Pre-Annual General Meeting Information • Mar 27, 2023
Pre-Annual General Meeting Information
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THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. If you are in any doubt as to the action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own independent financial advice from your stockbroker, solicitor, accountant, bank manager or other independent professional adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 if you are in the United Kingdom or, if not, from another appropriately authorised independent professional adviser in your own jurisdiction.
If you have sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of all your shares in Gresham House Renewable Energy VCT 1 plc (the "Company"), please pass this document and the accompanying Form of Proxy to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom you made the sale, transfer or disposal for transmission to the purchaser or transferee, except that such documents should not be sent to any jurisdiction under any circumstances where to do so might constitute a violation of local securities laws and regulations. If you have sold or transferred or otherwise disposed of only part of your holding of shares in the Company, you should retain this document and the accompanying Form of Proxy and consult the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom you made the sale, transfer or disposal.
(Incorporated and registered in England and Wales with registered number 07378392)
Please find enclosed the notice of the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held on Thursday, 27 April 2023 at 11.00 a.m. at the offices of JTC (UK) Limited, The Scalpel, 18th Floor, 52 Lime Street, London EC3M 7AF (the "Annual General Meeting" or "AGM").
Shareholders are encouraged to vote on the resolutions to be proposed at the AGM. Shareholders who hold their shares through an investment platform or other nominee service are encouraged to contact their investment platform provider or nominee as soon as possible to arrange for votes to be lodged on their behalf.
You may submit your proxy vote electronically using the Share Portal service at www.signalshares.com. Proxy votes lodged through the online facility must be received by the Registrar no later than 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 25 April 2023. Shareholders will need to use the unique personal identification Investor Code ("IVC") printed on your share certificate.
Alternatively, the form of proxy accompanying this document may be completed and delivered, in accordance with the instructions printed on it, to the Company's Registrar Link Group at 10th Floor, Central Square, 29 Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 4DL no later than 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 25 April 2023.
Dear Shareholder
Further to the announcement made on 17 March 2023, I am pleased to invite you to our twelfth Annual General Meeting. The AGM will be held at 11.00 a.m. on Thursday, 27 April 2023 at the offices of JTC (UK) Limited, The Scalpel, 18th Floor, 52 Lime Street, London EC3M 7AF.
The Notice of the Annual General Meeting is set out on pages 6 to 10 of this document (the 'Notice'). Further details of each of the resolutions to be proposed at the AGM are set out on pages 4 and 5 of this document. I also refer you to the Annual Report & Financial Statements for the year ended 30 September 2022 (the "Annual Report"). The Annual Report is available on the Company's website at https://greshamhouse.com/real-assets/newenergy/gresham-house-renewable-energy-vct-1-plc/ and copies have been sent to those shareholders that elected to receive a hard copy.
Shareholders are invited to attend the Company's AGM in person and those shareholders who are unable to attend the AGM in person are encouraged to raise any questions in advance via email at [email protected] or by contacting Gresham House Investor Relations by telephone on 020 3837 6270 by no later than 11.00 a.m. on Friday, 21 April 2023. The Company will endeavour to publish responses to all questions received on its website after the AGM. Please note that the Company will not answer questions if (a) to do so would involve the disclosure of confidential information or (b) it is undesirable or not considered by the Board to be in the best interests of the Company or shareholders to do so.
The Investment Adviser will deliver a presentation at the AGM, with the slides being made available on the Company's website shortly afterwards. The Board and representatives from the Investment Adviser will be present at the AGM to answer any questions.
If there are any changes to the arrangements for the AGM as set out in the Notice, the Company will update shareholders via the Company's website, and, if appropriate, through an announcement on the London Stock Exchange.
If you would like to vote on the resolutions but will not be attending the AGM in person, you may appoint a proxy: (1) by completing, signing and returning the enclosed Form of Proxy in accordance with the instructions printed thereon; or
(2) electronically at www.signalshares.com (details of how to appoint a proxy this way are set out on page 8 of this document).
Alternatively, if you hold your shares in CREST, you can appoint a proxy via the CREST Proxy Voting Service.
All proxy appointments should be submitted as soon as possible and in any event must be received by the Registrar no later than 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 25 April 2023. Shareholders who hold their shares through an investment platform or other nominee service are encouraged to contact their investment platform provider or nominee as soon as possible regarding the process for voting.
Further hard copy Forms of Proxy can be requested by contacting the Registrar on 0371 664 0300 or via email at [email protected]. Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the United Kingdom will be charged at the applicable international rate. Lines are open between 9.00 a.m. – 5.30 p.m., Monday to Friday excluding public holidays in England and Wales.
Your Directors are of the opinion that all resolutions which are to be proposed at the AGM are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole and therefore unanimously recommend to shareholders that they vote in favour of each of the resolutions, as the Directors intend to do in respect of any shares which they beneficially own.
Yours faithfully Gill Nott Chairman 27 March 2023
The information set out below is an explanation of the business to be considered at the Annual General Meeting to be held on Thursday, 27 April 2023 at 11.00 a.m. at the offices of JTC (UK) Limited, The Scalpel, 18th Floor, 52 Lime Street, London EC3M 7AF.
The Directors are required to present the Strategic report, Directors' report, Auditor's report and the financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2022 to the meeting. These are contained in the Company's Annual Report.
Under section 420 of the Companies Act 2006 (the "Act"), the Directors must prepare an annual report detailing the remuneration of the Directors and a statement by the chair of the remuneration committee (together, the "Directors' Remuneration Report"). The Act also requires that a resolution be put to shareholders each year for their approval of that report. The Directors' Remuneration Report can be found on pages 39 to 41 of the Annual Report. Resolution 2 is an advisory vote only and therefore is not binding.
Shareholder approval of the Directors' Remuneration Policy is required every three years. A binding ordinary resolution approving the Directors' Remuneration Policy was last approved by shareholders at the AGM held on 25 June 2020 and it is therefore being submitted for shareholder approval at the forthcoming AGM. There are no proposed changes to the Remuneration Policy. The Policy is set out on page 39 of the Annual Report.
At each general meeting at which the Company's accounts are presented to its members, the Company is required to re-appoint an auditor to serve until the next such meeting. The Board, on the recommendation of the Audit Committee, recommends the appointment of BDO LLP and resolution 4 seeks shareholder authority for this reappointment. Resolution 5 gives authority to the Directors to determine the auditor's remuneration.
The Articles of Association of the Company require that each Director retires by rotation every three years and being eligible, offer themselves for reelection. Accordingly, David Hunter will retire and being eligible, offer himself for re-election at the AGM.
The Articles of Association of the Company also require that at the next AGM following a Director's first appointment, such Director will retire from office. Accordingly, Giles Clark will retire and being eligible, offer himself for election at the AGM.
The Board confirms that the performance of both of the Directors seeking re-election continues to be effective and each Director demonstrates commitment to the role. The Board believes that it is therefore in the best interests of shareholders that each of these Directors be re-elected.
The Directors also believe that the Board includes an appropriate balance of skills, experience and knowledge. Full biographies of all the Directors are set out on page 3 of the Annual Report.
Under the Act and the Companies (Reduction of Share Capital) Order 2008, a company may, with the sanction of a special resolution of its shareholders and the confirmation of the Court, reduce its existing share capital and apply the sums resulting from such reduction to, among other things, create distributable reserves. Resolution 8 is a special resolution to cancel the entire amount standing to the credit of both the Company's share premium account and the Company's capital redemption reserve as at the date the relevant Court order is made.
Subject to confirmation by the High Court of Justice in London and the reduction of capital taking effect, the amounts so cancelled will be credited to the Company's distributable reserves. This will improve the Company's distributable reserves position and will provide the Company with flexibility to support, amongst other things, share buy-backs and the payment of dividends or other distributions to shareholders in the future.
Under the Act, subject to certain exceptions, the notice period required for all general meetings of the Company is 21 clear days. AGMs will always be held on at least 21 clear days' notice, but shareholders can approve a shorter notice period for other general meetings.
The Board believes that it is in the best interests of shareholders of the Company for the Board to have the ability to call meetings on no less than 14 clear days' notice should an urgent matter arise. The Board is therefore proposing resolution 9 to approve the reduction in the minimum notice period from 21 clear days to 14 clear days for all general meetings other than AGMs. The Directors do not intend to use less than 21 clear days' notice unless the urgency of the matter merits such a reduced notice period. In order to call a general meeting on less than 21 clear days' notice the Company must make a means of electronic voting available to all shareholders for that meeting.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the twelfth Annual General Meeting of Gresham House Renewable Energy VCT 1 plc (the "Company") will be held at 11.00 a.m. on Thursday, 27 April 2023 at the offices of JTC (UK) Limited, The Scalpel, 18th Floor, 52 Lime Street, London EC3M 7AF (the "Annual General Meeting" or "AGM") for the transaction of the following business.
As Ordinary Business, to consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolutions which will be proposed as ordinary resolutions:
As Special Business, to consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolutions which will be proposed as special resolutions:
By order of the Board
JTC (UK) Limited Company Secretary Gresham House Renewable Energy VCT 1 plc Registered office: The Scalpel, 18th Floor 52 Lime Street London EC3M 7AF
Dated: 27 March 2023
The revocation notice must be received by the Registrar not less than 48 hours (excluding non-working days and public holidays in England and Wales) before the time appointed for holding the meeting or any adjourned meeting.
to their CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s), who will be able to take the appropriate action on their behalf. In order for a proxy appointment made by means of CREST to be valid, the appropriate CREST message (a "CREST Proxy Instruction") must be properly authenticated in accordance with Euroclear UK & International Limited's ("EUI") specifications and must contain the information required for such instructions, as described in the CREST Manual. The message, regardless of whether it constitutes the appointment of a proxy or is an amendment to the instruction given to a previously appointed proxy must, in order to be valid, be transmitted so as to be received by the Company's Registrar (ID: RA10) no later than 48 hours (excluding non-working days) before the time of the meeting or any adjournment thereof. For this purpose, the time of receipt will be taken to be the time (as determined by the timestamp applied to the message by the CREST Applications Host) from which the Company's Registrar is able to retrieve the message by enquiry to CREST in the manner prescribed by CREST.
CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers should note that EUI does not make available special procedures in CREST for any particular messages. Normal system timings and limitations will therefore apply in relation to the input of CREST Proxy Instructions. It is the responsibility of the CREST member concerned to take (or, if the CREST member is a CREST personal member or sponsored member or has appointed a voting service provider(s), to procure that his/her CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s) take(s)) such action as shall be necessary to ensure that a message is transmitted by means of the CREST system by any particular time.
In this connection, CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers are referred, in particular, to those sections of the CREST Manual concerning practical limitations of the CREST system and timings. The Company may treat as invalid a CREST Proxy Instruction in the circumstances set out in Regulation 35(5)(a) of the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001.
(i) A member may appoint more than one proxy, provided each proxy is appointed to exercise rights attached to different shares. Members may not appoint more than one proxy to exercise rights attached to any one share. The return of a completed proxy form or other instrument of proxy will not prevent you attending the meeting and voting in person if you wish. The right to appoint a proxy does not apply to persons whose shares are held on their behalf by another person and who have been nominated to enjoy information rights in respect of the Company in accordance with Section 146 of the Act ("Nominated Persons"). Nominated Persons may have a right under an agreement with a member of the Company who has nominated the Nominated Person to have information rights (a "Relevant Shareholder") to be appointed (or to have someone else appointed) as a proxy. Alternatively, if Nominated Persons do not have such a right, or do not wish to exercise it, they may have a right under such an agreement to give instructions to the Relevant Shareholder as to the exercise of voting rights. The main point of contact in terms of a Nominated Person's investment in the Company remains the Relevant Shareholder (or, perhaps, the Nominated Person's custodian or broker) and a Nominated Person should continue to contact them (and not the Company) regarding any changes or queries relating to the Nominated Person's personal details and interest in the Company (including any administrative matters). The only exception to this is where the Company expressly requests a response from the Nominated Person.
(j) A company which is a member can appoint one or more corporate representatives who may exercise, on its behalf, all its powers as a member provided that no more than one corporate representative exercises powers in respect of the same share.
For use at the Annual General Meeting of the above-named Company to be held at 11.00 a.m. on 27 April 2023 at the offices of JTC (UK) Limited, The Scalpel, 18th Floor, 52 Lime Street, London EC3M 7AF and at any adjournment thereof (the "Annual General Meeting" or "AGM").
| I/We*(in BLOCK CAPITALS) ……………………………………………………………….……………………….… |
|---|
| of .……………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………………… |
| being the holder(s)* of Ordinary Shares of 0.1p each/ A Shares of 0.1p each in the above-named Company, hereby appoint the Chairman of the meeting (see Note 2) |
| or |
| ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… | ||
|---|---|---|
| of | ||
| .……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………… |
as my/our* proxy to exercise my/our* rights in respect of the aforementioned shares to attend, speak and vote on my/our* behalf at the AGM or at any adjournment thereof.
I/We* desire to vote on the resolutions as indicated in the appropriate column below.
Please indicate with an "X" in the appropriate box opposite each resolution how you wish your vote to be cast.
| Details of the resolutions are set out in the Notice of the Annual General Meeting. | |
|---|---|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- |
| ORDINARY BUSINESS | FOR | AGAINST | WITHELD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. To receive and adopt the Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 | |||
| September 2022 together with the report of the Auditor thereon. | |||
| 2. To receive and approve the Directors' Remuneration Report. | |||
| 3. To approve the Directors' Remuneration Policy. | |||
| 4. To re-appoint BDO LLP as the Company's auditor to hold office from the | |||
| conclusion of the annual general meeting until the conclusion of the next | |||
| annual general meeting at which accounts are laid before the Company. | |||
| 5. To authorise the Directors to determine the auditor's remuneration. | |||
| 6. To re-elect David Hunter as a Director. | |||
| 7. To elect Giles Clark as a Director. | |||
| SPECIAL BUSINESS | |||
| 8. That the share capital of the Company be reduced by cancelling the | |||
| entire amounts standing to the credit of the Company's share premium | |||
| account and capital redemption reserve as at the date the order is made | |||
| confirming such cancellations by the High Court. | |||
| 9. That a general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, may be | |||
| called on not less than 14 clear days' notice provided that this authority | |||
| shall expire at the conclusion of the Company's next annual general | |||
| meeting. |
| Signature(s)*………………… | Date …………………… |
|---|---|
| * Delete as appropriate |
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