COMMUNITY ENERGY LONDON

AGM

Thursday 25th June 2020, 5.15 to 5.55pm

VENUE: Zoom

Minutes

Attendees                 (√ is lead rep of the member group with voting powers)

Afsheen Rashid        Repowering √

Alan Jones                SE24 √

Glyn Thomas                Barnet Co-op Party

Hannah Short                 Solar SOAS √

Jamie        Baxter                CREW Energy

Jason Pritchard        Aldgate Solar Power

Giovanna Speciale        South East London Community Energy

Martin        Narraway        PUNL

Mike Smyth                Schools Energy Coop

Pamela Harling            Wolves Lane √

Sydney        Charles        Highgate Society Sustainable Living √

Syed Ahmed                Energy for London √

Tanuja Pandit                PUNL

Tim Watson                CREW Energy √

Tony Allan                Solar SOAS

1. Welcome from the Chair, Syed Ahmed
2. Meeting attendance

Apologies for absence:  Victoria Ward of Aldgate Solar Power

Quorate count: There were 7 lead reps of the 26 CE member groups present (√). The threshold to be quorate is 3, so the AGM was declared quorate.

3. Approval of the minutes of the 2019 AGM.

Action points. AP1 “Send Budget for £9,750 to members”. Spend from this GLA grant presented by Treasurer Tanuja Pandit. Discharged.  

Approval of the 2019 minutes was proposed by Chair, Syed Ahmed and seconded by Secretary, Sydney Charles. Motion passed with no objections.

4 Review of 2019 – 2020.

Chair, Syed Ahmed talked through the CEL achievements since the Oct AGM.  This included a Hackathon, a full programme of excellent speakers at the monthly meetings, submissions to Government consultations to support Community Energy and the work with the Local Authorities that have declared Climate Emergencies.

5 Financial Matters

Note: The financial resolutions were voted on by the member group lead representatives online in advance.

5.1 Adoption of Accounts 

The Treasurer Tanuja Pandit presented the 2019 CEL accounts, which is CEL’s first set, since becoming a Community Benefit Society. The Secretary, Sydney Charles will submit these to the FCA during July, as required. The accounts are posted with CEL Formal Documents https://www.communityenergy.london/formal-documents/

Resolution 1: Do you agree to the adoption of the Accounts?

Formally moved by Chair, Syed Ahmed, seconded by Treasurer Tanuja Pandit. The motion was passed with 14 for, 0 against. Motion passed.

5.2 Appointment of Accountant

The Board recommended the appointment of Nigel Watts as the CEL qualified accountant to produce Accounts in accordance with 7.4 of the Guidance on the FCA’s registration function under the Cooperative and Community Benefit Society Act 2014.

Resolution 2: Do you agree to the Appointment of the Accountant, Nigel Watts?

Formally moved by Treasurer, Tanuja Pandit, seconded by Secretary, Sydney Charles.  The motion was passed with 14 for, 0 against. Motion passed.

Chair, Syed Ahmed thanked Nigel Watts for helping CEL by taking on the accounts.

5.3 Disapplication according to Section 83 of the Cooperative and Community Benefit Society Act 2014

The Board recommended the meeting resolved to disapply section 83 of the Cooperative and Community Benefit Society Act 2014 (this is the duty to appoint auditors) in respect of the year of 2020-21.

“Section 83 can be disapplied, in accordance with section 84  where 84 “(2)The resolution must be passed at a general meeting at which—

(a) less than 20% of the total votes cast are cast against the resolution, and

(b) less than 10% of the society's members for the time being entitled under its rules to vote cast their votes against the resolution.

Resolution 3: Do you agree to the Disapplication according to Section 83 of the Cooperative and Community Benefit Society Act 2014?

Formally moved by Treasurer, Tanuja Pandit, seconded by Secretary, Sydney Charles.  The motion was passed with 14 for, 0 against. Motion passed.

6. Election of Directors

In accordance with CEL’s rules, registered as 8011 under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Society, (para 56) half of CEL’s directors must stand down at each AGM, and are entitled to stand again. Details of candidates were at the CEL ‘Team’ page https://www.communityenergy.london/team/  The board consists of 7 directors, and because there were 7 directors from new candidates (5) and those remaining in position (2) there was no vote.

Syed Ahmed. Proposed by Sydney Charles, seconded by Tanuja Pandit.

Sydney Charles. Proposed by Pamela Harling, seconded by Mike Smyth

Tanuja Pandit. Proposed by Sydney Charles, seconded by Afsheen Rashid

Hannah Short. Proposed by Tim Watson, seconded by Pamela Harling

Victoria Ward. Proposed by Tim Watson, seconded by Syed Ahmed.

Resolution 4: Do you agree to the election of the following CEL Directors?  The motion was passed with 14 for, 0 against. Motion passed.

The Chair, Syed Ahmed thanked the retiring directors, Jason Pritchard and Sarah Holliday for all the work and assistance they had given over the year.

7. Closed at 5.55, prior to the Monthly meeting

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Appendix.