[<<] [>>] by Bryan Judson
18th April 2002 (CqE Official News)

This report is based on minutes of the Special Meeting of Council held on 23rd February 2002 and the unconfirmed minutes of the Special and Ordinary Meetings held on 23rd March 2002. Some decisions and news from recent committee meetings are also included. If you would like more information on any item, please contact the CA Secretary, Nigel Graves.

Special Meeting of Council, 23 February 2002

The only item for discussion was Relocation of the CA office due to the need to leave The Hurlingham Club by the end of June.

At the previous Council Meeting it had been agreed that Council rather than the Management Committee should make this important decision. Consequently the documentation was submitted by the Relocation Working Party with the knowledge of, but without any recommendation from, the Management Committee concerning the relative merits of building at Cheltenham, Southwick or Surbiton, or of renting an office elsewhere.

After considerable debate some members felt that more research was needed, specifically on the proposed size of the office (500 sq ft) and the possibility of obtaining Grant money to fund the cost of this administrative building. A motion was proposed that the CA should rent office space for up to three years at a maximum total cost of £12000 per annum, inclusive of rates and VAT. This motion was carried by12 votes to 10 with no abstentions.

Management Committee, 2 March 2002

Subsequently, at the Management meeting on 2 March, it was resolved that more information should be obtained and that a further Special Meeting of Council should be held at which the Management Committee would propose that Council's decision of 23 February should be rescinded and that Council should reconsider its earlier decision in the light of the additional information presented.

Special Meeting of Council, 23 March 2002

This Special Meeting was duly called for 23 March, immediately before the routine Meeting of Council. A thorough debate took place, which concluded that the CA office should be built at Cheltenham Croquet Club with building to start by 1 May. Consequent upon this decision the Relocation Working Party was expanded and now comprises Bryan Judson as Chairman, David Magee (representing CA interests), Derek Bradley (representing Cheltenham CCs interests), Roger Bray (Treasurer), Alan Oldham (Vice President) and Nigel Graves (Secretary).

Ordinary Meeting of Council, 23 March 2002

At the following Ordinary Meeting, Council approved that the Membership Committee be disbanded. Recruitment matters will become the responsibility of Marketing and subscription matters will be dealt with by Administration.

Council Ratified/Noted the Following

A contract has been signed with Jeff Dawson, our new Commercial Agent.

Prize money of £1000 has been offered by Stephen Mulliner and Reg Bamford for The Golf Croquet Championship, 2002.

Egypt may not be able to host the World Golf Croquet Championship in 2004. This would leave an opportunity for the CA to act as host.

The right of non-tournament Associates will be extended to include the right to play in Golf Croquet Tournaments advertised in the CA Calendar and that this class of membership should be suitably renamed. (The rationale is to recognize the paucity of Golf Croquet Tournaments at present. This decision may be readdressed when there is a significant increase in the number of these tournaments.)

For 2003, the Club membership subscription will be increased by the amount by which inflation has increased; there will be no change in the Individual Members subscription rate.

The Sport England Working Party has met with Sport England and enlisted their guidance in the preparation of a Strategy Document.

Bryan Judson, Management Committee Chairman