Mr. Wakefield welcomed all present to the Meeting, including new member Mr. F. Kinghorn from No.9 District and Hazel Buckby who would be producing the Minutes. He advised members that Mr. M. Howard was present in his official capacity as representative of No.1 District and that Mr. D. Hartigan was deputising for John Temple who was (again) on holiday!

The President referred to his notes prepared for this meeting and made particular reference to the fact that John Love has resigned as Editor of NARF News, which he considered to be a bitter blow but is confident that, although not easy, a successor will be found. The President reported on his visit to see John Reidford who is now back to full health and sends his best wishes to all members. Unfortunately, John�s wife is not at all well.

The President concluded his address by expressing his appreciation for all the work carried out by members.

1. Notification of update on insertions in the various organisational journals, including venues for conferences which may be of use for those who may wish to advertise dates/venues etc.
2. Letter from an organisation - UOCC - with details of an international joint operational command conference dealing with global terrorism, to be held on 12/13 November 2003; places still available if anyone is interested.
3. Peter Robinson referred to an item which arose last year with regard to the formation of an Oxfordshire Branch; he reports that this is now functional with a membership of 20. With regard to Berkshire, who for many years have had a Retired Comrades� Association (which was confirmed by Roy Orringe), it is hoped to arrange a meeting with their secretary in the new year to discuss the membership, as they have indicated an interest and all documentation has been forwarded to them. Barry Hook asked to be informed of the latest situation re both Cambridge and Oxford branches but Peter Robinson stated he had no dealing with Cambridge as this is not in the No.6 District. In addition, he understood that a representative from Hertfordshire is endeavouring to re-instate that branch this year.

Paul Webster advised members that he had been volunteered to update the Constitution and Standing Orders and that this is now all on disk and will be accessible for whoever takes over as General Secretary in the future, thus enabling updates to be carried out when necessary. The President thanked Paul for his efforts, adding that Branches would now need to look at their own Orders.

At this point, Peter Robinson mentioned the urgent need to appoint a replacement General Secretary, particularly as the Association now has a Minute Secretary, thus eliminating a good deal of the paperwork,but there would seem to be a certain apathy countrywide to take up this post. He does feel quite strongly about this and urged members to do all possible to seek out a possible candidate. It is appreciated by all that the post is a vital one, requires a person of the right calibre with the necessary incentive and if carried out properly could take up some 3 or 4 days per week. This last comment was endorsed by Andy Mulligan who stated he would not be taking on the job again, not least because he was not comfortable with computers.

D .Hartigan informed the meeting that, in his opinion, we have an ideal candidate amongst us - namely John Temple - who is computer literate. The President confirmed that he, too, had approached John Temple on this issue and had not received a �categorical refusal� but would like more time to consider it. Peter Robinson was asked to contact him on his return from holiday and advise progress. Peter Robinson then went on to inform members who may have concerns about applying for the General Secretary post that the Association is now voluntarily registered under the Data Protection Act. Also, although he and Paul are happy to continue in their role temporarily, it should be pointed out that in 2004 he would be out of the country for at least two months and therefore it would be in the Association�s best interest if a replacement could be in post before that time.

The Treasurer referred to the question of advertising by Roland Smith, who have now decided that they may not take up further space after this current issue and Barry Hook stated that this will depend on the feed back they get at this time. The President suggested that as it would be in the interests of the Association for this advertising to continue, it might be worth contacting Roland Smith, indicating to them the benefits obtained - direct or not.

The Treasurer also confirmed there have been no surprises or unexpected expenditure; although the Association is not in any debt and still relies on subscriptions, it remains ahead of the race as can be seen from the Table submitted with his report. In view of the question raised by Paul Webster, it is the Treasurer�s intention, for the next meeting, to include a third column in the table showing the latest figures from Graham Bow regarding membership on the database. A discussion followed on the variations in numbers and Graham Bow has prepared a report which is available to members at the meeting today; he also advised that, according to his figures, all districts were in the red, with the exception of District 11 where there appears to be a discrepancy in the number of members.

The President thanked the Treasurer for all his efforts in producing this information and whilst there appeared to be some discrepancy between the numbers of paid up members and the members on the database, it was felt that there was always going to be some difference in numbers.

Andy Mulligan requested information concerning the actual figures in the bank, particularly as the magazine�s current costs amount to �8,000 and he felt that the Association may not be able to cover these costs if there is a fall in advertising. The Treasurer re-assured members on this point and a discussion followed on the state of the Association�s deposit and current accounts, both of which are healthy at the present time with income slightly ahead of outgoings and he anticipates that next year�s expenditure should remain at roughly the same level.

Tom Parry advised members that some 1,000 copies of NARF News are produced in excess of requirements and therefore it is vital that the editorial committee are kept informed of changes in total membership.

A discussion ensued with regard to the methods employed by the various districts to obtain subscriptions, with input from John Jackson, Harry Martin and Paul Webster, who felt that there was disorganisation in this area. The President observed that some districts may not be able to function along the same lines as those in No.4 District for various reasons but confirmed the agreement that reasonable efforts would be made to secure monies and names would not be removed from the database for some twelve months. He also pointed out that every 1000 additional members would add �3000 to the Association�s account. The Treasurer reminded members of the Constitution which states that subscriptions should be paid in January or as soon as possible thereafter and if this condition was met, there would be no problem and appealed to members present to endeavour to uphold this.

Andy Mulligan suggested that another way might be to stop subscriptions from pensions and some discussion followed on this subject. However, Peter Robinson pointed out it must be remembered that in some Authorities, payments are made from a computer organisation not remotely connected with any specific area and is therefore not the responsibility of the County Treasurer.

Further discussion ensued with regard to the method of payment of subscriptions, which can differ within Districts and it is to be hoped that eventually all members will realise that the onus is on them to pay on time. Tom Parry pointed out, however, that the Association is not a business orientated organisation and suggested that the whole matter should be referred to the General Purposes Committee to avoid further arguments within meetings. It was agreed that this subject arose frequently but the Treasurer hoped that improvements could be made in the near future. The President reminded members it was agreed at a previous meeting that subscriptions would be accepted up to 31st December, which then would give a definitive total, as at the end of the day, these figures are the most important.

Frank Byrne referred members to his report on the Parliament at Blackpool held on 1st - 3rd July 2003 and on the Executive Meeting held on 25th September 2003. He then went on to inform those present that, as he was comparatively new to the post, it was difficult to decide what correspondence to circulate, bearing in mind postage costs incurred. Therefore he requested some guidance from members on what they would wish to receive. Peter Robinson suggested that, as General Secretary, any relevant papers could be sent to him to circulate to Districts, who would send any papers to Branches only in response to any requests from them. Paul Webster confirmed that this is the way in which No.4 District operates and thus saves a great deal of postage.

Reference was made to the National Rally and to progress, if any, with regard to the decline of pensions and retrieval of the link between pensions and pay. It was felt this was a difficult arena but that we should continue with our endeavours and support the N.P.C. Barry Hook stressed that this is an extremely lively organisation concerned with many issues and, in Rodney Bickerstaffe, is fortunate to have the ear of the Government.

Barry Hook read out to members the contents of a letter he had received from John Love giving his reasons for his resignation as Editor of NARF News. He advised members also that there was conflict in distribution of diaries. In view of lack of response to his letter sent out in June, it has been decided now that some Districts will get their diaries issued to the District Secretary and the remainder will go through the Branches.

Reverting to NARF News, another printer/contractor has been obtained who is able to produce this publication quickly and efficiently. Although there is no editor at the moment, Barry confirmed that, with various items obtained from John Love, he considers there is enough material available for the next issue. Concentrated efforts are being made by Tom Parry, for which all present expressed gratitude, to find another editor but it would be appreciated if Branches also could do all possible in this connection. Regarding application forms, Barry advised that these are available from either him or Tony Palmer and feels that this would be a good time to look at any change in the content of the forms. With regard to the printers, Barry recommends that we stay with the same company, i.e. Fox Print, as we have access to a direct contact there, which is always helpful.

There followed a discussion concerning diaries - their quality, content, cost (including distribution) and use by members etc., and as the contract with the current suppliers is coming to an end, Barry will need to know numbers required, so that he can make arrangements to obtain future supplies from another source. A show of hands revealed that 11 are in favour of continuance with 4 against.

A general discussion took place in connection with the contents of Maurice Howard�s report. With regard to item 9(b) it was felt that in the present climate, recently retired members seemed reluctant to join in any Brigade activities and it is therefore the responsibility of existing members to bring the Association to their attention.

John Jackson raised the question of the distribution of Christmas parcels to widows and the fact that this is now to cease in favour of a Christmas card, a decision which he reports has upset his District greatly. Don Hartigan explained the reason for this is due to the legalities enforced by the Charities Commission who have advised that this practice must cease. Roy Orringe pointed out that these gifts could be donated at the discretion of individual Stations, which would be acceptable providing it is made clear that it is not on behalf of, and has no connection with, the Benevolent Fund.

Peter Robinson raised the question of the submission of Motions to the Annual General Meeting by 31 December and felt that this was unrealistic bearing in mind that it was Christmas and New Year and suggested a minor modification to Constitution 91 to change the date to 30 September, purely on a goodwill basis. Paul Webster proposed, Andy Mulligan seconded, that this item could be included in the Agenda for the next AGM as an emergency motion. Paul Webster agreed to submit this Motion from No.4 District.

Graham Bow referred to the last sentence of item 4 of the report and felt some clarification was required. Notifying new members, due dates for payment etc., can be time consuming and the inclusion of a telephone number and postcode would reduce hours considerably. Maurice Howard and Graham Bow to liaise in this respect.

The Treasurer explained the contents of the report which is attached to these Minutes. He informed members that the drill tower is now vertical and that as far as the Arboretum planting is concerned, this has yet to be finalised but it is hoped to be completed by next year. He went on to give reasons for the problems encountered with regard to ticket availability for St.Paul�s, which were due mainly to lack of meetings by the various Councils involved and proposes to voice our concerns at the next Advisory (formerly Management) Council meeting. He also informed members that it will be at this meeting when a decision will be made as to who will represent members on this Council.

It is to be hoped that there will be some general improvement between NARF and the Trust in the future, when the new General Secretary is in post. It is further hoped that a meeting will be called within the next few months which will be attended by the Treasurer, who is anxious to improve our status with the Trust and any points he feels it necessary to make will be put across in a straightforward and diplomatic manner; he will then report back to members. He did point out that the cost of ceremony at St. Paul�s, attended by some 1500, amounted to � 14,000 and therefore cost precludes holding this on an annual basis.

Roy Orringe stated that, in this year�s presentation, NARF did not seem to be recognised nor had the same involvement as it the past. The Treasurer agreed that the organisation does not have the same influence now with charitable trusts and this is partly the reason for the �200 donation, which was made as a gesture. Regarding the Cenotaph Service in November, the Treasure reports that due to lack of response, the Trust has been allocated only 60 tickets and notification has been sent only to members on their database.

It was proposed by Roy Orringe and seconded by Peter Robinson that the �200 donation is made to assist in strengthening representation, to be reviewed next year.

The President informed members that Barry Hook has arranged for these medals to be produced at a fraction of the cost researched previously and these have met with delighted approval. He then proceeded to make presentations of Life Vice President Medals to (a) Andy Mulligan (b) Roy Orringe and (c) Harry Martin in recognition of his work over many years in Northern Ireland, sometimes under difficult and dangerous circumstances. Both representatives thanked all members very much for their support, kindness and consideration.

The medal was passed round the table and Maurice Howard, whilst agreeing that the producers had done a �superb job� had one minor criticism; there should be an inscription on the reverse giving date of presentation and by whom presented. The President agreed this would be most appropriate and confirmed that future medals would bear this inscription. In the meantime, he would arrange for this to be done locally for the two presentations today .

Roy Orringe informed members of the contents of a letter sent to Paul Murphy, the present Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the fact that these medals were awarded to Police and Ambulance personnel but not to firefighters, particularly those who were actively engaged in the troubles at the time. There seems to be some confusion with regard to the award of medals to the Fire Service and Paul Murphy, who is sympathetic to the case, has undertaken to investigate this decision and report back with all the facts. In the meantime, Roy Orringe suggests that the contents of the above mentioned letter be kept confidential until such time as all the facts are known.

Harry Martin report that he had spoken to Sinn Fein (Gerry Adams) with regard to the above representation to the Secretary of State, who stated they had no objections. Harry was also informed that the Police in Northern Ireland are to be awarded the George Cross and, after March 2004, every Police Officer will wear their medals during any Services which may be held. The President thanked Roy Orringe for all his efforts on behalf of the organisation.

Frank Byrne advised members he would be submitting a Resolution with regard to the Northern Ireland Medal to the Fire Brigades� Union Annual Conference and it was agreed by all present that this issue should be pursued.

Although mentioned in the General Purposes Report, the President stressed that this was a vital issue and suggested that possibly an easily read recruitment leaflet be produced, with a tear off slip for replies and again appealed for members� support to achieve the target figure of 10,000.

Harry Martin stated that London Brigade personnel to whom he had spoken at the St.Paul�s ceremony were unaware of the existence of NARF and Barry Hook stated that as many were not now joining the Pension Scheme, it would be necessary to approach existing firefighters. Graham Bow intends circulating all Fire Stations and their Control Rooms, particularly the London Fire Stations, with NARF News. Andy Mulligan suggested that if London members are still on the database and providing this can be updated, why we can not write to them A lengthy discussion ensued with regard to ways in which to involve the London Brigade and possibly approach CFO Knight for his support.

The Treasurer reports that as Andy Mulligan and Bill Meaden have ceased to be the signatories for the Association, the new signatories are Brian Wakefield, Colin Bailey and Peter Robinson and the necessary form has been validated at this meeting. Proposed by David Haydon, seconded by Roy Orringe.

Peter Robinson report that, for various reasons, the Treasurer no longer has access to a computer and suggests that the Association purchases a new computer and ancillary equipment for the Treasurer�s use. This was agreed.

Andy Mulligan wished to point out that he had made this proposal in District No.2 before becoming a Life Vice President. He felt is unsatisfactory that these people were not attending various meeting because they had to meet their own expenses. This was originally agreed when Andy was General Secretary and finances within the Association were very low. However, finances have now improved and he feels that this decision could be reconsidered.

Peter Robinson advised that all paperwork is forwarded to the Life Vice Presidents as it is assumed they will be attending and therefore feels that, in view of the amount involved, they should be reimbursed. The one exception could be the A.G.M. where he feels perhaps the one and a half days may not be necessary. However, as this is a constitutional matter, it is proposed that this should be referred to the General Purposes Committee. It is proposed that Standing Order 3-7-2 be amended so that Life Vice Presidents will be authorised to be reimbursed for their expenses attending National Council Meetings.

1. Tom Parry raised the question of Direct Membership and it was agreed that this would be reviewed in 2005.
2. John Jackson reported that he had delivered the Honorary Life Member Scroll to Jack Hockley, who was delighted to receive this and sent his warmest thanks to the Council. Also, he took 108 direct members� joining forms to the Essex meeting, informing Wendy and Graham of this fact. The President thanked Wendy for all her help in this connection. Peter Robinson has undertaken to check on replies received.
3. Maurice Howard, on behalf of No.1 District, requested clarification on Personal Indemnity Insurance, i.e. what is and is not covered and who is covered. The Treasurer confirmed that a copy of the Insurance Policy had been sent to all District Secretaries and that cover is effective, provided it is on NARF related activities. Graham Bow stated that, with regard to the Benevolent Fund, their Secretary must be informed of any functions which may be undertaken and asked if it was necessary to advise NARF also; the Treasurer replied that he was not aware of any such requirement.
4. Graham Bow reported that Firemark will no longer be issued to retired members, but the Fire Service Benevolent Fund is looking at some way to produce a replacement or similar publication. It is proposed to invite Chris Burgess to one of the Benevolent Fund Editorial Committee Meetings to ascertain if they can co-operate in some way. Firemark are on the website, for the computer-minded, and also produce a mailshot.
5. Fred Kinghorn thanked Tom Parry for all his help in Scotland.
6. The Treasurer referred to the word �affiliated� which appears on the new membership application forms and considers that this should be removed; he also pointed out that there is no reference anywhere on the form to direct membership. A discussion followed on the subject/interpretation of �affiliated� and it was agreed that this should apply to Branches not members.
7. Tom Parry again urged all members to continue their search for a new editor.
8. Graham Bow appealed to members to advise him of changes to membership details, for the purpose of updating. not just annually, but on a regular basis, as this is the only way costs can be contained.
9. Graham also raised the question of membership cards and their use at the Union Jack Club in London who can offer competitive rates for accommodation/facilities to retired members of the Fire Service. Proof of identity would be required and members are asked to give consideration to this offer either as a main branch or within individual branches. It was agreed that this item should be placed on the agenda for the next General Purposes Committee.