Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the DBA held on Sunday 14 June 2009 at the Isca Centre.
Note : These are draft minutes.

Present. Amos Bridgman (Chairman), John Lankshear (Hon Treasurer), Terence Treeby (Hon Secretary) and about 43 members.

1.Apologies. Warner and Louise Solomon, Paul and Bobbie Ainsworth, Titch Glenday, Keith Ponsford, Neil Marsden, Nethie White, Linda Starling and our Pachabo representatives : Alan and Jette Bailey, Jim Grant, Stefan Lindfors.

2. Minutes The minutes of the 2008 AGM were taken as read and signed as correct.

3. Matters arising. None.

4. Chairman's Report. The Chairman had visited 20 clubs in his quest to get bonding and encourage increased participation in events, and had found enthusiasm and a desie to be part of the Association. He thanked the Committee for their hard work. He congratulated the season’s winners especially Willie and Ali Hamilton for winning the Julia Chadwick and the Easter League. He reported that the format and venue of the Devon Congress were under review and that the 2010 Congress could be fully green pointed subject to the Committee’s discussions. He thanked the members for attending.

5. Presentation of prizes. The Chairman presented the trophies to the following competition winners (other trophies having been presented at the events) :
Western Morning News for Devon Teams : A.Bailey, J.Bailey, J.Grant, S.Lindfors.
The Devon Teams Plate : D.Clarke, M.Gibson, R.Andrews, R.Ray.
The Kevin and Ann Slee Trophy (Victor Ludorum) : A. Slee.
Swiss Teams trophy was presented at the end of the event to : A.Slee, A.Pollok, R.Edmondon, B.McElroy.

6. Treasurer's report. The Treasurer’s report was read and explained and discussed. The accounts were accepted (proposed W.Hamilton, seconded G.White). The Treasurer explained the Committee’s aim to treat all 565+ members as equal. The offer to clubs of 1/3 off the capital costs of bridgemates was not taken up but still stands. The County had spent £459 on subsidising Directors’ courses and £601 on duplimate repairs etc.

7. Elections etc. J.Lankshear was re-elected as Hon Treasurer (proposed T.Walton, seconded P.Walton), and T.Treeby as Hon Secretary (proposed T.Walton, seconded P.Walton). David Hugo had audited this year’s accounts and was re-elected.

8. (a) (b) (c) and (d). In order to implement P2P, and in preparation for UM, the committee agreed to propose to the AGM 4 amendments to the DBA constitution, listed separately in Appendix A. Each was proposed by Amos Bridgman as Chairman and seconded by Terence Treeby as Hon. Secretary, on behalf of the committee. The motion was accepted.

9. The committee proposed that for the year from April 2010 the DBA P2P component will be 3p; the club subscription will be nil; and ,if relevant, the county element of the EBU subscription will remain at £3. The motion was accepted.

10. The committee proposed t that, if a disqualification occurs and if prize money is involved, that the distribution of that money is at the discretion of a quorum of the committee’s in accordance with any appropriate Laws. The motion was defeated 22-15 approx.

11. Motion. proposed by Jean Whitlam, seconded by Nigel Hamlyn. I propose that in any future event the Runner Up is declared the winner should the first team be disqualified. The motion was defeated by a large majority.

12. Motion. proposed by John Lankshear, seconded by David Hugo. That the following amendments shall be made to Section 7 (Central Committee) of the Constitution of the Devon Bridge Association:- Para b) : Delete; Para c) : Delete "Association Secretary and Treasurer" in line 1 and substitute "Officers". Re-letter paras c) to I) as paras b) to h).It was explained that the effect of this is that the Chairman and vice-Chairman will in future be elected rather than selected.
Amendment proposed R.Hopton seconded J.Boxall that the Chairman and vice-Chairman of the Association be elected at the AGM for a maximum of 3 consecutive years, which can be extended if approved by three-quarters of those attending.The amendment was carried which therefore necessitates the Constitution changes listed in the proposal.

13. Motion. proposed by Jean Whitlam, seconded by Nigel Hamlyn. I propose that all teams wishing to representing their club in the TEAMS OF EIGHT are entered via the club as is currently the case in the NICKO and that an officer of the club signs to say that all those entering are bona fide members of the club at time of entry and fulfil the EBU requirements that they have been a club member for at least three months.
After discussion, the motion was defeated 18-19, but the committee will require clubs to make entries I future.

14. Motion. proposed by Jean Whitlam, seconded by Nigel Hamlyn. I propose that the 8 out of 15 rule be scrapped immediately. This was explained as referring to the rule under “General” in the DBA handbook. After discussion, the motion was carried 25-11.

15. Motion. proposed by Warner Solomon, seconded by Louise Solomon. (a) That the 2009 Devon Tollemache selection be performed by a Selection Committee and not a trial, (b) If (a) is rejected then the WMN winners be exempted from the trial and automatically selected. A letter was read in Warner’s absence. After discussion, the motion was carried 27-5.

16. Motion. proposed by Jean Whitlam, seconded by Nigel Hamlyn. I propose that the information I requested as to how the clubs in Devon responded which gave our County the mandate to use both its votes in support of the EBU’s new strategy, is released immediately to those who wish to see it and that in future, any such general information requested by DBA members and affiliated clubs should be made freely available. The motion was defeated.

17. Any other business. The Hon Sec made a personal statement to the meeting.
Three other motions were withdrawn on the day.
See also Appendix A and accounts.
The meeting closed at 12.35 pm.

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