The meeting started at 09:32
Present: DKB, SG/KH, GG, IH, NH, LMcT, PM, PP, RP, SS, AU, JW and DW.
Also in attendance: Melita Luxton
Apologies for absence: F Cooke, D Duffield and R Tout
LEL. As Melita was attending the meeting solely to update the board on progress of the organisation of LEL, this topic was brought forward to enable her to leave sooner. She reported that 540 riders from 26 countries had entered and the limit had been increased to 600 places in anticipation of a 10% rate of non-starters. A system seemed to be evolving informally for entries to be channelled through a single “representative” per country. The route having appeared to be under distance (1355KM), so a “dog-leg” will be employed round Hovingham on the outward section with an information control to ensure route integrity for the full distance. The route is due to be checked shortly; Sonya Crawford will be riding it at Easter and it is planned to be on the website next April. All controls have been booked apart from Alston, where a couple of locations are possible and negotiations are continuing. There will be a recruitment drive in the next Arrivée for volunteer helpers who will initially be assigned to their nearest control until fully staffed, though Canonbie, being so remote, may cause problems on that front. A volunteers’ forum will be set up shortly on the website to enable them to keep in touch to discuss matters concerning the organisation.
In view of the lack of interest in the 10 pm start time, this will be abandoned, and just the 8 am and 2 pm starts retained, riders being set off in half-hourly intervals up to 2½ hours after the initial start. This will have the effect of reducing the amount of time controls need to stay open, and ease pressure on the crews. There is a number of HPVs and tandems, and the intention is – despite Board misgivings – to include them in the bunches of standard machines. The control size will be monitored for future reference, and ready prepared food will be used there rather than chilled items for ease and consistency. Each control will be issued with a pay-as-you-go mobile phone to convey information to other controls by text rather than voice for the sake of convenience and cheapness. The Board expressed some doubts over the completeness of signal coverage in some of the locations. A “sag wagon” will be provided for non-standard machines and injured riders; all others with problems will be transported to the nearest railway station.
Riders must wear reflective ankle bands (already sourced) at all times for reasons of safety. Controllers have ultimate authority to prevent a rider from continuing if they appear to be incapable or in the case of transgression of social or Highway Codes. Standard AUK Brevet cards are expected to be used.
Support crews will be allowed though actively discouraged and may not drive on the riders’ route. Disobedience of this rule, if discovered, will result in instant disqualification of the team’s rider.
The neglected website which had caused great concern throughout AUK was discussed as Justin Oakley, the webmaster, had recently resumed contact, having moved house in order to have treatment for his illness (ME) Although he had not currently got Internet connections, Melita was hopeful they could be obtained within a week or so. DW suggested another webmaster and offered his own services in that area. There was general agreement that it was risky practice to leave the task in the hands of a single person and IH offered to contact him to obtain the passwords as insurance in case Justin’s health again deteriorated.
Melita advised that partly due to rising inflation there was a possibility the event might exceed its budget. This was also due to a larger than expected ACP levy for counter- validating the Brevets and supplying the compulsory medallions. She queried the amount and due date of the payment, which is believed to be €10, due at the end of the year. Possibly LRM pins, if available as an alternative to medals, will be less expensive. Melita to check this option with Ivo Miessen and PM will check the status with other organisers of recent RM events. A surcharge for the supply of these medals was discussed briefly and rejected even though AUK is committed to paying this levy. Melita also requested the Lepertels be invited to the start of the event. This was changed after discussion to any two ACP delegates who would be accommodated free of charge, though they would have to fund the costs of travel
The discussions concerning LEL then concluded and Melita left the meeting.
The minutes of the meeting of 26th September were accepted as a true record subject to the correction that it was Julian Dyson and Joe Applegarth who had joined the DIY events team and not as previously reported.
MATTERS ARISING. IH reported the CTC are adamant their parental consent form is required for junior participants, so this should be added to the entry forms when the event is also under CTC control. Alternative methods of ensuring compliance were discussed, such as junior riders lodging their membership card with the organiser for the duration of the ride, but the preferred option was for organisers of joint events to insist on completion of the consent forms at the start. Numbers of junior riders are small and although they are welcome, the organiser of an event has absolute discretion whether or not to accept the entry, in view of individual considerations.
OFFICERS’ REPORTS. GG reported that Mike Wigley had volunteered to take over her position when she retired at the end of 2009 and Jim Pitt had expressed an interest in handling the Standing Order renewals. SS advised the number of events in the Calendar had risen from 187 in mid October to 460 now, with a consequent increase in the size of Arrivée to 64 pages. SG & KH are apparently just ticking over and PM had little to report with ACP in post-PBP dormant mode. He has received an invitation for AUK to join UCTI, but being unsure of the ramifications of such a move will consult with Jean Gualbert to ascertain ACP’s position. RP said the Accident Reports received had been tabulated up to date, complaining that some were totally blank. It may apparently be possible for the system to personalise the forms. SS suggested that any delinquent orgs identified should be added to a black list. NH is to source date bars which are still sought by some members.
DIY PERMANENT VALIDATION. DW had been unable to agree the distance submitted by a rider as adequate for a 600km Brevet and was still unable to do so after an amendment had been submitted to increase the distance. The event was ridden without prior approval having been granted and the card submitted directly to the Perms Sec for validation, bypassing the DIY organiser, giving rise to a suspicion of sharp practice. Validation had now been withdrawn pending discussion at this meeting. As it remained uncertain the full distance had been ridden, the consensus was to leave the validation status unchanged unless and until further correspondence was received when the situation would be reviewed. The organiser guidelines have been appropriately amended.
CONDUCT OF AGM. DKB outlined the planned procedure for the afternoon’s meeting and it was agreed that any directors’ reports not already sent to SS would be mailed electronically. As part of the discussions concerning the AGM and associated mailings, it emerged that printers’ bills were settled by the Treasurer on presentation. This procedure was felt to expose the club to potential errors by the traders and it was overwhelmingly agreed that in the future invoices for goods or services should be referred to the official ordering them for approval to pay in accordance with usual business practice. In addition it was noted the Treasurer had not been able to attend a committee meeting since June 2008 with only sketchy updates since, and it was requested a formal budget should be prepared to be updated at the regular board meetings. Back to the imminent AGM, PP mentioned she would again be selling clothing at reduced prices – the normal “feeding frenzy.” The start time of AGMs was also considered, a later one having he advantages of allowing more time for members to go cycling in the morning and also reducing the down time between the end of the meeting and the Annual Dinner. No booking currently made, but PP is planning the same approximate time of year, with the venue possibly in the Midlands area.
VALIDATION STICKERS. Following a query from Stan Thomas concerning the issue of validation stickers before an event, S & K confirmed it had been discussed in a previous meeting when the board was not happy with the idea. A brief discussion confirmed that opinions had not altered and it was agreed there should be no change to the current procedures.
AOB. It was agreed that AutoRoute should be purchased for new Events Secs requiring that software. PP suggested giving each member at the dinner an AUK mug, since they had never sold well and were now simply an encumbrance at her home. Board accepted the idea. SS gave notice she would be conducting a straw poll at the AGM to change the riding year from the start of November to the start of September to avoid the rush between the end of the season and the prize giving, should this year’s timetable be repeated. It would also coincide with ACP’s and AUK’s fiscal years. RP mentioned the Paul Castle Trophy, described as “beyond repair” in the June Minutes, is, in fact, in good order and perfectly capable of being awarded. For this dinner the ACP trophy will be used as a substitute for the Hubert Opperman Cup which has not been returned. He also requested SS include both sexes of the FWC awards in the Guidelines in future Handbooks.
NEXT MEETING. The date of the next meeting was left open pending consultation with RT for a convenient date around the 23rd – 28th March 2009. The preferable venue remains the Briar Rose” in Birmingham, if available. (Sec’s update: Ritchie advised weekends are the only days he can guarantee availability, but fewer other directors are available then, so the date has been fixed for Tues 24th March 2009 at the “Briar Rose”. Currently they are expecting a 10:00 start, but that may be altered if problematic.)
The meeting ended at 13:14.