Minutes of 2004 Annual General Meeting
held at Weston Super Mare C.C
on 10th February 2005

Attendance
Nigel Cook (Acting Chairman for initial part of meeting)
Stewart Dewer (Chairman for second part of meeting)
Robert Humphreys (League Secretary)
John Waters (U11 and U13 Secretary)
Andrew Moulding (for second part of meeting) (Somerset Cricket Board)
Backwell Flax Bourton
Barrow Gurney
Blagdon
Cheddar
Claverham
Cleeve
Clevedon
Congresbury
Failand & Portbury
Nailsea
Optimists
Uphill Castle
Weston Super Mare
Winford
Wrington

1. The meeting commenced at 7.30pm after some (but not all) entry forms had been lodged and some (but by no means all) cheques had been paid.

2. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.

3. Apologies and attendance were taken.

4. The League Secretary delivered his report, with accounts and the accounts were approved.

5. The U13/U11 Junior Secretary delivered his report.

6. Representative team managers delivered a report but they had been unable to arrange any games at all. This was a pity. Pembrokeshire had proved to be very difficult to make arrangements with and the Bristol & District League declined to play.

7. There was a discussion in relation to a proposal for a change to rule 5 such that at U17 level games all fixtures should be at an 8-a-side basis. There was a further discussion as to whether the rule should be changed to allow clubs on option of playing on an 8-a-side basis on election. Neither change was approved.

8. The meeting expressed the view that running of the U17 plate competition (for first round cup losers) was a good idea and had been successful.

9. A debate ensued following a proposal to split the U15 league into 2 sections. There was not sufficient support for this.

10. A proposal was made that entries from B teams should be accepted at both U13 and U11 levels. A proposal was also made that U13s league be split into 2 divisions.

11. Extensive debate and discussion of both proposals took place. To some extent one was dependent on the other, particularly at U13 level at which it was anticipated that there were as many as 17 teams which might wish to enter.

12. After a full discussion in which views of all kinds were expressed, it was determined:

- that entries from B teams would be accepted at U13 and U11 levels;

- managers of clubs involved would be relied on to ensure that players were not to switched between A and B teams with the effect of affecting results;

- there would be no split of the U13 division and all teams would play as one league.

13. Blagdon had notified the League Secretary prior to the meeting of its intention to ask for special dispensation for one Angus Yard, a slightly over-aged player, to be allowed to play nonetheless in the U13s section. Blagdon made a former proposal to such effect. After discussion it was accepted and the player was approved to play in both League and Cup competitions.

14. The following officers were elected or re-elected:

President Brian Rose
League Chairman Stewart Dewer
League Secretary and Treasurer Robert Humphreys
Junior (U13 and U11) Secretary John Waters

15. The following representative team managers offered to lend their services and were on that basis elected:

U17 John Waters
U11 Mike Fletcher

16. Formal applications that had been made by Backwell Flax Bourton and Winford to join the League were accepted.

17. Cups and trophies brought to the meeting were redistributed.

18. Andrew Moulding (Somerset Cricket Board) made the meeting aware (for information purposes only) of the SCB’s policy of formally allowing teams to play girls in divisions 2 years below their actual age. There was discussion as to whether a formal rule should be adopted and it was determined that such should not be the case. Clubs are entitled to agree matters with their oppositions on a case by case basis provided that proper advance notice of any out of the ordinary matter is given.

19. Andrew Moulding gave a short report on certain matters of general application. In particular he advised that formal child welfare policies will be the norm in a couple of years’ time. Clubs had been asked to take certain steps by the beginning of 2005 including the adoption of a formal child welfare policy, the identification of a club welfare officer who has been CRB checked and has attended a course, and who will attend a further NSPCC course. CRB checks are to become mandatory for qualified coaches, age group managers and regular umpires and scorers.

20. There being no further business the meeting ended at 10.00pm.

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Chairman Date