THE League held the 2013 Annual General Meeting on Thursday, July 18th at Matlock Conservative Club (7.45pm).
Present were Ricki Slack (Bolehill Inst); Jim McCann (Whitworth Inst); Robert Lowe (Tansley Potters); Kevin Holmes (Jaxx Q Club); Charlie Hodgkinson and Chris Parker (Matlock Golf / Cons Club); Dave Pownall, Steve Bullock and Mark Newby (Belper Strutt Club); Sean O'Sullivan (Hartington RBL) and Neil Parkinson (Edgefold Club).
Apologies for non attendance were received from Ben Monk (Marehay MW), Dave Needham (Belper Strutt Club), Paul Ogden (Jaxx Q Club), Mick Bunting and Keith Robertson (Bolehill Inst), Nick Kay (Matlock Golf / Cons Club), Malcolm Gregory (Whitworth Inst); Steve Hawkins (Hartington RBL) and John Heathcote (Mayfield Inst).
A minutes silence was observed for the late Alan Hopkinson, Graham Bond and Colin Greatorex, all current or former league officials who sadly passed away during the season.
Minutes of the last AGM were read and signed.
Matters arising coming out of that were that Jim McCann revealed Elliott Carpets had agreed to sponsor the billiards league once again for the forthcoming season. Kevin Holmes also provisionally agreed to sponsor the snooker league with his butchers business.
Ricki Slack said unfortunately it was not possible to produce an exact balance sheet due to several costings being unknown from the previous presentation night relating to the buffet, ticket sales and prize money allocation.
He also pointed out that two sets of snooker awards had taken place during the last financial year due to dispersing trophies on finals nights this time around rather than in September or October.
There was a modest profit at the end of the season for snooker and billiards combined of £42.80 though Ricki had declined to take his full honorarium to ensure the snooker side remained slightly in profit after the loss of two teams from the previous season became known only after subscriptions had been agreed.
Election of officials was as follows:
President: George Mills; Vice President: Steve Bullock
(prop C Hodgkinson,sec R Slack);
Chairman: Robert Lowe; Vice Chairman: Sean O'Sullivan
(prop C Hodgkinson, sec S Bullock);
General / Snooker Match Secretary: Ricki Slack; Billiards Match Secretary: Jim McCann (prop C Hodgkinson, sec N Parkinson);
Snooker Website Administrator: Ricki Slack;
Billiards Website Administrators: Sean O'Sullivan and Ricki Slack;
Treasurer: Ricki Slack with bank signatory Robert Lowe
(prop S O'Sullivan, sec C Parker);
Patron: Nigel Bond to be approached (prop R Lowe, sec J McCann);
Select Six: Sean O'Sullivan, Steve Hawkins, Dave Pownall, Robert Lowe, Steve Bullock and Charlie Hodgkinson (prop C Parker, sec N Parkinson).
Honorariums were discussed and Ricki agreed to undertake the extra roles without any increase to help with the league's costings while Jim would also receive the same as last year which should help safeguard if any teams drop out from the previous season.
All of the above were carried unanimously.
Three proposals for rule amendments or additions were received.
Proposed Jim McCann and seconded Robert Lowe that league matches not played within 2 weeks after the end of the season be awarded against the team unable to play on the proposed date(s) in that period (rather than it being void as is currently stated).
This was also carried unanimously.
Proposed Mark Newby and seconded Steve Bullock that players must play six league matches from the start of the previous season (or 75% of matches of the current season at closing date) to be eligible to play in the competitions with the proviso that novice or intermediate players may be allowed to enter at the discretion of the committee (to be classed as those on -15 or below in the handicap).
Again this was unanimously approved.
Ricki Slack wanted a procedure bringing in to cover a situation where a player barred from a club is drawn there in one of the competitions (as happened last season) and suggested playing on neutral venues with an extra handicap imposed to compensate for loss of home advantage.
This was mulled over though some still thought it was unfair on the home player to go elsewhere and Chris Parker proposed that anyone barred from any of the affiliated clubs would be ineligible to enter the individual or pairs competitions which was seconded by Neil Parkinson.
This was carried by majority verdict with 6 votes for and 4 abstentions.
Any such players could still take part in the League itself or regular team competitions but a reserve would have to be found for any fixture at clubs affected.
In any other business, it seemed to be accepted that Matlock Cons Club would be OK to play their home matches on Fridays, though a few teams had still not replied after being contacted by the match secretary.
Snooker entry forms were distributed for the 2013/14 season and the registration meetings were provisionally agreed.
Snooker registration meeting to be held Thursday, August 29th (7.45pm) at Belper Strutt Club and the Billiards equivalent to be held either Monday or Tuesday of the same week (date/venue to be confirmed).
There being no other business, meeting closed at 8.40pm.
