Hertfordshire Rugby Football Union
County Championship – Bill Beaumont Cup – Champions 2012
U20’s Championship – The Jason Leonard Trophy – Champions 2012
President: Martyn Kirk
Executive Meeting Minutes from Monday 4thSeptember 2017
Atthe Mercure Hotel, Hatfield
PRESENT:
John Gregory:- ChairmanMartyn Kirk:- President
Adrian Sparks:- SecretaryPeter Baines:- Vice President
David Roberts:- (R.F.U. Representative)Amy Welch:-Treasurer
Tim Bonnett:- (Chairman of Community Rugby (Age Grade Rugby))
Peter Brady:- (Chairman of Community Rugby (Adult))
Steve Waller:- (Chairman of Marketing and Communications)
Gavin Williams (Area Manager RFU)Tom Redfern (RDO)
ACTION1. / APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Nikita Jackson and David Toon
2. / MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING HELD ON 7th AUGUST 2017
The previous minutes were proposed by Tim Bonnettand seconded byDavid Robertsas being a true and accurate record of that meeting. They were duly signed as such by The Chairman of the Meeting.
3. / MATTERS ARISING
.There were no matters arising that were not covered by the agenda.
4. / FINANCE TREASURER’S REPORT
The treasurer reported that there had not been much movement since the last meetings. What events there were had been within budget. She explained that the challenge this month was the County Membership payments. She explained that the various lists of members would need to be updated and the way this is done will need looking at in the future. She also said that during the next month the clubs will need chasing for their subscriptions. This led to a question being raised as to the statues of The Royal Vet College at Brookmans Park, who received Hertfordshire services such as discipline and RDO but were not even associate members of Hertfordshire and paid nothing to Hertfordshire.
5. / SECRETARY’S BUSINESS
5.1 / The secretary reported that he had received notice on 11th August that the RFU had invited us to make a nomination for the “President’s Value the Volunteer Outstanding Contribution Award” and that this nomination had to be made by 10th September. He had circulated members on this issue and had received nominations for David James (Watford), Jamie and Vicky Green (Royston), John Irvine (Hertford), Nikki Dean (Cheshunt) Nick and Lesley Cox (Bishops Stortford. After discussion and it was resolved to Nominate David and Yvonne James of Watford RFCfor the way David had basically single handed rescued Watford from extinction. The secretary would complete this nomination. / AS
5.2 / The secretary reported that he had also been contacted by the RFU as regards the “Old Mutual Wealth International Tickets for Volunteer Recognition Programme”. He said that we had been allocated 2 tickets for the game with Australia and two tickets for the game with Argentina and that he needed to nominate recipients by 15th September. After discussion it was resolved that the tickets for the game with Australia should go to Vicky and Jamie Green (Royston) and the game with Argentina to Nick and Lesley Cox of Bishops Stortford. The secretary would complete the nominations. / AS
5.3 / The secretary reminded members that the Forum meeting was due next Monday and that all documentation and reports had to with him by midnight on Thursday 7th September for distribution on Friday 8th September 2017. / ALL EXEC
6. / STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE OF HERTFORDSHIRE R.F.U.
David Roberts reported that following the last meeting he had received two further ideas from members on a possible structure for the future governance of Hertfordshire R.F.U. from Tim Bonnett and Peter Brady.
Peter Baines pointed out that the idea that the need for changes were being forced upon Hertfordshire by Sport England was incorrect! He emphasised that government requirements had nothing to do with the governance of Hertfordshire and it was wrong to think that they did and that was a reason to change from the present structure. He pointed out that we could leave the present structure in tact if that is what we wanted to do.
Peter Brady wanted to know why the structure needed to change, what it needed to change to and how that change would make things better than they were. Further discussion was held. Peter Baines suggested that the executive should meet on an afternoon/evening to discuss the whole issue and to resolve if change needed to take place, if so what to change to and how that change would be managed and how it would impact the constitution.
It was resolved that a meeting would be held to do this on a Sunday afternoon in October. The secretary would circulate members to find out which was their preferred Sunday and select the one most people could make and arrange for the meeting to take place at The Mercure Hotel Hatfield. / AS
7. / P.F.R.
David Roberts gave out the latest PFR documents for 2017-18. He had added columns for comment and now needed to update the status of progress on the document to date. He would be contacting various people to enable him to do this. He wanted PFR on the Forum agenda and wanted a copy to go out with the documents for that meeting. It was agreed that this would happen / DR/AS
VARIOUS EXEC MEMBERS
8. / RUGBY DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS BUSINESS
Tom Redfern the RDO report that:- The RFU Local Delivery CPD Courses plan for 2017/18 was completed and distributed. Tom Mowbray is also going to run informal coach the coaches workshops in addition to the award courses and level 3 course. This will be sent separately to Adult contacts. He report on the Primary School Support – Sports 121 are looking to do some Tag Rugby work at focused clubs using Primary School Premium money. Money for primary schools has increased and they are hoping to use this to increase Rugby activities at primary schools to link to local clubs. He will be supporting this program with Tabard RFC (with no direct secondary school in Radlett this is important to support long term sustainability/growth).On the Fixture Exchange Whats App Initiative he explained “How It Works?” Clubs text him stating they have a late cancellation, they want a friendly fixture and or need X players to fulfil a game. He then send a message to the Herts Fixture Support Broadcast list stating what X club needs or wants to check who can fulfil the fixture or support it going ahead. So far he has had 3 fixtures arranged last minute and therefore 90 players getting a game that wouldn’t have which he then records on his data. Captains, Coaches and Fixture Secretaries are on this contact list.He reported on Growth Targets for local delivery team – The teams his is looking to grow this year are - Royston Mens 3rd XV, Fullerians Womens, Fullerians U13 Girls, Cheshunt U13 Girls, UoH Mens 3rd XV, Welwyn U14 Boys and Welwyn U15 Boys. This is in addition to supporting existing teams such as Welwyn 4s (Vets), Hertford 5s, Tring 4s, Letchworth 4s/Colts, Hemel Colts and Watford Colts.On GMShe reported that further training for clubs planned once Chris Pike has received training from Matt Holding. 4 sessions done in last 6 months whilst in role and all been well attended and changing mindset with this support.On accreditation – Tring (now replied) slow progress. Awaiting final send in from Old Verulaniams and Cheshunt.He also has circulated to members all of the local playing opportunities his team are running in Herts this year ranging from Vets to Womens Rugby.
9. / CHAIRMAN OF PLAYING MATTERS TO INCLUDE DPP UPDATE
9 / David Toon was not at the meeting. Tim Bonnett said that he had received calls from schools saying they “did not know what was going on”. The Chairman reported that he had earlier in the day spoken to David and that he had assured him that everything had gone out to clubs and schools and that players had been notified.
10. / OTHER COMMUNITY RUGBY (AGE GRADE RUGBY) MATTERS
Tim Bonnett had submitted a full report had been asked by the R.F.U. to supply the name of Hertfordshire’s Rugby Safe Contact and that he was now that contact! He said that as the schools had only just gone back he had not as yet had his planned meeting with Steve Robbins as outlined in his report.
11. / OTHER COMMUNITY RUGBY (ADULT) MATTERS
Peter Brady said that the process for bidding for the grants for the enhancement of adult rugby during the next season by clubs had resulted in a healthy number of bids. Having discussed the bids with those executive members who were appointed to this task at the last executive he submitted a list for approval to the meeting. The list of grants was approved by the executive.
He also reported that the referee’s education evening would probably come in under the PFR budget due to savings being made.
12. / OTHER COMPETITIONS MATTERS
Nikita Jackson had verbally reported (before the meeting to the chairman) that nothing further had happened on this front since the last meeting.
13. / OTHER MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MATTERS
13.1 / Steve Waller reported that he had held a meeting with Tom Redfern (as requested at the last meeting) and had looked at ways to extend and combine the newsletter with About Herts. The monthly newsletter would in future include “County News” and then a quarterly compilation would be printed and go out as “About Herts”. Tom would also “Twitter” on the newsletters on the counties behalf.
13.2 / Steve Waller explained that the yearbook was not ready. It could be made ready for next week’s Forum meeting but the delay had been because he had not received certain items of content until the end of August. He also said that he needed to know if the executive wanted the women’s and girl’s representative results and appearance data in the handbook as it had been suggested by some that it should be left out. The executive unanimously agreed that all women’s and girl’s representative data should appear in the handbook.
13.3 / The annual dinner was planned for 7thMarch 2018 and the speaker had been booked. The main speaker will be Micky Quinn.
15. / OTHER R.F.U. REPRESENTATIVES’ MATTERS
David Roberts reported that he had sent the RFU Governance paper to clubs and had received one reply. He said that he would keep the county of the progress of the paper as it went through the R.F.U.
16. / A.O.B
16.1 / It was noted that John Lucas a stalwart of Cheshunt has sadly passed away.
16.2 / Amy Welch reported that the stock take had as yet not taken place but needed to be done as soon as possible. If anyone could help contact her or the Chairman.
16.3 / Tim Bonnett said that there were some Mitsubishi awards from the Harpenden evening still to be distributed to those who could not attend. He would give these to executive club contacts and ask them to distribute them to clubs.
16.4 / Peter Baines said that although he was no longer president of the RFU had had been involved in August with a number of events as past president. One was attending the Women’s World Cup Final in Ireland.
17. / DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Monday 2nd October 2017 at The Mercure Hotel Hatfield 7-30pm