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AGM 2018

Published August 2018

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
11 a.m. on Sunday 15 July 2018 at Gypsy Hill Hotel

Draft minutes awaiting approval at the next AGM.

1. Present:
G Clements (Chairman), R Edmondson (Hon. Treasurer) and 46 members.

2. Apologies:
M Hamon, E Hamon, A Slee, A Pollock, R Lingham, and V Mabley.

3. Minutes
of 2017 AGM were received.

4. Matters arising
J Whitlam said the minutes were deficient on a number of points that she had made. She agreed to put them in writing and the committee would look into the matter.

5. Chairman’s Report
The Chairman drew the members attention to the fact that the DBA was held in low esteem by its members, and cited the evidence that people did not want to come forward and help - it seemed they were happy to let the few get on with it.

The committee needed a secretary, membership secretary, congress organiser and competition secretary and there were no nominations for these positions or any other.

The chairman stated that to begin changing the image of the DBA the committee had reached an agreement with the North Section as regards spending its money.

Furthermore the committee had begun sponsoring clubs and individuals, citing an instance where the DBA had helped to purchase some furniture for one club. On individuals the committee had agreed to finance a member to reach County Standard as a Director, and also had sent money to the EBU for the two young members of the county who had been selected to represent their country at the World Bridge Championships being held in Beijing this coming August.

Certain aspects of the report were questioned.
V Peters made the point that the agreement with the North Section needed to be done in accordance with the rule book. It was agreed that the committee would look again despite having been assured that things were above board. R Edmondson made the point that it hardly mattered who signed the cheques at the end of the day - whoever spent the money could only spend the money on promoting Bridge.

An impassioned plea was made by one member that the DBA was holding obscene amounts of money and this should be released to be spent on Bridge!

J Whitlam brought up the point that she had asked for finance for a director's course they were holding at Exeter. The Chairman replied that she had asked him twice for monies and both times he had replied that if she sent the committee details the committee would look at her request. However the Chairman had received nothing from J Whitlam on either occasion. It was emphasised that the committee needed a request for finance in writing with as much detail as possible.

6.Treasurer’s Report
R Edmondson stated that the accounts were for the year from 1st April 2017 to the 30th April 2018. This had happened so that the Congress money could be accounted for in the same year. Prior to this the monies held for the Congress appeared in one year and the outgoing payments appeared in the following year's accounts. This left a drag on the accounts showing a loss in the current year. It would be a one off.

Accounts:  DBA | East | South | North | West | Sim Pairs

7. Congress Report
The next year's Congress would be held again at the Torak Hotel on the 29th-31st March 2019. Contracts have been exchanged.

It was suggested that future years the Congress might be held at a venue in one of the other Sections. Delegates were asked to look around for suitable venues. They must be able to take 50+ tables.

8. Presentation of prizes
There were no Trophies to present but the Chairman read out a list of winners.

Western Morning News for Devon Teams : S Lindfors, J Grant, W Hamilton, P Wood
The Devon Teams Plate : D Pearson, M Mardlin, P Penfold, C Robinson, J Penny, A Leslie
Devon Pairs (Julia Chadwick) ; J Pietrzycki, I Walsh
AGM Swiss Teams (2017): T Treeby, G Clements, M Walsh, D Strawbridge
The Kevin and Ann Slee Trophy (Victor Ludorum) : R Lingham
Western League (Inter Counties teams): Devon A team won the Western League and then went on to win the National Championship against the winners of the other area leagues in England.

9. Election of Officers
Chairman - G Clements. Proposed - A Slee, seconded E Nunn
Treasurer - R Edmondson. Proposed - N Marsden, seconded E Nunn
No other nominations were received. G Clements and R Edmonson duly elected.
The Chairman made the point that the rules did not allow him to take nominations from the floor. If anyone did want to take up a position the committee would co-opt them.
D Dunn stated that he would offer himself as secretary.
A Foan expressed an interest in helping with the Congress.

10. Any other business
There was no further business to be transacted.

The meeting closed at 12 noon.