SOUTH WALES REGIONAL ATHLETICS COUNCIL Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held at Cardiff International Sports Stadium on June 14 th, 2011 PRESENT: Ridley Griffith (President, in the chair), Peter Lane (Chairman), Jan Nugent (Secretary), Keith Matthews (Treasurer), Christine Webb (Minutes Secretary), Darran Williams (Track & Field Competitions Officer), Jane Dakin (Bridgend), Fred Malkin (Barry & Vale), Graham Webb (Cardiff AAC), Peter Morris (Cardiff & the Vale of Glamorgan Schools), Derek Crowder (Welsh Athletics Officials representative) 1. PRESIDENT S WELCOME Ridley Griffith welcomed everyone to the meeting. 2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies were received from Rob Glaves, Steve Brace and Chris Moss. 3. MINUTES OF THE 2010 AGM The minutes of the meeting held on November 9 th, 2010, at Cardiff International Sports Stadium were accepted. 4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES Derek Crowder queried whether John Elward (Track & Field) and Mel James (Off Track) had functioned as Regional Officials Administrators, and he noted that, at the 2010 AGM, no delegate had been appointed to the Welsh Athletics Officials Committee. He felt that it is important for all regions to have an active officials organiser. It was AGREED to add the Officials Committee to the list of delegates to be elected on the agenda. 5. REPORTS 1. Chairman Peter Lane reported on matters which had been discussed at meetings of the General Council and the October Annual General Meeting of Welsh Athletics. These included: (a) Funding for grassroots development (b) The Coaching for Performance Plan (c) Sports Wales had arranged for Price Waterhouse to undertake an external audit of Welsh Athletics. This happens on a four year cycle, and was last held in 2006. (d) John Collins, the Secretary of the Welsh Athletics Cross-Country Committee had raised concerns about endurance events being held on the same weekend as National and Inter Regional championships. The possibility that Regional Licensing Officers might withhold the granting of a licence for events on the same weekend as national or inter regional championships had been investigated, but
this is not possible. (e) East Wales had asked that our association consider having one administrative body for the two regions while retaining separate competition programmes. It was AGREED that nothing could be decided at this meeting but that further discussion should be held. Keith Matthews felt that, financially, it might be better than the current situation, but that any change will need to be taken to the Welsh Athletics AGM. Graham Webb indicated that he was against the proposal while Derek Crowder noted that, if changes were agreed, there will be a knock-on impact on the constitution. (f) Colleagues in East Wales had also expressed concern that three members John Lister, Carol Anthony and Keith Matthews - of the Finance sub group of the Board had resigned. This is unprecedented and suggests that something is seriously wrong within the company. Jan Nugent reported that our Council had asked Welsh Athletics for financial information before the AGM in October 2010. At that AGM, Matt Newman had agreed to forward the information but it only arrived after three further requests and, sadly, not in a useful form. A number of other matters of concern relating to Welsh Athletics finance and planning were also discussed including the problems athletes in the warm weather training group arranged by Welsh Athletics in Portugal earlier in the year had experienced when the ash cloud had caused airlines to cancel flights. After considerable discussion, it was AGREED that our Secretary write to: (1) Alan Currie, the Chair of General Council, asking for an item on the Welsh Athletics finances be placed on the agenda for the joint Board and General Council meeting in July, and (2) to Lynette Harries, Chair of the Board of Welsh Athletics, expressing our region s concern at the current situation following the resignation of the three members of the Finance Group. 2. Competitions Officer Track & Field Darran Williams reported that the regional championships, held jointly with East Wales at Cardiff International Sports Stadium, had been very successful with twenty new championship bests set. Entry fees had been increased but the amount received had fallen from 1300 in 2010 to 1134 this year. However, because of the joint nature of the championship, there had been a surplus of 600. He thanked everyone who had helped. Thanks were also recorded to Judith Gooding for offering to manage our athletes who competed at the UK CAU championships in Bedford. 3. Competitions Officer Cross-Country Fred Malkin reported that, because of the weather conditions in December, the 2010 Welsh Inter Regional championships, scheduled for Builth Wells, had been cancelled at a very late stage, after teams had been selected and declared. It had not been possible to find an alternative date. Our teams had competed at the UK CAU championships in March, at Cofton Park in Birmingham. Because of the cancellation of the Inter Regional championships, it had been decided to set aside the former policy of not entering u13 athletes for the UK CAU championships, to provide them with a representative opportunity. It had been a successful day, and it was suggested that u13s should be entered in future years. Thanks were recorded to the athletes, who competed, and to the team managers who went to Birmingham.
4. Competitions Officer Road Running Keith Matthews noted that the UK CAU 10 miles championships had been held in north Wales, and we had entered teams. Our senior men had performed really well, and had placed second in the team competition. 5. Competitions Officer - Hill & Mountain Running There was no report, but it was noted that the Regional championships had been held within the Pentyrch Hill Race, in April 2011. 6. District Schools Association Reports Pete Morris provided a detailed report on the activities of the Cardiff & the Vale of Glamorgan Schools association, and touched on the organisation of the two regional schools cross-country championships at Trelai in the autumn term, with more than a thousand children taking part. He underlined that, in March and April, Cardiff & the Vale had its most successful month since it was formed in 1996 winning the u13 and u15 boys section at the Aviva Welsh Sportshall Finals, and providing the winner of the u15 Girls All Rounder title, Claire Taylor (Radyr), then winning three of the eight team titles and providing three individual winners, Seren Allin (year 7 girls), Jake Heyward (year 7 boys) and Elliot Slade (middle boys) - at the Aviva Welsh Schools National Cross-Country championships and, for the first time, sharing the Overall Points title with Dyfed, while, at the Aviva UK Sportshall finals in Birmingham, there were a number of medallist and George Griffiths (Cowbridge) had finished third in the u15 All- Rounder, with that team also claiming third spot. Because of term dates, the summer programme had not started until May 3 rd, much later than usual. As a result, the Senior Cup Final was not held, and a letter had been received from the Secretary of the Cardiff Conference of Secondary Heads pointing out that district competitions had been held in the important revision period for pupils in years 11+, and asking what the plan was for summer 2012. 6. FINANCE Keith Matthews presented the annual statement of accounts. He reported a high deficit for the year. As a result, he planned to apply for a grant of 1000 from Welsh Athletics next year, and for a grant of 3000 in the following year. He also planned to set up a deposit account, and to move 10000 from the current account into it. There was a deficit of 339 on track & field activities, but this included the purchase of crop tops for girls. Vests and crop tops are being sold for 15 each. Keith felt that it is still possible for us to provide free travel for on team coaches. It had been suggested that the joint South & East team in the NJAL track & field league should have a new vest, but he felt that this is too expensive. This year, the South Wales vest has been used with the borrow stock as a useful resource. It was AGREED that travelling expenses for officials be increased to 25 pence per mile, with 5 pence for any additional passenger to fall in line with the officials expenses of Welsh Athletics. Keith was thanked for his work with our accounts. 7. ELECTION OF OFFICERS The following Officers were elected: 7.1 Chairman Peter Lane, who indicated that this will be his last year in the post 7.2 Secretary Jan Nugent 7.3 Treasurer Keith Matthews 7.4 Competitions Officers a. Track & Field Darran Williams (b) Cross-Country Graham Finlayson, to work with Fred Malkin
(c) Road Running Graham Finlayson and Alex Donald (d) Hill & Mountain Ron Morris is to be contacted Keith Matthews proposed and it was AGREED that a letter of thanks be sent to and a presentation be made to Derek Williams to mark his long service as Regional Permit Officer and to endurance in the Region. 7.5 Officials Administrators (a) Track & Field Derek Crowder stressed the importance of having an active organiser, and suggested that Jane Dakin had the qualities to undertake the role. It was AGREED that Derek will write down a job description for Jane to consider. (b) Off Track Mel James 8. ELECTION OF DELEGATES The following delegates were elected: 8.1 Annual General Meeting of Welsh Athletics Peter Lane 8.2 General Council Peter Lane, Keith Matthews, Fred Malkin 8.3 Inter Regional Forum Peter Lane, Darran Williams, Fred Malkin 8.4 Annual General Meeting of UK CAU Graham Webb 8.5 Welsh Athletics Track & Field Committee Jan Nugent 8.6 Welsh Athletics Road Running Committee Graham Finlayson 8.7 Welsh Athletics Cross-Country Committee Graham Finlayson 8.8 Welsh Athletics Mountain Running Ron Morris 8.9 Welsh Athletics Coaching Committee Ridley Griffith 8.10 Welsh Athletics Officials Committee The new Track & Field Officials Administrator Alyson Hourihan was RE-APPOINTED as the Region s Welfare Officer. 9. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION No amendments had been received. 10. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES Keith Matthews proposed and it was AGREED that these be suspended for 2012/13. 11. NOTICES OF MOTION No notice had been received. 12. ELECTION OF LIFE MEMBERS Jan Nugent reported that she could not find a complete list of the current life members. She had researched past minutes of the AGM but was missing minutes for two years. Mrs Irene Lisle had pressed for life members of the former Mid Glamorgan and South Glamorgan associations to be automatically made life members of the Region, but it is not clear whether this was agreed. In the past, Ken Thomas, Jan Nugent, Frank Ireland, Mrs Lisle, Terry Notman and Kay James have been made life members, but three Ken, Irene and Frank have died. Given his outstanding service to the Region, it was AGREED to make Derek Williams a Life Member. For his outstanding commitment and service to both regional and schools athletics Peter Morris was made Life Member.
The formal business of the AGM stopped at this point but Jan Nugent had received information from the Welsh Athletics office about applications from two new clubs to become affiliated to the company. One, Women Running Penarth, is an endurance club, offering competition for road and country, while the second, Butetown Runners, is intended to provide competition on road, road walking and cross-country but its membership is to be confined members of the local Islamic Centre. The proposed affiliation of Butetown Runners was REFERRED back to Welsh Athletics. It was also AGREED that the next meeting of the Regional Executive will be held two weeks before the next meeting of the General Council. SIGNED DATE These are draft minutes, which may be changed at the Annual General Meeting on June 20 th, 2012.