September Committee Meeting Minutes
Published November 2007Minutes of the Committee Meeting of the DBA held on Tuesday 4 September 2007 at the Isca Centre.
Note : These are draft minutes awaiting approval at the next meeting.
Devon Teams Draw. This was made prior to the start of the meeting and provision was made for entries receivedwithin the next 2 days.
Present Keith Ponsford (in the Chair, East), John Lankshear (Hon. Treas.), Terence Treeby (Hon. Sec.), Terry Cannon (East), David Hugo, Jack Thompson (West), John Boxall, Terry Hammett (North),
1. Apologies Tim Walton, Rosemary Caddy (Jack Thompson deputised).
2. Minutes Minutes of meeting of 5 July 2007 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.
3. Matters arising from last meeting
3.1. (Jul 3.2). Duplimate : the North have the funds in place for a duplimate machine and are settling the practicalities.
3.2. (Jul 3.3). West subsidised seminar early in 2007 – section progressing but nothing fixed yet. See also 5.12.
3.3. (Jul 3.7). County Youth Officer. The possible contact came to nothing.
3.4. (Jul 3.9). Vacancy for Tournament Secretary not filled. Hon Sec and Hon Treas named to share taking entries.
Keep looking for a volunteer.
3.5. (Jul 3.10). Ann Slee will do the magazine report for a final 12 months only. A possible replacement is being
contacted.
3.6. (Jul 5.3). North Devon weekend : the requirement that all entrants be members of the EBU will be restored.
3.7. (Jul 5.8). The Secretary has now had all Section AGM minutes.
3.8. (Jul 5.12). Western League report and fixtures – West and East have resolved the discrepancy in balance of
home and away.
3.9. (Jul 5.13). Club use of county website : no further information yet.
3.10. (Jul 7.1). Handbook now in circulation.
3.11. (Jul 8.2). 2008 Congress brochure ready for circulation to clubs now and all others at end of September.
3.12. (Jul 9.1). EBU Strategy document – see separate agenda item.
3.13 (Jul 10.1). We are still seeking suitable candidates for the next available county directing course.
4. Treasurer’s report
4.1. The Treasurer’s report was tabled. Account balances £2256.45 + £24278.85. EBU membership 558 including
clubs with 154 not (yet) renewed of which 57 are BfA. 7 are known lapsed. The EBU will be issuing payment
reminders in due course.
4.2. Agreed to increase Director’s fees for DBA events using EBU rates as a guideline.
4.3. Agreed that Devon Pivot Teams would be cancelled if there were fewer than 7 entries by 16 September.
5. Secretary’s report and correspondence (including shareholder’s report on EBU matters)
5.1. (EBU chair) Satisfactory explanation received regarding delay in issue of shareholders’ minutes.
5.2. (EBU) EBU voucher for 2007-2008 awarded to Hon Secretary who thanked the Committee.
5.3. (EBU circular) forwarded to clubs by email re NICKO, replied to EBU that we will NOT be circulating nonemail
clubs on their behalf at our expense. Approved by committee.
5.4. (EBU shareholders 6 June) (i) Norfolk as only applicants awarded Corn Cairdis for 2008; (ii) financial surplus
of £72k against budget includes £10k saved on magazine mailing and savings on staffing costs; (iii) discussion on
2007-08 budget, noted that no increase in MP charges; (iv) Tournament Committee is reviewing all competitions;
(v) Changes to artificial two-openers from 1 Aug; (vi) strategy document presented. (see also Strategy document
item). Committee hoped that the accounts be published in the magazine as well as on the website.
5.5. (EBU Tournament Com 13 June) (i) changes of format to National Swiss Teams (now bracketed) and Ranked
Masters Pairs – diary is wrong; (ii) discussion of specific failings of certain venues; (iii) discussion of TDs; (iv)
suggested to restrict Overseas Congresses to 1 per year at known venues; (iv) possible reduction in number of
competitions.
Committee agreed with (i).
5.6. (EBU Board 10 July) (i) Financial statements for year to 31 Mar 2007 approved; full details on website; (ii)
Charities Act 2006/ Trust Charity. Almost definitely allows clubs to received charitable status provided that (a) not
for profit, (b) no barriers to membership, (c) constitution approved by Charity Commission.
Committee will watch developments of (ii).
5.7. (next Shareholders meeting 3 Oct) The Committee did not wish to nominate anybody for any of the vacancies,
and the shareholder was instructed to use his discretion in any votes.
5.8. Letter re Membership Centralisation (referred to Treasurer)
5.9. EBU Club liaison officer Krys Kazmierczak visited clubs at the end of July partly to explain his job and partly
to answer questions and explain the strategy document. Note that his and the EBU’s help for clubs is available but
they need to ask.
5.10. Letter from Devon Air Ambulance re Charity sims – certificate posted at Torquay. Similar letter from SW
Children’s Hospice.
5.11. County of allegiance – it is possible for EBU members living in one county to declare another as their
primary county of allegiance; it is also possible (for an extra sub) for players to belong to 2 counties but one must
be declared as their primary county of allegiance.
5.12. Suggestion from teachers for Devon teacher get-together and co-operation (details awaited). Committee to
consider (a) how we can help teachers start teaching and (b) a package whereby a prominent teacher (e.g. Andrew
Robson) is available within the county to all sections over, say, a 4-day period.
6. Section Reports
6.1. South : 15 entries for league, Monday sims down on last year despite much canvassing by Paul Ainsworth.
6.2. North : 14 entries for league at new venue (The Cedars).
6.3. East : 8 + 8 + 5? for league. ODJV estimates a profit of a few hundred pounds (low entry of 29 tables and
delays in bills being presented).
6.4. West : Still no league. Plymouth Congress brochures issued, venues costs £500 for 2 days.
7. EBU Strategy Document
7.1. (Jul 9.1) Simplified version was circulated to all clubs together with questionnaire. Detailed summary of
replies circulated to committee in advance of meeting. The current position is summarised in a separate document.
7.2. There will be a meeting on 10 Sep between Mike Hill and John Carter (EBU) and 2 representatives from each
of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset.
7.3. Noted that EBU will be producing a revised strategy document in October including, amongst other changes:
the £5 one-off joining fee will be removed entirely; the proposed additional charge for visiting non-EBU members
is to be dropped and that all club members would thus pay the same pay to play fee, that figure to be confirmed
after further research. Rumours suggest it will be lower than 43p. There will be a discussion by Shareholders
following the AGM in October, followed by further consultation with members.
7.4. The following were identified as concerns from the replies received from clubs, which came from less than
half the clubs in the county.
(i) We would like to know the current estimate of the P2P fee as we believe 43p is too high.
(ii) There should be a better effort in selling the package and presenting the benefit especially to the
smaller clubs.
(iii) We believe the club affiliation fee should be abolished as it is punitive for smaller clubs who would not
benefit from the extras package.
(iv) There are many negatives from the players in the county due to the historical performance of the EBU.
8. Any Other Business
8.1. Kent will be touring the South West and would like 2 teams of 8 matches at Isca on Thur 13 Mar. Terry
Cannon to liase with County Selector.
8.2. Hon Secretary reported that Directors and boards are in hand for all DBA competitions except Pivot Teams.
9. Next meeting
9.1. Wed 5 December at 7.30 preceded by Devon Teams Plate draw at 7.15.
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