3rd Annual General Meeting Sunday 24 September 2006 at Asti, Italy

1
3rd Annual General MeetingSunday 24 September
2006at Asti, Italy

• The International Society for
• Condensed Matter Nuclear Science
• N.B. Non ISCMNS members are welcome to attend.

2
Hon. Secretarys Report

• Elections Appointments
• Membership
• Finances
• Charity
• Extraordinary General Meeting

3
Vacancies for 2006 Elections

• The following 8 are due to retire at 31st
  December
• William Collis            (Hon. Secretary)
• Francesco Celani
• Scott Chubb
• Vittorio Violante
• Jacques Dufour       (Hon. Treasurer)
• Edmund Storms
• Andrei Lipson
• Jean Paul Biberian

4
8 Executive Committee Candidates

•     Scott Chubb
•     Vittorio Violante
•     Edmund storms
•     Mahedeva Srinivasan
•     Jean Paul Biberian (CMNS editor)
•     Francesco Celani
•     Jacques Dufour
• Yuri Bazhutov ( ICCF13 chair)
• No elections necessary

5
Situation 2007

• The following officers will retire on December
  31st 2007
• Akito Takahashi (Hon. President)
• Xingzhong Li (EC Chairman)
• Yuri Bazhutov (ICCF13 Chairman)

6
New Appointment

• Collis to retire from EC at 31st December 2006
  and will not seek re-election.
• Offers himself as Chief Executive of the Society.

7
Membership

• 163 Members at 14 September 2006
• Down from 175 at 30 November 2005
• Membership lapses if you dont pay dues!

8
Finances

• New financial year will end 31st December so no
  accounts yet for the current period (18 months).
• Surplus of 5,726 in 04/05
• Deficit of 3,500 in 05/06 so far
• (Deficit includes capital purchases of PC,
  laser printer, 50 x ICCF11 Proceedings).

9
ISCMNS as a Charity

• Contro
• More Bureaucracy?
• More Costs
• More supervision
• Few tax benefits (in 2004)
• discussion at
• http//www.iscmns.org/charity.htm

• Pro
• Prestige
• Tax advantages
• Fund raising
• The Law

10
What is a Charity?

• Under English Law, it is any institution, whether
  registered or not, which acts exclusively in the
  Public interest. (not just not for profit)
• The Public expect it to be managed prudently and
  properly in their interest. The Charities
  Commission checks this is the case as regulator.
• Obligation to register if turnover greater than
  10,000 (19,000)

11
Why didnt we start out as a Charity in 2004?

• In 2004, UK tax law allowed us to earn 10,000 in
  profits tax free!
• In 2006, the law changed and we will now be taxed
  on all profits if we dont become a Charity.
• However income from membership subscriptions will
  not be taxable in any case.

12
Application for Charity Status

• Charitable status was discussed by the EC in the
  spring of 2006 and approved unanimously.
• Application was made to the Charity Commissioners
  in June 2006
• Response received in August 2006.

13
Some questions raised by the Charities Commission

• Although I am satisfied that this organisation
  could advance education, I am concerned that it
  appears concerned with providing benefits to its
  members as well as a public benefit.
• What criteria do the trustees have for deciding
  on suitable recipients for grants to attend
  conferences?
• Do non-professional members of the public attend
  conferences / seminars?
• Regarding the medals, it is not necessarily
  charitable to reward excellence what is the
  purpose of awarding medals and how does the
  public benefit from this?

14
CC Thank you for your prompt response which was
very helpful.

• I am quite satisfied that this organisation is
  promoting science for the benefit of the public
  and that any benefit to members is incidental to
  the public benefit.
• However, the objects will need to be amended so
  that they are exclusively charitable.

15
Commission Proposal

• I suggest that a suitable object is
• "To promote the science of low energy nuclear
  reactions in condensed matter, also known as
  'Cold Fusion' for the benefit of the public.
• Instead of for the benefit of members and the
  wider community

16
What does this mean for Members?

• A cosmetic / legal change. No change to ISCMNS
  policy or management.
• It will still be possible to offer discounts /
  grants to members to attend meetings
• It will still be possible to make awards etc.

17
Amending the Constitution

• Tomorrow evening an Extraordinary General Meeting
  will be held during dinner to consider the
  special resolution-
• THAT the Memorandum of Association, be modified
  by adopting a New Memorandum of Association and
  that Article 35 in the Articles of Association be
  deleted.
• We have a further day to discuss.

18
Documents available for inspection

• Current Articles of Association
• Current Memorandum of Association
• Proposed Memorandum of Association
• If you cannot attend the dinner, you may vote in
  writing. Ask at the registration desk for a form.

19
Looking to the future

• As a Charity we will raise funds from the public.
• Becoming a Charity is an opportunity for
  publicity.
• Changes in Company Law may come into effect in
  2007 and ISCMNS may wish to amend its
  constitution (again!) to take advantage.

20

• Any Questions?