the NRA Council has addressed and taken all the necessary steps to satisfy theirconcerns.Members may wish to be reminded that, as a Charity, we are regulated by the Charity Commission. Webenefit from considerable tax concessions available to charities for their charitable activities, which vary fromyear to year, but which are currently calculated to be worth towards some £120,000 pa. Achieving a swiftclosing of their Inquiry allows the Council the opportunity to solely focus on the development of our sportnation-wide and the preservation of annual benefits for being a Charity and save £120,000 pa.FinanceI am pleased to report that we remain on target for the current financial year. We have sufficient cash in handto meet foreseeable contingencies and the Council has just repaid early the September 2003 instalment of ourbank loan. The effect on the surcharge will be announced in the autumn, as usual.47