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Meet the new President, President- Elect and the new-look board Annual subscriptions to rise to £122 a year 16 NMTF EGM & AGM REPORT Market Times • June 2016 JOHN DYSON, who trades at Beverley, Cottingham and Pocklington markets in East Yorkshire, has stepped up to become the new President of the NMTF. He takes over from Michael Nicholson, who was elected President-Elect, which means he will take over as President for a second term after John has completed his three years of service. There is also a newly-elected board of directors totalling eight, following the vote for the NMTF to become an incorporated body. This will replace the National Executive Board of 16 members. The new board comprises the President and President-Elect who will be joined as directors by Darren Old, John Perriton, Mostafa Rezvani, Mike Riley, Mimi Rivington and Lynn Turner- Pictured from left to right: Mostafa Rezvani, Mike Riley, President John Dyson, President-Elect Michael Nicholson, Lynn Turner-Yorke, John Perriton, Mimi Rivington and Darren Old Yorke, who were all elected to office. Joe Harrison, the NMTF’s Chief Executive, explained that the directors would serve for threeyear terms. There would be a vote at each annual general meeting when two directors would step down and put themselves up for re-election. This would encourage new candidates to stand and get involved, he said. ANNUAL subscriptions for NMTF membership are set to rise by £10 to £122 a year after delegates at the Annual General Meeting heard that the increase was needed to keep the organisation on a firm financial footing. The vote was overwhelmingly in favour of the motion with one vote against. Proposing the increase on behalf of the National Executive Board, board member Mostafa Rezvani (Stockport) said no one wanted an increase, but the NMTF was losing members at a rate of 180 a month in a shrinking industry. The NMTF needed to be in surplus, not in the red, so the increase was needed, he said. Susannah Youdan (Sheffield) said: “I think the NMTF should tell market traders about the work it does to support traders and the industry, then membership would go up. We can’t afford for the NMTF not to be viable. We need it to work. Executive Board member and Past President Eric Tweed (Coventry) said: “Traders must have employer’s liability insurance and the NMTF is the only organisation that has its members’ best interests at heart if and when they need help.” He said traders should set their subscription against tax as it was a business expense. Executive Board member and Past President Mimi Rivington (Nottingham) said: “The work the NMTF does is now at a pinnacle and we need this increase in subscriptions so that we don’t slowly sink into the mire. “We are the only trade organisation that fights tooth and nail for its members and doesn’t try to fleece them,” she added. Executive Board member and Immediate Past President Julien Lewis (Stockport) said: “Membership of the NMTF is £2.35 a week which is affordable.” And Ron Goodswen (Nottingham) said: “We need to get the message across about what the NMTF is about. What members pay is a small amount considering it gives us a voice in our industry at local council and government at national level.” NMTF Chief Executive Joe Harrison said that, before last year, there had not been a rise in subscriptions for three years. Efforts were being made to halt the decline in membership by ringing members who did not renew their membership and texting members to remind them their renewal date was approaching. The field support officers were also recruiting new members at specialist food and other events. Motion Executive Board That as from the 1st July 2016, the NMTF’s basic subscription under Rule 24 (1) shall be £122 per annum and pro rata for dual, triple and quadruple memberships Passed: 31 for, 1 against As a result of the decision to become a limited company from July 1st, there is a legal obligation on all NMTF members to join the new organisation. Though necessary, this is no more than a formality. That being the case the NMTF will take it that all its members will want to be part of the company unless Head Office receives a contrary communication before that date from any individuals, either by post or email.


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