CA AGM and Council Meeting Report

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The President, Quiller Barrett, and award winners at the 2012 AGM (Photo: Liz Larsson)

The AGM was held in the terrace room of Hurlingham, which was light and spacious, but some members found it disconcerting to be looking at themselves in the mirrors behind the top table! The lack of anything controversial on the agenda probably accounted for the lower than usual attendance of 41.

Barry Keen gave the annual report of council on a successful year, in which CA members Rachel Rowe and Reg Bamford had respectively taken the Womens GC and the AC World titles. Council had focused particularly on financial matters, including reserves and budgetary policy, and its committees had been looking at how best to respond to the challenges raised by the 2012 membership survey.

After Barry gave his report, Jeff Dawson, who had chaired the Management Committee, led a discussion about the level of development grants and the implications for subscriptions. Representatives of several clubs said how much they had appreciated the grants they had received. A straw poll of those present (who, as the presenter of Any Questions is often at pains to point out, are not a representative sample of croquet players) showed no support for decreasing the level of grants and a majority in favour of increasing subscriptions to at least sustain the current level.

There were two questions about the report, from Patricia Duke-Cox, who was assured that an attempt would be made to revive the CA v CA Ireland Junior match next year, and from David Mumford, who wanted more information about fraud insurance. Barry replied that it had become an issue because of the increasing move to electronic banking, which currently lacked the safeguard of the two signatories required for cheques.

Roger Bray was unable to be present for health reasons, so Peter Death read his overview of the 2011 accounts, a detailed commentary and the accounts having been made available before and at the meeting. The 2011 outcome was very similar to the previous year's, with income and expenditure roughly the same, though resulting in a deficit once the effect of inflation on the CA's reserves is considered. In essence, subscription income increased by over £8,000, due not only to higher subscription rates but also to the continuing influx of new member clubs, and grants to clubs (in the form of development grants to established clubs and the provision of equipment to newly registered clubs) rose by a similar amount. The outcome for the current year is, if anything,projected to be worse.

His report concluded with thanks to the staff in the CA Office: Liz Larsson, Liz Budworth and Paul Hands, for their great willingness and efforts in meeting his many requests for data.

David Mumford asked if the calculation of club subscriptions to the CA could be changed so as to omit CA Tournament Members from it, to give clubs an incentive to encourage their members to join the CA. Mike Lambert feared that small clubs would be adversely affected if this meant that club subscriptions for non-CA members had to increase. Others saw a distinction between the services the CA provided to clubs and all players, and the additional ones enjoyed by tournament players. The meeting was told that Council was actively reviewing this area. The 2011 accounts were then adopted.

There were no contested elections, so John Bowcott was elected to Council. Two vacancies remained, one of which was filled by co-opting Strat Liddiard at the start of the subsequent Council meeting.

The Steel Bowl was presented to Sara Anderson (Woking); the Spiers trophy was awarded to Will Gee (Ashby) and Christian Carter (Parsons Green) had already been presented with the Apps Memorial Bowl.

Frances Low (Sussex County and Rottingdean) was presented with the Coach of the Year Award and Ian Lines (Bowdon) was given a Lifetime Coaching Award.

The Council Medal was presented to Chris Williams for his work on the ranking database, croquet records site and as Archivist.

Diplomas were awarded to: Mike Davis and Jim Wilson (Bristol); Dennis Shaw (Ramsgate); Maryse Roberts (Cheltenham); Kathy Wallace (Nailsea & District); Roger Berkeley (Nottingham); Daphne Gaitley, David Gaitley and John Low (Sussex County).

In closing the meeting, the President, Quiller Barrett, mentioned some of the impressions he had gained from visiting clubs while representing the Association. Whilst it was clear that the players at the top were still trying to push tactical boundaries, the survey had raised strong concerns about where their successors would come from. We must make more effort to recruit youngsters, and those currently involved in active and mind games. He was also aware of the leadership challenge posed, both at club and national level, by the threat of a divide between different groups of players, and said that he felt that the venomous comments made by some were decidedly unhelpful.

He ended by congratulating the GB team for regaining the Solomon Shield and thanking the staff and members of Council for their work during the year.

At the afternoon Council meeting, Barry Keen handed over to Jeff Dawson as its Chairman and Tim King was elected Vice-Chairman and to chair the Management Committee. The following new committee chairmen were elected (the others remain in post):

International: Ian Lines
Marketing: Jonathan Isaacs
Publishing: Strat Liddiard
AC Selection: Martin French
Mac Selection: David Maugham
GC Tournaments: John Bowcott

Peter Death was elected as the additional member of the Executive Committee. The other Mac selectors are Phil Cordingley, Martin French, Rob Fulford and Dave Kibble.

The importance of communication with all players, not just the enthusiasts who join and involve themselves with the CA, was emphasised in a review of the discussion at the AGM.

The requirement that members of club teams should be individual tournament members of the CA was removed for all CA club competitions, though the club itself must be a member.

A four-point marketing strategy:

(1) Target recruitment of people in their 40s and 50s
(2) Target recruitment of University Students
(3) Encourage the growth of competitive croquet
(4) Regenerate AC for the benefit of croquet as a whole

was approved and working parties are to be set up to look at each area.

The chairmen of the selection committees were asked to review the selection policy in the light of the appeal panel's recommendations.

The membership statistics showed increases both in the number of individual Associates, which now stood at 1781, and that of member clubs, which had reached 196. However, there was concern about the number of tournaments cancelled this year.

As AOB, Bill Arliss asked Federation Representatives to let him know about demand for referees courses next year: please let them know if you would like one in your area.