December 2023 (AGM)
Dear Garden Committee Member and/or Resident of Cornwall Gardens
THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE CORNWALL GARDENS COMMITTEE AND THE CORNWALL GARDENS RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
Wednesday 10 January 2024 at 7 pm
ST STEPHEN’S CHURCH HALL
Lower Ground Floor, 48 Emperor’s Gate, London SW7 4HJ – Entrance down steps from street to basement into “Pooh Corner” kindergarten
As Chairman of the Cornwall Gardens Committee and Residents Association, it gives me great pleasure to share the following documents for your information in advance of, and for discussion at, our forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, 10 January 2024 at 7 pm in St Stephen's Church Hall, Lower Ground Floor, 48 Emperor's Gate, London SW7 4HJ:
Treasurer Report & Accounts 2023 and Budget 2024 for Garden Committee (Report here and Accounts here)
Notice of AGM and Agenda for AGM. The Notice and Agenda will also be attached to the six Garden entrance Gates a week before the AGM
Two alternative Letters of Appointment authorising a representative to attend and vote on your behalf at the AGM if you are unable to attend in person:
(a) First, a Letter of Appointment authorising the Chairman of the Garden Committee and Residents Association (or in his absence the Treasurer of the Garden Committee) to attend the AGM and vote on your behalf as your representative. If you are unable to attend the AGM yourself in person but wish to participate, then please complete and return this First Letter by email or on paper to the Chairman, using the contact details provided, by 12 noon on Tuesday, 9 Jan 2024 so that the Independent Teller (see below) can check it.
or
(b) Second, a Blank Letter of Appointment of a Garden Committee Member, ie a Garden key-holding representative of your choice, who is eligible to vote on Garden Committee and/or Residents Association business to attend the AGM and vote on your behalf as your chosen representative. If you are unable to attend the AGM yourself in person but wish to participate, then please complete and return this Second Letter by email or on paper to your chosen representative so that the Independent Teller (see below) receives it by 12 noon on Tuesday, 9 Jan 2024
The Minutes of the Garden Committee AGM of 11 Jan 2023 were previously circulated by attachment to the bulletin emailed on 24 Jan 2023. The Minutes of the Residents Association AGM of 23 Mar 2023 were previously circulated by attachment to the bulletin emailed on 19 Apr 2023. The Garden Rules of 20 Sep 2023 were previously circulated by attachment to the bulletin emailed on 26 Oct 2023, along with the Bye-Laws of 1971. These have been uploaded onto our website. Alternatively, you can ask the Secretary to forward them to you by email.
The key holders listed below served as unpaid volunteers on the Garden Management Sub Committee (Gardens) and/or the Residents Association Management Committee (Residents) in 2023. I invite you to support their appointment or re-appointment at the AGM to continue to serve in 2024. More detail is provided in the attached document headed "Proposed Appointments & etc".
John Varley (Chairman)
Camelia Robu (Treasurer)
Alan Lester (Secretary)
Ian Murdoch (Projects Director)
Barty Smith (Land Management)
Adrian Gingles (Engineering & Construction)
Carola Enrich (Landscape Architecture)
Ashley Abraham (Transport & Parking)
Ashley Brady (Systems & Communications)
Tira Shubart (Journalism)
If you would like to offer your services in 2024 in any capacity, please contact me to discuss further. We currently have a vacancy for Treasurer, Residents Association. We are also looking for someone with Planning expertise and someone with an interest in Police Liaison and Security issues. We have appointed two reporting accountants this year - Neil Cohen (a paid consultant) and John Graham (unpaid volunteer and key holder). Francesca Gregson (a paid consultant) continues to support us with the website and communications.
An Independent Teller, who is also a Key Holder and not part of the Management Team, has been appointed to count the votes cast in the event a formal vote is required. This will include all qualifying votes cast by Members whether by themselves at the Meeting or through their duly appointed representative attending the Meeting provided they satisfy the voting criteria. If a representative is used, the procedure set out in the attached Form appointing a representative must be followed to ensure that the completed Form is lodged by 12 noon on Tuesday, 9 Jan 2024 with the appropriate person.
Paper copies of the AGM pack will be available both before the AGM on request and at the AGM itself. A microphone and amplifier have been made available for our use at the AGM, free of charge, courtesy of the Chairman and Secretary of the South Kensington & Queen's Gate Residents Association, to whom we are grateful.
I look forward to welcoming you at the AGM if you are able to make it in person, or welcoming your representative if you are not able to attend in person.
With best wishes.
John Varley
Chairman, Cornwall Gardens Committee & Residents Association
33 Cornwall Gardens, London SW7 4AP
