AGM minutes

Dear All 

Please find below the minutes from last week’s AGM, which Norman has kindly produced. I am very pleased to report that Mick Taylor has volunteered to take over from Norman as General Secretary and was duly appointed. 

Best regards 

Tony

MINUTES OF KDTTL AGM AT IBIS SOCIAL CLUB (KENDAL) ON THURSDAY 9 MAY 2013 AT 7.30.

Present were Tony March, Norman Philbey, Mike Sunderland, Gerry Baines, Dave White, Matt Neal, Mick Taylor, Bob Bagot (8)

1. Apologies were received from Bob Gale, Jeff Pimblett, Chris Knowles, Bruce Carnaffin, Martin Wakelin, Graeme Wheelhouse, Peter George, Tom Walton. 

2. Minutes of the previous AGM. These were taken as correct and signed by Tony. 

3. Matters arising. Matt raised the question of illegal bat coverings. Despite our efforts, some were still not complying with ETTA regulations. Serving was also erratic, but Tony said our best approach was in educating juniors in correct procedures. In the long run this would lead to less malpractice. 

4. Chairman’s Report

 (i)  Tony said the major issue of the season had been Glaxo A’s failure to fulfil their away fixture at Burton despite the very recent introduction of new rules and 5 alternative dates offered by Burton, until in January Burton objected it was too late as one of their leading players was no longer available. This led to the Management Committee’s decision to award Glaxo no points in this match, upheld on appeal.

 Tony felt that the main problem had been a failure within the Glaxo club to communicate the resolution passed at the pre-season EGM relating to postponements

and urged club leaders to ensure their members were kept fully informed.

 (ii) With this exception all had cooperated well and there were few postponements.

 (iii) He thanked Norman for his 10 years as General Secretary.

 (iv) He emphasised we still needed a replacement; though a job description had been circulated nobody had yet been persuaded to step in. 

5. Secretary’s Report

 (i)  Norman distributed a calendar for the 2013-2014 season. The only major change would be to not to allocate a week for Divisional Shield preliminary matches (of which there were very few) and this would free up a week in March for K.O. cup games.

 (ii)  Andy Seward was the new ETTA chairman, replacing Alex Murdoch.

 (iii)  Opinion was sought as to whether the Handbook was really necessary and the general feeling was that it was. Mick wanted email addresses, Matt rules for events and Mike the season’s calendar.

 Additionally the web-site should be made more user friendly. An example quoted was the baffling K.O cup draw as presented on the web-site.

 (iv) Norman had had some replies to the document he had sent round concerning the structure of the league and these had all been in favour in principle. General consensus around the table also approved that we should move to 3 divisions of 10 in 2014 unless KDTTL exceeded 30 teams next season. Firm proposals would be put to an EGM before the pre-season Council meeting when we knew exact numbers.

 (v)  It appears the ETTA may bring back proposals to increase Individual Membership subscriptions at their AGM in July. Most felt we should again vote against if this happens although Mick thought we should at least wait to see their reasons. 

6. Treasurers’s Report.

  Tony supplied us with a simplified sheet and took us through. He commented that we looked to be spending rather too much on trophies. Norman said medals had been given to runners-up in Jeff’s time and this would be one way to cut costs.

 A digression followed here after Tony said this season’s loss of £878 could be attributed to the amount we spent on the Duncan Crawford coaching sessions. Was coaching the best use of the surplus we currently enjoyed? Members thought the £3 participants contributed to sessions should be raised to £4.

 Targeting Division 1 players had not been successful as only one signed up. Mike wondered whether whole teams could sign up and be coached in match play as a team?  To continue next year with variants seemed to be the best idea.

 Mick mentioned that Natland intended to run some coaching in the first half of the season and this would be open to other clubs.

 Norman proposed and Matt seconded that we accept the accounts .In reply to a query as to whether the accounts were audited Tony said they were not. There was some feeling that it would be better if they were and Tony undertook to investigate. 

7&8. Membership and Match Secretary’s Report.

  Martin was not present. However Matt raised the point of a player playing “up” in the K.O.cup with the Match Secretary’s agreement. He felt that the incoming player should be within a reasonable range of handicap to the other team members. Dave thought a maximum spread of 10 within the team might be about right. This could be discussed by the handicap committee when it next met. 

9. Junior Secretary’s Report.

   Norman reported on a successful season for Divisions 4/5/6 playing at Queen Katherine School; an increased attendance at the Junior Tournament held at Burton on a Friday in the Christmas holidays where the main improvement would be to present the trophies on the day instead of  three and a half months’ later; a thriving Bay Schools’ League; Burton and Dallam entered teams in the National Junior League;  Summer coaching was taking place for 13 youngsters in year 7 and below at Burton for 13 weeks; and that a Primary Schools’ team tournament he had held was won by Natland with Milnthorpe as runners-up. 

10 Development and Coaching Report.

 Bryan not present but partially covered under Treasurer’s report. 

11 ESTTA Report.

 Matthew not present. Norman highlighted QES team of under 19 boys achievements winning the Cumbria title at Barrow, the zone title of the North- East counties at Billingham and then in the last 16 beating King’s School, Grantham and Bradford Grammar School before going out to Calday Grange School, Birkenhead, who subsequently became National winners.

 Sam Horrocks won the county under 13 title at Kirkby Stephen and represented Cumbria at the National Schools’ Championships at Doncaster. 

Lancashire and Cheshire Veterans League.

 2 teams entered but there was uncertainty as to how well they had done. 

Press Officer’s Report.

Mark was not present. 

Tournament Report.

 Bob expressed his pleasure with how things had gone and especially with Finals’ night. Band 1 numbers had been high although Bands 2 and 3 had been disappointingly low.

 For 2014 we should encourage more people to take part and to this end keep publicity and reminders going strongly during the run-up period.

 Tony suggested we rename it “The Kendal Annual Closed Tournament” thus removing any idea it was not intended Juniors should participate.

 Bob said entry by email had been good and was simple to cope with. 

Election of officers.

 Norman was voted in as Junior Secretary and Bruce would transfer from Minutes Secretary to Trophy Officer. All other serving officers were then re-elected en bloc.

This just left the vacant post of General Secretary. There being no rush of applicants to fill the job over the last 3 months, Mick Taylor gallantly agreed to put himself forward and his offer was heartily endorsed by all present. 

The meeting was declared closed at 9.30

Author: via Kendal Table Tennis League
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