Surfing Meeting - Minutes – 11.11.2011
Present at the meeting were: Kerry Powell, Andy Sturt, Bob Freshwater, Kevin Cook, Hugo Tagholm, Greg Martin,Bruce Daniel, Sam Lamiroy, Gail Sheath, Kevin Smith, Rob Tibbles, Rob Whitney, Isabelle Bromham, Adrian Phillips, Alex Williams, Nigel Semmens, Matt Knight, Alex Wade.
Also present at the meeting was Esther Pearson, Chief Executive of SLSGB
Apologies: Phil William, Dave Reed, Jamie Wilcox, Gary King, Ester Spears, Paul Barrington, Tony Good, Jonty Tucker
Declaration of Interest: Matt Knight, Bruce Daniel and Kevin Smith declared an interest in relation to their children having being selected as part of the British Junior Squad.
- Statement from Alex Wade
Alex gave a brief overview of his career background and how his passion for surfing made him reach the decision to become involved and help sort out the recent difficulties and obstacles preventing Surfing GB from moving forward. Key elements to work towards:
-To create a well structured and efficient surfing organisation with a sound and professional administrative set up
-The NGB should represent a wider range of surfing disciplines
-To develop and make surfing more socially inclusive
-To increase participation and have full regional representation
-To ensure that a British surfer competes on the elite world tour within five to ten years, something the UK is more than capable of doing and a vision to work towards
- Review of current position
Matt Knight provided an update on progress since the meeting in Newquay. Despite several requests made since the end of September, Geoff Swallow is yet to produce and submit:
-Accurate and up to date accounts, including a statement of financial liabilities as well as current overdraft and insurance premiums due.
-Submit all completed documentation required by the Sports and Recreation Alliance from the Sport England Grant, working towards NGB status.
-A written agreement for a number of new directors to come into SGB from the interim committee with immediate effect.
Surfing GB still has no constitution, no office, no operational structure and no one looking after and or communicating with members.
Geoff Swallow and Mike Thomas have asked for another meeting with Matt, Isabelle and Rob but because the requested above documents were never provided, discussing a way forward without basic but very important information would very likely prove to be again a meeting without result.
Some committee members raised the need to try and meet with Geoff Swallow and Mike Thomas, as a last attempt, before deciding on a way forward, to try and tease out once and for all what the issues are.
Action Point: Strategic Committee to organise a meeting with Geoff Swallow and Mike Thomas as soon as possible and to provide an update at the next meeting. It was agreed that Alex Wade and Alex Williams would try to achieve this.
- Election of Interim committee
The current committee is shown below and at present is an interimsteering committee. The purpose of this committee is to provide some kind of support and normality during the period of crisis but fundamentally to creat an efficient working National Governing Body for British surfing.
The following people were voted unanimously, by show of hand.
-Chairman: Alex Wade
-Vice Chairman: Bruce Daniels
-Secretary: Matt Knight
-Treasurer: Isabelle Bromham
-Surfers’ Representative: Sam Lamiroy
- Election of Interim sub-committee
Strategy / Alex Wade, Nigel Semmens, Sam Lamiroy, Phil Williams, Bruce Daniel
Coaching and Accreditation / Kevin Cook, Gary King and Chris Rea, George Stoy
*Marketing/ Website/Media / Rob Tibbles, Kerry Powell, Alex Wade, Sam Lamiroy, Alex Williams
Judges / Bob Freshwater, Kerry Powell, Ester Spears
Clubs / Matt Knight, Kevin Smith, Paul Barrington, Gail Sheath
Finance/Funding/
Grant application/sponsorship / Isabelle Bromham, Kerry Powell, Matt Knight, Kevin Smith
Consultation / Isabelle Bromham, Alex Williams, Rob Tibbles, Adrian Phillips
Coaching / John Ellis, Lloyd Cole, Tony Good, Joel Gray, Joey Buran, Ester Spears, Dave Reed, Russell Winter
Education and schools / Rob Whitney, Jamie Wilcox, Sam Lamiroy
Events / Rob Whitney, Matt Knight, Kerry Powell, Gail Sheath. Dave Reed TBC.
Performance / Sam Lamiroy, Nigel Semmens, Andy Sturt. Dave Reed and Joey Buran TBC
Ladies / Kerry Powell, Gail Sheath, Hannah Hardy. Corinne Evans TBC
*Greg Martin to act as a secondary role in providing advice and guidance.
Action Point: All sub-committees to formulate a plan of action/proposal ready for the next committee meeting. In order to work more efficiently, each sub-committee should nominate one person who will act as main contact point and report progress at meetings.
- Website
The committee spoke about the need for a working website to start communicating with the surfing community. Due to the lack of funds, it was agreed that this would have to be done on a voluntary basis until money is raised for a fuller all singing and dancing site. This work would probably have to go through a tendering process.
- Emergency Strategy for Insurance of Clubs and Surf Schools
There are still great uncertainties about the Surfing GB insurance cover and the accuracy of the database which requires an up to date members list in order to be validated. As a temporary measure Esther Pearson reported that on speaking to Sportscover SLSGBcould offer an additional membership scheme and insurance cover for surfing members.
Action Point: Rob Whitney is to contact the insurance company to find out the current situation so that we can decide if SLSGB’s offer can be put forward to the surfing community.
- Presentation – Esther Pearson
Esther went through the SLSGB proposal, in terms of how surfing would sit under the SLSGB staff and board of Directors structure. Esther explained the financial set up and arrangements with electronic membership renewal, payments, and the level of cover options. Please see attached document for full proposal. Questions were raised about the level of autonomy surfing would be able to keep under an umbrella organisation.
Although everyone agreed that the operational system for SLSGB is indeed very efficient, it became clear that financial sponsorship or grant money received for surfing would be separated into an account for surfing. Based on a simple trading subsidiary model any additional surplus not needed to meet the surfing business plan would go back to the umbrella organisation. This raised greater concerns from committee members and would require further discussion with SLSGB. The committee proceeded to vote by majority for working with SLSGB. Bob Freshwater and Kerry Powell asked for their ‘against’ vote to be noted in the minutes. Alex Wade went on to add that the committee should not feel pressurised in committing to SLSGB but should instead seek to fully investigate the other available options.
Action Point: Alex Wade and Strategy Sub-Committee to meet with Esther Pearson to investigate further SLSGB proposal.
- Judging
Bob Freshwater gave an update on UK judges and pointed out that 24 unqualified judges have been used for contests.
- To date 43 judges are accredited
- Judges need to renew their membership by the 1st week of January 2012. All judges to be contacted
- Renewal cost is $500
Bob reported that the UK is registered with the ISA.
Action Point: Bob Freshwater to contact all current qualified judges. Renewal is possible in the absence of an NGB. The UK is registered with the ISA.
- Junior Squad Update
Junior squad selection was announced last week as well as the training schedule and the trainers/coaches. Joey Buran to lead the British squad. Matt Knight presented the estimated total cost of the Panama trip at around £20,000 + £4500 for the winter training programme. A full budget breakdown was presented to the committee. Some committee members raised their concerns with the selection of coaches in the context of personal interest and it was agreed that coaching would still need reviewing once a proper structure is in place.
- Hugo and Andy from SAS had to leave the meeting early due to other prior commitment but gave a position on SAS involvement in the future. They would need to have clear remit and more clarity on how their organisation could assist surfing GB but equally SAS has a very good working model with communication and marketing experience to bring to the table.
Action Point: As both left before the election took place, Alex Wade to contact Andy and Hugo to ask them if they wanted to sit on one of the sub- committees.
- British Surf Championship Finance
Matt Knight explained that the account was yet to be finalised as he is still paying invoices or awaiting sponsorship payment. The approximate cost of the event was£3,500/£4,000. Matt stated that c. £1,500 of surplus will be left in the account and asked the committee if we could vote for the money to be used for the development stage of the surfing organisation. All members agreed and said that the full account for the event should be posted on the event website.
Action Point: Matt Knight to forward full account to Rob Tibbles when ready. Isabelle to set up a financial spreadsheet
Meeting adjourned at 11.30
Date of next meeting: Thursday 24th November, 7pm
Location:Surf Life Saving Great Britain
1st Floor
19 Southernhay West
Exeter
EX1 1PJ