WOODBOROUGH BRIDGE CLUB

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 20th JULY 2017

PRESENT.

Keith Spencer (Chairman), Jane Hall (Secretary), Phil Dale (Treasurer), R Furlonger, C Wood, , T Smith, R Hooper, P Sulley, R Dove, N Davis, G Lee, H Beeby, P and D Tillcock, L Lomas,  R Page, , J and J Glass, H Yates, D Thompson, S Fordham, P Sweet, C Murday, W Walker, D Abbott, T Brook, A and H Kirkland, D McMurdo, S Alvey, L Eagling, S Zygadlo, G Garratty, J Evans, D and S Crawford, P Ottewell, B Jay, R Dale,A and A Spence, M Parkinson, J Kirkwood.

Also present four visitors; J Kirkwood, P Watmough, K White, and Bev Purvis (EBU)

APOLOGIES.

 J Gamble, E Poyser, J Edwards, T Fullick, A-M Campbell, J Furlonger, J McKee

MINUTES OF THE AGM HELD ON  21st  JULY 2016.

The minutes had been previously circulated.  They were accepted as a true record.  Proposed by S Zygadlo seconded by D Thompson.

MATTERS ARISING.

There were no matters arising.

TREASURER’S REPORT:

Accounts were tabled.  Phil Dale told the members that it had been a good year; membership was constant and averaged over 10 tables a night, the highest ever. The club had generated a profit of £393.00 and paid off the outstanding loans.  We have purchased another 5 Bridgemates, giving us a total of 17. The clubs net worth has virtually doubled in the year, in spite of increased expenditure for the Hall hire, P2P and insurance which we had to increase to provide adequate cover.  Members were reminded that we had some expensive equipment which has a shelf life, and will need to be replaced in the future, so we can not be complacent.  The committee therefore proposes to retain the subscriptions at £10 per head, and table fees at £2 to include refreshments.  Visitors’ fees remain the same as last year.

A member asked where the insurance fees were recorded in the accounts; it was explained that they were included under EBU expenses.

The Treasurer’s report and proposals were agreed.  Proposed by C Wood, seconded by S Fordham.

TEACHING AND CLUB DEVELOPMENT REPORT:

Toni Smith started her report saying that the club had a 5 year plan and was successfully achieving the two objectives to attract new members to the club, and to improve play.  There had been two streams for teaching; George Ripley’s day time seminars which reported increased attendance from the previous year to around 4/5 tables, and Toni’s evening classes where attendance varied between 5-24 players. Both these streams were finishing at the end of the year and members would be consulted as to what, where and when future classes may start in 2018.  The club had benefitted from a generous donation of a full set of Bernard Magee DVDs which were available for all members to borrow.

TEAM CAPTAINS’ REPORT

Ray reported on behalf of all three team captains.  The club’s aim was to have teams in each of the three divisions so a varying standard of competition was open to all.  Whilst this was achieved in 2015/16 we were not as successful as hoped in 2016/17.  The third team were quite successful, the second team came close to gaining promotion and the first team will be relegated to the 2nd division in 2017/18.           

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT: 

Keith thanked members of the committee for their hard work during the year; not only in making sure the club sessions ran smoothly, but the large amount of work that takes place away from club nights. Keith told the members that he was now stepping down, but would continue his lead role on IT matters.

To vote on a motion from the WBC Committee to change the wording of the Constitution regarding the maximum number of committee members. To change it to “At the AGM a Chairman and as many Committee members as may be deemed expedient shall be elected, subject to a maximum of ten”.  All members agreed to this change in the constitution.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE

It was explained that the responsibilities within the committee would be changing to more fairly share out the numerous tasks.  In particular Jane would be standing down as Committee support secretary but would continue as general club secretary and gradually hand over some of the tasks she undertakes to others on the committee.  The Committee ; R Furlonger (Chairman), Jane Hall (Club Secretary), Phil Dale (Treasurer), K Spencer, J Furlonger, D Tillcock, T Smith, A Spence, T Brook, S Fordham  were elected en bloc.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Clive Wood had previously sent his question to the Committee prior to the meeting. He asked “if the club had any rules laid down regarding the levels of bidding systems it allows its members (and visitors) to legally use?  (levels 2,3,4 and above)  I would suggest not?   In which case with such a varied membership, of relative newcomers to the game and very experienced partnerships, it is essential that all partnerships playing anything other than standard Acol should carry two identically completed system cards and be ready (and patient) to fully explain all their announcements and alerted calls when asked to do so.” Keith replied that this had been discussed before and reminded members that if there is a query with bidding and the partnership had no convention card the director’s decision was likely to go against you. Standard convention cards could be downloaded from the EBU website

Ray, as in-coming Chairman, thanked Keith and Jane for their years as Chairman and Secretary.  Also for Toni for her strategic direction.  The last few years had seen major changes at the club and between them they had delivered the very necessary changes and improvements to create the thriving club we now have.

MEETING CLOSED AT 7.00 PM. 

Following the AGM Bev Purvis, the EBU Club Liaison Officer spoke to the meeting.