| 1 | Minutes of the last meeting |
| The minutes of the last meeting held on 10 November 2000 were confirmed. |
| 2 | Welcome |
| Alison Berwick, Rosa Fernandez, and Elizabeth Honer were welcomed to the meeting. |
| 3 | Constitution |
| The draft Articles of Association, which were tabled at the meeting that day, and a list of questions pertaining to them were discussed. | |
| 3.1 | It was agreed that the local authority representation would be more than 20 per cent. |
| 3.2 | It was agreed to seek from the appropriate authority permission to use the terms 'Cyngor/Council' and 'Cymru/Wales'. |
| 3.3 | The decision about the location of the company's registered office was deferred. |
| 3.4 | The decision about the location of the company's meetings was deferred. |
| 3.5 | Corporate structure of the company: it was decided by means of a vote that all of the members would be directors of the company and that the officers would be elected to serve for fixed terms. Each member would have a vote. |
| 3.6 | Decisions about who would be the officers and trustees of the company were deferred. |
| 3.7 | It was agreed that the quorum should be set at 5. |
| 3.8 | It was agreed that SE and SB would consult with absentees in order to confirm the decisions that were made this day. |
| 3.9 | Seeing that local authority representation was more than 20%, it would be necessary for the company to comply with local authority regulations. In all probability every local authority representative would have to consult their county councils about becoming directors. The chief executive of each represented local authority would have to approve the setting up of the new company. The company would be required to submit its accounts to the local authorities for inspection (probably one local authority would take responsibility for carrying out the inspection). |
| 3.10 | Discussion of the following details was deferred: who would have authority to bind the company to contracts etc.; with whom would the company be banking; who would be the company's accountants, and its auditors; who would give the company professional advice, e.g. legal advice; would the company need back-up services, e.g. financial advice, and who would fulfil that need; the insurance arrangements and their costs; the raising of capital; would the local authorities require reserve powers; the creation of a business plan; and details to be included in the company's stationery. |
| 3.11 | Discussion took place about the need to state what would become of the company's assets or liabilities if it came to an end. |
| 3.12 | HLF requirements: AB was of the opinion that the draft Articles of Association met all the requirements of the HLF à propos 'legal entity'. RF suggested that forming a company was not the only choice, and that HLF's requirements could be met equally well through forming a partnership or trust. In response to that, it was noted that ACW, by choosing to set up a company, was following the pattern set by NCA's new constitution. AB promised to send a copy of HLF's 'legal entity' requirements to RF. |
| 3.13 | The need to fix an annual accounting date was recognised. |
| 3.14 | SE and SB agreed to meet the solicitor circa April 2001 to discuss the document in greater detail. |
| 3.15 | The legal department of the City and County of Swansea was thanked for all the work it had done with regard to the Articles. |
| 4 | Resource and Wales |
| It was reported that the steering group had met once more and that there was some delay because Hywel Roberts was rewriting his report. It was noted also that Justin Frost had contacted ACW to draw attention to Resource's work in preparing an archives strategy. |
| 5 | CWLIS |
| SE reported on the issues discussed at the latest CWLIS meeting, which included the People's Network; the two NOF bids, 'Getting in on the Act' and 'Routes (Reaching Out Extending Skills); the CWLIS website; and a Resource type body for Wales and the future role of CWLIS. Jenny Randerson would be invited to attend the AGM in Cardiff on 5 April 2001. |
| 6 | NCA |
| GJ reported that ACW had now paid its subscription to NCA. |
| 7 | National Assembly's Culture Report |
| GJ reported that he had sent a letter to the committee. |
| 8 | Annual report |
| A copy of the annual report was issued to all present. It was decided to cease publishing it in booklet form but rather to publish it on ACW's website only. |
| 9 | Concordat with the National Assembly |
| The agreement had been completed in August 2000 and published on the PRO website. |
| 10 | National Archives Policy |
| It was noted that the Policy was nearly ready for printing. The Society of Archivists' cheque for £1200 had come to hand that week, and the Society had offered to supply up to £300 extra towards the cost of distributing the document. GJ was still waiting for the other £600 via Linda Tomos. SE and EB agreed to meet Mary Ellis to push the matter forward. |
| 11 | Mapping Project |
| SJ apologised that the report had not been completed. An incomplete draft of it had been discussed the previous day by SJ and SE. It was noted that much of the data could be updated from the evidence gathered by PRO and HMC during their inspections of 14 of the 22 institutions since the questionnaires were filled in. His target now was to complete the draft by St David's Day. It was agreed that SE and GJ should consider the possibility of having the launch of the report at the same time as that of the National Archives Policy and the information leaflets, and try to arrange it at the Assembly in the presence of Jenny Randerson. |
| 12 | Archives Network Wales |
| 12.1 | The work of creating a 'legal entity' was proceeding. |
| 12.2 | GJ explained the 12-month project to be funded by HMC and NLW from April 2001 onwards to create fonds level descriptions for hundreds of archives of families and estates. The project was expected to be a good opportunity to learn much about the implications of the ANW project. There were two posts connected with the project, one to be filled through the secondment of Stephen Benham (NLW) and the other through advertising and interviewing. The interviews were to be held on 27 February. ACW decided not to nominate any additions to the interviewing panel. |
| 12.3 | Authority was given to SE and GJ to approach HLF about progressing the ANW project, and AB expressed her willingness to join them in meeting Lottery officials in Cardiff. |
| 13 | Gregynog Meeting 2001 |
| It was decided not to arrange a meeting at Gregynog this year because the Annual Conference of the Society of Archivists was to be held in Aberystwyth in September. |
| 14 | NOF |
| GR gave the latest news about the Gathering the Jewels project. |
| 15 | HMC Quinquennial Review |
| GJ explained that ACW had received an enquiry from DCMS with regard to arranging a consultation meeting in Wales to discuss this review, and that he and SE, foreseeing the difficulties of calling a special meeting, had offered to put it on the Council's agenda for this day, even though ACW was meeting after the official closing date for responses. The value of HMC to Wales was discussed and SE agreed to draft a letter setting out ACW's response and to circulate it for comment to ACW members. |
| 16 | Congratulations |
| Steven Jones was congratulated on his appointment as head of the PRO's Archive Inspection Service. |
| 17 | Elizabeth Honer |
| EH explained her role within the PRO, giving archive management advice to public record bodies. |
| 18 | Alison Berwick |
| AB introduced herself as Cathrin Cassarchis's successor in the post of Lottery Advisor to NCA. |
| 19 | Local Government |
| It was noted that the Advisory Panel was to be reconvened to revisit Section 60 schemes. |
| 20 | Publications |
| It was noted that a new edition of Cofrestri Plwyf Cymru : Parish Registers of Wales had been published shortly before Christmas. |
| 21 | Next meeting |
| It was agreed to meet on 20 July 2001. |
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