AGM 2025

Minutes

Date: Thursday 26th June

Time: 6-7pm

Location: Online

Attendees:

• Voting members:

• Andy Rolfe - Ealing Transition & proxy for Schools Energy Coop
• Alan Matthews - St Mary Aldermary (left before voting commenced)
• Patricia Calixto Pires - Community Energy Newham
• Pamela Harling - Wolves Lane
• Sydney Charles - Highgate Society Sustainable Living
• Tanuja Pandit - PUNL
• Wilfried Rimensberger - Millbank Creative Works
• Tom Campbell - Stokey

• Non-voting guests and CEL staff:

• Felicitas Dietze - PUNL
• Nadia Smith - SELCE
• Olawale AJIBOLA - CE Newham
• Edmund - SE24
• Rachel Brain - Repowering
• Richard Wong - Croydon CE
• Syed Ahmed - CEL CEO
• Katherine Linsley - CEL Coordinator

Apologies:

• Connie Duxbury - Croydon Community Energy and CEL Chair
• Mike Smyth - Energy 4 All and Schools Energy Coop - appointed Andy Rolfe as Proxy
• Dave Powis - HEAL and CEL Director
• Giovanna Speciale - SELCE
• Toby Costin - CREW
• Jason Pritchard - Aldgate Solar Power
• Vicky Phillips - Habitats & Heritage
• Paul Hallas - SE24 and CEL Director

With 8 voting members present (out of 55) the meeting was declared quorate. According to CEL’s governing documents “a quorum shall be 3 Members or 10% of the membership, whichever is the greater.”

The slides presented during the meeting can be accessed here.

Minutes:

1. Welcome - Tanuja Pandit, Director of CEL
2. Attendance, quorum check and overview of agenda - Katherine Linsley, CEL Coordinator
3. 2024 Annual Accounts - Alan Matthews, Treasurer, CEL
4. Review of the year - Syed Ahmed, CEO, CEL
5. Vote by lead members on:

1. Resolution 1: Approval of the minutes from 2024’s AGM

1. The Minutes from CEL’s AGM in 2024 are available here.
2. Moved by Tom Campbell
3. Seconded by Pamela Haring
4. Vote: 8 votes for, 0 against
5. Result: Resolution 1 was approved

2. Resolution 2: Adoption of Directors’ Report and annual accounts

1. The Directors’ annual report was written and presented by Syed Ahmed. The accounts were presented by Alan Matthews. Both can be reviewed in the slides presentation, accessible here.
2. Moved by Tom Campbell
3. Seconded by Andy Rolfe
4. Vote: 8 votes for, 0 against
5. Result: Resolution 2 was approved

3. Resolution 3: Appointment of Accountant

1. Moved by Sydney Charles
2. Seconded by Tanuja Pandit
3. Vote: 8 votes for, 0 against
4. Result: Resolution 3 was approved. The Cooperatives Assistance Network is appointed to act as CEL’s accountants.

4. Resolution 4: Do you agree to the Disapplication according to Section 83 of the Cooperative and Community Benefit Society Act 2014?

1. Moved by Tom Campbell
2. Seconded by Tanuja Pandit
3. Vote: 8 votes for, 0 against
4. Result: Resolution 4 was approved

5. Resolution 5: Election of Directors

1. In accordance with CEL’s governing rules more than 50% of the board had to stand down but are allowed to restand if they so wished. Connie Duxbury, Paul Hallas and Dave Powis were elected in 2023 so stood down. Alan Matthews was co-opted onto the Board in 2024 so was also required to stand down. Dave Powis chose not to restand. The three others decided to stand for election again. Olawale Ajibola, Toby Costin and Jason Pritchard responded to CEL’s call for candidates to stand.
2. Candidates for election: Connie Duxbury, Paul Hallas, Alan Matthews, Olawale Ajibola, Toby Costin and Jason Pritchard.
3. All seven candidates were proposed by Tom Campbell and seconded by Andy Rolfe.
4. Vote: 8 votes for, 0 against
5. There were no objections.
6. Therefore Connie Duxbury, Paul Hallas, Alan Matthews, Olawale Ajibola, Toby Costin and Jason Pritchard were all elected to CEL’s Board of Directors.

6. AOB

1. Hammersmith and Fulham Community Energy’s share offer is now open - please share with your networks.
2. New members who have joined CEL so far in 2025: HEET, Enfield Voluntary Action and Powering Tottenham