Annual General Meeting Minutes
Thursday 4th March 2010, 2.30pm
The Holiday Inn, Bridgefoot, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6YR
1. WELCOME by Peter Amor (Wye Valley), outgoing SIBA Chairman.
2. FORMAL BUSINESS
Adoption of Standing Orders
 Julian Grocock (Chief Executive) advised the meeting of the advance notification of Standing Orders
formally adopted for the meeting. There were no objections.
Appointment of Tellers
 JG announced the appointment of SIBA employees as Tellers: Charlie Gorham, Sara Knox, Rachel
Harriott and Danielle Donoghue.
3. CHAIR RATIFICATION
 JG reported the decision by PA to stand down after three years as Chairman.
 At the last Council meeting (03/02/10), two Trustees – Don Burgess (Freeminer) and Keith Bott (Titanic)
– had been nominated for the position of Chairman.
 A secret ballot had been held and KB duly elected.
 KB was formally proposed for ratification as Chairman. There were no objections.
 PA continued to chair the AGM, to hand over to KB formally at its conclusion.
4. APOLOGIES
 Sara Knox reported apologies received from the following breweries: Hogs Back, Itchen Valley,
Rudgate, Wold Top, York, West Berkshire and Ramsgate.
5. MINUTES OF THE AGM held at the Holiday Inn, Stratford, 5th March 2009:
 PA outlined last year's AGM report.
 PA pointed out that, with the impending move by KB from President to Chairman, the Trustees had
decided not to appoint a replacement.
 There were no further matters arising and the minutes were approved unanimously.
[Proposed by Jim Kenyon (Spinning Dog); seconded by Edward Wood (Woods).]
6. RE-ELECTION OF TRUSTEES
 JG announced the formal notification of Trustees.
 JG confirmed the retirement of one-third of Trustees as required.
 JG advised that two regional AGMs had not been held in advance of the meeting and were to be held
within one month.
 Resignations had been received and accepted from: Carola Brown (Ballards) [South-East]; Colin Wilde
(Castle Rock) [Midlands]; Nina Bates (Flying Firkin) [North]; and Peter Amor [Wales & West].
 No Trustees who had retired and offered themselves for re-election had been voted out. Carl Beeson
(Summerskills) [South-West] had been re-elected.
 New Trustees elected were: Tom Mellor (Wold Top) [N]; Buster Grant (Breconshire) [W&W]; Alex
Buchanan (Thornbridge) [M]; and Eddie Gadd (Ramsgate) [SE].
 JG read out and introduced all Trustees to the meeting: Tuggy Delap (Fyne Ales) [Scotland]; Douglas
Ross (Traditional Scottish Ales) [S]; Fergus Clark (Inveralmond) [S]; Alex Brodie (Hawkshead) [N]; Keith
Bott [M]; Paul Halsey (Purity) [M]; Brendan Moore (Iceni) [East]; Mike Desquesnes (Banks & Taylor) [E];
Paul Marshall (Elgood's) [E]; Jim Kenyon [W&W]; Don Burgess [W&W]; Buster Grant [W&W]; Dave
Pickersgill (Oakleaf) [SE]; Robert Wicks (Westerham) [SE]; Carl Beeson [SW]; Guy Sheppard (Exe
Valley) [SW]; and Paul Davey (RCH) [SW].
 JG noted apologies received from Andrew Whalley (York) [N]; Tom Mellor [N]; and Eddie Gadd [SE].
7. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
 Peter Amor noted that this was a People conference, and that in previous employment at a large
London brewery he had worked in the training centre, where the focus was on three areas: "Task, Team
and Individual".
 As far as "task" was concerned, PA commented that his own as Chairman had been made much easier
by the increased professionalism of the SIBA secretariat.
 PA thanked the SIBA "team" and praised the work of JG as Chief Executive, plus Charlie Gorham and
Sara Knox.
 PA also thanked the DDS team led by Nick Stafford for SIBA's strong commercial operations.
 SIBA now has a very strong organisational structure, which has facilitated its representation of the
quality brewing industry. The organisation has achieved recognition and receives regular invitations to
consultation from government.
 PA reminded members that SIBA is the only trade association solely representing brewers.
 Trade media coverage is much increased.
 PA confirmed that the Trustees' role continues to be to drive policy and ensure regional consultation.
 PA also sought to remind the meeting of the importance of SIBA's supplier associate members,
especially the Gold Standard Sponsors, whose financial support enables conference to take place.
 In addition, PA thanked Paul Halsey and his team at Purity for all work done to set up conference bars
and install the beers.
 PA marked the retirement of Mark Wallington (Financial Director) with a presentation and the granting of
honorary life membership.
 PA commented that the "individuals" are the members themselves, and that the team's job is to help
their businesses: members' services, technical and legal helplines, and commercial access-to-market
support.
 In conclusion, PA noted that SIBA has grown, gone through adolescence, and come of age. Thanks
were offered to all who have contributed to this progress.
 PA's final thought was that it was now time for SIBA to change its name to The Brewers' Society.
8. FINANCIAL REPORT
Please refer to the 2009 Year End Accounts on the Members' Forum
 Nick Stafford (acting Financial Director) explained the revised operational structure and the restructuring
of finances that had taken place following Mark Wallington's retirement, and the principles behind the
decision to unify operations.
 NS explained areas of direct and indirect responsibility of employees: JG, NS, SK, CG, Rachel Harriott,
and Danielle Donaghue; plus consulting staff: Stephen Holt (access-to-market business development);
Ros Shiel (PR); Paddy Johnson (SIBA TS); and David Burt (IT).
 NS noted that this is now a unified Secretariat team covering national trade association and commercial
activities. SIBA is the holding company, with two wholly owned subsidiaries: SIBA DDS and SIBA TS.
 The possibility that all marketing activities might be co-ordinated under a third operating company –
SIBA Marketing – has not been ruled out.
 NS explained that approx £44k of the £52k trade association loss in the Accounts was entirely due to
the timing of the introduction of the revised subs system, and that SIBA's robust cash-flow health meant
that this had been easily covered.
9. SIBA NATIONAL REPORTS
a) Membership (JG)
Please refer to the report on the Members' Forum
b) Editorial (JG)
Please refer to the report on the Members' Forum
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
 Ros Shiel gave a PR report to the meeting, outlining the structured calendar of PR and press release
activities and system of rapid response to additional PR opportunities as they arise.
 RS also explained the creation and availability of template press releases for personalised tailoring and
use by individual SIBA members.
 RS requested feedback on PR support.
Political (KB)
Please refer to the report on the Members' Forum
Technical.
 Don Burgess reported the progress of the Technical Helpline announced at last year's AGM, which had
now been live for six months.
 The helpline is operated by BRI. Planned FAQs have yet to be generated.
 DB reported plans for an event, free to SIBA members, to be hosted by BRI at Nutfield on 15/04/10. It is
a Training Day covering many technical aspects of brewing methodology.
 DB was pleased to note that SIBA was now "giving back" as an industry player; support of the
development of the hop collection had led to the availability of a new hop, which could be sampled in
beer at the Faram's trade stand.
 DB emphasised that FEMAS registration was essential for brewers' grains being used for animal feed.
 On training, DB said that the IBD had reported a growth in numbers of SIBA members taking the
General Certificate in Brewing.
 More training days are planned.
Marketing (JG)
Please refer to the report on the Members' Forum
Commercial
Much of this report was included in the running order of the AGM due to time constraints in the morning
Commercial Seminar schedule.
 Nick Stafford presented statistical data relating to DDS: turnover of £9.8m with 337 DDS brewers.
 NS noted the success of the Punch trial but advised that Punch's own analysis of sales data was
awaited prior to a decision to extend access into their estate.
 NS gave details of SIBA's investment and engagement in Cask Ale Week.
 NS reported on SIBA TS progress and the quality of work carried out. NS encouraged greater use of
SIBA TS in the interests of overall cask ale quality at dispense.
 Stephen Holt gave an update on off-trade activity, including a market investigation project carried out by
consultants Cognosco, July-October 2009.
 NS gave details of the Thresher write-off and noted the strength of commercial operations to cope with
this.
 NS reported on the very early stages of a "super premium" bottled beer project being developed with
Brendan Moore (Iceni).
 NS reported continued uptake of Cyclops assessment and accreditation.
Container Management (CG)
Please refer to the report on the Members' Forum
Beer Competitions (JG)
Please refer to the report on the Members' Forum
10. MOTION FOR DEBATE
Motion from the South-West Region proposed by Dorinda Davey (RCH); seconded by Alastair Large
(Keystone)
"This meeting instructs the financial management committee to produce a schedule for all regions
to follow to state how they wish accounts to be produced and published. This is to be produced by
the end of 2010."
 DD expressed frustration with South-West accounts and the lack of a clearly defined structure.
 DD said what was required was a formal constitution that explains how and when accounts are due.
 NS responded, as acting Financial Director, and readily agreed to take on the mandate as instructed by
the motion and the meeting's endorsement.
 The MOTION was carried unanimously.
11. FORMAL TRANSFER OF CHAIR
 JG formally announced PA's retirement and the commencement of KB's term of office.
12. CLOSING REMARKS
 KB thanked PA and the organisers of conference.
 KB indicated that there was still a long way to go to improve the lot of UK brewers, and that it should be
SIBA Council's aim to help with all issues.
 KB thanked Mark Wallington for his long service.
 KB thanked PA and noted that his willingness to step back into the role of Chairman was only because
of the state in which PA was leaving the organisation and its operational structure. PA had done an
incredible lob and would be sorely missed at Council.
 On behalf of the Trustees, KB made a presentation to PA.
 KB concluded by thanking attendees, and reminded all that their representatives were available at all
times to receive questions and bring issues to Council.