Agenda: Shires League Meeting
Saturday 28th
June 2008, 11am to 1pm
at Harben House,
Newport Pagnell, Bucks, MK16 9EY
1.
Welcome and apologies
Ian Rizzotto(IR) welcomed Mr Mike Sertin of
Badminton England(BE) to the meeting and took the opportunity to thank BE for
both there moral and financial support.
IR congratulated Durham on their successful
application to join the Shires League.
Present:
Ian Rizzotto League Secretary, Mike Sertin Chair B. England, Josie
Smith Schools & Youth Board, Malcolm Smith Schools & Youth Board, Eric
Brown Schools & Youth Board, Derek Batchelor Badminton England, Paul
Adamson Bedfordshire, Rob Stanford Buckinghamshire, Don Gilders
Buckinghamshire, Rob Carter Cambridgeshire, Karl Bergh Cheshire, Jemma
Jefferies Cumbria, Dave Poniznik Cumbria, Lisa Ridley Derbyshire, Pam Rickerby
Derbyshire, Caroline Stewart Durham, Roger Cook Durham, Phil Westwood
Hertfordshire, Tony Clarke Hertfordshire, Pat Walker Hertfordshire, Mike
Burgess Kent, Graham White Kent, David Dunlop Lancashire, David Dunlop
Lancashire, Lea Sell Leicestershire, Peter Hall Leicestershire, Peter Clarke
Lincolnshire, Simon Piff Norfolk, Clive Westwood Northants, Sonia Asbrey
Northants, Richards Taylor Northumberland, Paul Adcock Nottinghamshire, Jean
Kloos Oxfordshire, Andy Harris Shropshire, Steve Lunt Staffordshire, Irene
Williams Staffordshire, David Driver Suffolk, Lisa Jacobs Suffolk, Trevor
Davies Suffolk, Yvonne Pears Suffolk, Alan Cunningham Surrey, Jackie Cunningham
Surrey, Kate Close Warwickshire, Sonia Dixon Warwickshire, Derinda Fullerton
Worcestershire, Vicky Bowater Worcestershire, David Bowater Worcestershire,
John Ibbotson Yorkshire, Dennise Kelly Yorkshire
Apologies:
Jane Coles Avon, Joanne Tinslay Berkshire, Sandra Dennis
Cambridgeshire, Wendy Muscat Durham
2.
Appointment of League Secretary
There were no other nominations. Consequently, Mr I Rizzotto
remains as League Secretary.
3.
Appointment of Management Committee
A Management Committee consists of 4 members, plus
a chairperson – the League Secretary.
Note: This is taken
from the Shires League Guidelines.
A Management Committee consisting of 4 members
shall be established at the AGM at the start of a new season. The purpose of
the committee will be to make judgements on the interpretation of any of the
Shires League rules in the event of a dispute. Any member of the committee who
is directly involved with a dispute would be excluded from the discussions.
Committee members would not be from the same county. The League Secretary would
have the casting vote.
All counties, in rotation, put forward a person from their county for
the management committee, for the term of office of only one year. One county
from each of the groups A, B, C and D would be proposed and the following year
a different county from the groups would be chosen, until all counties had been
represented and then the cycle would begin again.
Group A representative Paul Adcock
Group B representative David Dunlop
Group C representative Jackie Cunningham
Group D representative Phil Westwood
4.
Matters for discussion / voting
Eric
Brown was invited to speak to the meeting. He began by
asking for vote of thanks to IR for all the hard work he does on behalf of the
organisation. He then went on to describe how a competition review was looking
into the needs and requirements of the players and informed the meeting that
the Shire League would be consulted for their opinions at some time in the
future.
Later he outlined some of the problems that were
encountered with the discussion of County Eligibility and trying to agree a
common theme through Junior, Senior and Veteran organisations. It was clear
that a longer time frame was required before an agreement would be forthcoming
and did not expect to reach a conclusion before this time next year. In the
meanwhile, the current ruling would continue to apply to any disputes regarding
County Eligibility.
IR proposed that we adopt the recommendations of
the Schools’ and Youth Board and include the “County Boundary Qualification”
into the Shires League rules. This was carried unanimously.
·
Venues for 2009 and 2010 Shires League Finals
After discussion we agreed to hold the finals at
Babington for 2009 by 22 votes to 1.
We agreed to ask Nikki Tarrant of BE to research
venues for 2010 finals centrally located, together with current charges so that
approximate costs could be calculated.
·
Proposed new radical grouping structure for
2009-2010
IR explained that difficult decisions facing the
league would most likely have to be sorted next year. The number of counties
wishing to enter has now reached the maximum number permitted. Two, U15 teams
have not been able to enter 2nd teams this year, because there is
not room for them and with Gloucestershire and possibly Dorset requesting to
join the league next year, as well as Shropshire possibly wishing to enter
teams at U15 in addition to one at U13 and U17, we would either have to reject
requests to join or change the format of the groups.
IR briefly described two different ideas for
alternative methods for sorting the matches in the Shires League. Both ideas
are there as a starting point and need further consultation.
IR suggested that we brainstorm as a group by
emailing further suggestions on how these proposals might be improved. It would
then be necessary to set up a working party of about 5 or 6 to formulate a
proposal for the membership to approve.
5.
A.O.B.
·
IR asked BE and Youth and Schools Board if it is
possible to reserve some dates each year solely for shires League Matches. Eric
said that this issue had been looked into before and that it was not
practicable.
6.
Reminder of things that fixtures secretaries need to give league
secretary
· Remittance by 30th September 2008. Fees required displayed on website. Invoices have been sent out. This list will be removed early in October.
· List of names, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail address of each team manager, including U11 manager if required (friendly only.)
· Confirm the date, time, age group, and venue of all your Shires League fixtures.
· For counties fielding a second team, first team nominations by 30 09 08
7.
Date and venue of next meeting
Saturday 27 June 2009 at 11:00am.
Hopefully, BE will continue to offer the financial
support required in order for the SL to hold their AGM meeting at a centre
close to the National Badminton Centre and on the same day as the BE AGM.
8.
Fixtures
The last hour is given to making fixtures for the
forthcoming season.
The Shires Leagues wishes to thank the Staff at
Harben House. We were very impressed with the facilities and use of Burlington
1 & 2 rooms for meeting, surrounding area for refreshments and the buffet
meal, which offered a good selection, quality and quantity.