ROMILEY CRICKET CLUB
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2016
A summer littered with weather statistics has resulted in no fewer than six First X1 matches being cancelled or abandoned.
Friday night junior sessions have also been badly disrupted with a consequent effect on both their development and club bar takings.
This season our First X1 has been led by Mark Flattley whilst Paul Flattley and Peter Stuart skippered the second and third X1’s respectively.
All three teams have gone through good and bad patches but I am absolutely delighted to report that the First X1 have secured a position in The Cheshire County League having finished the 2016 season as Champions.
In 7 seasons we have progressed through the Cheshire league which I believe is a splendid achievement and certainly less than the 10 years I first predicted.
The side has an average age of 24which should serve us well in our advancement up the Cheshire pyramid.
They will compete next year in the Vivio Cheshire County League Division 2.
The2nd X1 finished in 6th position in the Fast UK Cheshire League Division A and will stay there next season.
The 3rdX1 finished in 5th position in the Cheshire County League Sunday Division 1 and will also stay there next season.
In their respective cup competitions the 2nd and 3rd X1’s were early casualties. However, the First X1 went on to win the T20 cup by defeating Kingsley in relatively easy style in the final at Haslington with our overseas player Andy Humphries being declared man of the match.
I would like to thank Andy for his important contribution to our success this season .
We wish him well in his University years back in Melbourne.
To assist all the senior sides Cheshire Coach Colin Grindey was appointed to add structure to training sessions. I am happy to say that not only is Colin remaining as senior coach but also his role has been expanded to reinforce our junior coaching team, starting with the winter nets sessions.
I regret to report that in line with the national trend our junior numbers have dropped dramatically. The ECB are making efforts to reverse this trend by heavily funding their Chance to Shine programme but we will have to see how this will materialise at club level.
In 2012 we had 142 juniors. In 2015, 102 and in 2016, 65 and unable to have an U7 group.
Clearly this is not what we want to see and I believe is a function of being unable to recruit sufficient adults to help, let alone undergo training courses. I have no explanation why this should be the case.
This year Paul Griffin took over the role of junior coordinator having completed his UKCC2 course, and during the summer we have discussed how best to tackle the problem of declining junior numbers.
I’d also like to thank Andy Bashford for his input here.
Thankfully I am able to tell you that we have got all age groups covered for 2017, and to demonstrate my point once it was established that an U7 group would run in 2017 the group was oversubscribed in only a few days.
We are not out of the woods and currently have no one who will be completing a training course this winter, and, despite the growing proportion of girl players in our ranks we do not seem to able to attract a girl’s coordinator.
Regrettably our Saturday morning Academy has also failed to run this year because of absence of coordination. I am hoping it can be resurrected for the coming year.
Having said that, we still fielded 7 junior squads in 4 different leagues with varying degrees of success although the weather had a profound effect on the schedule.
I understand that the U15’s managed to complete only 4 fixtures in the whole season not only because of the weather but also by a mid season change in the schedule requiring unrealistic travelling for evening matches. Representation has been made to the League to change this routine.
My sincere thanks go to all our coaches and parents who do help for their dedication and efforts.
This year we hosted an U11 match between Cheshire and Notts and although we did not have any representatives we made a good impression on those, including Michael Vaughan, who attended. I have no doubt that we will be asked to host more games in 2017.
In addition the Club was used by Cheshire cricket for its Chance to Shine and schools’ competitions enhancing our community involvement.
Despite my gloom our junior section has still provided a continuum of young players into our senior sides Alex Hooton has become an established player for Cheshire and our First X1 and has been joined by James Bashford who was also the recipient of the John Leech trophy.
At U13 Joe McNeeney has represented Cheshire and a host of others have made a senior debut in the 3rd X1.
If I might move on now and talk about our facilities.
Firstly the ground.
Andy Holt has continued as our Groundsman in the last year assisted by some of our players and some fairly well attended working parties.
My thanks go to all these people. They have ensured that at the League’s annual ground inspection we achieved good marks in all categories.
I will have to take advice but I believe that the drainage system may require some sort of maintenance this year.
Sadly the condition of the horse chestnut trees at the bottom of the ground is not improving and the risk of litigation has resulted in one already being felled.
Replacement of the trees has been investigated and to replace them with trees of only 3 or 4 metres will incur a considerable cost.
Soon after we became Division Champions we received a visit from a group of representatives from the County League to assess the ground for its suitability to be accepted to the League .Whilst the pavilion and facilities were considered more than acceptable they have left us with a number of tasks to complete on the ground before the season starts. These will be attended to and the Executive Committee have already approved the expenditure.
At the same meeting the topic of paid players was broached and our attention was drawn to the league’s ‘open policy’ on this matter.
Whilst I acknowledge the benefit to be had from having an overseas player as Andy Humphries hasdemonstrated I do not believe we are in a position to pay a player outright. However we may be able to help and negotiation is underway with another Australian player for next season.
I am delighted to tell you that in late October I received a letter from the County League to say we had been admitted to the League for next season.
Despite the installation of a new CCTV system and bright lighting on the lower balcony we have again been the victims of frequent and unwanted intrusion of groups of youths. Thankfully we have been spared too much damage but nuisance value to both us and neighbours is still a problem.
During spring the Pavilion has benefitted from a complete internal and external decoration and there is no doubt that this has played an important part in our ability to continue to hire out the pavilion for functions.
Our decision to hire out the main lounge even on match days has proved to be very successful although I appreciate it is not popular but as you will hear later is being addressed.
Our Pavilion Manager Alison Snape assisted by her partner Stuart have had a tremendous effect in promoting the club and managing room hires staff etc. They have, and continue to do a great job.
I’m sure you will want to join me in wishing Stuart a speedy recovery from his recent ill health.
Our ambitious new bar and extended balcony project is now underway although progress is painfully slow.
There has been lots of activity since the draft plans were produced and so they have served their purpose.
Meetings of the sub committee and a team selected representing a cross section of the Club’s membership, it’s Executive Committee and the Trustees have confirmed that the project should go ahead to the next stage.
Tim Brown has offered to help with the plans and architect negotiations etc. and at the last meeting enlightened the Committee on the potential problems and costs of proceeding.
Meanwhile the member’s bar has sufficed our need when there has been a room hire clash although I do not pretend that in its current form it is ideal for teas.
I would urge all the membership to be patient. Believe me we are on the case. I would rather progress be slow than wrong.
It is disturbing that since 2011our total membership has fallen from 450 to 150 with the greatest loss being in Social membership. We have debated long and hard as to why and the opinions are as many as they are various. The Executive Committee in conjunction with Alison have investigated how to reverse this process and as you will hear later we have created a membership incentive for junior parents
The Member’s bar price offer still seems to be popular as does the credit card payment machine installed earlier last year.
Whilst on the subject of the bar this may be the point to mention our brewery contract with Marstons is up for renewal in March 2017.
I can report that last year we were just short of the barrelage required to generate so called ’Retro Account Support’ but the brewery kindly gave us the benefit. This year we will easily achieve our target and will again benefit from significant price discounts offered.
Clearly Alison’s work in promoting room hires has been pivotal to this success. Long may she continue.
Perhaps I should point out to the membership that despite our success our coffers are not overflowing with money due mainly to the ongoing and ever increasing maintenance costs and insurance.
Last year I reported that due to changes made in the CASC requirements for rate relief we would only just qualify. With our reduced membership ratio of players to other members I am not sure whether we will be still be able to take advantage of both the 80% and 20% CASC rate relief scheme.
I hope that in this coming year we will be able to take advantage of the number of schemes and grants which are available. This cannot be the responsibility of a single person and I will be asking Executive Committee members to take ‘ownership’ of some of these tasks.
In order that we can apply for any grants these days is a function and advantage of us being a Clubmark Focus Club and we must preserve that status.
My thanks go to Alison and Paul Hooton who are our CWO and deputy CWO. Alison has done a great job chasing down DBS applications and depending on who is elected later in the meeting may well be asking you to complete a form.
I would ask that if your role requires that you attend a course or make a DBS application please cooperate fully with Alison .
2016 should have been a Clubmark reaccreditation year for RCC but this has been put on hold still awaiting the ECB’s new format.
I don’t know why it has not yet materialized but instead I have submitted an enhanced annual Health Check.
Whilst on the subject of Child Welfare I am pleased to tell you we have not had a single issue or disclosure this last twelve months.
I go on now to thank the people who have been involved in the running of the Club.
Firstly I am most grateful to my Executive Committee for their time , dedication . Despite my best efforts the size of the meetings’agendas and unfortunately the time taken to deal with it continues to increase and whilst you may not individually agree with our decisions I’m sure you will be gratified to know that they are only made after considerable debate.
I would like to extend my thanks to Rob Booker for undertaking the difficult task of taking and recording of our minutes.
Our Social Committee have worked hard during the year.
I hope that the Committee will keep up the good work and at the same time I would ask anyone who has got an idea for a function please contact Rob Booker or Jonny Holt.
On a separate note the Annual Presentation Night in October was a complete success and has been described as one of the best ever.
Our thanks are due to those who arranged the event.
One of the more demanding roles on our Committee is that of Treasurer.
Andy Holt has done a great job here, ably assisted by Rick who has attended to our Clearbooks accounting system, and Alison’s attention to stock details and wage payments.
A hard copy financial statement is available for 2016 and also for 2015 which we didn’t have in time for the meeting last year.
Andy and Rick will give us more details in the Treasurer’s report later in the agenda.
I’ll also mention here that Rick is this year’s winner of the Langhorn trophy. It is well deserved.
Thank you also to those who have represented the club at league meetings and cricket related groups. Paul Hooton has agreed to attend both Cheshire League and County League meetings in 2017
We are always looking for new sponsors but this year I am pleased to report a huge success in recruiting C&C Insurance Brokers as our number one sponsor. The deal we have secured is for 3 years and gives mutual benefits.
I thank Jonny Holt for his perseverance in getting payments from our existing sponsors.
I’d also like to thank Margaret and Dave McPherson who continue to run the Club lottery which contributes over £1000 pa to our much needed funds.
I believe details and a direct debit pro forma are now available on the website and I would encourage everyone to have at least one number.
I would like to record my sincere gratitude to Andy Holt for his support and advice as vice Chairman this year.
You will see in the agenda that the Executive Committee recommend a number of changes to the subscription level for 2017 and I ask that you give it approval later in the meeting. The Cricket Committee will again determine what match fees will be levied.
Finally and on a very sad note I have to record the passing of two of our great supporters, Life Member Joe Boydell, and Frank Rolph. Their families have both donated benches to the club.
Former player Carl Peacock has also passed away.
So to summarise.
I believe that the season on the field has been a great success culminating in our promotion to the County League as champions and winning the T20 trophy.
We have been able to field a 3rd XI supplemented by a constant flow of junior talent. Despite the difficulties of numbers our coaches have continued their dedicated work and I am confident that the introduction of Colin Grindey will alleviate some of the problems.
Off the field I think this is the first time I have been able to report that our activities and actions have resulted in a turn round of our financial situation and I feel confident that this will continue.
Our acceptance to the County League carried a number of caveats on ground improvement which will be addressed as best possible for the coming season.
Our Pavilion manager has been extremely successful in attracting room hire business which in turn has allowed us to meet the brewery criteria required to attract their sponsorship, and make our financial situation far more stable.
We have been successful in attracting C&C as our largest sponsor this year. Our other sponsors must also be thanked for their continuing support.
It is refreshing to see the input from a number of our players in running the Club and I hope they will continue to support Alison in order to maximise the use of our existing facilities.
At the same time we will continue with our balcony extension project and member’s bar development and will fully involve the Trustees in our planning.
Despite all the effort and incentives it is disappointing that our Social Membership continues to fall. We have been unable to discover a definitive reason why this should be, but we are proposing a new initiative in the junior membership fee which we hope will at least partially address the problem.
My greatest concern is the continuing decline in junior membership and the difficulty there is in recruiting parents as helpers and potential coaches.
The ECB this week have launched a British version of the MILO programme for 5 to 8 year olds which has been very successful in Australia for attracting more players and parent volunteers. We await more details.
We continue to attract the support of the Cheshire Cricket Board and in return we must continue to uphold the requirements of Clubmark and pay due care and attention to Child Welfare issues. Our CWOs and coaches are well briefed in what is required and coupled with their coaching talent will ensure that RCC remains a safe and friendly environment for youngsters to play cricket. It is of paramount importance that new coaches are found to replenish our system.
Finally, in the coming year it is crucial that the Executive Committee are given the full support of the membership for both the decisions they make, and expenditure they approve. I accept that this might not please everybody all the time but I am confident that with our continued work and attention to detail we will eventually become a model club in the Cheshire League.
Mick Rowe(Chairman Romiley CC)
JMR151116