MINUTES OF THE BLYTHE SAPPERS

51st MANAGEMENT MEETING

held on Tuesday 30th September 2008

at The Army & Navy Club, London

Present

          Sapper John Fitzmaurice       Chairman

Sapper Brian Pearce               Chairman Elect 2009

          Sapper Stuart Sinclair             Past Chairman 2007               

Sapper Charles Peacey           Honorary Auditor

          Sapper Roy Wilsher                Honorary Treasurer

          Sapper John McLennan                   Honorary Secretary

          Lt Col Charles Holman          Membership Secretary (des)

         

Apologies: Sappers Sinclair, Caulfield.

 

1.      Introduction. The Chairman Sapper Fitzmaurice welcomed the Management Committee.

 

2.  Honorary Auditor – Sapper Peacey     The Chairman requested that the Honorary Auditor stand down as the Auditor and from this committee after this meeting and that the invitation to attend the meeting is now withdrawn. The invitation was accepted.

The Committee thanked Sapper Peacey for his passed work and his diligence.

 

3.  Minutes of the meeting of 4th June 2008.

 

The Minutes were noted and signed.

 

4.  Matters Arising.

 

     There were no further matters arising.

 

5.  Finance.

 

a.                  The Hon Treasurer gave his report, attached at Annex A.

b.                 Spr Wilsher informed the committee that, due to a bank error it was possible the Blythe Sappers may receive a bank charge of £6 for a returned cheque  --  he requested authority to write this off  --  Agreed.

c.       So far this year the Blythe Sappers have spent £1400 of the £2000 granted towards Adventurous & Challenging pursuits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Nominations for new members.

 

Nomination

Sponsor

Seconder

Lt Col Andrew Gooding

Sapper D Hamilton

Sapper J McLennan

Major Trevor McGregor

Sapper Carlisle

Sapper Scott Robinson

Both were duly elected.

 

 

7.                 Attendance and arrangements for today’s Luncheon.

                  Principal Guest                       Field Marshal The Lord Peter Inge KG

                        Number attending                  83

                        Number of Guests                 8

                        Those to Rise                          Sapper Tony Harkin

                                                                        Sapper Charles Holman

                                                                        Sapper John Russell

                                                                        Sapper Michael Gill

            The Lunch will be followed by the AGM

 

8.       Any Other Business

         

 

9.       Date of Next Meeting   The next BS Management meeting will be at 1100hrs on Tuesday 2nd December 2008.

Sapper John Fitzmaurice

Chairman

The Blythe Sappers

Sapper John R McLennan

Honorary Secretary

The Blythe Sappers

 

         2nd  December 2008

 

 October 2008

 

 

 

Annex A to

Blythe Sappers Management Mtg

Sept 08

 

THE BLYTHE SAPPERS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

 

 

 

 

 

Year ended 31 December 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INCOME & EXPENDITURE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INCOMING RESOURCES

Notes

2007

2006

 

 

 

 

Lunches plus transfers

 

          12,940.50

                              12,367.00

Dinner Costs

 

            3,757.34

                                3,153.00

Subscriptions

 

            3,055.00

                                2,985.00

Overpaid Subscriptions

 

                50.00

                                  130.00

Joining Fees

 

              110.00

                                  190.00

Sweepstake Ticket Sales

 

              729.00

                                  487.00

Donations to AT & CP Fund

 

                25.00

  -   

Bank Interest

 

              254.61

                                  173.12

Donations & Honorariums

 

              155.00

                                  115.00

TOTAL

 

          21,076.45

                              19,600.12

 

 

 

 

RESOURCES EXPENDED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunches  +  Refunds

 

          12,636.40

                              12,162.35

Lunch Refunds

 

                45.00

                                    82.00

Guest Night Dinner Costs

 

            3,468.05

                                2,812.97

Guests Lunches/Dinner

 

              297.50

                                  205.00

Refund Subscriptions

 

  -   

                                  130.00

Sweepstake Prizes

 

              300.00

                                  300.00

Donations to Adv Trg & Chal'g Pursuits

1

            2,800.00

                                2,000.00

Sundries

2

                22.80

                                    16.49

Donations/ Honorarium

3

              500.00

                                  500.00

Committee Exp/Room Hire/Domain renewal

              378.25

                                  538.55

Treasurer Expenditure

4

              164.30

                                    57.83

Secretary Expenditure

4

              266.68

                                  187.64

Debtors

 

                     -  

                                    56.00

TOTAL

 

          20,878.98

                              18,992.83

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Incoming/ (Outgoing)  Resources for the Year

              197.47

                                  607.29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net movement in funds

 

              197.47

                                  607.29

Balance as at 01 January

 

            3,472.57

                                2,865.28

Balance as at 31 December

 

            3,670.04

                                3,472.57

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All income and expenditure arises from the continuing activities of The Blythe Sappers. There are no

recognised gains or losses in the current or preceding year other than shown above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BLYTHE SAPPERS

 

 

 

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURRENT ASSETS

 

2007

2006

 

 

 

 

DEBTORS

 

 

 

Sundry Debtors

 

                85.00

0

Cash at Clydesdale Bank

 

3,585.04

3,643.57

Total

 

3,670.04

3,643.57

 

 

 

 

CREDITORS Amounts falling due within one year (and already paid)

 

 

 

 

Spr Bown, lunch refund

 

 

                                    41.00

Overpaid subscriptions

 

 

                                  130.00

ABF Donation  000308

 

                     -  

                                         -  

RBL Donation  000309

 

                     -  

                                         -  

Army & Navy Club Dec Luncheon invoice

 

                     -  

                                         -  

Total

 

                     -  

                                  171.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET CURRENT ASSETS

 

3,670.04

3,472.57

NET ASSETS

 

3,670.04

3,472.57

 

 

 

 

BANK RECONCILIATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statement as at 31 December 2007

 

            7,580.29

 

Less cheques not yet presented

 

 

 

308   ABF Donation

      25.00

 

 

309  TRBL Donation

      25.00

 

 

311  A & N Club Lunch

 3,945.25

 

 

Total

 3,995.25

            3,995.25

 

As shown in account

 

            3,585.04

 

 

 

 

 

Approved by The Blythe Sappers Management Committee

 

at the Management Committee Meeting on 4 March 2008

 

and signed on the behalf of the Committee by:

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAPPER JOHN FITZMAURICE

 

 

 

Chairman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAPPER ROY WILSHER

 

 

 

Honorary Treasurer

 

 

 

 

 

DATED        4 March 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year ended 31 December 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

 

 

Accounting Convention

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention.  Income and

 expenditure has been accounted for on an accruals basis.

 

 

 

 

 

Fund accounting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The  Blythe Sappers Association’s funds comprise general unrestricted funds that are dispensable

at the discretion of the Council in furtherance of the objectives of The Blythe Sappers.

Such funds may be held in order to finance both working capital and capital investments.

                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INFORMATION REGARDING THE COUNCIL AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

No Council or Committee Members, nor connected person or party, received any remuneration from

The Blythe Sappers during the current or preceding year. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NUMBERED NOTES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.     The allocation of £2,800 to the Blythe Sappers Fund for Adventurous and Challenging Pursuits

 brought the total donated to date to £28,950 (2006 £26,150).  There were five grants totaling

£2350 in 2007.    The uncommitted balance of the Fund held by RE Corps Funds stands at £5939.

 

 

 

 

2.    £22.80 was refunded to Spr Lewins for travel to early Management meeting.

 

 

 

 

3   Three donations of £50 were made in memory of past Chairmen.  An Honorarium of £350

was paid to the Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.   Secretary's and Treasurer's expenditure was on postage, copying, and travel.

 

 

 

 

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have examined the accounts for the year 2007 together with supporting papers.

I am satisfied that the accounts have been properly maintained and that the foregoing

statement of income and expenditure gives a true and fair view of the transactions during the year

and of the financial state of affairs of The Blythe Sappers as at 31 December 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 SAPPER J C PEACEY

 

 

 Hon Independent Examiner

 

 

 

 

 

4

March 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annex B to

Blythe Sappers Management Mtg

30 Sept 2008

The Blythe Sappers Management Meeting 30th september 2008 – CORPS REPORT

 

Operations and Commitments

 

Iraq – 32 Engr Regt with 31 and 39 Armd Engr Sqns and 2 HQ and Sp Sqn, plus elms of 63 Wks Gp and 821 EOD Sqn RLC.  They will be replaced by 35 Engr Regt Gp in Dec 08.

 

Afghanistan – 24 Cdo Engr Regt Group relieved 23 Engr Regt in Sep 08.   There is a surge and will be an uplift. 

 

RETA continues to support above with a troop plus specialist individuals.

 

70 Gurkha Fd Sp Sqn deployed in May 08 to Kosovo.

 

Tristan Da Cunha – 34 Fd Sqn deployed in Feb 08 for 4 weeks plus to repair the harbour for the winter. 

 

Public Duties – 48 Fd Sqn stood public duties in Apr 08.  Then deployed as surge to Afghanistan for 3 months.

 

Structures

 

Future Army Structures:

 

-          33 and 52 Armd Engr Sqns are now live (22 and 26 Engr Regts respectively). 

-          25 Engr Regt is formed up in Waterbeach. 

-          72 Engr Regt (V) is formed up in Gateshead (299 Para Sqn, 103 and 106 Fd Sqns). 

-          591 Fd Sqn (V) is formed up in NI. 

-          RE TA Band is formed up in Nottingham. 

 

People

 

-          Reg Soldier manning = 91.3% (excl QGE), 0.4% female, 3.9% Foreign and Commonwealth.

-          Reg Officer manning = 91.2% (excl QGE), 7.3% female.

-          QGE = 122%.

-          TA Soldier manning = 58.9%.

-          TA Officer manning = 69.5%.

-          Regular Retention = Corps outflow of 7.6% (Army is 5.8%).  Capt DE has gone from 19 outflow in 06/07 to 27 in 08/09, Capt LE outflow has gone down from from 13 in 06/07 to 7 in 08/09.  Measures to mitigate soldier outflow are reduction in Return of Service, Revised Commitment Bonus at 5 year point, potential retention incentive for pinch point trades (which do not include Clerks of Works), the effect of Versatile Engagement, revised employment/promotion rules and reducing the ‘stuff in the middle’.

-          Officer recruiting buoyant and soldier recruiting at 40% of quota for 08/09 as at 1 Jun 08.

-          Operational and Gallantry Awards – 1 CGC, 1 QGM, 1 MBE, 2 QCB, 3 QCVS, 3 MiD this year.

 

 

 

 

Equipment

 

-          TROJAN and TITAN progress towards full operating capability and initial operating capability respectively.

-          TERRIER trials progress on 4 development vehicles.

-          C Veh PFI Equip Replacement and Refurbishment Programme progresses well.

-          Deployable Engineer Workshop is being fielded.

-          VALLON Improved Hand Held Metal Detector fielded.

-          Route Proving and Clearance UOR for Afghanistan funded with aspiration to deliver the first two systems of 6 in early 09.

 

Training

 

-          RSME P4 contract with HOLDFAST signed on 31 Aug 08.   Holdfast will assume responsibility on 5 Jan 09. 

 

International

 

-          German, Australian, Swiss and Austrian EinCs hosted.

 

Sport

 

-          Rugby – Merit League champions (Inter Corps Champions), female for England.

-          Football – Woolwich and Massey Cup winners, Army 6 a side champions.

-          Hockey – Army Championship runners up (Seniors and Veterans).

-          Skiing – Inter Services Nordic runners up, Army Unit mens and ladies runners up, 3 selected for European and one for World Championships Nordic.

-          Basketball – Inter Corps runners up.

-          Water Polo – Inter Corps runners up.

-          Swimming – Army champions.

-          Devizes Westminster – fastest Services crew.

-          Triathlon – 2 qualified for 08 World Championships.

-          Judo – 3 members of Army Team.

-          Boxing – 6 members of Army Team and Amateur Boxing Association England Champion. 

-          Army and Combined Services golf champion.

-          Tennis – Army runners up.

-          Rugby League – Inter Corps Champions.

 

Future

 

-          Army

-          Future Army Structures Next Steps: work is under way to design homogenous brigades and associated command, combat and combat service support.  The design will be optimised for medium scale deployment, on both intervention and stabilisation tasks.   

-          Reserves Review: work is under way but will see no measures being taken in PR 09.  Reserves to be relevant, sustainable, linked to the community.

 

-          Corps

-          Capability Review underway to inform Army/Defence reviews and look beyond.

-          Rationalisation of people policies already being implemented.