EAST CORNWALL AND WEST DEVON ATHLETICS FORUM

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 12 JUNE 2006

Present: N Rowe (Chair); P Ross/K Reed (EVH); J & M Elliott/F Jenkins/B Aloof (IS);

C Bunting/B Phillips (TT); S Rose (PRR); C Carpenter/M Erith (PAC); S Payne/ J McGhee/R Warne (PH); A Erith/P Parritt (ECH); A Herdman (Tav); D Hatch (Mhvn); D Allen/ S Grylls (BATs); F Elford; L Chatfield

Apologies: J Crockford;; P Tabener; D Dane

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed with the exception of Lance Chatfield being listed under both “present” and “apologies”. He was in fact present.

MATTERS ARISING

Track: Ongoing problem with keys to changing rooms raised with Councillor Smith. Asked for our own set of keys. Albion are being treated differently. NR happy to go to Herald if people feel strongly enough. CC said planning permission approved but cannot do anything until agreement reached from athletics group.

England Athletics: Election forms being posted out on Friday with closing date of 17.7.06. NR, PR and KR plus 5 others have put forward their names for the election process.

SW Congress: Information posted on website.

Plymouth Half Marathon: Thanks to everyone for their support for the event. Think it was one of the more successful events. Feedback quite positive from those who took part. Wash up meeting next week. Link between us, St Johns Ambulance and the Police was questionable. Lost a couple of major sponsors for next year’s event. BA reported on behalf of a runner that the mile markers were indistinct. FJ said IS had several people running under their club name, despite people having facility to swap numbers. Drop out rate over 20%.

Coaches Forum: Only 5 members at last Friday’s meeting so Karen recommends disbanding. Sad reflection on the ethos from England Athletics. Clubs should ask their membership whether or not they want this Forum and it can be reviewed at our AGM in October. We are keen to improve the standard of coaching in the area but somehow have lost our way.

CC – Young Athletics Trophy meeting – smallest turn out for ages. Only 4 schools attended. Suggest we take stock of where we are. None of the groups are really big enough to stand alone and it is advantageous to us all to support each other.

NR feels Pete Tanner of the West Midlands would give us a different perspective and may give us a kick-start.

AH considers coaching is the next best thing to actually taking part. We can get a lot of people sat around this table but the coaching forum is probably more important and people are reluctant to attend. He recognises that Tavistock AC are some of the worse culprits.

Finance: £84.68 cash, £8,873 in bank. Need to give due consideration to how we spent this money wisely.

SW League: Disappointing turn out. 2.7.06 next SW League meeting at Yeovil. Flyers available to take back to your clubs. Plymouth open meeting tomorrow night. Need to address this by the end of the season to establish where we are going. Our target should be to get a team in the British League in the future.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

K Reed: Ivybridge Relays 7.7.06. Thanks to everyone who turned out for Ivybridge 10K.

A Herdman: Tavistock Town Relays 13.7.06. Tavistock AC working closely with Tavistock Community College to improve athletic facilities at the school.

F Jenkins: Thanks to everyone who took part in the Sam Penny Scenic Challenge. Numbers slightly down but good feedback.

J McGhee: Plymouth 10K forms available.

D Hatch: 8.8.82 is date of the first run at Moorhaven Hospital and the club wants to mark the anniversary next year with a race, possibly the Hope 5 run or a run from Mount Gould. Would appreciate help from the Forum. PR suggested an evening run at Saltram.

S Rose: Duckponds 8.7.06.

F Elford: Autumn trail 24.9.06. Clashes with race at Truro. Any help would be appreciated. No fun run.

C Bunting: Thanks to everyone who took part in duathlon. Magnificent 7 16.7.06. TT should have representation at the next Coaches Forum.

P Ross:

§ Saltram 5K Saturday 2.9.06. Need to get entry forms out. Need support on day.

§ Cornwood Challenge course 22.7.06. They have asked to hire clock.

§ Road Running Development meeting. UKA and others looking at road running structure. Sharing of best practice. Inter-county championships. Promoting club membership.

§ SW website being put together.

§ Plymouth Diary – article in May’s issue promoting a fitness club starting a running club and saying that local clubs were elitist and did not have beginners’ sections. PR has written to Kerry Hewitt, of the Plymouth Diary, expressing his dissatisfaction.

K Reed: Contacted by Teignbridge Trotters about timekeepers’ course. If enough interest shown could put on a course in the Plymouth area. Maybe a track officials course could be held on the same day. PR confirmed it could also open up to road running officials.

N Rowe: Looking at permit standards and doing away with unattached levies. May link together with potential membership scheme. There will be a new permit system in England as part of the UK scheme and possibly different levels of permit. Possibility that we are looking at fixed fees in banding structure in races. The race organiser will have flexibility of how they recoup money. Consultation process will take place ready for 2007.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

10 July 2006 at Windsor House.