Committee Meeting Minutes, 04/08/09
Minutes of the Committee Meeting
4 August 2009, in the Clubhouse
The meeting started at 7.30 p.m.
Apologies: Kathy Charles, Phil Colpus, Roger Moore, Jill Pooley, Keith Ward
Present: Dave Bisson, Guy Clayton, Sally Daniell, Linda Ganter, Joan Jones, Suzanne Sanderson, Rob Seymour, Paul Treacy, Catrin Williams (9)
1. Minutes of the meeting held on 11 June, 2009
Minutes approved.
Matters arising
i) Paul Treacy reported that the Rose Cottages development had been refused and had gone to further appeal. He has written to the developer regarding linking the Club to their water mains but will defer following this up pending the outcome of the planning appeal.
ii) The Fayers Cup had to be abandoned owing to lack of entries. The organizer, Richard Kurlej, is considering a rearranged date using a different format.TBC.
iii) Four score-boards have now been donated and will get first use on Finals weekend. Action: PT to write to Charlotte Newlyn’s grandfather expressing the Club’s thanks for his generosity.
iv) The confusion over booking Court 6 on Sundays is now resolved: it will be available to coaches until 2.00 p.m. (1.30 p.m. on tournament days), and available to members to book thereafter. (*See also AOB iii.)
v) Handicap Finals: PT thanked all those involved for a successful and enjoyable afternoon, despite the changeable weather. Results and photos posted on website.
vi) TV in the Clubhouse: it was agreed that this idea had merit but that any decision should be deferred until the completion of the storage extension.
2. Health & Safety
i) Linda Ganter summarized and it was agreed: a) in light of the recommendations already implemented following the initial H&S and Fire Risk Assessment, plus the lesser requirements of Clubmark, a further Assessment will be deferred until 2010. Action: LG to approach safety consultants in due course. The Club’s Buildings and Contents insurer (Sutton Winson) may offer these services; b) action on whether or not to mark out the car park is deferred until the extension is built and a decision made re the water mains; c) the Committee will consider the matter of IOSH training if the next Assessment similarly recommends this, although the feeling is that it is excessive (est. cost £600–900 + VAT); d) to purchase Work-in-Progress signage, a new 3-step ladder and dispose of the existing damaged one. Action: LG.
ii) (Draft document circulated at meeting) LG summarized the incident of 16 July in which a (non-member) child fell from a tree bordering the Club’s premises. A member, Margaret Betts, was a witness and provided a written statement which LG has reported to the police. The written statement together with an Incident Report to be kept on file by the Hon. Secretary (Action: Sally Daniell). LG has volunteered to keep a record of such instances of trespass and nuisance and maintain contact with local police as necessary. It was agreed not to email all members with the draft document but that all members should be encouraged to call the Police on the ‘101’ number when appropriate. However, no member should put themselves at risk. A suitable notice has now been posted in the Clubhouse. Action: SD to email draft document to absent Committee members.
The Committee agreed it was the responsibility of Committee members, if not all members, to challenge the presence of anyone not wearing membership shoe tags. In light of recent misuse of the storeroom key and theft of drinks, etc. the lock will be changed, with an automatic closure device, once all summer league matches are finished, with keys issued only to Committee members and those volunteers who subsequently need them (e.g. Sarah Duncalf (cleaner), Dave Adams (balls), coaches and future team captains). Action: LG with key-keeper Ann Hanson.
3. Clubmark
i) It was agreed that a Clubmark officer(s) should be added to the list of Committee members at the AGM.
ii) (Club Action Plan attached) The Committee agreed the Plan. Discussion highlighted concerns that while a Business Plan is good in theory, its execution could burden individual Committee members. Not necessarily so: identifying areas of unacceptable load is the first step towards resolution of the problem, one way or another, by the whole Committee. CAP should be viewed as a governance tool in the interests of wider Club development.
Action: Catrin Williams to finalize CAP and add to Clubmark folder. She also volunteered to devise a member feedback form to be distributed with the 2010 Spring mail-out (this is in addition to the Junior f/b form).
4. AGM
i) Election of Officers:
Jill Pooley will step down at the AGM. She has indentified a possible replacement to attend Committee.
All others present (except Rob Seymour) were willing to stand for another year.
Rob Seymour will step down at the end of the financial year. Anita Patel has agreed to be Treasurer
Designate, subject to election at the AGM.
Sally Daniell advised the Committee that it is her intention to stand down as Secretary at the 2010 AGM.
ii) Subscriptions:
The accounts for financial year ending Mar 2009 have been audited and verified.
The Sinking Fund at 31/3/10 is expected to be £80,500.
It is expected that subscriptions for 2010–11 will cover the cost of the proposed extension.
Therefore, Treasurer Rob Seymour recommends no increase in membership subscriptions. As agreed earlier, tournament fees will increase to £2. The joining fee remains suspended. Agreed.
5. Reports from Officers
i) Grounds:
a) Guy Clayton confirmed that the contractors will return to ‘fill’ the dead spots on newly-refurbished Courts 1&2 before the second application of sand. 48 hours dry weather is necessary for this work, which has so far not been possible. Work is currently scheduled for 12/13 August. GC has also reminded the contractor for an estimate for repairing the concrete around Courts 4–6. Notice on website.
b) The Planning application for the extension has been submitted to Hart District Council. PT asked for additional rough estimates for building work so that members may be informed at the AGM. Notice on website.
c) The garden contract remains with Brian B.-C. for the rest of the year. GC hopes to have a new contract in place by March 2010.
ii) Tournaments:
Dave Bisson confirmed that matches are on course for the Finals, with the exception of one that may have to be decided by a toss. Umpires are needed (Kathy Charles is understood to have organized umpires for Junior matches.) He will purchase a trophy for the Plate competition, which he hopes to start at 12.30 but tbc with KC. Referring to the Club Action Plan (see above) and particularly the burden he felt in organizing the tournaments, he added that he would not be running the one-day tournaments in 2010. The Committee accepted its joint responsibility if volunteers cannot be found. (Amendment added after 3 November meeting in response to DB’s request.)
iii) Secretary:
SD informed the Committee that from November 2010 all employees and volunteers working with children must be registered with the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Failure to do so may lead to prosecution of both parties.
iv) Treasurer:
RS has negotiated a 24-month electricity contract for £2800 in line with current prices. He has submitted the 3-year tax return with no tax to pay.
v) Catering:
Suzanne Sanderson said she intends following the usual format for the post-Finals Saturday party. PT thanked her for the Pimms and Strawberries event on 28 June.
6. AOB
i) Several members have asked for the reinstitution of the ‘board/tag’ system for organizing mix-ins similar to that of the Associates’ successful method. Agreed. An old system exists but relies on wipe-off pens that disappear. Also, the board is crude and doesn’t hang for easy access. Action: SD/PT to investigate a replacement board system if required.
ii)
a) GC had hoped to press for an early captains’ review meeting but in the absence of Keith Ward, agreed to contact him direct.
b) GC asked for a review of team management before next summer league matches. He has concerns that this season there have been too many teams with too many squad members. Deferred till early 2010.
c) GC is worried about the hazardous old shed and feels it should be made safe. Action: GC with PT.
iii) DB suggested the Club considers an online court-booking system similar to that used by Camberley LTC. *He feels it would be particularly useful in the management of Court 6. There are several systems on the market but, as long as some members do not have access to the internet and/or computers, a Club-sited system must still be available. Deferred till next meeting. Action: DB to prepare presentation.
iv)
a) PT relayed a request from Pat Seymour to hold the annual Macmillan Coffee Morning on 25 September. Agreed.
b) After consultation with other Committee members, PT has taken no action in respect of the Farnborough airport development.
Date of next meeting (after AGM): Tuesday, 3 November 2009.
Meeting ended: 9.56 p.m.