11 February 2008, 7.30pm
Held at Cheadle Conservative Club
The President asked delegates to stand for few moments in silence in memory of colleagues who had passed away in the last year. These included Neville Hainsworth of Gatley Rec, Mal Harrop of Cheadle Cons, Albert Justice and John Kivel of South Reddish Vets, Les Lawley of Marple Park, Derek Nadin of Nursery and Shaw Heath, Keith Perrins of Royal Oak, Ken Reeves and Frank Riddeough of Stockport CC, Don Southern of British Rail and Grange, and Jack Wheatley of Cheadle Cons.
Present: President, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer Vets’ Match Secretary and delegates
Absences: Edgeley Cons, Wythenshawe Park
The minutes of the previous annual general meeting had been circulated. The minutes were taken as read and approved.
Evening League
Proposed composition
Levenshulme Catholic have resigned from the evening league. Philips (or Philips at the Friendship, to give them their full title) have returned to the league after a difficult first season in their new home.
This gives us 28 teams. We can organise them into divisions of 9, 9 and 10 by promoting three and relegating two in each case. To get the first division to ten teams would need more radical moves. So we have the composition sent out with the AGM notice.
Proposed programme
Ten teams means a league programme of 18 weeks, which avoids major light problems at the beginning and end. We also have to fit in with the Stockport & District league. We will have one week without league matches, making the season 19 weeks long.
Newlan - R1 on Tuesday
We will play round 1 of the Newlan on a Tuesday evening - 20 May. Subsequent rounds are on Sundays as before, avoiding the dates used by the S&D for their knock-out. The final is on 20 July.
Merit - Wednesday/Saturday qualifying
Following the suggestion at the half-yearly meeting, I have scheduled the Merit on the two Tuesdays following the league programme. This means using greens with lights, and since such clubs tend also to be in the S&D league, avoiding clashes proved tricky. I hope I’ve got it right, and let’s hope we get a bumper crop of entries this year.
Vets’ League
Number of teams
Philips are re-entering a second team, as are Shaw Heath. Both teams look like Division 6 material.
In late news, Greenbank have resigned from the league. This necessitates a change to the composition that was distributed with the AGM notice.
Proposed composition
This gives us 65 teams. We can organise them into five divisions of 11 and one of 10 teams by promoting three from Division 6 and promoting/relegating two in each case (except three go up from Division 6). This makes Division 5 the one with 10 teams, and keeps the promotion/relegation reasonably consistent. So we have the composition sent out with the AGM notice, with the omission of Greenbank.
Organisation of Merit and P.C.S. Cup R1
The P.C.S. Cup will be run like last year, with the first round spread over two dates and the semi-finals and final on successive days.
Because of all the Tuesday league matches, there are some league matches scheduled for the same days as later P.C.S. Cup rounds. These will have to be rearranged if necessary.
Green Rotas
You have lists in your handouts of when we need greens this year. Please make sure your green is available as needed, complete with jacks and long tape. If you have any problems please let me know in good time and I’ll find an alternative. There were too many occasions last year when teams turned up to find greens closed and deserted. Let’s try to avoid that this year.
In 2007 the committee decided to fine defaulting clubs £10, and to rebate this at £5 to each of the inconvenienced clubs.
New rule on rearrangement of matches
The new rule on rearranging matches was generally successful: there were fewer matches postponed and the season ran smoothly. However some clubs felt hard done by when their matches could not be played although both clubs wanted to. We have decided to waive the fines in these cases for this year only, and to try to be more relaxed in future. However we must keep the situation under constant review.
Next Meeting
The next meeting is on Monday 17 March, at Cheadle Heath Social Club at 7.30. It’s a short but important meeting, when you will get the handbooks and other paperwork for the season. The meeting is a week earlier than usual because of the early Easter, and such is the popularity of the Conservative Club, that it has been moved to Hoylake Road.
Great Moor Cons ‘C’ Home matches
The meeting agreed that these matches may be played at 10.30am.
The treasurer summarised the accounts. The significant changes from last year were:
The auditor commended the accuracy of the accounts and the thoroughness of their author. He noted that the league’s account had been transferred to the Vernon Building Society.
In rule 7.4 (PCS Cup new team handicap), replace the last sentence with:
New teams in the league to be on scratch until the first season after they fail to win promotion.
Proposed by the secretary
This proposal was passed with no votes against.
Add new rule 11.2 (Veterans’ Merit):
The final day shall be held at a neutral venue. The venue shall be chosen to ensure that no qualifiers play the final day on their own green.
Proposed by Great Moor Conservative
This proposal was passed with no votes against.
All the existing officers were re-elected.
President: D Walker Chairman: DJ McKnight Hon Secretary and Match/Results Secretary (evenings): ER Kavanagh Hon Treasurer: J Forrest Hon Veterans Secretary: vacant; no nomination received Hon Results Secretary (Vets): A Bligh Management Sub-committee: S Alsop, T Bills, J Pearson, A Rowlinson, H Beech, N Dewey
The meeting approved honorariums conforming to the five-year plan. The new honorariums were as follows.
Treasurer £360
Secretary £360
Match secretary £210
Veterans’ secretary £210
Veterans’ match secretary £210
There was no further business and the meeting closed at 8pm