North West Orienteering Association

Minutes of NWOA Executive Committee meeting

at Boot and Shoe, A6 south of Lancaster (01524 63011) 6.30 p.m. April 4th 2011

Present: Bob Roach (Chairman), Steve Round (Treasurer), Sue Birkinshaw (Hon Sec), Mike Atherton.

Apologies from Steve Buckley

1. Minutes of Exec meeting held on February 7th 2011
   Agreed to be a correct record. The webmaster will be asked to put them on the NW website
2. Constitutional matters
   Some minor changes are required, and these will be made at the October AGM.
   The experience of the EGM suggests that work is also required to decide whether changes are needed to allow time for AGM proposals (and possible amendments) to be discussed at club level, so that Club Delegates to CDMs and the AGM can be fully briefed. A paper will be prepared to show what the problem is.
3. BOC 2012
   A report was received from Lynne Thomas. Further work is required on permissions for the Dalegarth event. The planning team for for BRC has been changed. A start has been made on the budget, made difficult by the need to estimate the number of competitors expected. More offers of help are needed for major roles, in particular Entries Secretary and Equipment Officer. The Exec will take a more pro-active role with this.
   The quotes which have been received for mapping were considered and it was agreed that we will discuss with LT the involvement of the BOF-appointed Map Adviser in a decision about which mappers to appoint.
4. Other major events
   JIRC 2011, BSOC 2012, Northern Champs 2012. No reports received or problems identified.
5. Lakes 5 2014
   It was agreed that no further surveys will be done about map scales and the inclusion of a Middle distance event. Agreed that the format would be four Long events and one Middle Distance. 5 possible areas (and 1 reserve) have been identified. MA to contact the clubs concerned to obtain more detailed information, using the criteria previously established. A decision can then be made on the need to fund an Access Officer. Writing a Business Plan for the co-ordinating role for the event, and decisions on map scales can both be considered later.
6. NW O League
   Club Secretaries will be asked to tell their members that 2011 results for seniors for events up to the end of March are available via a link on the NWOA website.
   Dick Towler to be asked to convene a Working Party meeting to consider arrangements for 2012.
7. Finance
   SR reported that the accounts are in good order. An administrative error had been made in the size of grants given to some Juniors, but it was agreed that the excess amounts could be absorbed.
8. Marketing, Publicity and other potential projects
   1. Agreed that Clubs be asked by the Secretary to provide a brief report on how they have spent their 2010/11 Development Grant, in time for the October AGM.
   2. Consideration was given to the possibility of providing a NW fund specifically for urban mapping.
   3. SRo to arrange a date for a course on press publicity with Richard Catlow PFO, probably in September.
   4. Lancaster Business School like the projects that we suggested for their MSc students. We must now wait to hear if they have attracted interest from suitably qualified students. Other Business Schools could be approached.
   5. A CDM suggestion that the NW Website should include a map pin-pointing upcoming events has been considered by the Webmaster. BOF may be able to make their fixtures data accessible to other websites later in the year, in which case we may require funds to develop suitable mapping software
   6. Agreed that we will invite Svend Elkjaer of Sports Marketing Network to attend the morning session of our October meeting, holding the AGM and other CDM business in the afternoon. It is hoped that Clubs will encourage their most enthusiastic members to come along and be inspired! Information about Svend's approach will be sent out nearer the time.
9. Safety of Lone mappers and planners.
   Agreed that this should be considered nationally. BR will write to Mike Hamilton about it.

The 2011 AGM will be held on October 22nd at Caton

The next Exec Meeting will be held on June 6th, 6.30 at the Boot and Shoe.