Report of October Council Meeting

[<<] [>>] by Ian Vincent
19th October 2009 (CqE Official News)

Council met on Saturday 17th October at Hurlingham, following the AGM and the lunch for the retiring President, Bernard Neal. Time was therefore tight, but Patricia Duke-Cox, who was re-elected for a second year as Chairman, quickly got through the formal business, though more information was requested by members of Council on several points. Barry Keen is again her Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Management Committee.

Geoff Young was welcomed as the new representative of the North-Western Federation and Quiller Barrett was welcomed back to Council as President.

For the first time this year, all the committee chairmen were elected by Council, rather than only those of the principal standing committees, to avoid the manoeuvring after the meeting, and occasional stand-off, when the other committees tried to assemble their members to elect their chairmen.

The 2010 MacRobertson Shield Selection Committee was appointed last year, but Ian Burridge has been substituted for Stephen Mulliner. David Maugham, its Chairman, indicated that it expected to make the selection in January.

Jean Hargreaves was appointed as Child Protection Officer and will hopefully guide us through the new system that replaces CRB checks for volunteers.

Although there was no need to change account signatories, there was a wider discussion of banking arrangements. Applications for credit cards had failed, either because the Association was unincorporated, or because its constitution does not contain a power to borrow, and there was concern that cheques are being phased out. Electronic banking looks to be the way forward.

The issue as to whether the number of votes cast for each candidate in elections should be published, that was raised at the AGM, was referred to the Management Committee for consideration, along with the wider question of how officers should be elected. The process by which there came to be a contested election for President was outlined in response to a question.

The report of the Panel which considered the appeal about selection for the European Team Championship was noted. To implement some of its recommendations, changes to the Selection Policy were agreed. In response to subsequent correspondence from the appellant, a paper discussing conflicts of interest when people were members of more than one organisation (club, federation, national or international body) was considered, but the feeling was that further work on this topic is needed.

Following the change to the constitution at the AGM, the 123 new Associates in the last year were noted, rather than elected, but are welcome none the less.

Finally, the topics of the level of entry fees and levy for tournaments and the possibility of travelling expenses for representation by the President at international matches were raised for future consideration.

Ian Vincent,
Hon. Secretary