West Midlands Basketball League

WEST MIDLANDS BASKETBALL LEAGUE

42nd ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

TUESDAY 3RD JULY 2007

Apologies

Wayne Foster and Damon Burn both from Walsall Wizards.

1. Chairman's report.

Mike Neal opened the meeting by welcoming everyone to the 42nd Annual General Meeting of the West Midlands Basketball League. He went on to thank all of the Committee members for their hard work during the past season

2. Minutes of the previous AGM

Copies of the minutes of the 41st Annual General Meeting were circulated within the document package issued to everyone upon arrival. The minutes were approved and signed by the Chairman. There were no matters arising.

3.Officers reports

Written reports were circulated as at 2 above.

 A)  Glen Chilton (Lasers) asked Keith if there was a set criteria for re-arranging games. Keith explained how he dealt with this.

B) Dave Slade asked the meeting how they felt about the limited number of teams who were being subsidised to play in the Summer League. A discussion took place and Dave Fennell (Barton) said that on balance it seemed good value even for the teams who did not play.

C) Barrie Viner addressed the meeting with details of his recent involvement with the west Midlands Area. He tried to explain what grants were available. Mike stated that he would make grant forms available to Barrie for distribution to teams.

4.Allocation of Honoraria.

The honoraria will remain at its present level for the forthcoming season.

5. New Clubs

Representatives from Stoke (Div 1), Scorpions (Div 2), Blazers (Div3), Wyre Forrest (Div3) and Birmingham Medics (Div 3) addressed the meeting and were unanimously welcomed into the League

6.Approval of Divisions

In view of the number of new teams entering the League it was proposed that a new Division 3 be formed. Mike Steel (Chase) questioned the number of games to be played by Div 2 (8 teams) and it was decided that the Committee would look at this at the next meeting.

7. Alteration of League rules proposed by the Committee.

A) Rule 2eii. After the words 'National League Licence' replaces the sentences "players over the age of 40 will be allowed to play for any team within a club. Clubs must notify the League before playing such players. Once permission has been granted players only need to re-apply if they change clubs.

Result.1 against, motion carried.

B) Rule fii. Guarantee fee to be increased to £20.

Result. Carried.

C) Rule 3i. Whole rule to be replaced with the following: - "All clubs or individuals, who receive a trophy, shall be responsible for its safe keeping. A declaration must be signed on receipt of any such trophy to refund the West Midlands Basketball League the amount of any uninsured value if it is lost, or the cost of it's uninsured thorough repair if it is returned damaged"

Dave Fennell (Barton) asked if the trophies were insured and Mike stated that in view of the value of some of the trophies steps were being taken to insure them at the moment.

Result. Carried.

D) Rule 3ii. Add new rule.

All trophies must be returned to a serving committee member by 1st March each year. Failure to do so will result in a fine of £15 - rule 6k.

Result. Approved.

E) Rule 5cii. Replace opening sentence with :-

Each team competing in the WMBL will nominate, annually, 1 qualified referee, who is a bonna fide club member, to be available to referee at least 2 games per month.

John Taylor (Warley) expressed the opinion that his club with three teams was being penalised by this rule change.

Result. Passed with 3 against.

F) Rule 5civ Replace with:-

In any year a team who cannot nominate a referee as per rule 5cii, must send a candidate to a referee's course, which the WMBL will attempt to run.

Mick Johnson (Featherstone) asked if a course could be run for prison inmates. Keith said he would look into this.

Result. Approved.

G) Rule 6p. Add the word ‘registration' to indicate ‘registration numbers'.

Result. Approved.

8. Election of Officers

The Committee were re-elected en-bloc with the addition of Lee Clark (Hawks), Zoran Pacic (Balkan Express) and Michael Buckle, replacing Dave Percy who has resigned.

9. Presentation of Trophies

Premiere Division Champions - Warley A

Division 1 Champions - Aston Uni

Division 2 Champions - ProGuard Pacers

Babe Clay Handicap Trophy - Aston A's

Stanley Pears trophy - Smithswood

Mac Fessall Award - Kim Griffiths ProGuard

Bernard Patrick Trophy - Roy Francis

10. Any other business

A) Tony Johnson stated that he was trying to run a table officials course with Jeff Booton in September, details will be circulated.

B) Mick Johnson (Featherstone) explained the new security arrangements at HMP Featherstone and stated that he would be circulating a form which all teams visiting the prison must complete by the start of the season.

C) John Taylor asked all teams who had not done so to supply him with directions to their home venue for the handbook.

11. Date of next AGM

Wednesday 11th June 2008