At last...on our President's Personal Puff website:

She is also proudly president of the Long Distance Walkers’ Association.

HURRAH!

Hold on David , suitable for the post. Part of the reason you want to change the logo is it doesn't represent women. But you support a president elect who wears a costume as publicity that the actress who wore has admitted objectifies women.

Just checked President elect (not quite) Phoebe's website for an indication of just how important the prospect of becoming President is to her. Couldn't find any mention of the LDWA amongst all the self-promotion.

HEADLINE:We are proud to announce that Phoebe Smith is to be the new LDWA President.

Likely but a tad presumptuous!

Chairman,
Thank you for your explanation and acceptance of responsibility.

Dear Mr Green

The thread in the forum has been brought to my attention. I am currently trekking the Pennine Bridleway but have decided to take time out of the walk to respond to the thread that you started.

Firstly, sorry on behalf of both myself and the NEC.

When the attendees at the AGM heard Phoebe speak, many people commented on her suitability on being the LDWA's President, a position that has been vacant for a number of years.

The decision to ask Phoebe to be invited to be President was taken at the April NEC meeting. At no point did anybody note the need for the AGM vote. I lead the NEC and therefore take full responsibility.

Alternatively we can make Phoebe's appointment as LDWA President 'provisional' in respect of the fact that we are keen to secure such a great opportunity on the understanding that this position is presented at the AGM.

I and the NEC believe that Phoebe is perfect for the position. Keen, engaging, enthusiastic and willing to undertake the role with the full understanding that it's an honorary role. Her contacts with the wider walking community will in turn raise the profile of the LDWA which in turn will work towards securing the future of our association with new members and volunteers.

In relation to whether the appointment is unconstitutional, I have to accept that in hindsight that it is. The process followed was:

1. NEC members approached at AGM by attendees who commented on Phoebe's suitability to be President.
2. Email exchanges between NEC members.
3. Discussion at NEC meeting in April and unanimous approval of those present.
4. Approach to Phoebe.
5. Double check Phoebe's requirements as President.
6. NEC approval to Phoebe's email.
7. Announcement.

At no point have any of us sought to undermine the credibility of the association. Reading this section of the constitution does highlight an issue. The NEC 'struck whilst the iron was hot' but in hindsight, the decision might have had to be delayed for a further 12 months after the AGM. That hindsight does now mean that it is likely that we should review whether that paragraph of the constitution is actually relevant and fit for purpose in relation to timely decision making.

Yours sincerely,

David Morgan

The draft articles as presented to the 2018 AGM contain:

49.1 The Committee may appoint and remove any individual(s) as President and/or patron(s) of the Association for such term of office, with such role and on such other terms as they shall think fit. All appointments must be approved in advance by Ordinary Resolution of the Members at annual general meeting.

Note that approval by Ordinary Resolution at the AGM is a PREREQUISITE not an afterthought. The AGM Agenda contained no such resolution.

What, I ask, is the point of adopting new articles if they are to be subsequently ignored? In a nutshell, the appointment of the new President is probably unconstitutional and therefore open to challenge. I respectfully request that the NEC look at the procedures followed in making this appointment and determine whether or not the appointment is out of order under the Articles prevailing at the time of the appointment.

David

Many thanks for your comments. David Morgan is away at the moment and has limited access to internet etc. The note to members was from him with full support of the NEC (and was not intended to be anonymous in any way). You are absolutely right about needing to get approval through the AGM. It has obviously been some time since we have had a President, and given the really positive reception Phoebe got at the AGM earlier this year, the NEC (led by David), was keen to get her on board immediately. Apologies for missing out the formal approval stage which we will do at the 2019 AGM.

Madeleine (General Secretary)

'bile ridden', 'shameful personalised invective'.
You're kidding me. This is a wind up right?

And apologies to David Morgan whom I have met only in his role as an event organiser, the last word of my previous post should have read "Chair", not "President".

Oh dear. Have we really come to this? There are surely enough bile-ridden, personalised attacks on figures in our public life without our having to bear them directed at an officer in our own, entirely volunteer-staffed, association.

I have no idea what went on at this year’s AGM or whether the rules were followed to the letter. On the basis of Steph Carter’s post perhaps “custom and practice” has superseded the strict letter of the law? Whatever, I’m just delighted that there remain enough well-intentioned individuals prepared to give up their free time as committee members and event organisers to keep this show on the road and I can think of nothing more likely to discourage people to put their heads above the parapet than the sort of shameful personalised invective which instigated this series of posts.

For what it’s worth, Phoebe Smith looks to me to be exactly the sort of energetic, campaigning President we need to help us address the existential problem confronting the Association – our age profile (I speak as a 66 year old). If the best welcome we can give her is “you’re only doing this to enhance your CV” then I despair. It’s deeply shaming. I look forward to welcoming her to one of our events – and I trust the mass of fellow walkers will feel able to do so without impugning her integrity or that of our President.

In addition, nobody has clarified why the membership were just sent a press release under no identifiable hand. Was it from the Chairman, Secretary or the NEC? I think that we should be told; together with the procedures that were followed in making the appointment. If whoever it was had shown the membership at least this crumb of respect then perhaps my post would not have been necessary.

Interesting these responses because taken from our own Articles as published on this website we have:

Additional Appointments
9.1 The Association may appoint a President who shall attend meetings of the Association from time to time and who may represent the Association. The President shall be appointed by a majority vote of the Members at an Annual General Meeting following a nomination by the Executive Committee for a term to be determined by the Executive Committee.
Although I didn't attend the 2018 AGM, I did check the highlights as published on this site and there was no mention of a President being elected.

Perhaps you should all be doing your homework before you leap into the fray.

I don't know the Chairman personally and he probably is a jolly good chap, however this is not the first time that I have had to take issue with Mr Morgan on his interpretation of our constitution. In my view, part of the Chairman's role is to ensure that all business complies with the constitution. It would appear that in this instance he has failed...unless you want to tell me that the above quotation is incorrect or whatever.

President of the LDWA is a position which is selected by the National Executive, and is not one made nepotically or lightly. It is not a paid position (which in itself rules out many public figures who seek payment for such positions)

As far as I am aware Phoebe Smith was not know to David Morgan (or any other member of the National Executive) until she gave an highly entertaining and inspirational speech at the 2018 LDWA AGM (her appearance there was arranged by the AGM organisers, not the NEC). After hearing her, there were few, if any, in the room (about 80 members), who were not convinced that she would be an ideal President, and fortunately she has agreed to becoming so.

Her links with the media, and publishing will raise the profile of the LDWA, and she will give us more appeal to potential younger members - all of which are what we need to prosper.

She is an excellent choice.

Steph Carter (as LDWA Membership Secretary)

In reply to the previous post.

I have been a member of the LDWA for nearly thirty years, in which time I think there have been three presidents before the new incumbent and during all that time as an ordinary member I have never been asked to vote for a president.

I have always assumed that the nomination of the president was in the gift of the committee and have always been happy to go along with that.
If that's so but enough members feel that it's time to change this procedure then presumably there should be a vote on a change to the constitution.

Regarding our new Chairman; I have known him since 1996 and have always found David Morgan to be a man of the utmost integrity.
In fact, when I discovered that he was standing for Chairman I immediately offered to propose him because as I said at the time, ' Apart from knowing you a long time, I can't offhand think of anyone else who has done more in recent years to further the cause of the LDWA'.
Organising innumerable challenge walks, revitalising a local group, heading up a Hundred and on the National Committe were all things that contributed to me making that decision.

Surely it is unfair to impugn someone, even by implication without providing evidence?

WTF? Well it'll be another award on her CV but do we need it? Moreover why was the notification sent to members without any form of endorsement or signature? Is she a friend of yours Mr Morgan?