SOUTHERN PACIFIC FINANCING 04-A PLC - Notice of Adjourned Meetings
of the Noteholders
SOUTHERN PACIFIC FINANCING 04-A PLC (the "Issuer")
4th Floor
40 Dukes Place
London
EC3A 7NH
(a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales
with registered number 5018816)
NOTICE OF ADJOURNED MEETINGS OF THE HOLDERS (the "Noteholders")
of those of the
£305,200,000 Class A Mortgage Backed Floating Rate Notes due 2042
(ISIN: XS0190203124 Common Code: 019020312)
(with Detachable A Coupons (ISIN: XS0190204106 Common Code: 019020410)
(The "Class A Notes")
£21,000,000 Class B Mortgage Backed Floating Rate Notes due 2042
(ISIN: XS0190204445 Common Code: 019020444)
(The "Class B Notes")
£11,550,000 Class C Mortgage Backed Floating Rate Notes due 2042
(ISIN: XS0190205178 Common Code: 019020517)
(The "Class C Notes")
£8,750,000 Class D Mortgage Backed Floating Rate Notes due 2042
(ISIN: XS0190205681 Common Code: 019020568)
(The "Class D Notes")
£3,500,000 Class E Mortgage Backed Floating Rate Notes due 2042
(ISIN: XS0190206143 Common Code: 019020614)
(The "Class E Notes")
together referred to as the "Notes".
of the Issuer presently outstanding
THIS NOTICE 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 financial and legal advice
immediately from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor,
accountant or other financial adviser authorised under the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (if you are in the
United Kingdom), or from another
appropriately authorised independent financial or legal
adviser.
If you have recently sold or otherwise transferred your entire
holding(s) of Notes referred to below, you should immediately
forward this document to the purchaser or transferee or to the
stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer
was effected for transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
Capitalised terms used in this Notice and not specifically
defined in this Notice will bear the same meaning as in the Master
Definitions Schedule dated 28 April
2004 between, amongst others, the Issuer and the Trustee, as
amended, restated, supplemented, modified or otherwise varied from
time to time (the " Master Definitions Schedule").
References in this Notice to a "Class of Notes" shall be deemed
to be a reference to the Class A Notes, the Class B Notes, the
Class C Notes, the Class D Notes or the Class E Notes, as the case
may be, and accordingly this Notice is convening separate meetings
of the holders of the Notes of each Class, details of which are
contained herein.
In this Notice, the terms "Noteholder", "holder" or "holders"
means a holder or holders of Notes and/or beneficial interests in
the Notes, as the context may require.
The Trustee has not been involved in the formulation of the
Proposal (further outlined at Paragraph 2 below) and, in accordance
with normal practice, the Trustee expresses no opinion on the
merits of the Proposal or the Extraordinary Resolution (as defined
herein) and no opinion on whether Noteholders would be acting in
their best interests voting for or against the Proposal or the
Extraordinary Resolution but on the basis of the information
contained in this Notice has authorised it to be stated that it has
no objection to the Extraordinary Resolution being submitted to
Noteholders for their consideration. The Trustee is not responsible
for the accuracy, completeness, validity or correctness of the
statements made in this Notice or omissions therefrom. Nothing in
this Notice should be construed as a recommendation to Noteholders
from the Trustee to vote in favour of, or against, the Proposal or
the Extraordinary Resolution. The Trustee recommends that
Noteholders take their own independent professional advice on the
merits and the consequences of voting in favour of, or against, the
Extraordinary Resolution and the Proposal.
No person has been authorised to make any recommendation on
behalf of the Issuer, the Trustee or the Principal Paying Agent as
to whether or how the Noteholders should vote pursuant to the
Proposal. No person has been authorised to give any information, or
to make any representation in connection therewith, other than
those contained herein. If made or given, such recommendation or
any such information or representation must not be relied upon as
having been authorised by the Issuer, the Trustee or the Principal
Paying Agent.
This Notice is issued and directed only to the Noteholders and
no other person shall, or is entitled to, rely or act on, or be
able to rely or act on, its contents.
Each person receiving this Notice must make its own analysis and
investigation regarding the Proposal and make its own voting
decision, with particular reference to its own investment
objectives and experience, and any other factors which may be
relevant to it in connection with such voting decision. If such
person is in any doubt about any aspect of the Proposal and/or the
action it should take, it should consult its professional
advisers.
Noteholders should refer to section 7 (VOTING AND QUORUM) of
this Notice for details concerning methods of voting in respect of
the Extraordinary Resolution and Proposal described in this
Notice.
___
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the Noteholders that, at respective
Meetings of the holders of the Class A Notes and the Class D Notes
convened by the Notice to Noteholders dated 18 December 2012 (the "Notice of Meetings") and
held on 16 January 2013, the
Extraordinary Resolution (as set out in the Notice of Meetings) was
duly passed by the holders of the Class A Notes and the Class D
Notes.
NOTICE IS HEREBY ALSO GIVEN that the separate meetings of the
holders of the Class B Notes, the Class C Notes and the Class E
Notes convened by the Issuer for 16 January
2013 by the Notice of Meetings were each adjourned through a
lack of quorum and that separate adjourned Meetings of the holders
of the Class B Notes, the Class C Notes and the Class E Notes
convened by the the Issuer will be held at the offices of Reed
Smith LLP at The Broadgate Tower, 20 Primrose Street, London on 1 February
2013 at 10:15 a.m. (in respect
of the Class B Notes), at 10:20 a.m.
(in respect of the Class C Notes) and at 10:25 a.m. (in respect of the Class E Notes) (or,
in each case, as soon after such time as the previous Meeting
convened by this Notice shall have been concluded and in each case
London time), for the purpose of
considering and, if thought fit, passing the resolution set out
below which will be proposed at each Meeting as an Extraordinary
Resolution in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2 of the
Trust Deed dated 28 April 2004 as
amended, restated, supplemented, modified or otherwise varied from
time to time (the "Trust Deed") constituting the Notes and made
between the Issuer and Capita IRG Trustees Limited (the "Trustee")
as trustee for the Noteholders.
If within 15 minutes (or such longer period not exceeding 30
minutes as the Chairman of the relevant adjourned Meeting may
decide) after the time arranged for each adjourned Meeting, a
quorum is not present, the relevant adjourned Meeting shall be
dissolved by the Chairman (with the approval of the Trustee) in
accordance with the terms of the Trust Deed.
1. BACKGROUND TO THE PROPOSED BARCLAYS RATINGS AMENDMENTs (GIC
PROVIDER)
1.1 Barclays Bank plc ("Barclays") acts as GIC Provider under the
Guaranteed Investment Contract made between, amongst others, the
Issuer, the Trustee and Barclays and dated 28 April 2004.
1.2 S&P downgraded the short-term rating of Barclays from A1+ to A1 on 29
November 2011 (the "Barclays/S&P Downgrade") and Fitch downgraded the
short-term rating of Barclays from F1+ to F1 on 15 December 2011 (the "
Barclays/Fitch Downgrade" and, together with the Barclays/S&P
Downgrade, the "Barclays Downgrades"). The Issuer received notification
of the S&P Downgrade on 5 December 2011 (the "Barclays/S&P Notification
") and received notification of the Fitch Downgrade on 19 December 2011
(the "Barclays/Fitch Notification"). As a result of the Barclays
Downgrades, Barclays no longer has the minimum required rating required
of a GIC Provider under the Cash/Bond Administration Agreement.
1.3 In accordance with clause 5.2(a) of the Cash/Bond Administration
Agreement and following the Barclays Downgrades:
"the Cash/Bond Administrator will give written notice thereof to
the Rating Agencies, the Mortgage Administrator and the Trustee,
and the Cash/Bond Administrator and the Issuer will, as soon as
practicable but in any event within one month of such notice or
such longer period as the Trustee may agree (having given notice
thereof to the Rating Agencies), procure the transfer of the
relevant Bank Account to another Authorised Institution approved in
writing by the Trustee in respect of which such criteria are
satisfied or, in the event that such criteria are not satisfied in
respect of any Authorised Institution, to an Authorised Institution
in respect of which the relevant criteria (in the opinion of each
of the Rating Agencies, failing which the Trustee) are closest to
being satisfied."
1.4 In accordance with clause 1.4 of the Guaranteed Investment
Contract:
"Qualifying Entity" means at any time a person:
(a) which is an Authorised Institution at that time;
(b) which is at that time a bank within the meaning of that term
in section 840A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 and is
a bank for the purposes of section 349 of that Act; and
(c) whose short term unsecured, unsubordinated and unguaranteed
debt is at that time rated at least A-1 + by S&P, and at least
F1+ by Fitch or, with the consent of each of the Rating Agencies,
at least the equivalent rating from another internationally
recognised rating agency at any time."
1.5 Since the Barclays/S&P Notification, the Cash/Bond Administrator has
been in discussions with the only two banks which satisfied the minimum
rating requirement at the time of the S&P Notification and could
provide the necessary range of banking services (including direct debit
services) for the transaction. The Issuer has been informed by the Cash
/Bond Administrator that one of such banks has confirmed to the Cash/
Bond Administrator that it is not willing to take on the role as GIC
Provider (the "Barclays Roles") and the other has since been downgraded
and no longer meets the minimum rating requirement to adopt the
Barclays Roles.
1.6 The one month period from the Barclays/S&P Downgrade for action to be
taken expired on 29 December, and from the Fitch Downgrade expired on
14 January 2012. Despite all best efforts, it has not been possible to
find a replacement GIC Provider for the purposes of satisfying the
minimum rating requirements in accordance with, amongst others, clause
5.2(a) of the Cash/Bond Administration Agreement, which are required as
GIC Provider.
1.7 As a result, it is not realistically possible to satisfy the
requirements in paragraphs 1.3 and 1.4 above because there is no
available GIC Provider approved in writing by the Trustee that meets
the minimum rating requirements, or otherwise is willing to perform any
or all of the Barclays Roles.
1.8 The Trustee was requested (in a letter to the Trustee dated 20 January
2012) (the "Request Letter") to provide its opinion on which entity is
"the Authorised Institution (in the opinion of the Trustee) that most
closely meets the criteria" to satisfy the requirement set out in the
Transaction Documents.
1.9 However, following the Request Letter and as a result of the
communications with the Rating Agencies referred to in paragraph 4.4
below, the Trustee confirmed in its letter dated 26 January 2012 (the "
Trustee Letter") that the Trustee proposes to seek the formal sanction
and approval of the Noteholders to amend the Fitch and S&P minimum
required ratings in the Cash/Bond Administration Agreement, and the
definition of "Qualifying Entity" in the GIC, which are required as GIC
Provider.
2. BACKGROUND TO THE PROPOSED LLOYDS RATINGS AMENDMENTs
(LIQUIDITY FACILITY
PROVIDER)
2.1 Lloyds TSB Bank plc ("Lloyds") acts as Liquidity Facility Provider
under the Liquidity Facility Agreement. The terms of the Liquidity
Facility Agreement require the institution acting as Liquidity Facility
Provider to have a "Required Rating" of at least A-1 by S&P (the
Liquidity Facility Agreement originally had a Required Rating of A-1+
but this was amended by an amendment deed dated 4 November 2010 and as
notified to Noteholders in the notices issued by the Issuer on 23
August 2010, 27 September 2010 and 14 October 2010), F1+ by Fitch in
respect of the short-term unsecured, unsubordinated and unguaranteed
debt or securities.
2.2 On 13 October 2011, Fitch gave notice (the "Lloyds/Fitch Notice") that
it had downgraded Lloyds (i) long term rating to 'A' from 'AA-'; and
(ii) short term rating to 'F1' from 'F1+' (the "Lloyds/Fitch Downgrade
"). The Lloyds/Fitch Downgrade constitutes a Ratings Downgrade Event
for the purposes of the Liquidity Facility Agreement.
2.3 Pursuant to clause 25 of the Liquidity Facility Agreement and the
recent Fitch Downgrade, upon a Ratings Downgrade Event and following
the Lloyds/Fitch Notice, the Issuer may within 60 days after the
occurrence of the Ratings Downgrade Event, arrange for another
Qualifying Lender (a Substitute Bank) to provide a replacement
Liquidity Facility on terms and conditions agreed by the Trustee and
which the Rating Agencies confirm in writing will not result in the
then current ratings of the Notes being adversely affected. If the
Issuer is unable to arrange for a Substitute Bank within 60 days of
receipt of the Lloyds/Fitch Notice, the Issuer must serve a Notice of
Drawdown and request a Stand-by Drawing. The Issuer was each unable to
replace the Liquidity Facility Provider within 60 days of receipt of
the Lloyds/Fitch Notice and so on 19 December 2011, the Issuer made a
Stand-by Drawing (the "December 2011 Stand-by Drawing").
2.4 In connection with the December 2011 Stand-by Drawing, Lloyds contacted
the Issuer and Cash/Bond Administrator to request that the Trustee be
requested to consent to the amendment of the Fitch minimum required
ratings in the definition of "Ratings Downgrade Event" in the Liquidity
Facility Agreement, which are required as Liquidity Facility Provider
under the Liquidity Facility Agreement and in order that the Issuer can
repay the December 2011 Stand-by Drawing thereby avoiding the costs
incurred in connection therewith.
2.5 The Trustee confirmed to the Issuer and the Cash/Bond Administrator in
the Trustee Letter that the Trustee proposes to seek formal sanction
and approval of the Noteholders to amend the Fitch minimum required
ratings in the definition of "Ratings Downgrade Event" in the Liquidity
Facility Agreement, which are required as Liquidity Facility Provider
under the Liquidity Facility Agreement.
3. PROPOSAL
3.1 It is therefore proposed that the transaction parties sign an amendment
deed (the "Amendment Deed") in or substantially in the form presented
to the Meetings (a copy of which is available for inspection by
Noteholders from the date of this notice until the date of the
Meetings) for the purpose of bringing the Bank Agreement, the
Guaranteed Investment Contract and the Liquidity Facility Agreement,
into line with current S&P and Fitch criteria in respect of the roles
of GIC Provider and Liquidity Facility Provider.
3.2 Broadly, the effect of the Amendment Deed is to reduce the minimum
ratings requirements in respect of the GIC Provider and the Liquidity
Facility Provider to enable Barclays and Lloyds to continue to perform
their respective roles. In particular, the Amendment Deed will
implement the following changes (as more specifically set out therein):
3.2.1 The amendment of the minimum S&P rating and requirement in the Cash
/Bond Administration Agreement and the Guaranteed Investment
Contract) from "A-1+" to "A1" (the "Barclays/S&P Ratings Amendment
");
3.2.2 The amendment of the minimum Fitch rating requirement in the Cash/
Bond Administration Agreement and the Guaranteed Investment
Contract) from "F1+" to "F1" (the "Barclays/Fitch Ratings Amendment
");
3.2.3 The amendment of the minimum Fitch rating requirement in the
Liquidity Facility Agreement from "F1+" to "F1" (the "Lloyds
Ratings Amendments");
(together, the "Proposal")
3.3 The Trustee has not verified the impact or extent of any of the
implementation of the Proposal on any of the Transaction Documents, the
Notes or otherwise and the Noteholders should therefore undertake their
own assessment of the Proposal
4. Rationale for the Barclays Ratings Amendments
4.1 The Issuer is of the opinion (and the Cash/Bond Administrator has
confirmed to the Issuer that it is of the opinion) that it is in the
interests of all Noteholders that Barclays remains in the Barclays
Roles for the following reasons:
4.2 The downgrades have been applied to the vast majority of UK banks and,
as such can be viewed as a re-rating rather than a downgrade of these
institutions. Barclays has not been singularly downgraded beyond the
rating of other UK banks and have had it confirmed by S&P that its view
of Barclays remains unchanged.
4.3 Should the Barclays Roles be transferred to another Authorised
Institution (which would be rated equally to Barclays), there would be
substantial costs incurred (related to, amongst other things, the
preparation of new documentation) and the process of transferring the
Barclays Roles would take a significant amount of time to complete,
causing significant disruption to the Transaction.
4.4 The Rating Agencies have provided the following comfort:
4.4.1 Fitch has published a press release on 21 December 2011 (a copy of
which is available for inspection by Noteholders) confirming that
Barclays' current rating of F1 is generally eligible to support the
ratings of the Notes and therefore Fitch does not intend to take
any rating action in relation to the Fitch Downgrade; and
4.4.2 S&P confirmed by email on 19 January 2012 that it would expect the
triggers in the documents to be amended to reflect the current
criteria, and that where replacement triggers are amended from A-1+
to A-1/A (or where there is no short term rating, A+), then they
would be able to confirm this change would not in and of itself
lead to a change in the ratings of the Notes.
5. Rationale for the Lloyds Rating Amendments
5.1 On 14 March 2011, Fitch published revised "Counterparty Criteria for
Structured Finance transactions" (the "Fitch Report"). In the Fitch
Report, Fitch acknowledged that the earlier criteria which it required
for counterparties to AAA rated transactions were overly restrictive
and set out revised rating criteria which it expects counterparties to
meet.
5.2 Lloyds continues to meet the current required Fitch ratings criteria
for liquidity facility providers in relation to term structured finance
transactions.
5.3 As a result of the December 2011 Stand-by Drawing, the Issuer is
currently being charged the Applicable Rate, which is considerably
higher than the Commitment Fee payable if the Stand-by Drawing had not
been made, as demonstrated below:
5.3.1 The Liquidity Facility Agreement provides that the Commitment Fee
payable by the Issuer on the undrawn Available Commitment is 0.45
per cent per annum which together with all other costs, results in
aggregate undrawn charges of approximately £107,030.00 per annum
(which is an approximate calculation by Lloyds in its capacity as
Liquidity Facility Provider, but has not been verified by the
Trustee, the Cash/Bond Administrator or the Issuer).
5.3.2 The Liquidity Facility Agreement provides that the rate of interest
applicable to the Stand-by Drawing is the aggregate of the
Applicable Rate (this is specified in the Liquidity Facility
Agreement as Note Sterling LIBOR (which is 1.06519 per cent.) plus
0.45 per cent. per annum) plus the Associated Costs Rate. At the
current rates, the sum of the Applicable Rate plus the Associated
Costs Rate and all other costs amounts to approximately £312,849.08
per annum (which is an approximate calculation by Lloyds in its
capacity as Liquidity Facility Provider, but has not been verified
by the Trustee, the Cash/Bond Administrator or the Issuer).
5.4 Therefore, based on the information above, if the Issuer was not
required to make a Stand-by Drawing as a result of implementing the
Lloyds Ratings Amendments, it would mean the annual amount available to
pay interest on the Notes would be increased by approximately £
205,819.08.
6. Noteholder approval
6.1 An Extraordinary Resolution of each and every Class of Notes approving
the Amendment Deed, and the proposed amendments and waivers described
in this Notice, is required to provide the Trustee with the authority
to make those amendments and waivers in accordance with Condition 11 of
the Notes. Therefore, the Issuer is calling separate Meetings for the
holders of each Class of Notes proposing the same Extraordinary
Resolution to the Noteholders for each Class of Notes.
6.2 The Issuer has accordingly convened the Meetings of Noteholders by this
Notice to request Noteholders' approval by Extraordinary Resolution of
the matters described in this Notice. An Extraordinary Resolution
passed by holders of a particular Class of Notes will not take effect
unless and until the corresponding Extraordinary Resolution has been
passed by holders of each other Class of Notes.
7. EXTRAORDINARY RESOLUTION
THE EXTRAORDINARY RESOLUTION to be proposed at each Meeting is
in the following terms:
"THAT THIS MEETING of the holders (the "Noteholders") of the
[Class B Notes/ Class C Notes/ Class E Notes] (the "Notes") of
Southern Pacific Financing 04-A PLC (the "Issuer") presently
outstanding, which are constituted by a Trust Deed dated
28 April 2004 between the Issuer and
Capita IRG Trustees Limited (the " Trustee"), as amended, restated
and/or modified from time to time (the "Trust Deed"), by
Extraordinary Resolution (as defined in the Trust Deed) (this "
Extraordinary Resolution") HEREBY:
7.1 RESOLVES AND ASSENTS to and sanctions (and authorises, directs,
requests and empowers the Issuer and the Trustee to consent to) the
amendments and modifications to Clause 5.2(a) of the Cash/Bond
Administration Agreement and Clause 1.4 of the Guaranteed Investment
Contract, as proposed by the Issuer and as specified in an Amendment
Deed in, or substantially in, the form produced to this Meeting signed
for the purposes of identification by the Chairman (with such changes
as the Trustee shall deem necessary or appropriate) (the "Amendment
Deed") between amongst others, the Issuer, the Trustee, Barclays Bank
plc ("Barclays") in its role as GIC Provider and Lloyds TSB Bank plc ("
Lloyds") in its role as Liquidity Facility Provider;
7.2 RESOLVES AND ASSENTS to and sanctions (and authorises, directs,
requests and empowers the Issuer and the Trustee to consent to) the
amendments and modifications to the Liquidity Facility Agreement as
proposed by the Issuer and as specified in an Amendment Deed in, or
substantially in, the form produced to this Meeting signed for the
purposes of identification by the Chairman (with such changes as the
Trustee shall deem necessary or appropriate) (the "Amendment Deed")
between amongst others, the Issuer, the Trustee, Barclays Bank plc ("
Barclays") in its roles as GIC Provider and Lloyds TSB Bank plc ("
Lloyds") in its role as Liquidity Facility Provider;
7.3 Authorises, directs, requests and empowers the Trustee to execute the
Amendment Deed in order to give effect to the amendments and
modifications contained in the Amendment Deed;
7.4 Resolves to, and hereby, waives and directs, requests, empowers and
authorises the Trustee to waive any breach of the terms of the
liquidity facility agreement dated 28 July 2004 entered into between
the Issuer, the Trustee and Barclays Bank PLC as the liquidity facility
provider and subsequently novated on 3 July 2002 to Lloyds (referred to
herein as the Liquidity Facility Provider) and further amended by a
master deed of amendment dated 28 November 2007 and made between, inter
alios, the Issuer, the Trustee and the Liquidity Facility Provider (the
"Liquidity Facility Agreement") that has occurred as a result of the
downgrade by Fitch of Lloyds' long term rating to 'A' from 'AA-' and
short term rating to 'F1' from 'F1+' (the "Lloyds/Fitch Downgrade") and
declares that any Potential Event of Default arising as a result of the
Lloyds/Fitch Downgrade shall not be treated as such for the purposes of
the Trust Deed;
7.5 Resolves to, and hereby, waives and directs, requests, empowers and
authorises the Trustee to waive any breach of the terms of the
Guaranteed Investment Contract dated 28 April 2004 and made between,
amongst others, Barclays (as GIC Provider), the Issuer, the Cash/Bond
Administrator and the Trustee (the "Guaranteed Investment Contract")
and the Cash/Bond Administration Agreement dated 28 April 2004 and made
between, amongst others, the Issuer, the Cash/Bond Administrator and
the Trustee (the "Cash/Bond Administration Agreement") that has
occurred as a result of the downgrade by S&P of Barclays' short term
rating to "A1" from "A1+" (the "Barclays/S&P Downgrade") and the
downgrade by Fitch of Barclays short-term rating to "F1" from "F1+"
(the "Barclays/Fitch Downgrade") and, in each case, declares that any
Potential Event of Default arising as a result of the Barclays/S&P
Downgrade and/or the Barclays/Fitch Downgrade shall not be treated as
such for the purposes of the Trust Deed;
7.6 Sanctions any and every modification, abrogation, variation or
compromise of the covenants or provisions of the Trust Deed, the
Conditions, the Notes or any other Transaction Documents involved or
affected by the implementation of this Extraordinary Resolution;
7.7 Authorises and requests the Trustee to concur in and execute and do all
such deeds, instruments, documents, acts and things as may, in the
opinion of the Trustee, be necessary or expedient to carry out and give
full effect to this Extraordinary Resolution and the execution and
delivery of the Amendment Deed; and
7.8 Discharges and exonerates the Trustee from any and all liability for
which it has become or may become responsible for under the Trust Deed,
the Notes, the Conditions or any other Transaction Document in respect
of any act or omission in connection with this Extraordinary Resolution
or the Amendment Deed or the implementation thereof and declares that
the Trustee shall have no liability to Noteholders for its acts or
omissions in furtherance of this Extraordinary Resolution"
8. AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS
8.1 Copies of:
8.1.1 the Trust Deed, including Schedule 2 (Provisions for Meetings of
Noteholders);
8.1.2 the Master Definitions Schedule;
8.1.3 the Terms and Conditions of the Notes;
8.1.4 the Bank Agreement;
8.1.5 the Guaranteed Investment Contract;
8.1.6 the Cash/Bond Administration Agreement;
8.1.7 the Liquidity Facility Agreement;
8.1.8 the draft Amendment Deed;
8.1.9 the S&P and Fitch Rating Confirmations/Press releases; and
8.1.10 the Offering Circular.
are available for inspection by Noteholders at any time during
normal business hours on any Business Day from the date of this
notice up to, and including, the date of the relevant Meeting at
the address for The Bank of New York Mellon, London Branch the "Principal Paying Agent") as
set out at the end of this Notice.
8.2 The attention of Noteholders is particularly drawn to the
quorum
required for each Meeting and for an adjourned Meeting which is
set out
in paragraph 9 ("Voting and Quorum") below.
9. VOTING AND QUORUM
IMPORTANT: The Class B Notes, the Class C Notes and the Class E
Notes are currently represented by global notes in registered form
(the "Global Notes"). These global notes are either (i) deposited
with a common depository for Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. ("Euroclear")
and Clearstream Banking, société anonyme ("Clearstream,
Luxembourg", together with
Euroclear, the "Clearing Systems" and each a "Clearing System") or
(ii) deposited with The Bank of New York Mellon, London Branch as custodian for The Depository
Trust Company ("DTC") and registered in the name of DTC or its
nominee.
The full provisions governing the convening and holding of the
Meetings are set out in Schedule 2 (Provisions for Meetings of
Noteholders) (the "Meeting Schedule") to the Trust Deed.
9.1 For Notes held through Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg:
This paragraph 9.1 (For Notes held through Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg:) only
applies to Notes held through Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg.
For the purposes of Notes held through the Clearing Systems, a
"Noteholder" shall mean each person who is for the time being shown
in the records of a Clearing System as the holder of a particular
principal amount of the Notes. Each person who is the beneficial
owner (a "Beneficial Owner") of a particular principal amount of
the Notes through a Noteholder should note that such person is not
considered to be a Noteholder for the purposes of Notes held
through the Clearing Systems and will only be entitled to attend
and vote at an adjourned Meeting or to appoint a proxy to do so by
instructing the relevant Noteholder to follow the procedures set
out below.
A Noteholder wishing to attend an adjourned Meeting in person
must produce at the relevant adjourned Meeting a valid voting
certificate issued by a Paying Agent relating to the Note(s) in
respect of which he wishes to vote.
A Noteholder not wishing to attend and vote at an adjourned
Meeting in person may either deliver his valid voting
certificate(s) to the person whom he wishes to attend on his behalf
or give a voting instruction (by giving his voting instructions to
Clearstream, Luxembourg and/or
Euroclear) instructing a Paying Agent to appoint a proxy to attend
and vote at the relevant adjourned Meeting in accordance with his
instructions.
A Noteholder must request the relevant Clearing System to block
the Notes in his own account and to hold the same to the order or
under the control of a Paying Agent not later than 48 hours before
the time appointed for holding the relevant adjourned Meeting in
order to obtain voting certificates or give voting instructions in
respect of the relevant adjourned Meeting. Notes so blocked will
not be released until the earlier of:
(a) the conclusion of the relevant adjourned Meeting; and
(b)
(i) in respect of (a) voting certificate(s), the surrender to a Paying Agent of
such voting certificate(s) and notification by the relevant Paying Agent to the
relevant Clearing System of such surrender or the compliance in such other
manner with the rules of the relevant clearing system; or
(ii) in respect of voting instructions, not less than 48 hours before the time
for which the relevant adjourned Meeting is convened, the notification in
writing of any revocation of a Noteholder's previous instructions to the
Paying Agent and the same then being notified in writing by the Paying
Agent to the Issuer at least 24 hours before the time appointed for holding
the relevant adjourned Meeting and such Notes ceasing in accordance with
the procedures of the relevant Clearing System and with the agreement of
such Paying Agent to be held to its order or under its control.
Noteholders should note that the Clearing Systems may have
earlier deadlines than those specified above. Beneficial Owners
should contact the Noteholder through which they hold their Notes
to arrange for such Noteholder to request a voting certificate or
give voting instructions on their behalf. Beneficial Owners should
note that Noteholders may have deadlines earlier than those
specified above.
9.2 For Notes held through DTC:
This paragraph 9.2 (For Notes held through DTC:) only applies to
Notes held through DTC.
For the purposes of Notes held through DTC, each direct
participant in DTC holding a principal amount of the Notes, as
reflected in the records of DTC, as at the close of business in
New York on 17 January 2013 (the "Record Date") will be
considered to be a Noteholder upon DTC granting an omnibus proxy
authorising DTC direct participants to vote at the relevant
adjourned Meeting (by delivering a form of proxy).
The Record Date has been fixed as the date for the determination
of Noteholders entitled to vote at the relevant adjourned Meetings.
The delivery of a form of proxy, as defined and described below,
will not affect a Noteholder's right to sell or transfer any Notes,
and a sale or transfer of any Notes after the Record Date will not
have the effect of revoking any form of proxy properly delivered by
a Noteholder. Therefore, each properly delivered form of proxy will
remain valid notwithstanding any sale or transfer of any Notes to
which such form of proxy relates.
A DTC direct participant, duly authorised by an omnibus proxy
from DTC, may, by an instrument in writing in the English language
(a "form of proxy") in the form available from the office of the
Principal Paying Agent specified below signed by such DTC direct
participant, or, in the case of a corporation, executed under its
common seal or signed on its behalf by an attorney or a duly
authorised officer of the corporation and delivered to the
specified office of the Principal Paying Agent no later than 48
hours before the time fixed for the relevant adjourned Meeting,
appoint any person (a "proxy") to act on his or its behalf in
connection with any adjourned Meeting.
A proxy so appointed shall so long as such appointment remains
in force be deemed, for all purposes in connection with the
relevant adjourned Meeting to be the holder of the Notes to which
such appointment relates and the relevant Noteholder shall be
deemed for such purposes not to be the holder.
Only Noteholders (i.e. DTC direct participants) may deliver a
form of proxy. A beneficial owner of an interest in Notes held
through a DTC direct participant must direct such DTC direct
participant to deliver a form of proxy on its behalf.
Any DTC direct participant who intends to deliver one or more
properly completed forms of proxy should deliver the same by
registered mail, hand delivery, overnight courier or by e-mail or
facsimile (with an original delivered subsequently) to the
Principal Paying Agent at its address, e-mail address or facsimile
number set forth below. Such forms of proxy must be received by the
Principal Paying Agent no later than 48 hours before the time fixed
for the relevant adjourned Meeting.
The registered ownership of a Note as of the Record Date shall
be proved by the Registrar. The ownership of Notes held through DTC
by DTC direct participants shall be established by a DTC security
position listing provided by DTC as of the Record Date.
9.3 General provisions relating to the Adjourned Meetings:
9.3.1 The quorum required at each adjourned Meeting is one or more persons
present holding notes in definitive form or voting certificates or being
proxies or representatives (whatever the aggregate Sterling Equivalent
Principal Amount Outstanding of the Notes so held or represented by them).
9.3.2 Every question submitted to each adjourned Meeting will be decided on a
show of hands unless a poll is duly demanded by the Chairman of the
adjourned Meeting, the Issuer, the Trustee or by any person present holding
a voting certificate or being a proxy (whatever the principal amount of
Notes of the relevant Class or number of Residual Certificates so
represented by him). On a show of hands every person who is present in
person and produces a voting certificate or is a proxy shall have one vote.
On a poll every person who is so present in person and produces a voting
certificate or is a proxy shall have one vote in respect of each £1.00 in
principal amount of the Notes so produced in definitive form or represented
by the voting certificate so produced or in respect of which he is proxy or
representative or in respect of which (being in definitive form) he is
holder.
9.3.3 To be passed, the Extraordinary Resolution requires a majority in favour
consisting of not less than three-fourths of the votes cast.
9.3.4 Noteholders who hold their notes through the Clearing Systems should
contact the relevant Clearing System with any questions and requests for
assistance in relation to the voting process (including the blocking of
Notes).
Noteholders who hold their notes through an intermediary should
contact such intermediary with any questions and requests for
assistance in relation to the voting process.
9.4 Governing Law
The terms of this Notice shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with English law.
This notice is given by the Issuer
18 January 2013
Principal Paying Agent
The Bank of New York Mellon, London Branch
One Canada Square
London E14 5AL
Attention: CT Events Administration
Telephone: +44 20 7964 4958
Fax: +44 20 7964 2536 (for the attention of Debt Restructuring Services
E-mail: debtrestructuring@bnymellon.com
Issuer
Southern Pacific Financing 04-A PLC
4th Floor
40 Dukes Place
London EC3A 7NH
Telephone: +44 203 367 8200
Fax: +44 203 170 0246
E-mail: spvservices@capitafiduciary.co.uk
EME_ACTIVE-556282078.2-GHUI 02/23/1970 5:29 1/P101/22/2013 5:07 PM