AGM Report

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2021

The BMF AGM took place on 9th October 2021, at 11am. Held on Zoom for the second time, it was a great success with members taking part from both clubs and as individuals.

Regular business was dealt with briskly before moving on to wide-ranging discussions on a number of topics. The meeting heard reports from the Chair, Jim Freeman, and fellow Directors: Howard Anderson, Finance Peter Laidlaw, Membership Services Sheonagh Ravensdale, Communications Anna Zee, Political & Technical Services

The meeting was hosted by Helen Hancock, the BMF’s Administrator, who managed the polls and voting. Jim Freeman was re-elected as Chair with 100% of the votes cast on a Zoom poll. Sheonagh Ravensdale was confirmed as the Communications Director, also with 100% of the poll.

BMF Councillors and Regional Chairs and the Chair of the National and One Make Clubs (NaOMC) forum were carried forward to 2022, the meeting ratifying en bloc, as at the 2020 AGM, due to the pandemic.

The meeting also approved the accounts for BMF (Enterprises) Ltd for 2020.

Key Topics Discussed

• Government Consultations, including ‘The Future of Transport’ programme, ‘Regulatory Sandboxes’ and ‘Zero Emission Vehicles’. • National Motorcyclists Council (NMC), building relations with government, with the overall objective of full motorcyclist inclusion in the Government Transport Strategy, involving the Department for Transport (DfT), Home Office and Cabinet Office. The review of Testing and Training, with the objective of streamlining the process, making it easier to access licences, for riders. • De-carbonising transport; its effects on motorcycling, both with new and existing vehicles, to 2035 and beyond. • Changes in BMF Communications strategy and their implementation. • BMF’s financial situation and future. • Successful renewal of the BMF’s events programme, both attended externally, and the BMF’s own. After a difficult 18 months (excepting the successful organisation of the National Road Rally in 2020 and 2021) it was a pleasure to run the Dambuster event for the first time since 2019. The maximum turnout reflected the pent-up demand after the pandemic lock-downs, with a carefully managed event, socially distanced with all attending testing negative beforehand. • Successful ongoing partnership with Bikesure. • Expanding partnership with Thorneycroft Solicitors, who provide the BMF Legal Line, also supporting road safety organisations. • Introduction of the BMF Breakdown recovery scheme as a significant member benefit. • Continued growth of the BMF Blue Riband training scheme, with over 27 centres across the country, now a part of the DVSA Enhanced Rider scheme. The Blue Riband scheme is also starting to be approved by the National Association of Blood Bikes in some regions, ie, NWBB, Lincoln BB, with other centres, such as NI’s Steve Mills, still seeking accreditation with their local NABB branch.

BMF Objectives

The Chair, Jim Freeman, stressed that the BMF was committed to two long-term objectives for the membership:

• To enable riders of ICE bikes to be able to use them for as long as possible, recognising that they represent the lowest carbon input of any powered vehicle type currently registered for road use, particularly in regard to ‘sunk cost’ at the manufacturing stage. • That the future needs to be embraced, that alternative, zero tailpipe emission bikes are here to stay. That the infrastructure and vehicle cost issues also need addressing. And that however much talk of WCPT (Walking, Cycling, Public Transport) was bandied about by politicians and enthusiasts, the BMF supports and will defend its members' right to use PTWs.

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the BMF Management Team and the BMF’s Administrator, proposed by the Vincent-HRD Owner’s Club’s Tim Kirker, carried unanimously. The Chair closed the meeting at 2.30pm, after announcing the 8th October 2022 as the next AGM, venue to be confirmed.