Annual General Meeting Minutes

Admission to the meeting was restricted to members only and there were 38 attendees.

Minutes silence in remembrance: To remember fishermen and friends who have died in the last year. Mike Hirsh [MH] asked for a minute’s silence to remember fishermen and friends of the Club who had died in the last year including David Kelly, who was a regular trout fisherman at Rawlsbury; and Graham Pipet who was a former Club Secretary, Chairman and Vice President having joined the Club’s Committee in 1993. Last, Ann Bradford, who lives at Rainbow View next to the Club lake at Winterborne Zelston has just lost her son.

Apologies – James Nash, Iain Scott, Jan Nightingale, George Frost, David Lynch, Colin Hancock, Gordon Moss, Alan Johansen and Adrian Simmons.

MH also offered the apologies of the Steve Oliver of Dorset Wildlife Trust who was unable to attend.

1. Welcome – From President, Brian Heap [BH], and a review of the year by Chairman, Mike Hirsh.

BH welcomed the Members of WDAC who were attending the AGM and thanked them all for coming. BH explained that next year it would be the Club’s 75th Anniversary. For the 50th year the Club had marked the event by the production of enamel badges; but the original company that had made them twenty-five years ago was no longer in existence and the price of similar badges from elsewhere would cost approximately £4k, which did not seem particularly good value for money. BH asked those assembled to think about this forthcoming anniversary and some relevant way to mark the occasion. If any member has an idea to contact the Club via the Secretary or simply speak to one of the Club’s Committee Members.

MH advised that in 2024 it was rainy and wet. In the south-west, it was the wettest February on record and the year-end rainfall total was 127% of the long-term average. It was a cool summer, with average temperatures down compared to recent years.  It rained pretty much a metre and a half.

The remedial work required at Edmondsham due to the escape of Heavy Horses could not take place until the last week of May because the ground failed to dry out sufficiently.  Then, because of further rains the dredging of the lower lake, Julia’s had to be deferred.  Everything stayed green - club volunteers never stopped cutting grass, banks, and brambles back from paths. However, this rain also had a positive bonus in both reducing fire risk and also enabled the Game Section to stock and fish the trout lake at Winterborne Zelston for the whole summer, for the first time this century. At Rawlsbury it was noticeable that bright green weed and algae grew along the field edge at Chapmans, an apparent response to excess field run-off carrying extra nutrients, even though farming practices in that field had changed some years before.

The high levels of nitrates and phosphates in the River Stour are something the Club has been monitoring, as part of the Angling Trust’s national initiative.  A matter reported by Martin Dunn last year. As members will recall, the Club has been taking samples above and below the Wimborne Sewage Treatment works outfall since July 2023. Both sets of readings have continued to show nitrates at 5ppm to be well over what would be a good reading (max 1.5 ppm). Whilst phosphates levels fluctuated more, with one exception, these were higher below the STW and at an unacceptable level. The nitrate levels most likely reflect the historic levels of nitrate fertiliser in agricultural use in the Stour catchment, and we know it will take many years to reduce it to an acceptable level.

In 2024 and despite the weather, the Club had a good year. Later, Chris Crompton, the Club’s Membership secretary will report on the annual membership figures, but from my perspective membership was maintained at a level which meant the Club made a surplus. This fact also helped the Committee to arrive at the conclusion that we did not need to put up membership fees in 2025.

There was excellent fishing activity on our waters and anglers reported some wonderful fish caught. Indeed, right at the end of the coarse season, and as I hope you have seen in the latest newsletter, on the Stour a junior managed the capture of a 6lb 8oz chub just to tantilise those who now await the 16th June.

The Club also stocked some beautiful fish. My personal favourites were the largest and the smallest. The largest were three wonderful fully scaled carp that went into Packhorse each over twenty pounds, which Steve Neale and I released last Spring; and then towards the end of the year the Club received young fish delivered by the Environment Agency from the Calverton Fish Farm. These fish went into both the small pond at Creekmoor and Julia’s at Edmondsham. I particularly love tench and seeing literally hundreds of small green torpedoes swim off into both waters was a real treat.

In 2024 the Club completed the first registration of its land and lake at Winterborne Zelston with the Land Registry. It has taken a number of years and has been, for much of the time, frustratingly slow, but it needed to be done, as it is an important Club asset.

The Club also successfully negotiated the fishing rights with Cala Homes, for the former Bailey land on the River Stour. The residents of Oakwood Park, the new estate now under construction, will be able to fish this stretch as licensees of the Club, and it will be recalled that we altered the Constitution last year to facilitate this.

Of course, the operation of an angling club cannot be all sweetness and light. The Club’s Committee dismissed two members for incidents related to littering at Kingsbridge. There is no pleasure in taking disciplinary action against members and it is time-consuming. The bailiffs perform a really difficult task and are a key element of the Club’s success.

Unfortunately, there is also a problem at present affecting the carp in the smaller of the ponds at Creekmoor and fishing there has had to stop – the Club has been working with the EA to try to find out what is going on, but to date samples of both water and dead fish have been inconclusive.  The intention is to publish the findings in a future newsletter, but it is certainly not a simple pollution incident.

This time last year I said we could do with some fresh blood in the Committee and in the last year we have had some additions and changes.  However, this year in particular, I wish to thank your President, Brian Heap, for keeping me on the straight and narrow, I am sure on occasions I did not make his life easy.  Brian is an invaluable sounding board.

I also want to thank all the members of the Committee, including those who stood down for various reasons this year, for the valuable work they have done. Running an angling club with only voluntary staffing and over 800 members is an interesting challenge. In particular, if it were not for a continuous effort to ensure parts of the administration keep running, the Club would grind to a stop. I am especially thankful to Chris Crompton the Membership Secretary, Jan Nightingale in the treasurer’s role and James Nash who runs the website for they all do work which is relentless and, until something goes wrong, are too often taken for granted.

Amongst other plans and projects, over the next twelve months there will also be a decision about whether or not the Club changes its systems and buys Clubmate software. Recently local clubs - Christchurch and Salisbury - have taken up the Clubmate option. Of course, potentially it could save time, if not money and may bring benefits, but this Club does need to examine the issues objectively and carefully.

2. Minutes from AGM held on 26 March 2024 – (paper copies were available to the meeting). The Minutes, as previously published in the May 2024 Newsletter, were AGREED unanimously as a true record of events, having been proposed by Steve Neale and seconded by Keith Humphries.

3. Matters arising from the AGM Minutes 2024 – There were no matters arising from the AGM 2024 minutes.

4. Election of Club President - Having been proposed by Martin Dunn and seconded by Stuart Hitchman; it was AGREED unanimously to elect Brian Heap as President of Wimborne and District Angling Club for a term of two years.

5. Election of Vice President – Having been proposed by Paul Baker and seconded by Chris Crompton; it was AGREED unanimously to elect Hugh Miles as a Vice President of Wimborne and District Angling Club for a term of two years.

MH added that Chris Yates has stood down as a Vice President and has explained that he is currently not fishing and would therefore feel uncomfortable continuing in the post. He asked that the Club’s members be made aware that he had enjoyed his time as a member and as a Vice President and he had particularly enjoyed some of the Club’s waters such as at Edmondsham.

6. Nominations for Officers – BH

Existing Officers of the Committee stood for re-election. Recently and in addition, however, Neil Gordon has been co-opted to the Committee to work with Jan Nightingale in a job share doing the Treasurer’s work, and to attend Committee now that Jan Nightingale has moved a considerable distance from Wimborne. The following officers were AGREED unanimously for the next year:

a. Chairman – Mike Hirsh

b. Vice-Chairman – Iain Scott

c. Treasurer – Job share - Jan Nightingale and Neil Gordon.

d. Membership Secretary – Chris Crompton

e. Secretary – Martin Dunn

f.  Match Secretary – Jim Finch

g. Game Secretary – Paul Baker

h. Welfare Officers Job share– Sean Harris and George Frost

i. Media Officer – James Nash

j. Head Bailiff – Steve Neale 

7.  Nominations for Committee – MH

At 5(a) the Constitution advises that the Committee shall compose, in addition to the officers, seven members. There were six existing Committee members again standing for Committee. These members included Greg Steele and Alan Johansen who have both been co-opted in the last year. [Alan Johansen has taken over the post of the River Officer looking after the River Stour].  All six, as listed below, were unanimously AGREED as Committee members for a further term:

k. Nigel Taylor

Mike Jepson – who also is responsible for Facebook

m. Nick Lawrie

n. Stuart Hitchman

o. Greg Steele

p. Alan Johansen – River Officer. 

In addition, Arron Bridges, who is currently one of the Club’s bailiffs was proposed by Steve Neale and seconded by Richard Love to fill the vacant Committee post. It was AGREED unanimously that Arron Bridges be elected as a Committee Member of Wimborne and District Angling Club. 

8. Treasurer’s financial report 2024 and main proposals relating to expenditure in 2025

MH explained that the following report had been prepared by Jan Nightingale and that copies of the final Statement of Accounts were available to the meeting.

The annual accounts for 2024 show a surplus. This was less than 2023 when the Committee were worried about expenditure, post Covid, foreseeing a reduction of income which, in fact, did not impact as much as expected. 2024 saw a return to normal expenditure and an income, the vast majority of which is of course membership fees, that, in total, was very similar to the previous year.

The Game Section saw a rise in income of over £2000 gross – the result, at least in part, of being able to fish more due to the wet, cool weather instead of being forced to stop. However, this was eroded by increased maintenance costs including the use of a weed boat at Winterborne Zelston. The net year end figure was more or less a break-even but with a small positive balance. The ownership of Houghton Springs Fish Farm, which has supplied our superb quality trout, is changing hands and we await to see what impact this has financially.

More than £4000 was spent on Carp, Chub and Bream put mainly into the lakes at Kingsbridge and Edmondsham including 3 very large Carp, as advised previously, into Packhorse at Kingsbridge.

The damage incurred by the escape of heavy horses at Pinnock was finally resolved around the middle of the year and the Club paid for the work to be done, as the Heavy Horse Centre would not accept responsibility.

Money has been carried forward into this year’s budget to pay for the dredging of Julia’s Lake at the same venue, and better weather will hopefully see the work done this year. Repairs and renovation of the weir on the R Crane were carried out in 2024 and the cost was shared 50/50 with the Estate.

A new hut for Winterborne Zelston – long in need of an upgrade – stepped nearer to that end with the drawing and submission of plans and payment of the application fee to the Council at the turn of the year. There is an identified budget item for the capital expenditure on this project.

When it comes to fixed assets in the final accounts it should be noted that the valuation of both Netherwood Mead and the land and lake at Winterborne Zelston has a base date of January 2019.   The Committee debated the wisdom of obtaining new valuations and, bearing in mind the likely cost decided against it, preferring to defer such expenditure until it was really needed 

Lloyds, has long been the Club’s banker and has unilaterally changed the style of account recently into a ‘Community Account.’ This has also led to the introduction of a monthly maintenance fee and charges for non-electronic banking. The Club’s officers will keep this under review, but it is a further cost the Club will probably simply have to absorb. 

MH in conclusion added that Jan hopes for a better Summer this year and many pleasant days of fishing for all WDAC members. 

9. Membership report 2024

Chris Crompton, Membership Secretary, advised that in 2024 the end of year total was 888 members, of which minors made up 188 and juniors 34, which is good news. As reported last year there had been a churn of new members arriving and existing members departing and there is, apparently, considerable movement between local clubs.

10. Welfare Officer’s report on Club initiatives for the forthcoming year.

Sean Harris (SeH), Welfare Officer, advised that in terms of a work programme for 2025 there were initiatives for both members in terms of training and events to be planned.

In relation to WDAC members it would be beneficial, for those interested in helping others to learn to fish, to obtain training using the Angling Trust’s recognised courses. Members could be offered training as volunteers to undertake the Event Support Volunteer programme, which replaces the old level 1 training and is essentially on-screen training plus a first aid course and which the WDAC will fund on a first come first served basis. Aspiring Level 2 coaches now only need to attend a 2-day workshop, which can be held locally.  The course will comprise 2 days classroom work and then some homework: practical exercises over a 4-week period, overseen by a local Level 2 lead coach, and a further classroom session 4 weeks later to review the work and practical homework.

The Club will be holding introductory sessions with both schools and families. The latter is easy, because with adult family members present no DB police check is required and is likely to be arranged at a weekend on one day from 10.00. until 14.00. The Club is also aiming to have a ‘Building Bridges’ day using that part of the AT to assist which will provide the opportunity to explain to the European migrant communities how fishing operates in this country. 

Working with schools will also be important especially in relation to special needs but, of necessity that will be likely to be small groups with carers and almost certainly on Fridays.

Some members have already shown interest in attending the Event Support and Level 2 coaching courses but if, following the meeting there is anyone else interested please contact SeH through the Welfare Officers email address. 

11. A summary of Forward Plans for works and stocking

In the absence of Iain Scott, MH advised that it is the intention to carry out the wet dredge of Julia’s this year, working only from the west bank. This is dependent on dry ground conditions.

It is also intended to construct a new hut at Winterborne Zelston that is currently the subject of a planning application. 

As part of the Club’s improved maintenance regime an audit is being carried out of all the fishing platforms, and we will address any arising outstanding work.

WDAC has been carefully improving its Fisheries by strategic stocking across the portfolio of waters.  Over the last year we have introduced Carp, Roach, Tench, Rudd, Chub and Bream into our still waters. In conjunction with the Environment Agency, we have a 3-year agreement on obtaining fish paid for out of rod licence fees and grown at the EA's fish farm at Calverton. This year we received our first batch of one year old fish that were distributed between Creekmoor and Edmondsham. The hope is that these little fish will both freshen up the gene pool and replace some of the stock that is inevitably lost to predation.

We have also introduced a few hundred Chub up to 1lb into Packhorse lake on the Kingsbridge complex. The hope is that these little predators will help to thin out the tiny Skimmer and Roach population without adding to the overall fish load due to their inability to successfully recruit in stillwater. The Chub have a second function for as they actively feed all year round, and oblige even in low temperatures, the colder part of the year will have sport in a lake that is often seen by members as essentially a warmer weather fishery. 

Our stretches of flowing water prove to be much trickier to stock. The stated preference by the Environment Agency (EA) is to improve habitat and encourage recruitment from the existing adult fish. The Club will continue to press for permission to stock barbel into our stretches of the Stour as the numbers of adults are incredibly low making natural recruitment almost impossible. This year we plan to work on the spawning gravels in conjunction with the EA and Trevor Harrop (TH) to improve the spawning efficacy of the adult Barbel, and Chub. 

TH is also going to help identify ways in which we can improve spawning areas of the beloved River roach. After the incredible success of the Avon Roach Project, it is a real honour to be able to draw on TH’s expert knowledge.

As we look to the coming year, we will continue to monitor the stock growth and densities across all waters. The Club is expecting some ex-broodstock tench, and carp that should be arriving later this spring. The second tranche of Environment Agency fish should turn up towards the end of ‘25 early ’26. 

12. Questions/AOB - MH and all Committee Members 

a) Fish Stocking

In the context of the above report a question was asked by R Lee concerning the attitude of the EA where barbel stocking was concerned bearing in mind the recent stocking downstream at Throop. MH advised that WDAC would continue to try to make the case, but we also needed to improve habitat and the work on the gravels was part of this. 

b) Clubmate

Keith Humphries raised the use of Clubmate to assist bailiffs. He is also a member of Christchurch AC and had recently engaged with one of that Club’s bailiffs about how it could be used for checking memberships. He had been very impressed. It was rapidly identified by others in the meeting that you do need a phone signal. And there was then a discussion about whether or not that was a fundamental concern for WDAC, and the consensus was that it was not as in most places phone signals are good enough. 

A number of those present recognised that the annual club book would be under threat if the current membership book was held online, and it would also be likely to inhibit the renewal by existing members who currently prefer to buy from the local tackle shops.

S. Hitchman advised that he had spent some considerable time on a ‘Zoom’ meeting with Clubmate users hosted by the Company. There was a strong under-current of concern about Club members spending much time answering email queries and troubleshooting problems.

A. Potter advised that he had recently moved to the area and was a member of Dorking and many of the nearby clubs to London were using Clubmate. He had wanted to delete Dorking from his Clubmate App but had found it was beyond his skill set and there was no obvious way to do it. The software certainly had some problems, but it was quite easy for most normal uses.

MH wrapped up the discussion highlighting the need for the Club to take the matter of joining or not seriously and thanked those who had contributed. 

MH closed the meeting at 20.52