Torquay 2012

• • General
  • Motions

  The CAMRA Members’ Weekend and AGM 2012 was held at The Riviera Centre in Torquay on 30th March-1st April 2012. It provided our members with the opportunity to engage in CAMRA’s national campaigns and discuss our future policy and direction. It also gave them the chance to catch up with fellow members over their favourite pint of real ale, visit recommended pubs and go on organised trips.  

  Members’ Weekend 2012 Motions

  Special Resolution

   

  This AGM agrees that the current Articles of Association of the company are replaced with immediate effect by the proposed revised form of Articles of Association presented to the meeting.

  Proposed by the National Executive

   

  MOTION 1

   

  This AGM reaffirms the principle that the minimum subscription paid by any category of member should be sufficient to cover their fair share of membership services including the costs of production and distribution of What’s Brewing & BEER.

  It therefore agrees that, following a review of service costs, members living in the EU, outside of the United Kingdom, will be grouped with the current “Rest of the World” subscription rate. This will mean that any member outside of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, will be designated as “Rest of the World”. This will take effect from 1 January 2013 as follows.

  • Single “Rest of the World” membership: £33 for Direct Debit payers and £35 for non-direct debit payers;
  • Joint “Rest of the World” membership; £38 for Direct Debit payers and £40 for non-direct debit payers
  • “Rest of the world” life membership is £594 for Single membership and £684 for joint membership

  The new annual membership rates shall apply from 1 January 2013 and the new life membership rates shall apply from the end of this Conference. For clarification, payment by Direct Debit for “Rest of the World” membership is only available to members who hold a UK bank account. Concessionary rates are not applicable to “Rest of the World” members.

  Proposed by the National Executive

   

  MOTION 2

   

  This Conference agrees to adopt the Internal Policy Document produced after the 2011 Conference and Annual General Meeting subject to any amendments to policy decided at this Conference.

  Proposed by the National Executive

   

  MOTION 3

   

  This Conference agrees to adopt the External Policy Document produced after the 2011 Conference and Annual General Meeting subject to any amendments to policy decided at this Conference.

  Proposed by the National Executive

   

  MOTION 4

   

  This Conference instructs the National Executive to bring a Special Resolution to the 2013 AGM to set a limit on the number of consecutive years that a member may be a member of the National Executive. In doing this, the National Executive should undertake research to determine best practice in the voluntary/not for profit sector and consult internally with as wide a possible number of members as is possible.

  Proposed by John Cryne
  Seconded by Andrew Shaw

   

  MOTION 5

   

  This Conference supports the principle that some or all of Conference may be broadcast & instructs Conference Procedures Committee to bring forward proposals to the 2013 Conference in respect of how this could be introduced.

  Proposed by the National Executive

   

  MOTION 6

   

  This Conference agrees that the definition of real cider and perry as shown in 5.2 and 5.3 of the External Policy Document should be amended as follows:

  ‘CAMRA supports and recognises Real Cider and Perry that starts with 100% freshly pressed apple or pear juice, or a combination of both. 100% fresh apple and/or pear juice, may be added at any subsequent stage. Sulphites, yeast, yeast nutrients, enzymes, malolactic culture, acidity regulators and sugar may be added at any subsequent stage. Artificial sweetener and water may be added after fermentation’.

  Notwithstanding the aforementioned, sugar may not be added before and water after fermentation to the same batch. No other adjuncts of any type may be added at any stage. The cider or perry must not have been pasteurised or heat-treated at any stage nor may it be micro-filtered or sterile-filtered at any stage. It must not be artificially carbonated or dispensed under pressurised extraneous gas of any kind.

  Proposed by APPLE

   

  MOTION 7

   

  This Conference instructs the National Executive to review CAMRA’s real ale and real cider definitions in the External Policy Document to identify what changes are necessary to correct any disparities between the definitions, and align them such that their level of detail and rationale are consistent, appropriate and fit for purpose.

  The review is to be completed in time for consideration by the members at the next Conference.
  Proposed by the Kent Region

   

  MOTION 8

   

  This Conference welcomes the 50% reduction in duty for beers at 2.8% abv or below in October 2011 and commends the efforts of brewers in producing new beers at or below 2.8% abv. To promote sales of these new beers Conference encourages brewers and publicans to use the duty saving to sell these beers at lower prices than stronger beers. Conference instructs the National Executive to produce a report on the beer market at or below 2.8% abv which includes a review of industry pricing strategies.

  Proposed by Campaigns Strategy Committee

   

  MOTION 9

   

  This Conference expresses its concern that small breweries benefiting from a 50% duty reduction through Small Breweries’ Relief do not also receive an additional duty reduction incentive to brew beers at or below 2.8% abv. Conference therefore instructs the National Executive to encourage the UK Treasury to explore options to incentivise small brewers to produce beers at or below 2.8% abv.

  Proposed by Brewing Industry Campaigns Committee

   

  MOTION 10

   

  This Conference condemns the additional tax levy on beers which are 7.5% abv or higher in strength which is threatening the future of endangered beer styles and calls upon the National Executive to campaign to reverse this additional tax levy or to secure exemptions for recognised traditional beers.

  Proposed by Campaigns Strategy Committee

   

  MOTION 11

   

  This Conference recognises that in the present economic climate it is unrealistic to expect the Government to be prepared to reduce the average level of Beer Duty, and that appeals from CAMRA for it to do so are thus unlikely to have any effect.

  Conference therefore instructs the National Executive to establish a Working Group as a matter of urgency to:

  1. consider ways in which the system of beer duty might be restructured so as to favour responsible drinking in pubs and to benefit those brewers who brew primarily for the pub and club trade;
  2. arrive at a package of proposals that can be offered for endorsement at the 2013 Conference as the basis of a vigorous lobbying campaign aimed at persuading Government to implement them;
  3. seek to enter into discussions with any and every outside interest group whose support for the proposals might be forthcoming, for whatever reason.

  Proposed by the Greater London Region

   

  MOTION 12

   

  This Conference commends the Scottish Government’s approach to outlawing below-cost selling and to introduce a minimum price that takes account of duty, VAT and production. It therefore calls on the National Executive to instigate a campaign to lobby the UK Government to introduce similar legislation.

  Proposed by Campaigns Strategy Committee

   

  MOTION 13

   

  This Conference regrets the inability of Heineken, London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the International Olympic Committee to make arrangements for the sale of real ale at Olympic venues and calls on the National Executive and Branches to promote Britain’s national drink of real ale to visitors to the UK during summer 2012.

  Proposed by the National Executive

   

  MOTION 14

   

  This Conference believes that a discriminatory policy of restricting the media exposure of global advertisers but at the same time nurturing the promotion of lesser producers would be legally indefensible and that CAMRA policy as currently stated in this regard is unrealistic, unhelpful and potentially damaging to the reputation of the Campaign. Clause 2.1 of the External Policy Document should be deleted.

  Conference therefore instructs the National Executive to formulate a policy on alcohol advertising that supports the promotion of real ale irrespective of the scale of its production.

  Proposed by the Greater London Region

   

  MOTION 15

   

  This Conference believes that CAMRA policy should recognise that ‘Craft Beer’ is beer with a distinctive flavour brewed by artisans. As a consequence, most real ales are craft beers but not all craft beers are real ale and CAMRA’s communication should reflect this.

  Proposed by Christine Cryne
  Seconded by Keith Spencer

   

  MOTION 16

   

  This Conference believes that Real Ale is the indigenous beer style of the UK and notes that CAMRA will continue to concentrate its beer festivals on this beer style. Conference also recognises that there are some perfectly drinkable craft beers that are not real ale, and where CAMRA is required to provide a full bar, consideration will be given to selling keg craft beers as opposed to other keg beers.

  Proposed by Christine Cryne
  Seconded by Keith Spencer

   

  MOTION 17

   

  This Conference agrees to adopt the key campaigns for 2012-13 recommended by the Policy Discussion Group on Campaigning Focus

  Proposed by the National Executive

   

  MOTION 18

   

  This Conference welcomes the acknowledgement by Government that large pub companies have failed to eliminate unfair practices through effective self regulation. Conference however deplores the failure of Government to fulfil its promise to consult on statutory regulation and therefore calls on all parts of the Campaign to continue pressing for effective regulation of the large pub companies to prevent them exploiting a clear imbalance of power.

  Proposed by Pubs Campaigns Committee

   

  MOTION 19

   

  This Conference recognising the importance of CAMRA’s image and reputation as a campaigning organisation:

  1. Notes the recent Punch Taverns promotion, advertised in BEER, which made extensive use of CAMRA’s name and logos.

  2. Believes that the use of CAMRA’s image in this way is inappropriate given the Campaign’s views on Pub Cos such as Punch.

  3. Calls on the National Executive to consider in detail the advantages to the Campaign and its members before entering into any similar deals.

  Proposed by Liverpool & Districts Branch

   

  MOTION 20

   

  This Conference instructs that all future local CAMRA Pub Guides must only include outlets serving real ale/real cider or perry.

  If Branches want to list outlets that do not sell real ale/real cider or perry they can include brief details (e. g. name and location) separate from the main listing.

  Exception may be made for national and regional inventory pubs.

  Proposed by Martin Ellis
  Seconded by Tony Morgan

   

  MOTION 21

   

  This Conference recognises the importance of activating young members, notes that many students spend a considerable amount of time away from their registered address and calls on the National Executive to allow a second address to be registered, if a member so wishes, and for contact details to be made available to both branches.

  Proposed by Liverpool & Districts Branch

   

  MOTION 22

   

  This Conference instructs the Editor of the Good Beer Guide that the ‘Try Also’ section be reinstated as an option for those branches requiring it.
  Proposed by Westmorland Branch

   

  MOTION 23

   

  This Conference requires that Branches should inform licensees in the event that their pub is not reselected for the GBG, and, when appropriate, indicate the reasons for exclusion.
  Proposed by Robin Bence
  Seconded by Pete Cash