November 2014 Meeting Minutes
Published November 2014Minutes of the Committee Meeting of the DBA held on Thursday 13 Nov 2014 at the Isca Centre.
Amended minutes.
Present: Michael Hamon (Chairman), George Simnett (vice-Chairman), Terence Treeby (Hon Secretary), David Clarke (North), Ros Morgan (West), Paul Ainsworth, (South), , Jeanine Keith (Tournament Administrator).
1. Apologies. Vivien Peters (Hon Treasurer), Terry Cannon, Keith Ponsford (East), John Boxall (North), Pam Ward (South).
2. Minutes of meeting 8 July 2014.
2.1. The minutes were accepted and signed as correct.
3. Matters arising
3.1. (July 5.1.) Selection Sub-Committee An additional member for the sub-committee has been identified and will be approached.
3.2. (July 5.2.) Conduct Sub-Committees An additional member for the sub-committee has been identified and will be approached. Jeanine Keith was co-opted to serve as a member for the sole purpose of completing an outstanding referral.
3.3. (July 5.2.) The July 2011 terms of reference for sub-committees were reviewed. The only change is to add the following to the Selection Sub-Committee : They will also chose the A team for interleague finals (with sections choosing any B and C teams); teams for interleague finals should where possible have played in the preceding season. The terms will be reviewed again in 12 months.
3.4. (July 6.2.) The Hon Sec reported on the possible mechanics of notification for the 2015 AGM on 14 June and the committee approved. On or before 26 Apr notices will be sent to each affiliated club asking for nominations and resolutions by 16 May. On or before Sun 24 May, the agenda has to be confirmed by the Chairman and Notice convening the meeting must be sent to each member. This will be done by email where known or by named slips via club secretaries for handing out to members. Agenda and special business to be sent to each affiliated club on or before Sun 24 May. All notices etc will also be posted on the website.
3.5. (July 7.1.) Tollemache expenses decision taken by email Aug 2014 : for this year only NPC can claim up to £80 (receipted expenses) so expenses remain within 10 x £40 the treasurer was expecting. Should the NPC play a significant number of boards (>25%) they would only receive the same £40 supplement.
3.6. (July 7.5.) 4 extra sets of duplimate boards have been purchased for £638.
3.7. (July 9.1.) 2014-15 calendar emailed to clubs and on website (with later revisions also circulated)/. An update with a provisional 2015-16 calendar will be circulated shortly.
All other matters arising are dealt with under the appropriate individual item.
4. Treasurer’s Report
4.1. The Treasurer’s report was circulated in her absence. It showed a negative cash flow of £5771.43 down to 3rd November 2014. The DBA current account balance is £6793.10 as at 3rd November 2014. DBA will have subsidised Andrew Robson’s tour by £700. The financial structure worked very well. Corwen entry fee was £424. Pachabo entry fee was £240.Western League Final entry fee was £360.
4.2 Torquay BC asked for a progress report on their application for help with bridgemates. To be discussed at the next meeting.
5. Secretary’s Report and Correspondence (including S Shareholder’s report on EBU matters).
5.1. Pam Ward wishes to stand down as magazine correspondent. There is also a change of requirement with more material in the online version. A possible replacement has been identified and will be approached. Pam was thanked for her work.
5.2. It was confirmed that non-Devon players can still pay £3 to gain membership of DBA despite having another county as their primary county. This fee is waived for Cornish members. It was confirmed that only players with Devon as their primary county are eligible for the Kevin and Ann Slee Trophy.
5.3. Agreed to change league rule 3.1. to: 3.1. Every player must be a member of the DBA and a fully paid up member of the EBU prior to playing in a match, except that if there is more than one division, non-EBU members may play in the lowest Division. Players whose county of allegiance is not Devon may become DBA members by paying an annual subscription.
5.5. Two new non-affiliated clubs were reported; it is hoped they will affiliate and / or participate in DBA sim pairs .
S 5.6. EBU AGM end of Nov (Chairman attending with proxy from non attending shareholders). EBU pays a second class rail fare for one shareholder per county. Annual report : budgeted loss £5k became surplus £64k. The shareholders will be asked to approve a 1p increase in P2P for 2015-16 (Devon to vote in favour). The shareholders will be voting for members of the board and the various committees. The list of candidates is not yet available.
5.7. EBED is now up and running with own structure and website. Letter re regional schools coordinator. Devon is not interested in taking part in a pilot scheme.
6. Section Reports
6.1. (North) New secretary Beryl Lloyd. 12 teams in league. £600 raised for charity from 18 tables at Filleigh.
6.2. (South) 14 teams in league. Winter pairs approximately same as last year. Sim pairs over £500 in each of Sep and Oct (new records).
6.3. (West) Plymouth congress attracted 18 tables of pairs and teams, plus 5 tables Really Easy Congress (slightly down again. West section league has restarted with 10 teams. Comments re Western League costs and hosting noted.
6.4. (East) Report tabled with revised budget.
7. Sub-committee reports
7.1. Technology sub-committee [George Simnett, Paul Ainsworth, Ruth Edmondson]
**(July 11.1.) The sub-committee provided a working structure for Don Pearson to run a seminar on recovering from Bridgemate difficulties. The total cost of £123 to be covered by charging clubs to send participants. Newton Abbot Scout Hall Sat 31 Jan or Sat 14 Feb 2015 (date to be confirmed).
7.2. EBU Counties Working Group. [Dick Andrews] No report.
7.3. Tournament Sub-Committee. [Jeanine Keith (Tournament Administrator), Terence Treeby, Vivien Peters]
**Plate winners R and M Mardlin, J and G Fawcett.2014-15 Devon Teams has 14 entries.
**The Devon Pairs (Julia Chadwick) has been moved to Sat 21 Feb (from Sun 15 Mar).
**2015-16 bookings for Isca are now likely to be made through the Exeter club.
**The Chairman asked for a report on the psyche register (started 1 Aug 2013). Since that date only 2 psyches have been recorded (including one with non-Devon players). Together with earlier psyches on file no pattern has emerged, At least one psyche is known to have been not recorded. The Chairman repeated the request to directors, clubs and players to record and register psyches.
7.4. Education Sub-Committee. [Andrew Leslie, Carol Ritzen]
**Report circulated after the Robson tour. 482 people attended. DBA subsidy £700. Letter of thanks from Exeter BC. Includes comments from AR on possible future final tour. AL does not wish to organise the next one if it is approved. Agreed to investigate a further tour in Oct 2016 (or possibly Mar 2017) subject to financial details.
**Advanced Training. The proposal for 2 sessions of Advanced training with Michael Byrne on 28-29 March 2015 was agreed in principle. The proposed costing was amended to £22.50 per player plus £60 from each section, leaving central funds to cover the cost of any shortfall in attendance (subject to Treasurer’s approval). Sections were asked to canvass provisional numbers by the end of November to establish whether 2 full houses are feasible; without that the event could not be afforded.
**Ongoing strategy for education (including schools and youth) and training to be discussed at the next meeting.
** (July 11.4.) One candidate volunteered for county director’s courses; deferred for more club experience. Another recently qualified director will be directing at the Devon Congress in April.
7.5. Selection Sub-Committee. [Warner Solomon, Ruth Edmondson, one vacancy, Jeanine Keith (liaison)]
The Tollemache team of W Solomon, I Walsh, S Lindfors, A Maddocks, J and G Fawcett, P Bowles and M Orriel was wished luck.
7.6. Congress Sub-Committee.[Marion Kelsey, Terence Treeby, Mike Kelsey, Vivien Peters]
**Brochures for the 2015 congress have been printed and sent out; also on website and emailed to previous entrants. The first entries have come in. Mike and Marion Kelsey will be away for the actual Congress. Ros Morgan has offered to help the directors set up on the Friday. Other help during the event will be needed.
**Terence Treeby indicated that he will not be available to run the congress from 2016 onwards. He was asked to rework the job description with a view of splitting the job between two people.
7.7. Conduct Sub-Committees: [Steve Quinn, Maureen Baser, George Simnett, Keith Ponsford and one vacancy]
The conduct committee has been acting on behalf of a club and has (nearly) concluded and will report to the club.
7.8. Disciplinary Sub-Committees: [Mike Hamon, Robin Barker, Andrew Leslie, Paul Ainsworth, Ann Slee]
No report
8. Any Other Business none
9. Next meetings
9.1. The next meeting will be at the Isca Centre at 6.30 pm on Wed 18 Feb. Committee members are sub-committees are asked to send documents for circulation to the Hon Sec by 28 January at the latest.
9.2. (Pre-AGM) To be confirmed. NOT on Tue 26 May as agreed. Current possibilities Wed 20 May (or Wed 27 May if the South AGM can be rescheduled).