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May 2017 Meeting Minutes

Published May 2017

Minutes of the Committee Meeting of the DBA held on Tuesday 23 May 2017 at the Isca Centre.

Draft minutes awaiting approval at the next meeting.

Present: Michael Hamon (Chairman), Terence Treeby (Hon Secretary), Ruth Edmondson (Hon Treasurer), Betty Golding, Jean Harrison, (East), Paul Ainsworth, Geoff Clements (South), Ann Slee (Tournament Administrator).

1. Apologies: Jean Whitlam, Jonathan Jenkins, Jane Barnes (East), Elizabeth Nunn, Neil Marsden (North).

2. Minutes of meeting 6 2016. The minutes were accepted and signed as correct.

3. Matters arising other than those dealt with under individual agenda items.

3.1 (Oct 4.3.) Michael Byrne has been approached with a view to a longer visit in early 2018 to include sessions for club players and possibly a separate visit for advanced players but has not yet replied. Treasurer to pursue.

3.2. (Mar 5.2.) (EBU). New EBU management system March 2017: EBU changed access to the membership details; the password to Devon area has been changed. County scorers have been registered and now upload via their own membership.

4. AGM Matters

4.1. (Mar 3.1.). Geoff Clements has offered to stand as Chairman there are no volunteers for vice-Chairman or Secretary. Member(s, if found, can be co-opted by the committee to fill the vacancies. Terence Treeby was co-opted as a committee member / Acting Secretary to serve from the AGM to the end of the July meeting. The committee was asked again to approach possible officers.

4.2. (motions from members) none

4.3. 985 members have been emailed notice of AGM; 413 individual named notifications have been printed and have been posted to clubs for circulation. Total membership 1391, split West 351, North 170, East 449, South 345, other 76 in terms of primary club named with the EBU.

4.4. Despite free bridge, entries are low and late. Clubs will be asked to announce the event and put a notice on their website.

5. Treasurer’s Report and Financial Matters

5.1. End of year accounts (examined) circulated plus breakdown of each competition’s costs (not examined but some spread across two accounting years). Section balances and number of Western league players to be added.

5.2. Agreed to buy 6 copies of the new Laws for officers, directors, etc. See EBU website re misprints.

6. Secretary’s Report and Correspondence

6.1. Duplicating machine application from combined Kingsbridge clubs: this was agreed by email by a clear majority of voting members and is duly minuted at this meeting. Conditions were attached re storage and dealing for some county events. The machine is now paid for and in operation.

6.2. EBU County News May 2017. Note reintroduction of code 11 for Novice games featured in update 1.1.5. of EBUScore.

7. Section Reports

7.1. (East). Accounts and AGM minutes submitted. They have a new Chairman (Jonathan Jenkins) and Treasurer (Jane Barnes). They are considering a 4-division league on two separate Fridays.

7.2. (South) AGM agenda for 24 May submitted, potentially missing Chairman, Secretary and committee rep as Paul Ainsworth is stepping down. He was thanked for his service. He will continue to run the sim pairs on behalf of the South section. This year DAA received £3436, over £800 above previous best. The Chairman and Paul attended DAA open day.

7.3. (North) AGM minutes submitted. Not well attended. Elizabeth Nunn remains as Chairman, Neil Marsden as Treasurer and Beryl Lloyd as secretary. The Swiss Pairs averages 15 tables an evening. The Graphic Cup had to be cancelled due to lack of interest; the section will not run it in future years. As it is a South competition, its future will be discussed at the next meeting.

7.4. (West) Section AGM Thursday 1st June. Due to a clash, Plymouth Congress 2017 has moved to 16th and 17th Sept at the Future Inn. Struggling to get officers. Mike Hamon will run events in the West and report to the committee.

8. Sub-committee Reports

8.1.Tournament Sub-Committee: Ann Slee, Terence Treeby, Treasurer (Ruth Edmondson).
(Mar 7.1.c) It was agreed to have one A division match as team of 8 early in the season; subsequently agreed with Somerset to play teams of 8 for the B and C teams with central selection overseen by Andrew Leslie.
Calendar: Isca dates agreed and booked: Sun 28 Jan 2018 Devon Club Teams of 8; Sun 18 Feb Julia Chadwick Final; Sun 15 July AGM. Deferred to next meeting: AGM bridge as pairs (leading to what happens to teams championship) and VL event. What happens to VL if there is no Graphic Cup.
Trophies: Chairman has some trophies including Julia Chadwick and will list and / or relocate them. Secretary has others and will revise the listing. John Woolcott trophies are currently not traced.

8.2. Education Sub-Committee: Jean Harrison, Maureen Dalton.
Andrew Robson financial report from Treasurer shows deficit of (only) £291.40.

8.3. Selection Sub-Committee: Warner Solomon, Ruth Edmondson, Alison Pollok, Ann Slee (liaison).
No report.

8.4. Congress Sub-Committee: Marion Kelsey, Terence Treeby, Mike Kelsey, Treasurer (Ruth Edmondson); shadow for 2017 Michael Hamon.
Final numbers at the 2017 Congress were 50 tables pairs and 54 tables teams. The best estimate of the surplus is about £3170 (compared with £3082 in 2016, £3262 in 2015, £2525 in 2014, £3867 in 2013 and £3440 in 2012). Numbers were probably slightly affected by a clash with the National Pairs final. Mostly everything went smoothly. Once again local conscripts made the clear-up run smoothly. There has to date been no offer to take over the running of the congress from 2018. The hotel has provided costings for the 2018 Congress 6-8 April). Costings, draft brochure etc will be submitted to the July meeting as usual. The hotel and EBU have confirmed the 2019 congress from Fri 12 to Sun 14 Apr.

8.5. EBU Shareholders: Terence Treeby, Dick Andrews, Michael Hamon.
Mike Hamon attended the Shareholders meeting on 11 May and tabled a report. Next is the AGM on 22 Nov. There will be a County Chairman meeting on 5 July.

8.6. Technology sub-committee: Paul Ainsworth, Ruth Edmondson.
The Treasurer asked for a list of equipment. North section plan a starter’s course for bridgemate use. No progress on either.

8.7. EBU Counties Working Group: vacant.
Possible extension of Midlands Group to include South

8.8. Conduct Sub-Committee: Steve Quinn, Maureen Baser, George Simnett, Keith Ponsford, David Clarke. No report

8.9. Disciplinary Sub-Committee: Michael Hamon, Howard Kent-Webster, Robin Barker, Paul Ainsworth, Ann Slee. No report

9. Any Other Business. None

10. Next meetings

10.1. The next meeting will be at the Isca Centre on the day of the AGM for the sole purpose of co-opting additional officers if there are any volunteers. All minutes and regular business will be deferred until July.
10.2. The next meeting will be at the Isca Centre at 6.30 pm on Thursday 13 July. Committee members and sub-committees are asked to send documents for circulation to the Acting Secretary by 20 June at the latest.