Dear Members,
I hope you are all keeping safe and well.
Sadly, I start by thanking everyone who sent in kind messages to us, to pass on their condolences to Sally Warner and family. As you will have read in my last email, Peter Warner our President of many years, sadly passed away on 22nd June and at such a young age.
To reflect on the past year or so has been interesting. It certainly has been challenging and an incredible year to be ‘Chair’ of SNCA.
This year our association has heavily supported our County Authority, to get to grips with a very poor track record on the county finances. I am pleased to report we have two years of balanced accounts under our belt and a healthy reserve balance. This has only been possible through sheer hard graft from staff, councillors, senior management team and the commissioners.
Covid will put an extra burden on our last year of operation at NCC, but as a County Authority and with our District Councils and other associations, we are committed to migrating to 2 Unitary authorities. This will mean better, more immediate service delivery for you, with South Northants, Daventry and the Borough merging.
Along side this we are setting up a Childrens Trust and leading on the intergration of County Health Services with the NHS, NHFT and CCG’s. This is all a mammoth task. One of these activities alone would be challenging!
We have also focussed on getting to grips with our own association finances; which were very looking very poorly a year ago too. I am pleased to report they are now on an even keel, although as we have no additional income from fundraising and with the impending elections, it will be another challenging year.
For obvious reasons the elections did not proceed in May and will now take place May 2021.
Our membership base lies at just shy of 600. Over the next few months you may get a call from us to gain your views on all matters relating to our association.
You are supported by a managment team, who are as follows:
Chair: Elizabeth Bowen
Deputy Chair Political: Pinder Chuhaun supported by Ian McCord on Campaigns.
Deputy Chair Membership and Fundraising: Fiona Baker supported by Maggie Clubbley and Isla Whitcroft White
Treasurer: Sheelagh Chetwode
Patron & Business Club Lead: Ian Morris
Policy Fourm Lead: Vacant
Our Executive Committee of 30 has oversight of SNCA operations and we are keen to open this up to more members. So if you are interested in participating do email me on: eliz@bowen.org.uk.
I am delighted to announce John Townsend has agreed to be our new President of the association and who has been actively involved for over 30 years. This will be ratified at our AGM which has been delayed until September. Louise Croft has accepted the role of Vice President joining; James Sheppard Cross, Stephen Mold and Lord Bosworth of Aynho.
For the last 4 months of 2019 the team and I had been working hard to go through a lengthy selection process in preparation for what would have been the Unitary elections in May. Sadly these elections were delayed, but quite rightly so.
Thank you to all those members who volunteered on the approval panel and also those who attended the Selections, which were held separately for each of the 9 Divisions.
3 candidates were put forward for each of those divisions, to the final stage which is called the “Executive ratification”. We will be revamping our website very soon, so do look out for the list of the 27 Candidates.
Turnout for some of the selections was poor and without strong support from our members, this selection process is worthless. You as members are integral to appointing the 27 Councillors to go forward to the new Authority. It is vital we appoint candidates that are equipped to deal with the challenges of the Western Unitary Authority. It is those 27 Councillors, if they are elected, that make up a significant proportion of the team who make the decisions on how £250 million plus of tax payers hard earned money is spent.
We held our first Zoom update training event for the selected 27 Councillors earlier this month. We will be carrying out monthly sessions to ensure candidates are fully informed of the complexities of Unitary.
To support the running of the office last year, we held a series of events
including “Afternoon tea with Jacob Reese Mogg”, which was a sell out “Dinner with Liz Truss” and Andreas’ very popular garden party. Ian Morris hosted our end of summer BBQ and we have held numerous Business networking events, including a recent complimentary webinar session sponsored by CEDAS accountancy services.
A huge thank you goes to all those who have hosted so far and have offered to host an event in the future. And thank you for your very generous contributions when we have been on a fundraising mission.
These funds are used to fight the General and Local elections, to ensure we get conservative representation at all levels. We have also Invested in a marked register, and intensive social media activity to encourage wider participation in the conservative party.
Moving forward we are diversifyng events to ensure that its not just about fundraising but also about adding value to you as members. Participation in policy debates, free webinar debates, presentations of a non political nature, etc. Our last free Webinar Business event was held on 26th June where Roz Bird of MEPC, Silverstone Park presented, followed by question time with our Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom.
Next proposed dates:
Business Club: 4th Sept, 27th Nov: 12noon.
Other event dates tbc: Lunch and Learn at members homes, a garden party, evening quiz nights, Chairman’s Dinner, Xmas Drinks and General Non political presentations.
Do book into our Zoom meetings with the Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom, where I can introduce you to some of the team and we can answer any questions you may have. The first date for this is, Monday 13th July at 5.30pm.
Please email Maggie Clubbely at: Agent@wnc.uk.com if you wish to attend.
And finally and probably most importantly at this time; our thoughts go out to all those victims of the Corona Virus Pandemic. We all pray that lockdown will not return.
Best Wishes to you all from all of us at team SNCA
Lizzy
Chairman & Treasurer: SNCA
Deputy Leader: Northamptonshire County Authority
Cabinet: Unitary Shadow Authority