Minutes of the English Orienteering Council AGM
held at Brown Clee
on Saturday 30th April 2016

Present:

    EOC Officials
    Philip Gristwood Chair
    John Duffield Secretary
    Voting Regional Reps
    Di Smith SCOA
    John Duffield SEOA
    Christine Vince SWOA
    Others
    Arthur Vince
    Terry Smith

    Actions: Responsible:
    Thanking hosting clubs Regional Chairs
    Sponsorship officer thanks John Duffield
    Website support and webmaster thanks John Duffield

    The meeting opened at 5:30 pm

    Apologies
    Apologies were received from Lesley Ross (Treasurer), Helen Gristwood (Kit), Andy
    Hemsted (Chair Veterans Selectors), Penny Hemsted, Simon Greenwood (SEOA) Bob
    Brandon (WMOA), Paul Becket (EAOA), Alun Jones (SCOA), Charlie Adams (Senior Team
    Manager), Sarah Brown (Veteran Team Manager), Keith Marsden (Junior Chair Selector),
    Hilary Palmer (Junior Selector), Jeff Butt (Junior Team Manager), John Rye (Senior Chair
    Selectors & Interland Team Manager).

    1. Acceptance of 2015 Minutes

    The minutes of the 2015 meeting were accepted as a true record.

    2. Matters Arising

    The Secretary reported that he had drafted and circulated an update to the
    Constitution, but had been unable to incorporate feedback due to other commitments
    and so was not yet ready to submit a version for discussion. This item is deferred
    until next year. Action: John Duffield

    3. Chair’s Report

    1. In 2015 the Veteran team won their Home International and in both the WJHI and SHI the England team were a close second to the Scots. Congratulations are due to all team members and thanks to the team managers and selectors.
    2. Since 2014 we have received further small amounts of money from CompassSport Christmas card sales. Recently the Chair wrote to the Chief Executive of BOF to ask for funding for 2016. We were informed that they could again not commit to provide any funding this year.
    3. Unfortunately Karen Kirk who was our Sponsorship officer is standing down. Although she was not successful in attracting any sponsors for us, she did find the NFU who have been sponsoring BO for several years and for one year this did result in us getting a grant from them. If anybody knows someone who would be prepared to take this on then please let us know. The Secretary was asked to write to Karen, thanking her for her efforts.

    Action: John Duffield

    4. Treasurer’s Report
    The accounts for 2015 had previously been circulated. The Chairman read out the following report from the Treasurer:-

    I have issued the statement of accounts for 2015 to everyone and a forecast for 2016. The 2015 accounts have been reviewed by Trevor Simpson.

    I propose that the petrol rates remain as they are currently – single occupancy of car 11p, cars with 2 athletes 20p, car with 3 athletes 28p and 2p more per extra athlete. And travel cap for flight/train to £75.

    I aim to achieve a balance of at the very least £4000 by the end of the year to cover 2017 Interland costs – for payment of the accommodation deposits etc. and to have some cashflow for kit procurement.

    All Home lnternationals came in ahead of budget; the travel costs were less than expected and the accommodation and food costs were also less. Expenditure this year for seniors and veterans is expected to be more than last year – the vets are competing in Northern lreland so travel costs will be higher and seniors are competing in Wales.

    I recommend the athlete personal contributions for Home lnternationals be £90 for juniors, £85 for seniors and £115 for veterans; for lnterland next year to be £100.

    I recommend that the regional contribution be 70p per head, an increase of 5p from the previous 2 years.

    This should give us enough capital to support the England competitions through to lnterland 2017 and the purchase of England kit.

    Di Smith proposed that the Accounts and all the financial recommendations be accepted. John Duffield seconded this and the proposal was carried.

    The Council formally recorded its thanks to Trevor Simpson for reviewing the Accounts.

    5. Home Internationals

      Ward JHI (NWOC, N Ireland) – results:

          England Ireland Scotland Wales
        Individual 78 39 71 28
        Relays 46 20 58 20
        Total 124 59 129 48
      SHI (Aire, England) – results:

          England Ireland Scotland Wales
        Individual 22 10 30 10
        Relays 24 12 28 7
        Total 46 22 58 17
      VHI (Mid Wales) – results:

          England Ireland Scotland Wales
        Individual men 69 39 69 34
        Individual women 73 34 46 59
        Relays 112 36 108 56
        Total 254 109 223 149

    Dates of all 2016 Home Internationals have now been fixed in the autumn and can be found on the EOC website. The VHI date has changed from when it was originally scheduled.

    When it’s England’s turn to host an HI the responsibility rests on the designated region and the roster is on the EOC website. This was discussed last year and it was agreed that it was the responsibility of the region, not the EOC, to formally thank any club that put on one of these events. This was mentioned again to ensure that the action is being carried out.

    Action: Regional Representatives

    7. Interland

      Hosted by TROL of VVO in Belgium at Maria ter Heide (Brasschaat). England were second to the hosts, the first time we have not won the competition, although the juniors again won the Junior trophy. Unfortunately out team was not as strong as it might have been in the M/W20 and 21 classes due to the BUCS competition being arranged for the same weekend.

        Class VVO NOLB LNPCCO FRSO ENG
        Grand Total 187 65 99 138 168
        Position 1 5 4 3 2
        Junior Cup 59 12 48 47 62
        Position 2 5 3 4 1

    Interland 2017 is again in Belgium, on 2nd April hosted by FRSO.
    At this years Interland John Ryes proposal concerning England representation was discussed. Not all nations were in favour so the proposal was shelved.

    8. Appointment of Selectors & Team Managers

    • None of the selectors or team managers have said they do not wish to continue.
      Current selection panels are named on the EOC website.

    9. Selection policies

    • Two 2016 HI selection policies are published on the EOC website. Awaiting SHI

    10. Website

    • The EOC website is still running successfully with John Cooke as webmaster.
      Photographs are routinely added to galleries.
    • Over the last year the counter shows we have an average of 800 visitors each month, down a little compared to last year. In that time we have had over 3700 different visitors, 25% less than last year. As usual there are peaks corresponding with competitions. We have had visitors from 83 countries, down from 102 last year.
    • Tim Holt has continued to support us over the past year and we recorded our thanks to him for this. The secretary will write to John and Tim to thank them and to confirm that they are willing to continue their help in the future.

    Action: John Duffield

    11. Team Kit
    It has been a difficult and trying year as we have had many problems with O tops including sizing issues and print running when tops were washed. Hopefully all issues have now been resolved.
    We hold enough stock to meet the demands of the HIs and prices remain the same this year:
    O tops are selling for £36, Hoodies are selling for £20 T shirts are selling for £9.

    12. Election of Officers
    Philip Gristwood was proposed as Chair, John and Lesley Ross as Treasurer.
    Proposer – John Duffield, Seconder Di Smith. This was carried nem con. The Secretary announced his retirement with immediate effect, although he will finish the outstanding matters, so Regional Reps asked to try and find a replacement. The Chairman thanked the Treasurer for all her work on the accounts and forecast and the Secretary for his able support throughout the year.

    13. AOB
    a) At the 2014 AGM, John Duffield said he had been asked to raise the possibility of an Ultra-Veteran class in VHI, as there are an increasing number of such competitors, and they have no chance of being selected in competition with younger orienteers. Andy Hemsted observed that M and W65s were selected for the VHI and for Interland. Nevertheless he said that he would raise the matter with the other Home Countries, but he doubted that they had sufficient Ultra-Veterans and would probably not agree.

    Andy discussed this with Sarah Brown, England Vets Team Manager. At present there is no wish to change the format of the VHI; the recently adopted version of the relays is proving successful, and the Team Managers wish to continue with the present 24-person team.

    b) The Council discussed the proposed change in eligibility rules for Home Internationals, as summarised in the Appendix to the Minutes. The conclusion was that we wish the rules to stay as they are, and if they are changed, we do not wish the English selectors to take advantage of the changes.

    14. Next meeting
    The 2017 AGM was provisionally set for the Saturday of the British Champs weekend in the NWOA (LOC) area on Saturday 6th May.

    The meeting closed at 6:30 pm
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
    Appendix: Home International Rule Amendment Request

    Dear Chris

    Please find below a request from Scottish Orienteering to amend the rules for the Home Internationals.

    To the Chairman BO Event & Competitions Committee.

    We wish to request an amendment to the selection criteria for ALL Home Internationals. There are many international athletes in the UK who have chosen, for whatever reason, to stay and live in the UK. Whilst here they are very influential and supportive to the UK orienteering community, are great role models for aspiring athletes and make a great contribution to the health and quality of orienteering. Whilst we agree there should be a fallow period for athletes transferring from one home nation to another we feel we are not being welcoming to our European settlers by excluding them from being part of our Home Nations competitions.

    We would like all parties to consider and amend the following rule:

    Eligibility Rule (Current)
    2. To be eligible to represent a country in a Home International (HI) a person must be a current British Orienteering member (or for Ireland team members, alternatively a member of IOA) and be:

    • a. Eligible by Birth. Be born in that country OR
    • b. Eligible by Parentage. Have a parent who was born in that country OR
    • c. Eligible by Residence. Have established permanent residence in that country for at least one year.
    • d. AND, if M/W18 or younger has not represented another country that calendar year; if M/W20 or older, has not represented any other country in a nation v nation international in the previous two years (GBR and (for Irish runners only) Eire excepted)

    Proposed

    Eligibility Rule 2.d. to be amended to

    d; AND, if M/W18 or younger has not represented another Home Nation that calendar year; if M/W20 or older, has not represented any other Home Nation in the previous two years (for Irish runners only- Eire excepted).

    Athletes currently competing for a country outside GBR and Ireland may be eligible for Home Nations representation as long as they meet one or more of the criteria.

    Regards Marsela McLeod

    Keith Marsden researched this on behalf of the Chairman:-

    Of the Rules on the BOF website only the JHI rules are in the standard format and are the only ones that contain any reference to ‘Eligibility’

    There is little reason to change the JHI rules since it is very unlikely that a junior would have run for a country outside Home Nations. These rules have also been simplified in order to only include references to Junior competitors.

    The SHI rules refer to ‘HI Guidelines’ which are not indexed on the web but can be found by search. They were last amended in 2006 and refer to the BOF Events and Operations Committee. These do have reference to eligibility and are largely as Marsela says, although she does not refer to the whole section.

    The SHI rules begin with the following statement; The Senior Home International (SHI) is an important event in the Orienteering calendar particularly for the Celtic nations who use the event as a target for performance. It also acts as an important event for giving international experience to many World Class Performance and Potential athletes.

    This is interpreted as meaning ‘giving international experience to many World Class Performance and Potential athletes from the Home Countries’, not necessarily giving experience to foreign internationals.

    The proposed new wording from Marsela is not clear, especially the last part of the first sentence of d.

    The suggestions were therefore;

    • – Do not amend JHI rules as they were agreed by all the Home Nations TM’s in 2014.
    • – Review the ‘HI Guidelines’ and get them formally on the web (take out any reference to JHI which can only be confusing)
    • – Consider carefully the role of the SHI (and VHI?) and decide whether it is an aid to ‘International Experience’
    • – If it is decided that allowing foreign nations to run in the SHI/VHI is ok then get someone who has an understanding for the need for clarity to produce a clearer wording than currently has been presented.