BOLO CÉSPED: MINUTES OF THE FAB ALMERENCIA MEETING OF 11TH APRIL 2016

Minutes of the FAB Almerencia Meeting of 11^th April 2016 held at Almeria Lawn Bowling Club at 15:00.

Please be aware that these minutes are displayed prior to ratification at the next meeting and are, therefore,  subject to change.

Present:

Present: Delegada, Ruth Compton, RC. Treasurer, Gerard Donck, GD.  Licence Secretary Doreen Hall, DH. Competition secretary John Mannall, JM. Umpires V. President John Sephton, JS.

MBC representative Chris Morgan, CM. Henk VanderVeen, HV.  CAB representative Ian Jackson, IJ. Indalo representatives, David Sewell, DS. Elspeth Marlow, EM. David Ebdon, DE. ALBC representatives Chris Brown, CB.  John Fitzpatrick, JF. Vic Parsons, VP.           

1 Apologies for Absence

Zurgena BC, Trevor Young, CAB. Brian Saunders. CALB.

2 Introductions

Introduction: RC thanked everyone for coming and said she had added an extra item to the agenda – 5c CAUMA.

RC said the area had had a very successful meeting with the FAB President to see how we could all come together in the region to work as one.   What has been proposed was fully approved of by the President – everything was either working to his instruction or he agreeing with our suggestions on how to proceed.  RC reminded everyone that the Delegado/a works under the President as a sub President and does have authority to run the area to its advantages. CM asked if she would be more open and pass on the correspondence to all clubs from the President.  RC said that personal e-mails she cannot pass on but all relevant others were translated and sent to everyone.

3 Minutes of the last Meeting

RC asked those who were at that meeting if they accepted them.  HV said that the numbering was strange in that it went from 5 to 8.  Was something missing?  RC said she would ask the person who had typed them and come back to the Committee. She asked if they could be accepted as they stood at the moment.  JS proposed and JM seconded.

The Minutes were agreed and signed by RC.

4 Financial Report

GD as new treasurer produced a report of the financial situation at present (attached).  He was holding everything in cash, 784.28 euros, at the moment because although the President is arranging a sub-account with the FAB account at La Caixa in Mojacar, this had not yet happened.  RC said that she had personally paid €25 to register as an umpire; this meant that they could now pay umpires and claim the cost back.  Green fees would be paid when invoices received for which a pro forma would be set up.   Monies owed from the FAB would be paid eventually but they cannot send us a cheque until the new bank account was opened.  RC said that as the Delegado she acted as a proxy and was the only person signing the cheques.   RC had suggested that Lawn Bowls Spain’s bank account should be used which would have needed three signatures but one club was against it so now the bank account would be operated with only one signature – this was Spanish law and has to be accepted.  GD asked if he could have a complete list of all licence holders so he can check the monies are correct.  It was asked why the prize money on the 3-2-1 was more than the entry fees? JM answered that this was set by the FAB.  RC also stated that we cannot use any monies from the FAB for prizes but can use sponsor’s cash and entry fees. RC said that we have been working at a loss and the umpires have been working for nothing.   Now as so many bowlers were taking out licences it would make life easier to run a budget for the benefit of the whole area.

Licence Fees

DH has been collecting all licence fees and applications forms which she is now setting onto a master copy.  She had found many mistakes – now rectified.   When asked why they needed personal information on the forms, she said that it was for the insurance company.

DH requested that all clubs, when they get a change of address given to them the club representative forward it to her.  It was asked about those six month members who came out and rented different properties each year – what address should be used.  It was suggested that they just used the last known address.                                                                                  Action RC

RC said she had handed out the 15€ licence cards this week but that the 7.50€ licence cards would take longer and please be patient.  A question was asked regarding entry to a competition and not holding the licence. Bowlers wishing to join the FAB have to register 48 hours before the draw is made of the competition(s) they wish to enter.

RC also reported that the Federation would be collecting the 2017 fees at the start of November 2016, in order that all can be collated and sent to the head office by the end of December.

RC reminded everyone that all players who had paid 7.50€ this year had agreed to pay 15€ next year.

5a. Competition Report: JM reported that the Rinks and 3-2-1 competitions were now finished; the next competition is in September for which the forms would be going out shortly.

The Andalucian championships entries would close on 24^th June when all forms should be sent to JM and monies to GD.  Entries can be from mixed clubs – this is unique to the Andalucian.  JS asked if venues had been assigned, JM said it depended on number of entries.  HV asked if Mojacar could get some games.  JM replied that it was possible but we need to know numbers first before working out the programme.

DH asked whether Margaret Caine from Malaga was against Cabrera – not to our knowledge.  JM said the problem with mixed surfaces, was to play on grass am and carpet pm. where the opponent might only have played on the one type of surface, this give an unfair advantage.

5b. Sponsorship:

        Blacktower Finance Services will be the main sponsor of this year’s Andalucian.  They have awarded us €500 this year.

The Bowls Shop are producing shirts for the event and will donate €2 for each shirt sold and €1 for each hat along with giving raffle prizes.  RC is approaching IBEX insurance for additional sponsorship.  Puerta de las Villas the olive oil producers who is the main sponsor to FAB will be giving bottles of olive oil. RC is going to approach La Caixa, the bank used by the Federation to see if they would sponsor as well.  JM will require assistance to host this year’s Andalucian in order to make the competition run successfully, it is proposed to form a small committee to assist him. He will need two people each day – Janet Jackson has already volunteered. Plus a backup team to help with the preparations Please contact JM, RC or your club representative with your contact details

5c. CAUMA:

          JS reported that the 3-2-1 proved we are short of qualified umpires.

As there are only 2 at Cabrera, 2 at ABC and 1 at Mojacar, he plans to hold new courses in the near future for both umpires and markers.  We have lost 6 umpires this year due to either umpires moving away or sadly death.  There will be an umpires meeting shortly to discuss.

 6     Forward into 2017:

CM said they would like to see some clarification from Sr.Nieto and RC’s committee of the structure set up.  We have to go forward as one unit which means CALB having to function within the FAB. RC replied that the Delegado/a, operates as a sub-President and reports back to him once a month, both in English and in Spanish as required, the activities of the area, reports will be published on the FAB website. As CALB cannot register as an accepted organisation in their own right, they need to come under the FAB if they wish to retain competitions under the CALB name.  The aim is to try to remove duplication of competitions and make the calendars more workable.

CM said his view was that CALB should go ahead and agree but he would have to take it back to their meeting.  The CALB committee would shrink as there would be no need to duplicate members such as club reps as they are already on FAB committee.  It was hoped that eventually the two would combine.  IJ asked if a rotation system could be set up between clubs for finals. It was explained that numbers permitting, this was always done in the past, it is only since the lack of FAB licence fees that this has ceased, if a workable calendar is restored then a forward diary can be completed.

A question was asked regarding FAB licenced members in Zurgena. At the moment Zurgena have no Federated member but they hope to remedy that, so as to have a team for the winter league.  Regarding imminent date set for the Hong Kong pairs, this could not be included in the FAB budget as of this moment. Until CALB have had their meeting and agreed with the proposed merger as laid out in the provided documents they are not included under the FAB umbrella.  Once confirmation has been received from CALB and they agree to come under the FAB umbrella we can start to re-budget for the last part of 2016 and then into 2017.  It would then take at least a fortnight to get this cleared with the President and the calendar submitted for his approval.

GD asked how green fees were going to be allocated.  For official competitions the hire of a green is set at €50 for a half day and €100 for a full day. A system would have to be worked out for play-by-date comps and a discussion would be held later with the owners.

RC said they would have to have another committee meeting soon, when the replies came back from CALB. 

7  AOB:

      RC said they needed a minute secretary – to attend only four meetings a year.  Criteria: who is computer literate and goes on line at least once a day.  Could names please be given to her?

JM will retire as competition secretary at end of year, so a new competition secretary is required.

Criteria: someone who has an understanding of running competitions in any sport.

JM will continue running the winter league.

Also required a combined calendar secretary to collate the calendars from all the clubs and    the FAB Almerencia, liaising with the club calendar secretaries and the FAB.

Criteria:  Much as the Minute Secretary.

We also need to spread out end of year comps bearing in mind the bowlers who return to the UK for the summer.

There being no other business the meeting closed 16.40hrs.