December Committee Meeting

MINUTES OF THE RNRMAA COMMITTEE MEETING HELD AT HMS TEMERAIRE MON 18 DEC 06

Meeting commenced at 1110

Present: Hon Sec, Hon Treasurer, Game Sec, Coarse Sec, Lt Cdr Bob Dunkley (HMS Temeraire)

Apologies: Sea Sec

Hon Secretary's Report

As at 25 Oct 06, Association Membership stood at:
Game - 72	Coarse - 67	Sea - 50	Total - 189

Sec requested that all Sections look to increase membership, particularly amongst the younger serving naval angling community, as there were plenty of RN anglers not members of the RNRMAA.

Sec requested fixture updates from Coarse and Sea sections as soon as known for 2007.

Game Sec (on behalf of the Webmaster) confirmed that an updated link is established on the RN Website to the RNRMAA site.

It was agreed that all Minutes of AGMs and Committee Meeting would with effect from this meeting be published on the Association Website.

RN Colours: Only Game Sec awarded Colours in 2006 to Will Black and John Manners. Nominations for 2007 should be given to the Hon Sec prior to the 2007 AGM.

It was confirmed by Bob Dunkley following a request from Coarse Sec that RAF pax attached to RN units cannot be awarded RN Colours or RN pax RAF Colours.

Sponsorship: Hon Sec requested details of any current or likely future sponsorship deals from Section Secs. Coarse are sponsored by Central Baits, whilst game are investigating possible support from Bob Church Tackle.

Bob Dunkerly was requested to assist in finding a suitable Flag Officer to act as President of the association following the retirement of RAdm Harris.

Treasurer's Report

Cash in bank as at 17 Dec 06 was:
Game - £823.02	Coarse - £4,229.14	Sea - £869.90	General - £2,379.75	Carp - £110.00	Total - £8,411.81

NB: Carp Fishers are shown at the request of the Coarse Sec (11 members @ £10 each Joining Fee) due to a request for a separate Section - see later notes.

It was agreed that the General Fund no longer served an appropriate purpose at current levels and would be reduced to £500, with the remaining balance split between the 3 sections on a pro rata membership basis.

Hon Treasurer would now insist on a separate Voucher for all Events instead of allocating a lump sum of money to each Sec to account for.Action: Secretaries

To recap; Sports Equipment Grant (SEG) and Representative Sports Travel were paid from Public Funds.

Annual Running Costs and Coaching at cost were paid by non-public Sports funds e.g. Subscriptions, naval sports charities etc.

Due to the ever diminishing availability of Service Accommodation and a Temeraire approved view that Transit accommodation was not always appropriate, Sections are able to subsidise accommodation with Association Funds.

Hon Treasurer would be creating a Five Year Business Plan as requested by Temeraire and Service Fund Auditor.

Action: Secretaries should advise their 'wish lists' and planned expenditure to the Treasurer by end Feb in order to allow the plan to be presented at the AGM planned for March 07.

Affilliations to National Bodies would be paid for out of the Central Fund.

It was unanimously agreed to pay an annual subscription on behalf of the RNRMAA to the Angler's Conservation Association (ACA) in support of their efforts to defend fishing interests from pollution and water extraction. (Both Hon Sec and Hon Treasurer are longstanding individual members of the ACA and encourage all members to support this successful and worthy organisation).

Coarse Secretary's Report

Results:

Inter-Services 2006 - 2nd
National Championship - 45th/65

Most of the competitive Coarse Anglers are from the FAA and RM commands. Portsmouth & Devonport members are encouraged to challenge for places. It was noticeable at Yeovil that new ATs were joining the Heron AA rather than the RNRMAA, although the Heron Club along with the Portsmouth RNRM Club despite the name have a majority of civilian members. The need for one uniform voice on RN Angling when dealing with Sports bodies such as Temeraire should be emphasised to all Serving Anglers, especially as the RNRMAA is the only body able to get financial support from Temeraire.

Temeraire have advised that ALL trophies should be returned to the Nelson RN Trophy Centre (RNTC) and cheaper trophies sourced and owned by each Section, thereby reducing the risk of expensive ie £1,500 trophies being lost and Sections being liable for C126 action by Pusser as was the recent case with a Sea Section Trophy. Cost of new trophies could be reimbursed by Temeraire.

Action: Secretaries to Return all Trophies to RNTC.

It was agreed that a Trophy List for Competitive Matches be provided for approval at the AGM.

Action: Secretaries to provide list to Hon Sec.

Command matches (one per Section) receive separate funding from PTROs.

Game Secretary's Report

Assoc'n Major Fly Fishing Clubs (AMFFC). The RN were not promoted from Div 3 to Div 2 due to an error by the RAF computer programme and is the subject of a complaint, although the RN team will not be appealing. The same problem caused near uproar at the 2006 Inter-Services Championship. The RN team were third but carried on the tradition of being the friendliest and most sociable team!

The Website would be updated by 18 Dec 06

Temeraire Comments

Bob Dunkerly advised that DNSPT was no more and that all naval sporting management and authority should now be referred to as Temeraire. This was welcomed by the Committee.

Bob ask that his thanks to John Walker for taking on the role of Hon Treasurer and updating the books be recorded.

Following the approach by RN Carp Anglers to establish a new Carp Section within the RNRMAA, Bob was able to advise the position of the MOD.

Sport is divided into three catagories:

'Recognised' - Duty Status ie Travel authorised for 5 x events per discipline
'Approved' - No Duty status
'Others' - e.g. Bird Watching!

The MOD had wanted Angling reduced to Approved, but this was rejected by all three Service Sports Boards. The compromise agreed was that only three angling disciplines; Game, Coarse and Sea be funded. If a new Discipline is to be approved then there must be a compensating reduction.

This course of action was unanimously rejected by the Committee as it is the aim of the RNRMAA to maximise all types of angling within the Naval Service. Therefore the following course of action was proposed.

Carp Anglers to be invited to join the Coarse Section in 2007 with a view to Coarse Sec funding new events in 2008. Temeraire advised that it may be possible for the Coarse Sec to write and request an additional Duty Event on top of the authorised five, to support the Carp Anglers in the Inter-Services Carp Fishing Championship in 2008.

2007 AGM will be held on Thurs 22 Mar 07 at 1830 in 'Jesters' bar' RNAS Yeovil. Any Notice of motion should be submitted to the Hon Sec in writing 14 days prior.

DONM: Autumn 07 - dtbc

Meeting closed at 1230

[Signed on original]

S J LEWIS RD