Annual Report & Accounts » 2016
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Annual Report & Accounts » 2016 Contents Mission Statement Page In 2009 the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) assumed Mission Statement 1 control of the functions of predecessor organisations that Chairman’s Statement 2 - 3 combined to govern, regulate and develop licensed greyhound Chief Executive’s Report 4 - 5 racing. Special Report - Awards 2016 6 - 10 The GBGB was created to serve the industry by providing clear Category One Roll of Honour 11 leadership and direction to the sport. The organisation is charged Governance Update 12 - 13 to improve the quality of all its functions; to listen to constructive feedback, internally and externally, and to challenge its processes Regulatory Report 14 against the changing needs of a sport operating in a competitive Welfare Report 15 environment. UKAS update 16 It is committed to improving the quality, management and Racing Review 18 - 19 planning of all its functions to the highest standards achievable Financial Review 20 - 21 and being efficient, effective and accountable to those that it licenses, and the public. Maintaining high standards in greyhound welfare is central to GBGB’s responsibilities. Annual Report & Accounts 2016 | Page 1 | Annual Report & Accounts 2016 Chairman’s Statement By Tom Kelly As I joined the Board in May 2015 with the prime objective of “Trainer Peter Harnden & owner improving greyhound racing’s income from the betting industry, Paul Ephremsen bring a new it might be anticipated that my final report from the Chair would contain excuses - perhaps even an apology - for not having breadth and vigour to the Board” achieved this. In fact, I am offering neither justification nor expressions of regret. This is Again, as I write, the wisdom of awarding the greyhound racing’s most partly because I embarked on the task with no promises other than to give prestigious event to Towcester has yet to be put to the final test, but I am as it my best shot and with no illusions about the difficulty of the task, but it is certain as it is possible to be that the GBGB’s Derby Working Party made the mainly because the game is not over. right choice. The large betting companies are still to be convinced that it is in their If the Derby is a rousing success, much credit will be due to the two commercial interests to ensure that a little more of their profits should independent members of the Working Party – John Turner, who won the be invested to improve the financial health of what is still a core betting race last year with Jaytee Jet, and Steve Fluin, the energetic head of the product. But discussions continue, and, at the time of writing, Lord David Champagne Club syndicate. Lipsey has been asked by the Sports’ Minister to mediate. Another positive development during the year was the decision by the GBGB is grateful to Minister Tracey Crouch for her intervention. By the time Directors to take radical steps to fill the two empty seats on the Board these words appear in print, the outcome may be known and, if this is the earmarked for representatives of trainers and owners through the medium case, it will be then be the time to evaluate the outcome and perhaps to of a democratic vote. This process is now complete, and though I stood apportion blame. down from the chairmanship at the end of April, I look forward to trainer Peter Harnden and owner Paul Ephremsen bringing a new breadth and Funding aside, 2016 was a testing year. A new home had to be found, with vigour to the Board’s activities. speed but not haste, for the Derby following the Mayor of London’s death sentence on Wimbledon. Tom Kelly, Chairman, May 2017 “I embarked on the task with no promises other than to give it my best shot...” Page 2 | Annual Report & Accounts 2016 Page 3 | Annual Report & Accounts 2016 Chief Executive’s Report By Barry Faulkner As Tom Kelly has noted in his Chairman’s report, securing future funding for the industry remains our key priority. Towards the end of last year DCMS announced that the extension of the Horserace Betting Levy to include betting activity from online operators, often offshore, would commence in April 2017. Previously GBGB had made the case to DCMS that the elements of the scheme which referred Time was short and a Working Party, comprising GBGB Chairman Tom Kelly and “2016 provided another year to the unique relationship between horseracing and betting me, together with GRA CEO Clive Feltham and prominent owners Steve Fluin and applied equally to greyhound racing. This continues to be our view. John Turner, was established with a brief to identify a greyhound track capable of of top quality action across However, the important thing is to secure improved funding and replacing Wimbledon as the home of the Greyhound Derby. Following a thorough Great Britain.” the most effective way to do that may be through the current process, the proposal from Towcester, GBGB’s most recently licensed racecourse, mechanism. Be assured that a significant amount of work has gone secured the track the right to stage the Greyhound Derby for an initial three into this project and continues to do so. year period starting with the 2017 renewal. Earlier in December Towcester had defended their BAGS Track Championship crown, securing victory over Romford in Racing the final race on an exciting finals day at Perry Barr. 2016 provided another year of top quality action across Great Britain Representation with many a memorable performance among the top-grade action. Our Welfare and integrity At the end of 2016 GBGB commenced a process to ensure that the John has represented owners and trainers robustly during his time with chronicler of the sporting heroics is Jonathan Hobbs and his review of the Welfare and integrity is the bedrock of the work of the GBGB and a full report views of owners and trainers are fully represented on the GBGB Board both organisations, ensuring the practitioners’ voice has been heard at the year can be found later in this report. is provided by Mark Bird and his team later in this report. GBGB’s kennel of Directors. Nominations for two Practitioner Directors, one for owners, highest level within the sport. improvement programme has moved on with the aim of producing a Publicly the other trainers, were sought and at the end of the process, Peter Of course, the pinnacle of the sport is the Greyhound Derby and what Available Specification (PAS) through the British Standards Institute (BSI). Harnden has joined the Board to represent trainers and has been joined John also joined the board of the British Greyhound Racing Fund in 2000 turned out to be the final running at Wimbledon provided its usual white- by Paul Ephremsen in the Owners’ seat. We welcome them to the Board and became a trustee of the Retired Greyhound Trust in 1999 where his knuckle ride for connections before a memorable final at the beginning of Microchipping regulation for all dogs came into force in April 2016 and although and look forward to their contributions. interest in greyhound welfare made him a valuable contributor to the work June. With four Irish trained runners in the decider, it was Paul Hennessy all racing greyhounds registered with GBGB have been microchipped since 2010, of the Trust. who took the plaudits for the Emerald Isle when the John Turner owned well in advance of last year’s legislative change, GBGB has worked with the Irish PEOPLE Jaytee Jet swooped late to take the £150,000 first prize with just a neck Coursing Club and Defra to ensure compliance with the new regulations. Tom Kelly And finally… to spare from Pat Buckley’s charge Droopys Roddick. It was a memorable As Tom mentioned earlier, he has stepped down as Chair of the GBGB at At the May 2017 Board meeting I informed the Board of my intention to send off to the venerable Plough Lane stadium and the old girl will be sadly During the course of 2016 Welfare Director Dr Peter Webbon has been working the end of his two-year tenure. I worked for Tom for a number of years step down as Chief Executive in November when I reach my 65th birthday. missed by those of us who liked to gather on the first bend for the duration on a matrix to provide a framework for Welfare activities for GBGB in 2017 and in a previous role and it has been a pleasure to work with him again. His As I said in a press release, “The last seven years have proved tough going of the greatest greyhound competition in the world. beyond and it will provide a solid base from which the organisation can progress in hard work, skill, wisdom and guidance have been much appreciated by for greyhound racing which was particularly badly impacted as the recession this vitally important area. me and everyone at GBGB and we wish him the very best for the future. bit. However, regardless of how difficult it has been, it has never been dull. In September when Sajid Javid MP, the Secretary of State for Communities My team at the GBGB have shown admirable commitment during my tenure and Local Government, announced that he was content for planning UKAS John Haynes to ensure that the services provided by them for the benefit of the sport permission relating to the redevelopment of the site to be decided by the In 2015 GBGB underwent its first racecourse and head office inspections under John Haynes stood down from his duties with Greyhound Board of Great never diminished.” local authority, the writing was on the wall for greyhound racing at the a new standard - ISO/IEC 17065 – so the 2016 inspections were the second time Britain in September.