CAMRA business debated in Dundee

This past weekend (5-7 April), Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) members travelled across the country to Dundee to debate a number of motions and elect the Campaign’s new board of directors.

 Abigail Newton, known for steering the organisation’s Volunteer Committee, was elected CAMRA’s vice-chairman. She will be joining new national chairman Nik Antona in steering the direction of the campaign, with Jackie Parker and Ian Packham officially stepping down as chairman and vice-chairman, respectively, at the close of Conference.

In her address to members, Jackie reflected on CAMRA’s achievements under her tenure as chairman over the past year, including appointing a new chief executive and deputy chief executive, producing an equality and diversity policy and developing CAMRA’s Information, Education and Training programme. She also paid tribute to the Games and Collectables Committee, which has donated more than £1.3 million since 1991.

Jackie told members: “Let’s not forget that the name of our organisation is CAMRA: the Campaign for Real Ale, and let’s continue to do just that – campaign for pubs, real ale, cider and perry. It’s what we do best!”

Joining the national executive are four new members: Gary Timmins, Catherine Tonry, Hubert Gieschen and Jonathan Kemp. Nick Boley and Ian Garner were re-elected for a second term.

This was also the first CAMRA Members’ Weekend for Chief Executive Tom Stainer since beginning his new role in January 2019. Giving his first Campaigns Report, Tom looked towards the future of the organisation, saying: “Just as the beer landscape has changed, so has CAMRA, and so must it continue. Nowhere is this better reflected than in our campaigning.

“We should not be afraid of welcoming bold new thinking and new ideas. Your ideas are welcomed and they are encouraged. If you think CAMRA needs to change, it will only change with people like you involved.”

Members also debated a number of motions over the weekend, on topics including campaigning against large pub-owning companies converting pubs from tenanted to managed, campaigning for the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing for England, and reducing the amount of single-use plastics used within CAMRA – all of which were carried.

Full list of motions debated at conference:

MOTION 1 – CARRIED

This Conference agrees to adopt the Internal Policy Document produced after the 2018 Conference subject to any amendments to policy decided at this Conference.

Proposed by the National Executive

MOTION 2 – CARRIED

This Conference agrees to adopt the External Policy Document produced after the 2018 Conference subject to any amendments to policy decided at this Conference.

Proposed by the National Executive

MOTION 3 – CARRIED

This Conference notes with concern the recent announcement by a large pub owning company of a mass conversion from tenanted to managed pubs. This Conference therefore instructs the National Executive to campaign against this practice and revise the relevant clauses of the External Policy Document.

Proposed by Pub Campaigns Committee

MOTION 4 – MOTION REMITTED

This Conference notes with alarm the recent decision by Dundee City Council to introduce a planning policy that bans new pubs outside its city centre, and instructs the National Executive to campaign against moves by any local authority to follow such a course.

Proposed by Pub Campaigns Committee

MOTION 4(a) – MOTION REMITTED

As a result of a recent financial loss, this Conference instructs the National Executive to immediately prohibit the use of single authorisation online bank accounts and to update Clause 3.14 of the Model Branch Constitution accordingly in recognition of current financial practice. Any Branches that have not changed from single authorisation to dual authorisation by 30 November 2019 are then to be wound up.

Proposed by Ken Davie and seconded by Phil Kempton

MOTION 5 – CARRIED

This Conference instructs the National Executive to produce British Cider Style Guidelines, similar to those adopted by the US Association of Cider Makers (USACM).

Proposed by Richard Withecombe and seconded by Cath Potter

MOTION 6 – DEFEATED

This Conference instructs the National Executive to adopt the following clear definitions for the marketing of cider:

• Real Cider (as defined by CAMRA)

• ‘Natural Cider’ (as in CAMRA’s definition of Real Cider but additionally has the same standards of ‘Natural Wine’ – wild yeasts, no additives and minimum intervention other than craft, story and terroir)

• ‘Authentic Cider’ (using the Small Independent Cidermakers’ Association (SICA) quality mark of cider made from at least 90% fresh apple juice).

Proposed by Richard Withecombe and seconded by Cath Potter

MOTION 7 – CARRIED

This Conference instructs the National Executive to campaign for the urgent introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing for England (with provisos on the maximum amount per unit).

Proposed by Tendring Branch

MOTION 8 – CARRIED

This Conference instructs the National Executive to campaign more robustly against the actions of many pub owning companies that are detrimental both to the nation’s pub stock and to the consumer, while also publicising examples of good practice among them.

Proposed by Pub Campaigns Committee

MOTION 9 – CARRIED

This Conference instructs the National Executive to replace Appendix 2 of the Internal Policy Document with the revised version of CAMRA’s definition of a pub, as adopted by Pub Campaigns Committee in November 2018.

Proposed by Pub Campaigns Committee

MOTION 10 – CARRIED

This Conference notes the worldwide concern about single use plastics and instructs the National Executive to reduce as far as reasonably practicable the amount of single use plastics used within CAMRA.

Proposed by Festivals Committee

MOTION 10(a) – DEFEATED

This Conference instructs the National Executive to require Branches to provide information in both WhatPub and the Good Beer Guide to alert drinkers as to which beers, if any, are dispensed using cask breathers in all pubs featured in both.

Proposed by Colin Valentine and seconded by Ben Parr-Ferris

MOTION 11 – DEFEATED

This Conference notes the increasing size of the membership and recognises the financial burden to CAMRA where members are admitted to beer festivals for free. This Conference instructs the National Executive to amend the relevant clauses of section 4 of the Internal Policy Document accordingly.

Proposed by Festivals Committee