Minutes for approval 22/09/2012 THE COUNCIL OF BRITISH ROWING - MINUTES OF AN ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL held on Tuesday 12th June, 2012 at the Cutlers’ Hall, Warwick Lane, London EC4M 7BR at 12 noon. PRESENT AND APOLOGIES EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Mrs D.M. Ellis CBE, Chairman Present G. Harris, Deputy Chairman Present Mrs A. Phelps, Deputy Chairman Present O. Kimberley, Hon. Treasurer Present APPOINTED MEMBERS R. Phelps, CUCBC (Div 8) Apologies M. Blandford-Baker, COUR (Div 10) Apologies D. Saoul, Leander Club Apologies M.D. Williams, London Rowing Club Present C. George, Thames Rowing Club Present ELECTED MEMBERS B. Millns (1) Northern Present T. Edwards (2) Yorkshire Present S. Darnbrough (3A) Lancashire & Greater Manchester Present J.C. Davies (3B) Cheshire, Merseyside & N.Staffs Apologies T. Walton (4) East Midlands Present C. Anton (5) West Midlands Present S. Brown (7) West Anglia Apologies A. Johnson (9) East Anglia Apologies A. Weekes (11) Upper Thames Apologies P. Moore (12) Reading Apologies A.J. Evans (13) Middle Thames Apologies A. Crawford (14) Staines & Molesey Apologies R. West (15) Kingston & Twickenham Present J. Davey (16) Chiswick & Mortlake Present Mrs S. Cassidy (17) University of London Present Dr N. Jackson (18) Barnes & Hammersmith Apologies P. Simpson (19) Putney Present M. Stallard (20) South Anglia Present J. Clayton (21A) Lower Thames & Medway Present P. McCorry (21B) Kent & Sussex Coast Apologies M.E. Green (22) Hampshire & Dorset Present Mrs P. Sondheimer WAGS Present Ms V. J. Perry (24) Devon & Cornwall Present Mr S Osborne Welsh Rowing (+1 representative) Apologies M. Morrice Scottish Rowing (+2 representatives) Apologies MEMBERS APPOINTED BY COUNCIL Miss K. O’Sullivan Chairman National Coaching Committee Present J. Harlow Chairman British Rowing Championships Not present Mrs F. Dennis Chairman National Competition Committee Apologies C. Killick Chairman Water Safety Sub Committee Apologies R. Mallett Chairman National Development Committee Present M. Martin Chairman Junior Rowing Commission Apologies MEMBERS CO-OPTED BY COUNCIL Miss A. Faiers Apologies B. Hawden Apologies W.C. Thomson Present J. Turnbull Apologies Mrs F. Dennis Apologies NON-VOTING MEMBERS Hon. Life Vice-Presidents - C.G.V. Davidge OBE Apologies J.A. Veats Apologies M. Brandon-Bravo OBE Present BRITISH ROWING STAFF J.R. Allsop Financial Controller Present Mrs R.E. Napp National Manager Present D.W. Tanner CBE International Manager Present Mrs P. Randolph Minute Secretary Present Miss W. Kewley Rowing & Regatta Apologies REGIONAL CHAIRMEN R. Bayliss West Midlands Present P. Clements WAGS Apologies C. Eales Wessex Present C. Edwards North West Apologies M. Humphrys Thames Present G. Nicholls East Midlands Present ALSO ATTENDED Ms F. Rennie BUCS Present 1. CHAIRMAN’S OPENING REMARKS The Chairman welcomed Council members and recorded her thanks to the Worshipful Company of Cutlers for their hospitality. Mrs Ellis said she had attended a meeting at Dorney Lake on 11th June. It was an extremely muddy site at the moment however she felt sure that the facilities would be fantastic. The spectator stands were very high and she advised members with tickets to allow good time to locate and reach their seats. Rowing’s ‘Team GB’ had been announced by the BOA on 6th June, and during the run up to that British Rowing had received one athlete appeal. The BOA was currently dealing with 17 appeals across other sports. Council remembered in silence members of the rowing community who had died since the last meeting; George Moody who had served as a Divisional Representative for 23 years, West Midlands Regional Chairman and Henley Steward, Dr. Helen Patterson – Champion of the Thames, Rolls Pollard – Chairman Peterborough City RC and recipient of the ARA Medal of Honour, Rebecca Chamberlin of Clare College. Richard du Parcq was welcomed, attending as a substitute for N. Jackson, Division 18. 2 2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Noted and recorded as above. 3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Non pecuniary Mrs. D. M. Ellis : SRA Director; BOA Board Mrs A. Phelps : BPA Trustee Mr. M.D. Williams : FISA Treasurer Pecuniary C. George : UKCC Tutor and Assessor M. Green : UKCC Tutor and Assessor G. Harris : UKCC Tutor, Assessor and Verifier Miss K. O’Sullivan: UKCC Tutor and Assessor 4. MINUTES The minutes of the meeting held on Saturday 14th March 2012 were agreed to be an accurate record and signed, subject to the following amendments: Miss K. O’Sullivan to be added to Declarations of Interest, pecuniary Trinity Hall John Russell, Putney Town. 5. MATTERS ARISING a) CEO Appointment: Kate Burt has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer, taking up her role on Monday 18th June. She has in the intervening months been taking on board a good deal background information, such as the draft Whole Sport Plan. The interview process had gone very well with seven strong candidates shortlisted for the post. Six were interviewed and the panel were very pleased to be able to offer the role to Kate Burt who had the marketing, branding and commercial experience the sport was seeking. The interview panel comprised Mike Baldwin, Rod Murray, Mrs Ellis and Liz Nicholl from funding partner, UK Sport. A representative from Odgers was also in attendance. b) Constitutional Changes: The Chairman explained that it was necessary to amend Articles 17 and 18 to include a clause (d) that explains how the regional representatives will become members of this Council. The purpose is to avoid a situation where all representatives retire in the same year and to do this fairly. This would need Council’s approval in order to go forward to the AGM. Regions were currently arranging their elections and this would simply establish the length of terms of office before representatives retired. With the correction of one typographical error clause d was approved to go to the AGM in September. The new Model Regional Constitution has been developed in parallel to ensure consistency with the amended Articles 17 and 18. ELECTION OF REGIONAL CHAIRMEN Article 17 (a) Each candidate for Regional Chairman must be a member of a Club which is an Affiliated Member from the region that the Regional Chairman is to represent and a Registered Individual. The Committee of one of the Affiliated Members Member Clubs from that Region must nominate the candidate and another such Affiliated Member Club must second the nomination. (b) The names and addresses of the Regional Chairmen, the name of a Club, being an Affiliated Member of which they are a member, and the Region which they are elected to represent shall be delivered in writing to the Company Secretary not later than 31st July in 2012, and thereafter not later than 30th November in each year, commencing 30th November 2013. (c) The Company Secretary shall report the results of elections to the next meeting of the Council, and shall also send them to the Affiliated Members of the Region concerned. (d) On the coming into force of these Articles all Regional Chairmen shall be elected at an EGM of their Regions, in accordance with paragraph 17(a) above, one third of whom (to be determined by 3 British Rowing drawing names at random at an Open Council Meeting) will be required to face re- election by 30th November 2013, a further third so drawn by 30th November 2014 with the final third by 30th November 2015. Those re-elected in years 2013, 2014 and 2015 will be eligible to serve a further three year period on Council and then must stand down from Council for a period of at least one year. ELECTION OF REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES Article 18 (a) Each candidate for Regional Representative must be a member of a Club which is an Affiliated Member from the region that the Regional Representative is to represent and a Registered Individual. Those Regions entitled to Regional Representatives shall determine how these Representatives are elected by the Affiliated Members in the Region. (b) The names and address of the Regional Representatives, the name of a Club, being an Affiliated Member of which they are a member, and the Region which they are elected to represent shall be delivered in writing to the Company Secretary not later than 31st July in 2012, and thereafter not later than the 30th November in each year commencing 30th November 2013. (c) The Company Secretary shall report the results of elections to the next meeting of the Council, and shall also send them to the Affiliated Members of the Region concerned. (d) On the coming into force of these Articles all Regional Representatives shall be elected at an EGM of their Regions, in accordance with paragraph 18 (a) above, one third of whom (to be determined by British Rowing drawing names at random at an Open Council Meeting) will be required to face re-election by 30th November 2013, a further third so drawn by 30th November 2014 with the final third by 30th November 2015. Those re-elected in years 2013, 2014 and 2015 will be eligible to serve a further three year period on Council and then must stand down from Council for a period of at least one year. c) Regional Constitutions: Mrs Sondheimer asked for clarification on the role of the Events Co- ordinator. Mrs Napp said she believed that this would normally be the person with responsibility for co-ordinating the competition calendar. C. George asked what the purpose of the model was and what powers could be applied with regard to Regions following it. The Chairman said that it should be seen as an advisory document, to ensure that there was consistency across the country. It was acknowledged that for Regions such as Thames there would clearly be slight variations. Constitutions came to Council to be approved and it was important that where Regions wished to make changes from the model that they should highlight those clauses and give some background to the reasons for the change.