Held in R4, Pembroke College.
Present: Ben, Jon, Micheal, Brian.
Apologies: Granny

1. There are cakes: Ben says that if they're eclairs, he won't have one, because she might object. Remarkably, nobody smites him with a stout stick for this.
   


2. We discuss how to gracefully get rid of someone, and what to do if they try and bribe you. No useful conclusions beyond the fair-but-firm are reached.
   


3. Ben mistakes the word 'mail' as used by Micheal.
   


4. The conversation passes through geek-talk about Tim Hardingham (we liked Lettuce better), Pratchett (we are in favour, especially of 'Good Omens', though obviously it's not Pooh) and tea. Which we all like.
   


5. Since there are no minutes available for the meeting last week, we elect to delve into the archives. Micheal randomly chooses the date of the 15/02/96, and the closest we have is the 10/02/96, which turns out to be, "In Which Jon's Brother First Encounters Poohsoc and Hypnotises Helen".
   


6. Jon in a fit of nostalgia finds pictures of Tor, and exclaims when he hears the name, "Craig! I'd forgotten Craig!"
   


7. "We were at that stage unconstitutional," declares Jon. By this, he explains, he means that the Constitution had been suspended as we were bored with it, and this was why Jon put Clause XLIV in on the redraft.
   


8. We suddenly think we've discovered Ed Armstrong's connection to Poohsticks, but it turns out to be one Ed Attenborough, ex-Etonian and erstwhile housemate of Jon's, now gossip columnist for the Standard. So so much for that.
   


9. Ben owns to an 'Oo-er' which Jon was pretty sure wasn't in the minutes.
   


10. Jon lends Micheal a book the cover of which seemingly bears two angels holding a cherry-cake in the air.
    


11. The very first Constitution, replete with Zak's 'bits of the Third Reich' style, is found and laughed at indulgently.
    


12. We review things that need to be brought up at General Meeting with a view to incorporation in the next rework of the Constitution. Jon argues with almost all of them but Ben points out that he can do that at the General. The points are:
    

    
    

    (a)

    Under-James-ship (Jon thinks this is already provided for in the Constitution, but admits that the office has never been rescinded and that therefore it's vacant and needs filling)
    
    

    (b)

    Clause V (still problematic because of the University connection requirement, but also because of the need for some restrictions: Jon points out that the point of Honorary Membership is for cases like this where ordinary membership can't or shouldn't be granted but we'd like them to turn up as well; at least, that's one of the points of it... )
    
    

    (c)

    that memberships granted under Clause V should not need renegotiation at the next Pooh Levy, but should be treated as those of Clause IV; this may require a new clause dealing specifically with renewal of membership.
    
    

    (d)

    are Honorary Members to be reckoned as part of the quorum?
    
    

    (e)

    currently we are in breach of Clause VI by reckoning membership to the next Pooh Levy when it states that: "Membership is awarded for one year or until the next Annual General Meeting, whichever be the sooner." (Jon argues that in this case rather than bending the Constitution to our practice, perhaps we should just start obeying it. This would however require an idea of who is a member and for how long they have been, and this in turn would require either a Treasurer who turns up, which we haven't had for three or four years, or that the Secretary resume the old Membership Secretary's duties, or that that post be reinstated, with all the usual kerfuffle over people reliably turning up (which, someone points out, is clearly hardly necessary for the Secretaryship...)This needs to be made more clear in the Constitution, as per next item).
    
    

    (f)

    that responsibility for recording memberships should be assigned to an office in the Constitution.
    
    

    (g)

    that the quorum of Clause XLI should be defined so as to be meaningful.
    
    

    (h)

    that the Under-Secretary is supposed to keep duplicate copies of the minutes, and that this is unworkable and has not been done in the memory of any member but the Lady Foundress.
    
    

    (i)

    that the Toast (Clause XLVII) be extended to include more recent illustrious members

    
    
Other respects in which we are in breach are in reading the minutes before the Reading, contrary to Clause XLV, and in that we spend without two Committee members, one being the Treasurer, approving such expense, contrary to Clause LI. On both these we agree to conform to the Constitution in future. Meanwhile, we update the on-line copy to reflect the changes made at the last AGM, which was only nearly a year ago...


13. Brian says that he needs blue food colouring inside the next half-hour.
    


14. It is generally agreed that we need to start recording the membership better, and Jon undertakes to try and work out how many members we have from the cash-book, and who they are from memory and imagination.
    


15. Brian Brians about the archive box, which, he says, isn't.
    


16. There is nothing significant about the number seventeen.
    


17. The Reading is, "The Old Sailor"; how apt. [Can't remember why - Ed.]
    


18. Brian makes it up as he goes along.
    


19. We discuss how to hack Dave's computer.
    


20. Vote to close: F., 2, Ag., 2, Abs., 0; hung. The membership moves off to find a visitor in Trough to decide the motion, and they decide for/against*, so the Meeting is closed./remains open!*
    

*The Secretary was unable to find out the result of this search, and so has resorted to the old favourite, 'delete as applicable'.

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