Branch Meeting..

System
System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
edited June 18 in AAT member discussion
Anybody here going to the West Surrey Branch meeting on Tuesday?

I went to my first branch meeting in East Surrey last month and really enjoyed it. Hopefully West Surrey will be just as good.

Any opinions on branch meetings generally? Good, bad, ugly?

Comments

  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Branch Meeting..

    I've only managed to get to one (Oct 2005) in Bournemouth. It was my first one and started off OK - everyone was very friendly.

    Unfortunately the topic was the changes to CIS and the two speakers did not know enough to deal with the awkward questions they were being asked.

    I remember in particular they stated that there would be no delay in implementing the changes. Shortly afterwards it was announced that it would be put back 12 months!

    My problem with these meetings is the timing. They are at a central location, but unless you work close by you can't get there in time.

    I need to travel almost 40 miles for mine, so unless it's on a topic I am desperate to know about, I won't go.

    :roll:
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Branch Meeting..

    I went to one in Bournemouth a few weeks ago. It was supposed to be on Fraud and Forensic Accounting and it wasnt until we had been sat waiting for the meeting to start for 3/4 hour that they told us they hadn't been able to book the speaker.

    I'd also emailed to confirm I would be attended but didn't hear back from them to say it had been cancelled.

    My round journey was over 60 miles and I'd finished work early to go, so I wasnt impressed and won't be rushing to another meeting.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Branch Meeting..

    Oh dear..

    I guess it is luck of the draw as to how well the meetings are organised or not..

    The East Surrey branch meeting was well-organised, well-attended, had an excellent speaker, free buffet, free drink in the bar afterwards (which is always nice!).

    I'll let you know if West Surrey lives up to the same standards.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Branch Meeting..

    I might go to the West Surrey meeting. I must have fallen off the mailing list somehow - I didn't know it was on.
    Is at at the Madalay Hotel - 7.30 as usual?

  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Branch Meeting..

    Yep!

    Hopefully I'll see you there.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Branch Meeting..

    I've been to most of the Newcastle meetings over the last 18 months and there're quite good a lot of the time.
    It's quite often the same speakers but they cover a range of topics & know what they're talking about. The worst one was was when they got in someone from HMRC to show us how to use their online services - she went through the whole process step by boring step, handed out massive chunky notes and then the next day was the re-launch of their website so everything had changed!! what a waste of everyone's time...
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Branch Meeting..

    I went to the West Surrey branch meeting last night - did anyone else go?

    Speaker was pretty good - Tim Buss. 1.5 hours of VAT update. A lot of it was revision but it was good to go over the partial-exemption rules again and very interesting to hear some of the practical questions that were raised.

    I have to say the East Surrey meeting I attended last month was more fun, but in both cases you can't beat free food and free CPD!

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