THORNTON LE DALE BOWLING CLUB, C.I.O
MINUTES OF THE 45th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Held at the Bowls Club, 2pm, Friday 1[st] November 2024
Chris Gibbons welcomed everyone.
Present:-
Peter Standring, Heather Standring, Chris Gibbons, Jayne Gibbons, Steve Slade, S. Wakefield, T. Wakefield,
Apologies for Absence – S. Myers, D. Barker
Minutes of the 44th Annual General Meeting
The minutes of the 44th AGM were circulated. This was duly accepted as true and correct.
Matters arising: -
No matters arose.
Welcome Address.
Welcome to the AGM and thank you for making the effort to attend, in support of the club. We intend to proceed as per the circulated agenda and cover all of the items, then move on to voting for 2025 officers at the end, with AOB as our last item.
Treasurer’s Statement
Treasurers Report for Thornton le Dale Bowling Club
The club finances are laid out in the accounts attached to this report.
This last financial year has seen the reintroduction of green fees. After successive years of operating losses, this year the operating surplus,after excluding capital expenses, was £733.67.
The green fees have been crucial to making the club financially sound. It is proposed by the Trustees that for the coming year the membership fees remain unchanged and green fees remain unchanged at £2 a session. The accounts show a decrease in membership fee income but this comes from an anomaly where 2 members paid twice last year and therefore paid a reduced amount this year.
The income from the Whistlestop this year shows a reduction, but this is only because the prize money came directly from the entry fee and is not reflected in the fundraising costs, which were therefore reduced this year.
There has been uncertainty about what constitutes a bowling session. These have been clarified by the Trustees as follows. There are 3 sessions in a day. Morning, Afternoon and Evening sessions. Morning sessions happen with the agreement of the green keeper, from 10am-1pm, Afternoon sessions from 2pm5pm and Evening sessions from 5pm-8pm.
The maintenance costs this year have been high mainly because of the result of the roof replacement. This was partially covered by a council grant along with money from our financial reserves.
The club’s financial reserves have reduced to £5093.82 after paying for club house roof replacement. Reserves are now back to the level they were in 2016.
A notable expense increase has been insurance costs which are up 14%.
Two new wooden benches were bought to replace damaged benches.
The current account which the club uses for operation was £4496.21. Although my aim has been to hold no more than around £3000 in this account, there are extra-ordinary upcoming repair expenses to deal with over the winter. i.e. the green surround boarding and lawnmower repairs. Whether boarding is replaced or repaired depends on whether grant monies can be obtained for replacement.
I ask for the accounts to be accepted by the AGM. I am happy to respond to any queries.
Yours sincerely
Peter Standring
Capital costs:
A newly recovered roof should serve us well. It came in on time and on budget, well before the season began.
Fixtures and competition report for 2024 AGM
Leagues
Scarborough Vets : Winners of Division 1. Winners of Knock Out Shield (plate) Ryedale Vets : Relegated to Division 2. Runners up in Sundella Cup (plate) Aussie Pairs : 3rd place in Division 1 Runners up in Knock out Shield (main cup)
SOL : 3rd place Runners up in Knock out Plate
Club competitions
The format for this year’s club competitions attracted plenty of participants; many more than the previous 2 years, due to its promised flexibility. However, the reality of trying to fit in the number of extra games around other commitments proved difficult for many players, resulting in some not being completed. This meant that the Aussie Pairs Rose Bowl (usually our most popular competition) was not legitimately contested, having only one game played. Similarly, the Mary Hamilton Ladies Pairs was not sufficiently completed to warrant a winner.
The Hudson Pairs, although not all games were completed, it did allow for a result with only 2 teams fulfilling all their fixtures.
The President’s Cup had almost all of games completed, albeit the usual mad rush to cram remaining games in at the end.
Results were :
Rosebowl Aussie Pairs : No winner Mary Hamilton Ladies Pairs : No winner Hudson Trophy Pairs: Winners. Steve Slade and Diana Barker Runners Up Robert Dean and Heather Standring President’s Cup: Winner - Chris Gibbons Runner Up. Robert Dean
Moving forward
Following committee discussions, the format for next season for all club competitions other than the President’s Cup, will be a knock out, with teams drawn at random, as this year, but for each round to have a play by date of around 4 weeks for each round. This should alleviate the burden of games to be played as teams get knocked out of each competition and will prevent the temptation of leaving all the games to the end of the season.
The Singles competition (President’s Cup) will be separated into a Ladies and Gents singles competition, and remain as a round robin for each. This will provide a clear Ladies Singles Champion and Men’s Singles Champion; the winners of these will then play off for the President’s Cup as overall Club Singles
Champion. This is to satisfy the requirement from YBA and BE to qualify for the ladies/men’s Champion of Champions competitions.
It is planned that we will have a Finals Day/weekend at the end of the season for all the club competitions finals to be played on the same day to make it more of an occasion. The actual date will need consideration nearer the end of the season depending on availability of all finalists.
Other achievements
Many of our members enjoy participating in external Yorkshire County and Bowls England competitions as well as Ryedale Vets competitions, whistlestops and the Scarborough Open Week Championships.
Our club has produced some great results in all these events this season producing numerous semi finalists, a few finalists and even a couple of Yorkshire champions! – Chris Atkinson with her partner Marg Watson from Swinton winning the Yorkshire ladies Over 55s title, and Shirley (yours truly) along with Ben Render from Nafferton winning the Yorkshire final of the Bowls England national mixed pairs. I would encourage anyone to take part in theses competitions, let’s see if we can get some more winners next year.
Social Bowling
Our social bowling members were up slightly on last year, but although we had designated specific days and times for social bowling sessions these were hardly ever utilised; members preferring to play/practice ad hoc. We are still at a loss on what the best strategy is to attract social members and provide popular sessions for members to commit to. If anyone has any different ideas on how to get the social bowling to take off let us know, but for now we will retain the status quo.
Friendlies
Of the many friendlies added to our fixtures calendar only the first, Pickering, and Hutton le Hole (Mick Dawson Cup) went ahead due to insufficient numbers. This was disappointing, but in discussion it seems to have become the norm within a lot of clubs due to low numbers leading to excessive games for league players and consequently the friendlies taking a back seat.
There is the possibility of 3 or 4 clubs joining forces to organise ‘host club’ friendlies, where each club would take a turn in hosting a friendly and participating clubs would nominate how ever many members they can muster to a maximum of 30 players in total per fixture – Similar to the current ladies friendlies; which again unfortunately attracted little support; particularly from our own lady members, mostly due to them being on a Monday afternoon. More information on that before the new season.
Report compiled by Shirley Wakefield OCT 2024
Greenkeeper’s Report for AGM October 2024
2024 has been another good season with many favourable comments from home and visiting players.
There have been a few problems with the Dennis mower, most of which were resolved by calling on the skills from of a couple of members. There is however an outstanding issue with the front roller (broken bearings) which has yet to be resolved.
Relating to the grounds and green, the most serious problem is that of the deterioration of the boundary boards, which hopefully with the help of a grant can be sorted out before the start of the 2025 season.
Shutdown work
Autumn and Winter are my busiest time, with grass cutting and spiking still required alongside managing the seemingly never ending leaf and tree debris, not to mention the worm casts
The role of Greenkeeper becomes ‘Groundsman’ over shutdown as people disperse to follow their other hobbies and interests. Over the years I have re designed jobs in a bid to make them more efficient and easier so it’s not as onerous as in the early years, although there are still jobs that people can help with if they have some spare time.
I have made the decision not to bowl in the league games next season, although I will still enter some whistlestops and competitions. This will allow me to concentrate more on the green keeping side and my intention to compile a reference manual of all the necessary jobs and instructions for using equipment for future reference if ever needed.
Compiled by Tom Wakefield October 2024
Development projects.
Ditch gutter boards have been discussed in the Treasurers report. Painting and maintenance will be agreed once we full appreciate the funds available
Social events
A luncheon is planned and will be held at Oscars, in Norton indoor bowls club on either Friday 7[th] or Sunday 9[th ] April. Whereupon the trophy winners will receive their awards. The secretary will canvas the members for a preferred day.
Election of officers of the club.
The members have been asked for nominations for the officers of the club. These were approved by show of hands.
Nominations for Trustees:-
No nominations were forthcoming from the membership. Chris Gibbons has stood down as a trustee.
The following will remain as trustees, but will be compelled by our constitution to stand down at our next AGM.
-
P. Standring.
-
D. Muncey.
-
S. Wakefield.
-
T. Wakefield.
The vote for general committee officers.
The following nominations were duly accepted seconded and approved by show of hands. No votes opposed the nominations.
-
C. Gibbons
-
J. Gibbons
-
P. Standring.
-
S. Wakefield.
-
T. Wakefield,
-
S. Myers.
13. AOB
A reminder that a new shirt order is being prepared by H.Standring, should you require one. Also, a few jackets are still available.
The meeting closed at 3.30pm Date of next meeting TBC.
Signed……………………………………Chris Gibbons
Secretary.
Thornton Le Dale Bowls Club CIO
Income and Expenses Account 1/10/2023 to 30/09/2024
| Income | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | Expenses | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MembershipSubscriptions | 1,710.00 £ |
1,805.00 £ |
1,495.00 £ |
Petrol | 96.55 £ |
86.83 £ |
29.38 £ |
| Green fees | - £ |
- £ |
929.00 £ |
||||
| Gala event/Whistle stop* | 549.08 £ |
678.90 £ |
387.00 £ |
Fund raisingcosts* | 257.96 £ |
283.95 £ |
129.26 £ |
| TouringTeams | 464.50 £ |
- £ |
- £ |
Insurance/Audit | 421.54 £ |
460.72 £ |
537.05 £ |
| Grants | 100.00 £ |
5,000.00 £ |
2,700.00 £ |
Equipmentpurchased | 54.49 £ |
162.83 £ |
573.99 £ |
| Donations | 30.80 £ |
101.00 £ |
1.00 £ |
Equipment maintenance | 158.00 £ |
270.67 £ |
122.38 £ |
| Hudson Competition Fees | 22.00 £ |
25.00 £ |
- £ |
Ground maintenance | 1,493.26 £ |
5,233.95 £ |
11,386.23 £ |
| Raffles | 194.51 £ |
343.00 £ |
311.00 £ |
Affliation fees | 280.00 £ |
- £ |
320.00 £ |
| Other events | 389.00 £ |
160.00 £ |
100.00 £ |
Electricity | 329.76 £ |
309.17 £ |
430.46 £ |
| Adverts | - £ |
- £ |
- £ |
Water | 446.99 £ |
373.42 £ |
420.73 £ |
| Bank Interest LiqReserve | 14.48 £ |
163.25 £ |
265.83 £ |
Rent | 50.00 £ |
50.00 £ |
50.00 £ |
| SundryIncome | 19.50 £ |
5.00 £ |
7.50 £ |
Teas | 10.27 £ |
42.87 £ |
44.36 £ |
| Stickers/Chalk | 110.00 £ |
17.00 £ |
7.20 £ |
Competition/League fees | 20.00 £ |
43.00 £ |
25.00 £ |
| Shirts/Jackets income | 625.00 £ |
430.00 £ |
125.00 £ |
Club Competition Shirts/Jacketspurchase | 1,450.00 £ |
495.00 £ |
60.00 £ |
| Unrecorded receipts | Trophies & Engraving | 98.25 £ |
- £ |
34.50 £ |
|||
| Training | 100.00 £ |
- £ |
- £ |
||||
| Sundries | 61.32 £ |
1,080.80 £ |
80.49 £ |
||||
| Gifts | - £ |
8.69 £ |
- £ |
||||
| Bankingfees LiqReserve | 21.03 £ |
||||||
| Surplus | |||||||
| Deficit | 7,936.33 £ |
||||||
| £4,228.87 | £8,728.15 | 6,328.53 £ |
5,328.39 £ |
8,901.90 £ |
14,264.86 £ |
||
| 7,936.33 -£ |
|||||||
| Balance Sheet on 30/09/2024 | |||||||
| 30/09/2023 | Accumulated Funds 30/09/2024 | 30/09/2024 | |||||
| Current Account | 2,677.34 £ |
Bankline Current Account | 4,496.21 £ |
||||
| Reserve Account | 14,849.02 £ |
Liquid Reserve Account | 5,093.82 £ |
||||
| Cash with treasurer | - £ |
Cash with treasurer | - £ |
||||
| 17,526.36 £ |
|||||||
| Surplus foryear | |||||||
| Deficit foryear | 7,936.33 -£ |
||||||
| 9,590.03 £ |
9,590.03 £ |
||||||
| Peter Standring Treasurer Tuesday 1 October 2024 Prize money for Whistlestop* taken from entry fees** |
Treasurers notes: | ||||||