Annual General Meeting 22 March 2004

AGM agenda

Chairman's welcome and opening remarks
Apologies
Minutes of the AGM on 8 April 2002 and Matters Arising from them
Correspondence

Business of the AGM
To receive and approve Reports for 2003/04:
The Secretary's Report
The Treasurer's Report
The Membership Secretary's Report

Resolution to wind up the organisation
proposed by the outgoing Executive Committee

Election of members of the Executive Committee for 2004

Plans for celebrating the accession of central European countries
to the EU

Any Other Business

Members are asked to consider nominations for the 2004 Executive Committee. This is especially important if there are alternative views on the present committee's proposals to wind up our organisation.
Please pass agreed nominations, and any other items to be raised at the meeting, by Friday 19 March to:

The Secretary, Lewes Links, 50 Cornwall Gardens, Brighton BN1 6RJ. tel: (01273) 563805
or by e-mail from here.

The current Executive Committee is listed here:

Chairman	Christopher Jones
Secretary	Margaret Tuccori
Treasurer	Marilyn Dodd
Membership Secretary	Grace Blaker
Committee members	Jak Baksi
	Andrew Caverly
	Ray Whiteway-Roberts

Proposals for the future

1 May 2004 will, barring any unforeseen hitch, see the accession to the European Union of many of the countries with which we have tried to establish links: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenija. When Lewes Links started in 1991/92 most of these countries had been isolated from any significant contact with western Europe. Through our members we hoped to create opportunities for forging links with people and institutions in these and other countries formerly under Soviet hegemony. By the beginning of the 21st century a new agenda had been set. The issues now are different, and the kind of links now needed are effectively beyond the resources of a voluntary organisation drawing its membership from one community.

The Committee has come to the conclusion that we should merge our interests and effort with the Sussex branch of the European Movement, and preliminary discussions have taken place about the implications. This year's Chair of the Sussex branch of the European Movement is Michael Rider, and he has been invited to speak at the AGM on 22 March.

There is much to be proud of in the last 12 years or so, and we should finish by celebrating that. We are planning a Booklet which will review our achievements, and be honest about where we have sometimes not succeeded. This will serve as a historical record of an extraordinary period of transition. Many members will have individual memories and anecdotes of particular events, visits, shared activities or people who have visited. We hope you will quickly let us know if, and what, you can contribute to this review, to be published later in 2004.

Notice of intent

The Executive Committee gives formal notice of intent to wind up the organisation constituted as Lewes Links (formerly Lewes Links with Eastern Europe). In accordance with the Constitution this will be by a Resolution put to a General Meeting with a quorum of members. The date of winding up will not be defined in the resolution, but is anticipated to follow (1) the mounting of a final celebration on or following 1st May 2004, (2) the compilation, design and publishing of a booklet looking back over the period 1991-2003. Any remaining assets, archives and expert knowledge will be passed to the Sussex branch of the European Movement, an organisation with similar or complementary objectives.