Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 11th February 1993at Llanerch Hall, Corporation Avenue, Llanelli

PRESENT: R. Hunt (Chairman), Mrs. K. Cottingham (Vice-chairman), Mrs. D. Hopkins (Treasurer), R.D. Pryce (Secretary) and 15 members. APOLOGIES: J. Ellis.

MINUTES of the 1992 Annual General Meeting were adopted without amendment.

MATTERS ARISING: Dr. Philip Jones stated that the Dyfed Wildlife Trust Llanelli Group was co-existing in harmony with the Llanelli

Naturalists and the concern expressed by members at the last AGM appears to have been unfounded.

CHAIRMANS'S STATEMENT: The Chairman opened by expressing his regrets that his two year term of office had come to an end. He continued by thanking all those in attendance, the officers and membership in general for their support. The main event in the last two years had been the opening of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust's new centre at Penclacwydd and the chairman congratulated the WWT staff, particularly Tony Richardson and Barry Stewart and wished Tony every success in his move to Slimbridge whilst welcoming Geoff Proffitt to Llanelli in his place. He concluded by wishing the incoming chairman a successful two years.

SECRETARY'S REPORT: The secretary thanked the chairman for his statement. He commenced his report by recording the sad death on 27th January of Mrs I.M. Vaughan, the society's patron, at her home in Woodbridge, aged    103 (an obituary notice appears elsewhere in this Newsletter). There had been six indoor and six outdoor meetings during the year and attendances had generally been much better than in recent years. Two issues of the Newsletter had been produced with the summer issue running to 64 pages. Under Ian Morgan's editorship, the publication continues to attract wide acclaim and the quality is reminiscent of the classic "Nature in Wales" of the 1950s and 60s. There were no major planning issues during the year although the continued infilling of reed-beds on the coastal flats east of Llanelli was a matter of concern. The society had attended the Civic Trust's Environment Week event at Parc Howard and the Llanelli Flower Show and the secretary thanked all members involved, particularly Dr. Philip Jones, John Taylor and Mrs Edith Jones. He also thanked the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust for allowing the permanent display of the society's material at Penclacwydd. He concluded by thanking the officers, particularly the treasurer, the committee members, the hon. reserve wardens and the ordinary membership for there continued support.

TREASURER'S REPORT: The Statement of Accounts was received and adopted and is reproduced below. The society had incurred a loss of £24.19 over the year but this could be accounted for by an increase in the premium of the public liability insurance policy, a change in bank accounts, a slight decrease in membership and the fact that the payment of bank interest was outstanding. Membership currently stands at 103 as 15 names had been deleted for non payment.

SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR 1993: An increase in membership subscriptions had been in operation since January, having been ratified at the 1992 AGM.

RESERVE WARDEN'S REPORTS:

UPPER LLIEDI RESERVOIR (Mike Williams): Ian Morgan had written to the Welsh Water Authority from the Countryside Council of Wales expressing concern that the Great Crested Grebes had not bred successfully in 1991 due to fluctuating water levels and disturbance. This had resulted in the installation of a line of buoys designed to limit the fishermen's access. Water levels also remained more constant and the grebes successfully raised three young in 1992. 3 pairs of Pied Flycatcher, 15 of Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit and 3 Nuthatch had bred in the nest boxes. On July 3rd a female Common Scoter was present. At the Lower Lliedi Reservoir, 2 pairs of Pied Flycatcher, 10 of Blue Tit, 7 Great Tit and 2 Nuthatch had bred in the boxes set up by Brian Stringer. There is concern that by 1995 the Upper Lliedi Reservoir may be used for additional recreational activities which could cause more disturbance than in the past. Whilst being prepared to continue wardening the site, the warden appealed for a volunteer to take over the maintenance of the nest boxes from next season.

STRADEY ESTATE (Ian Morgan): Negotiations with the Estate had resulted in the Dyfed Wildlife Trust and Llanelli Naturalists jointly taking on a new reserve, Cors Pum Heol, near Five Roads, an area dominated by Purple Moor-grass but with substantial populations of both Royal Fern and Narrow Buckler-fern. Scrub clearance at the Cranberry Bog at Cencoed Uchaf was still urgently required access permission is not forthcoming from the tenant farmer: IKM will repeat his request for consent at some time in the future.

FACTORY ROAD,PEMBREY (Frank Webb): There had again been no grazing, nor had it been considered necessary. The Bloody Cranesbill continues to flourish but no Prostrate Toadflax had been found.

FFRWD FEN (Frank Webb): The grazing regime had been too light and the wet weather had prevented a hay cut before early August after which the weather closed-in again before the crop could be baled: it is still lying, rotting on the ground. Four new gates and some fencing had been supplied and erected by British Coal Opencast. Interpretive notices had been erected. Two management committee meetings had taken place in 1992 and the management plan had been completed by Liz Flood (DWT Carmarthenshire.Reserves Officer). Frank Webb reluctantly wished to resign as Hon. Warden; Dr. Philip Jones volunteered to take-over in his place.

The Chairman thanked all the Hon.Wardens for their time and effort and for the presentation of their reports.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS: The secretary again referred to the recent sad death of Mrs. Vaughan, the society's patron, and asked the membership to consider nominating a person of similar standing to the vacant position. As the number of  nominations for officers and committee members equalled the number of vacances, the following were elected unopposed: Mrs. K. Cottingham (Chairman), Mrs. E. Jones (Vice-chairman), R.D.Pryce (Secretary), Mrs. D. Hopkins (Treasurer). Committee members: P.A. Jones, J.Taylor, R.Smale, R.Hunt, F.H.Webb, B.Stewart, N.Thomas & G.Proffitt. Observers: I.K.Morgan (CCW) & Miss L.Flood (DWT). Auditor: E.Jones.

OTHER BUSINESS: Geoff Proffitt invited the society to hold both its ordinary and committee meetings at Penclacwydd in future. The chairman thanked Geoff for this invitation: as a committee venue the centre had already proved very popular.

The meeting closed at 8.45pm.