Huddersfield Civic Society Annual General Meeting 2024 minutes approved at AGM held on March 26, 2026
Welcome:
David Wyles (DW) welcomed attendees to the Huddersfield Civic Society 2025 Annual General Meeting at Brian Jackson House, Huddersfield
29 members signed the attendance sheet; hence the meeting was quorate in having more than 15 member attendees.
1. Apologies for Absence
Received: Gideon Richards (Interim Treasurer), Michael Barron, John Eastwood, Patricia Fuller.
2. Approval of Minutes of the 2024 AGM
The Minutes of the above AGM were accepted as a true record. (Proposed, Howard Smith, Seconded, Ann Denham).
Matters Arising:There were no matters arising from the 2024 meeting minutes.
3. Chairman’s Report
The Chairman’s report had previously been circulated by email to members.
David Wyles confirmed he was standing down after 7 years as Chair and nearly as long as Vice-Chair. David summarised key points of the many issues and activities the Society has been involved in during the past year. Whilst it had been good to see work continuing apace on the former Queensgate Market, the Transpennine Route Upgrade, Kingsgate leisure facilities and the University’s Health Campus, a number of issues remain. The Society continues to have concerns about the proposed combined new museum and art gallery, the continuing decay of various buildings in Council ownership and the failure to progress improvements in town shopfronts, even though funding was made available. HCS has contributed positively to Council initiatives, including the Station to Stadium Corridor proposals and the Town Centre Conservation Area Appraisal and numerous planning proposals, but remains concerned at delays in progressing several of the initiatives and in undertaking enforcement on planning case infringements.
David Wyles thanked committee members for good progress made in handling the above matters, contributing to many planning matters, the new HCS website going live and bringing the Society’s accounts onto a new software platform. The Society’s book sales continued well with ‘Villas of Edgerton’ being reprinted.
The report was accepted by all present.
Member, Chris Marsden raised a request to find a new ‘home’ for the former chapel memorial stones he was caring for in his own garden. Discussion on a new ‘home’ for the memorial stones continued afterwards outside the meeting.
4. Treasurer’s Report:
The financial report had previously been circulated by email to members.
The Secretary, Geoff Hughes, standing in for the Interim Treasurer Gideon Richards, gave a brief summary of the Society’s financial position. Geoff stated that, as the Society runs largely on volunteer effort, with neither buildings nor staff to pay for, HCS membership fees largely go towards the costs of running talks and walks plus overheads, such as website fees and insurance. HCS accounts are produced on a ‘cash’ basis, the apparent large ‘loss’ in 2024 being due to the cost of reprinting ’Villas of Edgerton’, which ought be recouped from sales subsequent years.
Thanks were given to Stephen Challenger, HCS’s Independent Financial Examiner.
5. Approval of Annual Accounts:
The Accounts of the Society were accepted as a true record. (Proposed, Sylvia Johnson, Seconded, David Wyles).
6. Election of Executive Committee:
DW read-out the names of those seeking re-appointment:
- President Bernard Ainsworth
- Chair – Vacant
- Vice Chair – John Eastwood
- Secretary – Geoff Hughes
- Interim Treasurer – Gideon Richards
The above were jointly proposed by Robert Taylor, seconded by Chis Marsden, and all were duly returned.
The following also sought re-appointment:
- Membership Officer: Howard Smith
- Planning Officer: Robert Taylor
- Patricia Fuller
- Ann Denham
- Sylvia Johnson
- Amanda Boothroyd
Nominations to Executive Committee:
- Nominations for Chair
None received – post left vacant, role to be shared amongst committee members
- Michael Woodward
- Nominations from meeting attendees – None received.
Michael was proposed by Sylvia Johnson, seconded by David Wyles, and was duly welcomed to the committee.
7. Appointment of Independent Examiner 2025.
Stephen Challenger has agreed to continue as Independent Financial Examiner
Agreed unanimously by all attendees.
8. Close of Meeting
The formal meeting closed.
This was followed by a lecture by Charles Smith, Policy Director at Historic England, on the role of Historic England and the importance of heritage, especially with regard to the Huddersfield area.
Geoff Hughes, 23 April 2025, approved at AGM 25 March 2026