CHESTER & NORTH WALES INCORPORATED LAW SOCIETY
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE HELD ON TUESDAY 6TH
NOVEMBER 2012 AT THE RACE COURSE, CHESTER.
1. IN ATTENDANCE:
President (Mark Brown), Vice President (Darlene Storrar),Vice President Elect
(Mark Evans), Imm. Past President (Peter Butler), Hon. Secretary (John Pickup),
Carol Draycott, Denis Stevenson, Claire Brook, Michael Tree, David Parry,
James Roochove (LSJLD), Ravinder Hothi (LSNW).
2. APOLOGIES:
Hon. Treasurer (David Mason), Andrew Graves, Elisabeth Bellamy, Thomas
Pearson, Dion ap Williams, Robin Jones, Helen Owen (Society’s Rep. on
Employment Tribunals Users Group), Ravinder Hothi (LSNW), Lowri Morgan
(LS Wales).
3 MINUTES OF LAST MEETING held on 3rd September 2012 were approved.
4 MATTERS ARISING:
4.1. Annual Dinner.
The Dinner was to be at the Chester Race Course for Friday 22nd February 2013
whilst the AGM would be held at the same venue on Tuesday 19th February
2013. The Hon. Secretary confirmed that the President of the Law Society
(Lucy Scott-Moncrieff) had accepted an invitation to be the Chief Guest at the
Dinner. The Guest Speaker will be The Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Maurice Kay.
The sub-Committee comprising the President, the Vice President, and the Vice
President Elect, with advice from Denis Stevenson and Andrew Graves, would
progress arrangements.
Denis Stevenson reported that First Title would continue as Sponsors.
4.2. Membership.
Elisabeth Bellamy, Hon. Membership Secretary, had informed the Society that
owing to a change in her business role, which meant she would be spending
less time in Chester, she would be standing down from the Committee at the
next AGM although she would continue in her role until then. Claire Brook
volunteered to take on the role when Elisabeth retired from the position.
4.3. Seminars.
The Society is officially accredited by the SRA.
An Evening with Des Hudson, Chief Executive of the Law Society, carrying
1.5 CPD points (free of charge) held at the University of Chester Law School on
1st November 2012 had been well attended.
-2First Title had held a C PD Road show on 20th September 2012 at Haydock
Racecourse, Newton le Willows, Merseyside, WA12 OHQ which would result
in a donation of £400 to the Society.
The Society had held a Seminar, free to Members, entitled Business
Development, Marketing and CRM Why, What and How, carrying 1.5 CPD
Points at the College of Law on 11th October 2012.
The Law Society Junior Lawyers Division was also holding a number of
Seminars, which Members of the Society were welcome to attend.
Denis Stevenson was to arrange a seminar in November or December at the
College of Law about COLPs.
4.4. Society’s Web Site.
The Society’s Web Site was www.cnwls.co.uk The Web Master, Andrew
Graves had reported that the site was now operational and he was proceeding
with the updating of Members professional specialities and would be
circulating members inviting them to submit their specialities for inclusion on
the site. The Membership sub Committee would discuss whether any
additional features could be included on the web site whilst it was noted
certain features needed updating.
It was agreed that it was desirable to make the site bi-lingual. The Committee
agreed to accept a quotation which Dion ap Williams had obtained for
providing a translation of the current content of the site and Mark Evans
would liaise with Andrew Graves, the Web Master.
4.5. Law Society Election Constituency Boundaries – Welsh Constituencies.
The Law Society Management Board had asked for a further consultation to
take place on the issue of the boundaries in Wales and adjoining
constituencies in England. The results of this will be fed into a more general
review by the Council Membership Committee of the boundaries overall. This
will be a consultation of individual members.
The consultation will be carried out electronically on behalf of the Law Society
by the Electoral Reform Services and those able to take part will be all
members in the constituencies concerned namely:
No. 18 West Country and Gwent
No. 19 South Wales
No.20 Mid and West Wales
-3-
No. 21 The Welsh Marches
No. 25 Cheshire and North Wales
The Law Society had sent a draft of the relevant material and the Committee
had agreed to request an amendment as to the wording of the questions to be
asked and were awaiting a reply. (Subsequent to the meeting the Law Society
had communicated an amended form of wording on which the referendum
would now proceed).
The Committee reiterated its unanimous view that cross border constituencies
should be permitted to continue and that the President, Vice President, the
Vice President Elect and the Immediate Past President would liaise on the
manner of explaining the Committee’s views on the issues.
4. 6. Past Presidents’ Lunch.
The Lunch was held at the Race Course immediately after the Committee
meeting and there had been a good response from the Past Presidents to the
Invitation.
4.7. Achievement Awards
The Committee had previously agreed that there should be two awards,
namely a Lifetime Achievement Award, to be nominated to the Committee for
approval by the President, Vice- President and Vice President Elect, and a
Lawyer of the Year Award. Nominations for this latter award would be sought
from Members and a panel be formed to judge the nominations. The winners
of the awards to be Members of the Society. The Winners would be
announced at, and be presented with a Memento, at the Annual Dinner.
Consideration could be given in future years to extending the awards.
The Vice President Elect would co-ordinate the process and prepare the
request for Nominations for the Lawyer of the year award.
5. CORRESPONDENCE.
5.1. Coal Authority’s Information re-use activities
The Coal Authority had drawn up a Communications Content policy, details of
which could be found on their web site www.coal.decc.go.uk. A copy of the email containing the policy statement had been circulated to Members.
-45.2. Association of North West Law Societies
The next ANWLS dinner meeting would be held 12th November 2012 at
Farrington Lodge Hotel, Leyland at 6.00 pm for 6.30 pm. Cost £35 including
dinner. The Speaker would be the Legal Ombudsman, Adam Sampson.
5.3. Law Society Membership Board
The Law Society Membership Board, chaired by David Taylor, was holding its
next meeting in Chester and Members of our Society were invited to a
Reception at the offices of Aaron & Partners, Foregate Street, Chester, CH1
1HG on Thursday 22nd November 2012 from 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm. Dress :
normal business attire. Anyone wishing to accept the invitation should e-mail
northwest@lawsociety.org.uk
6. HON TREASURER’S REPORT.
6.1. Subscriptions
Subscriptions were due on 1st October 2012 and Renewal Notices had been
sent out.
7. COUNCIL MEMBER (JOHN PICKUP) REPORT:
A resume of the Council meeting held on 10th October 2012 had been
circulated to the Committee and to the Members of the Society on 16th October
2012.
8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
8.1. Next Meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Monday 3rd December 2012 at 1.00 pm
at the offices of Hill Dickinson, 34 Cuppin Street, Chester.
John Pickup, Hon. Secretary.
johnpickup@btinternet.com