AGM 2026
Commercial Anglo-Dutch Society
AGM to be held on 19 June 2026
at the KIGC, Dam, Amsterdam
Agenda
- Approve the Minutes of the 2025 AGM
- Approve the 2025 Annual Report from the Chair
- Approve the Treasurer’s Report and Accounts for 2025
- Board membership
Ratification of Julia Heidstra as Chair - Confirm the Audit Committee for 2026 as John Cameron-Webb, Willem Hein Hogerzeil, Peter Valentine and Mike Waters
- Proposal to increase the annual subscription
- Charitable donations
- Matters arising
- AOB and close
Notes and explanations
Minutes of the 2025 AGM Commercial Anglo-Dutch Society
Minutes of the AGM held on 10 October 2025 at the KIGC, Dam, Amsterdam
Agenda
- Approve Minutes AGM 2024 (for year 2023)
- Approve Financial Accounts 2024
- Confirm Audit Committee for 2025, John Cameron-Webb and Mike Waters; reserve auditor Willem Hein Hogerzeil
- Approve Annual Report 2024 from the Chair
- Board election/appointments and resignations
a) Appointment of Peter Valentine – Honorary Member
b) Confirmation of Peter Smethurst –Secretary and Treasury
c) Confirmation of appointments of Nick Bowers, Vicky Trees to the CADS Board - Message from the Chair
- Matters Arising
- AOB and close
Present: Jennie Monon* (chair), Jan Bakker, Shelley Dicks Schaffer, Julia Heidstra, Mark Howard, Annette Roodhart, Gail Scarisbrick, Peter Smethurst, Vicky Trees, Peter Valentine, Rene Weijerman Apologies: Scott Anderson, Nick Bowers, Alistair Cranmer, Maja Emerson, Michael Emerson, Stephen Huyton, Hans Moltmaker, Jenny Zonneveld.
- Board members
The Chair opened the meeting at 12.35
- Approve Minutes AGM 2024 (for year 2023)
The minutes of the 2024 AGM were approved as presented.
Proposed: Julia Heidstra; seconded Peter Valentine - Approve Financial Accounts 2024
The minutes of the Financial Accounts 2024 were approved as presented.
Proposed: Julia Heidstra; seconded Peter Valentine - Confirm Audit Committee for 2025
The auditors are John Cameron-Webb and Mike Waters; reserve auditor Willem Hein Hogerzeil.
The appointments were approved.
Proposed: Julia Heidstra; seconded Gail Scarisbrick - Approve Annual Report 2024 from the Chair
The Annual Report 2024 from the Chair was approved as presented.
Proposed: Annette Roodhart; seconded Shelley Dicks-Schaffer - Board election/appointments and resignations
a) Appointment of Peter Valentine – Honorary Member
The appointment as an Honorary CAD was agreed by acclamation and with expressions of thanks for his contribution to the Society over many years.
Proposed: Annette Roodhart; seconded Vicky Trees
b) Confirmation of appointment of Peter Smethurst as Secretary and Treasurer.
Proposed: Vicky Trees; seconded Peter Valentine
c) Confirmation of appointments of Nick Bowers, Vicky Trees to the CADS Board
Proposed: Shelley Dicks-Schaffer; seconded Julia Heidstra - Message from the Chair
In view of the small number of members present, it was decided to issue the Chair’s Annual Report by email to all members as part of the ‘Greetings from the Chair’ on 21 October 2025 with a request for comments and feedback.
The following matters were addressed during discussion of the Message from the Chair. The quarterly dinners have not proved popular and so will be held less frequently and possibly at a different venue or with a different format. The KIGC is raising its prices and so CADS has to reflect this in the charge for lunches. CADS is trying to negotiate a different package to accommodate attendees who do not want the wine arrangement.
- Matters Arising
Due to an oversight Annette Roodhart had been omitted from the list of members of the CADS Board whose appointment had to be confirmed. This was done as a matter arising from agenda item 5c.
Proposed: Julia Heidstra; seconded Vicky Trees - AOB and close
No further matters were raised and the chair closed the meeting at 13.55 with thanks to all those present. - Approve the 2025 Annual Report from the Chair
- Approve the Treasurer’s Report and Accounts for 2025
Commercial Anglo-Dutch Society Treasurer’s report for 2025
The Society’s regular income was slightly higher in 2025 compared with 2024 (2024’s income included proceeds from the Jubilee Dinner which were then donated to International Justice Mission). We welcomed eight new members. Five members resigned during 2025; this is in line with previous years. Sadly, one member, Mark Cunningham, died during the year and, as he had been an enthusiastic participant in the Jokathon, the December lunch was dedicated to his memory. Bank interest was lower than in 2024 as a result of the lower bank balance.
Following the Board’s decision to improve the website in order to streamline the administration of CADS, announced at the 2024 AGM, three developers were approached and Ambis bv was selected. The process was not without its difficulties but the new website is now in use and simplifies communications with members, offers improved opportunities for networking and allows direct registration for events without significant exchange of emails. The development costs, a non-recurring charge, are shown separately in the income and expenditure account.
The website running costs increased markedly following the higher monthly charges occasioned by a different subscription required by the greater traffic resulting from the Jubilee Dinner which could not then be downgraded. The charge for 2025 also includes €266 relating to 2024 which only became known in 2025. The subscription was terminated as part of the process of transferring to the new website. Future website charges should be lower than in 2024/25.
Regular events incurred a deficit of €1,276 while the boat trip delivered a surplus of €291 after we obtained a discount from the boat company for the slow service on board. The deficit on regular events arises from providing a free lunch for the speaker, a free lunch to members who introduce a new member and the KIGC’s charges for audio-visual equipment.
Overall CADS had a deficit of €4,568 for the year before charitable donations. Excluding the website development costs there was a surplus of €1,192 which is higher than in 2024. Donations were made to the International Justice Mission and Maggie’s Cancer Centres in Cardiff and Groningen.
At the end of the year, CADS had €6,047 in the bank (the reduction from the balance at the end of 2024 is largely attributable to the website development costs). This amount is available for further charitable donations and to cover running costs.
Peter Smethurst
CADS Treasurer
The Treasurer’s Report and the accounts were submitted to the auditors, all of whom stated their approval.
A copy of the accounts has been signed by all the members of the Board.
- Board membership
Ratification of Julia Heidstra as Chair
Julia was appointed Chair by the Board to replace Jennie who stood down in connection with her return to the UK. At the same time, Jennie was appointed an Honorary CAD.
There have been no other changes in the membership of the Board.
- Confirm the Audit Committee for 2026 as John Cameron-Webb, Willem Hein Hogerzeil, Peter Valentine and Mike Waters
All three of the existing Audit Committee have agreed to serve as auditors. Peter Valentine, who was appointed an Honorary CAD in 2025, has accepted an invitation to join them. - Proposal to increase the annual subscription
The annual subscription has not increased since at least 2016. It is used to cover running expenses and charitable donations and the costs of the speakers’ lunches and gifts.
The proposal is for a modest increase in the CADS subscription to €65 per year from 2027. This is slightly below the rate of inflation since 2015. The expenses are very low but have certainly increased substantially in the past ten years. The proposal would provide CADS with a small buffer for expenses etc. and in due course allow further charitable donations.
- Charitable donations
CADS tries to make donations to charities relevant to its main objectives. The Board would be grateful for suggestions from the members for charities that could be considered in this respect. - Matters arising
- AOB and close
