Synopsis of the Minutes of the Management Council meeting held on Saturday 19 May 2007 at the Sheraton Hotel Heathrow

The Trustees met for their bi-monthly meeting on Saturday 19 May 2007 at 10.00 am at the Sheraton Hotel, Heathrow.

Firstly the Trustees heard a presentation by the Information Manager on the work of the department and the proposals for the Welfare Co-ordinator role. The Trustees then heard a presentation by staff member Jackie Ball on the proposed new look for our literature and publications. It was acknowledged that no new image would suit everybody but the new proposals, which will be launched at the AGM on 22 September, were modern and most appropriate for our work in the 21st Century. The Trustees approved the new look.

Trustees then considered the 2006 draft accounts which for the second year showed a sparkling set of results with an operating surplus of £184,000, a total net surplus for the year of over £650,000 and total expenditure on our charitable activities of over £625,000. After many comments and amendments the accounts were approved subject to alteration.

The format of the 2007 AGM was then discussed and the various forums agreed to. Ros Sinclair again agreed to host and facilitate an open discussion forum for those not attending specific forums.

In recent years Trustees have given a grant to enable people with polio who are ventilator dependent to have a week's respite care at Refresh, a respite home on the south coast. After discussion it was agreed that a further grant would be available but that it would be allocated on an individual basis to ensure that the money reaches those members with polio who most need it.

Following an international conference in Lake Como there has been a drive to establish a European Polio Union which will be a union of all the different polio and post polio groups operating throughout Europe. It was evident from the Lake Como conference that the British Polio Fellowship is far and away the biggest group in Europe and is, as far as we know, the only one that has paid staff and a membership in thousands. After discussion it was agreed that this is an initiative that we must be involved with for the benefit of our members and the Chief Executive was tasked with driving this forward.

The Trustees then heard a report on the recent meeting of the Expert Panel and those actions that had been taken. The panel is near to deciding on a definition of Post Polio Syndrome and from that will flow a Patient Care Pathway project and hopefully from that will flow ideas for research that needs to be funded.

The question of the Indoor Games was then discussed as the Indoor Games Committee would like to move the Games to a hotel in Leicester which has much better facilities that the one in Walsall, but unfortunately at a higher cost. After discussion it was agreed that the Games Committee could move the Games to Leicester and that further applications for funding would be made to try and fund the cost difference but also each competitor would have to pay an additional £10.00 contribution.

The Trustees then heard the finance report from the Treasurer and reports from the Chief Executive, the Information Manager and from the Membership and Development Manager.

Under 'Any Other Business' the Trustees were very pleased to give authority for a new Group to be formed based in Chester.

The Trustees then adjourned until their next meeting on 21 July 2007 at the MS Society in London.