EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

7.00pm 16 November 2017

Duffus Park Bowling Club, Cupar.

MINUTES

Attendance Present:

Rona McCraw – Chair

Philip Mould - Secretary/Treasurer

Michael Kavanagh – Sports Development Officer

Caitlyn McAleese – Active Schools Coordinator

Mandy Strachan – Tayport Tennis Club

George Sharp – DPBC

Gary Anderson – Elmwood College

Elspeth Wallace – Fife Athletics

Chris Reekie – Howe of Fife RFC

Welcome and Apologies

Rona welcomed the attendees. Apologies came from Councillors Andrew Arbuckle and Margaret Kennedy, Vice Chair Robbie Nellies and Ian Bell.

2. Minutes from last meeting

The minutes of the last meeting on 7th September 2017 were approved; being proposed by Gary Anderson and seconded by George Sharp.

Matters Arising

The Secretary confirmed that he had contacted Sports Marketing Network for the second time and closed business in respect of the Grow Your Club programme. Svend Eilkjar had been given until 30th Nov 17 to forward any final costs/expenses.

Mike Kavanagh confirmed that a Tennis Modern Apprentice had been recruited to promote tennis in East Fife for one year. The apprentice was based in St Andrews and working in conjunction with the university.

The Active Fife Bowls competition referred to in the last Minutes had now been cancelled.

4. Secretary/Treasurers report

The Secretary started by confirming that the Grants Committee had confirmed the award of £300 to Elie & Earlsferry Sailing Club in support of safety equipment to assist their community Skiff project. An application from Ladybank Golf Club in respect of training equipment for their Youth Section was also reviewed. Upon checking the whereabouts of the actual application form this grant was approved to the sum of £500.

The Secretary confirmed that the preceding period had been dominated by the co-ordination of the Autumn Training Workshop and preparation/delivery of the Sports Council Quiz Night. Further work had been undertaken to recce and secure a new venue for the Awards Ceremony 2018. A Fife Council meeting on Grants policy had also been attended by the Chair and Secretary. Discussion had taken place to streamline the grants process for the three different Sports Councils in Fife. Further consultation and work was now ongoing.

5. Income and Expenditure

The Treasurer presented accounts up to the most recent balance of 05 Oct 17 and confirmed a balance of £23,440.95 as per the bank statement No.73. It was explained that with the Awards Ceremony next spring being brought forward to 21st Mar 18 the account would have two Award Ceremonies showing in one financial year and this would distort expenditure in this financial year. However, this major annual event would be appropriately spread in the correct financial year for the future.

It was confirmed that the Treasurer was in possession of the forms to be completed for the re-occurring grant from Fife Council.

6. Correspondence

The Secretary confirmed that he had written to Sports Marketing Network rounding off the Grow Your Club project. He further reported on the ongoing work to secure the Fife Council Recurring Grant. Correspondence from Laura Baxter to present to the Executive Committee on her Lead to Exceed initiative was also confirmed. Assistance from Kinburn Bowling Club with regard a funding recommendation through the R&A was also ongoing. Finally, the Secretary was engaged with SALSC submit two teams in the forthcoming SALSC Curling Competition on 6th Feb 18.

7. Sports Development Officer Report

Michael Kavanagh spoke of an initiative to market local Clubs in order that school children had a better understanding of what sporting opportunities were available after school hours.

He also spoke of Active Fife working with Lochore Meadows and introducing school children to rowing and the prospect of possibly moving onto contact with local coastal rowing clubs.

Finally, he confirmed the ongoing work to produce the completed Recurring Grant package with Fife Council and it was agreed for the Chair and Secretary to meet at County Buildings on Tues 5th Dec (1030 hrs) at County Buildings.

8. Active Schools Report

Caitlyn McAleese reported that all Active Schools staff were extremely busy with the ongoing Try Sport programme with regional schools.

Caitlyn explained that she was soon to depart on maternity leave and that Graeme Duncan would be standing in during her absence. It was also revealed that Lynne Mackenzie was to take leave of absence for a 6 month period to undertake a training support programme and a new replacement had yet to be named for the Cupar area.

9. Report on Website Development

The Secretary reported that the site had gone live at the beginning of November but wider publication of the site was not yet taking place as some reference sections, such as funding, required updating. Marketing of the website would be undertaken in the New Year.

10. Report on Autumn Training Night

It was confirmed that 17 persons had attended the very informative event with 8 Clubs being represented. All in attendance had found this training session on Clubhouse Management beneficial. The prospect of repeating the event was discussed and it was decided that it would be put to Clubs present at Community Sports Hub Meetings and the Secretary would report back.

11. Report on Quiz Night

The Quiz Night held at St Andrews United JFC was reported as a great success and well received social gathering. Numbers in attendance were down on last year but there had been unforeseen competition with other events taking place on and around the same date. 61 people took part in the Quiz with Disability Sport Fife coming first and a draw for second place by Pittenweem Tennis Club and Fife Croquet Club. There was a suggestion that next year the venue should be at Scotscraig Golf Club – TBC.

12. Fife Council Grants Meeting

The Chair summarised the meeting attended by herself and the Secretary where Fife Council reviewed the systems used by the 3 Sports Councils to disperse funds. Each Sports Council applied different policy and criteria for allocating funding to affiliated Clubs requesting support. The aim of the meeting was to streamline Sport Council practice and further work on this subject was to take place in 2018.

13. Awards Ceremony 2018

The Secretary produced a draft plan to accommodate the required preparations for the next Awards Ceremony due on Wed 21st Mar 18. The venue was confirmed as the Younger Hall at St Andrews University and the Chair and Secretary had made a successful recce of the new and larger venue.

Invites for Clubs to nominate potential Award Winners was to be initiated by 1st Dec 17 and invites to local Councillors would be hand-written and posted in early Jan 18. It was agreed that the Secretary, with assistance from Caitlyn McAleese would pursue Laura Muir as the Keynote Speaker.

It was further agreed that nominations would be until 19th Jan with the Awards Committee sitting on Thurs 25th Jan to select the shortlist of winners.

14. AOCB

The Chair confirmed that the Secretary was to receive a 50p increase to his hourly salary rate from 01 Jan 18 which would bring the said rate to £11.00 per hour.

The Secretary again made a plea for the charging plug of the Sports Council I-Pad to be returned by Active Schools staff. Subsequently resolved by the intervention of Mike Kavanagh.

Mandy Strachan updated the Exe Committee on Tayport Community Sports Hub plans. Currently funding secured was £2,144,000.00 and rising. It was hoped the build would be initiated in Apr 2018.

15. Date of Next meeting

Wednesday 17th January 2018 at 6.30pm for the grants committee (as required) and 7.00pm for the full committee. Venue – Duffus Park Bowling Club.