Regional Disciplinary Administrator's Report
I had not really expected
to be producing this Annual Report. The
Association has had a turbulent year in many respects but it has also been a
very positive year in taking the Association forward. The England Hockey Single System has, and will continue to have,
a significant impact on our role. I
think it was Bernard Woolley who said when James Hacker’s department of
administrative affairs was faced with extinction “ What about a campaign
promoting administration as fun.” It
isn’t fun; it tedious hard work – playing, umpiring and coaching hockey is fun
or at least it should be!
We have had a good hockey
year with the Association’s representative sides and clubs producing some
excellent hockey.
The Association has
representative sides at all age groups of Masters (formerly veterans)
Hockey. The men put out six sides in
the regional tournaments and achieved an impressive three firsts and three
seconds: Over 40 2nd; Over 45
2nd; Over 50 1st; Over 55
1st; Over 60 2nd; Over 65
1st. The women put out two sides; at
Over 40 and Over 45 and came third and first.
We must congratulate our
league winners Fareham (men) and Buckingham (ladies) on promotion to the EHL
Conference. Much dedicated effort goes
into the skills development and fitness and this shows in the results at all
levels obtained by our clubs in national competitions. These achievements are
summarised below.
Our umpires too continue to
provide the backbone of national umpiring.
It is good to see our umpires making steady progress with several more
obtaining Level 3 status both outdoor and indoor this season. The work of our senior umpires with the young
umpires has also paid dividends with several of our young umpires now on the
EHL list.
The league administrators
put in a considerable effort during the year to develop the league
structures. As a result the South men’s
league will be an open league in all divisions except South Premier, which
promotes to the EHL. The women’s league
has now settled down to its three division structure. It has agreed some fine tuning to ensure that
promotion/relegation from its third division is more equitable.
A large part of the
regional effort has historically been devoted to selecting and preparing the
junior regional representative sides.
This has now been supplanted by the EH Single System designed to
identify future Olympians. The
Association is concerned that this will displace the concept of regional and
county loyalties particularly as our talented youngsters can finish it one of
three squads not intimately connected to the region or county. It is therefore pleasing to report that the
junior committees managed to retain junior county competition in all the age
groups. The winners of the boys U17 and U15 went forward from the South for the
EH boys’ inter regional competition.
The Single System has
required much time and effort. The Development
Working Party, ably led by Tony Eaude, has done an enormous amount of work to
create the organisation required to efficiently operate the three EH Junior
Regional Performance Centres (JRPCs) allocated to us by national agreement for
summer 2009 – Tonbridge, Eastleigh and Oxford.
Some of our young players will attend the Northwood, Middlesex, centre
managed by the East Region.
Our initial foray, much
against our better judgement, into the 2008 JRPCs did not run smoothly and had
adverse financial consequences for us.
We have made it clear at EH level that running JRPCs is a contribution
to a national system but not one which should require any support from our
funds. It is therefore somewhat
disappointing to note that even as we embark on the 2009 centres the final
financial model for operating the system is not totally complete. Indeed the whole national development was
late and this has put substantial pressure on our volunteers to deliver what is
necessary.
What has emerged from the
financial model it is hoped are some sound general principles – all youngsters
will pay the same nationally to participate.
Key centre costs such as pitch hire will be standardised so that all
centres pay the same ‘notional’ cost irrespective of actual hire costs and
there will be balancing payments across centres. The same principles will apply to the Tier 1 competition
costs where payments will be balanced between JRPCs. There will national rates for coaches, managers and
administration costs. All this should
ensure that no costs are charged to regional associations in operating the
Single System.
One of the key features to
emerge is payment to organising officials – coaches, managers and
administrators. This is a further
development in the further ‘professionalism’ of our sport.
It is an inevitable
consequence of the search for Olympic standards, targets for medals, seeming
required by central government bureaucracy.
It may just be a generation issue and today’s young players may well
think nothing of it when they apply in the future for the paid posts connected
with hockey.
Regrettably these changes
have had an adverse effect on our volunteer base. Both in our Association committees and in our counties many
volunteers have felt that the time to go has arrived. It is therefore appropriate to record our warmest thanks to them
for their individual and collective contributions to hockey in the Southern
Counties over many years. We trust that
they will not lose contact completely and we hope to see them at as many county
and regional events that we are able to continue.
The changes I have
mentioned require new thinking and perhaps greater flexibility on our
part. In order to achieve this
Management and Council have given careful consideration to a revised
constitution. The proposal is for a
much more flexible structure which will allow the Association to set up and
disband its policy and operating committees as the need arises without a need
for constitutional amendment. Council
will remain as the cornerstone of our democratic structure. It is hoped that all corporate members will
be able to contribute to the strategic discussion in Council so that our
Association continues to be a vibrant and forward looking organisation
providing support for hockey for all ages and skills not just the elite few.
It is a fundamental tenet
within the Association that we support our umpires at all levels. The SCHUA plays an important role in
ensuring the success of our two senior leagues. Our county HUAs are no less important in the part they play in
providing officials for the county leagues.
They also provide the basic training by putting on training sessions for
the Level 1 umpire standard.
Not all umpires who take
the Level 1 course do so because they wish to take neutral appointments or have
a desire to become a national umpire.
They just want to be supportive to their clubs. These umpires are equally deserving of our
fullest support so it was of particular concern to the Association that
national level provide only the feeblest of penalties when a club umpire was
assaulted by several players after the end of a match. Our Regional Disciplinary Administrator
(RDA) was required by the Code to ask for the offences to be dealt with
nationally. The penalties imposed fell
far short of the suspension period we would have awarded. Council has made a
strong recommendation to EH that the Code should be revised to permit incidents
like this at the grass roots level to be dealt with by CDAs or the RDA. The EH Regional Consultative Committee has
agreed to conduct an annual review of red card and MMOs partly to understand
how penalties across the Country are applied.
During the year Council met
on three occasions and Management four times.
Officers and members of Management also attended numerous EH meetings
many connected with the Single System.
The pressure on the volunteer system, in part generated by today’s
economic climate, meant that during the year both Alison Pope and Christina
Hales had to stand down from Management because of business pressures. This is an understood but none the less
disappointing state of affairs as it is vitally important to get the next
generation into place to provide proper succession in the Association. Other important gaps have also appeared
elsewhere in the organisation and there is a very real risk that some
previously well supported activities at regional and county level may not run
because a lack of volunteers.
There are a number of
threats to hockey. Perhaps the most
important one is the future of the pitches we use. We are faced with a uniquely English problem that we have a
Football Association and Foundation, and a Rugby Union, which now see great
merit in artificial surfaces, particularly for training purposes. But they require a much longer pile length
that is inimical to hockey as we know it.
They have financial resources and are already offering inducements
(subsidies) to local authorities when replacement surfaces are needed. England Hockley is well aware if the issue
but it will require much local action to ensure that hockey is not the loser
when replacement pitches become necessary.
Hockey as I said at the
beginning should be fun. It is plays an
important part in many peoples’ social and recreational lives as is well
evidenced by the efforts put in at clubs, county and Association level. We are faced with an ever-increasing level
of regulation and risk minimisation because of child protection and health and
safety issues. These need a robust
approach to avoid over burdening our sport with needless restrictions.
We are not helped in the
enjoyment of our sport as a result of edicts from a dysfunctional Department of
Culture, Media and Sport. Tax payer
funding requires an ever increasing range of targets aimed more at social
engineering or providing opportunities for second rate politicians to shine in
the reflected glory of high achieving sportsmen and women rather than simple
enjoyment of sport. The solution lies
in our own hands by ensuring that we have sufficient volunteers who are
dedicated and determined to keep hockey what it is, and we hope will continue
to be, a family sport for all ages and abilities.
I conclude this review of
the year with our thanks to all who have participated in whatever capacity in
Southern Counties hockey during the season.
Neville Wrench
Vice Chairman and Acting
Hon Secretary
I am pleased to present the
Accounts of the Association for the year ended 31 March 2009, its ninth year of
operation. The Accounts comprise a
Summary Income and Expenditure Account, a Detailed Income and Expenditure
Account and a Balance Sheet, in the same format as last year, to reflect the
activities of the Association in a clear and consistent manner. In essence where
funds are generated by specific activities and are then to be expended only on
those activities, a ring fenced fund has been set up and Income and Expenditure
during the year is set against this fund .The balances on each individual fund
are carried forward on the Balance Sheet and comprise the Coaching Fund, the
Minihockey Fund, The South Youth (Boys) Fund, the South Youth (Girls) Fund, the
Women’s South League Fund and the Youth General Fund. All other activities of
the Association during the year are shown on the Income and Expenditure Account
and are to set out in such a manner to show clearly from what sources our
Income is derived and where it is spent as compared to the previous year.
The Accounts are drawn up
to include all items of Income and Expenditure relating to the period under
review which were notified to me by 19 June 2009 and any other Liabilities or
Income due of which I am aware and which have a material effect on these
Accounts.
The Summary Income and
Expenditure Account shows a surplus of £10,874 which represents the balance of
Affiliation Fees remaining after the net financing of the various competitions
as shown in the Detailed Income and Expenditure Account. Affiliation fees for the year at £9,192 are
in line with expectations but contain estimates for Fees from Berkshire once
again and Sussex from which Affiliations have not yet been received. I am in
touch with the Treasurers of both counties and am assured that the fees will be
sent shortly, but I am concerned that Income of the Association which should be
received around Christmas time each year is still outstanding. The year’s
income from Affiliation Fees has been enhanced by contributions from the 2008
Men’s and Women’s Indoor tournaments and the Women’s Veterans Tournament together
with Bank Interest. However the
reduction in this Interest of some £640 caused by falling interest rates in the
latter half of the year means that this year’s Net Income at £10,874 is £342
less than last year.
Overhead Expenses have
risen by £804. There is a general upward pressure on expenses but the costs
include one off payments in respect of presentations to retiring Officers of
the Association and the purchase of a new Website. We have also increased our
insurance Civil Liability cover as recommended by our Insurance Brokers. After
administration charges the excess of Income over Expenditure for the year is
£8,072 a reduction of £1,046 against last year.
The Affiliation fees for
Berkshire for the 2007/2008 year which were not included in last year’s
accounts have been added into retained profits as a prior year adjustment in
order to not distort this years income making a total of £34,622 .The
contribution of £6,000 to the Boys and Girls Youth programmes 2008/2009
committed to last year was applied as a contribution to the single system
(JRPCs) imposed by England Hockey this year.
In the final analysis this venture cost the Association a further
£2,710. After accounting for this
charge, Retained Earnings carried forward to the Accumulated Fund on the
Balance Sheet are £25,912 which is available for future funding of South Hockey
Programmes.
In addition the above the
Balance Sheet shows further funds available of £39,924 which are ring fenced
for Coaching and Development, Minihockey, Women’s South League and Youth.
I am pleased to report that
the Association remains in good financial health and Affiliations at the
current level will enable it continue to do so. I therefore propose that
Affiliations for the 2007/2008 Season remain at £6 per team although this may
need to be reviewed next year when the financial requirements of the new single
system are better understood.
I am indebted to County
Treasurers and all those members of the Association who organise Competitions,
Leagues, Training and collection of monies for the efficiency with which they
go about this task to achieve the financial stability mentioned above.
Thank you once again
PMM Taylor
Hon. Treasurer
19 June 2009
Southern
Counties Hockey Association
This report on the Accounts of the Southern Counties Hockey Association (SCHA) for the period ended 31 March 2009 which are set out on pages 3 to 5, is in respect of an examination of the financial statements and the financial records of the SCHA presented to me by the Honorary Treasurer.
Basis of this Report.
My examination was carried out and included a review of the accounting records kept by the Honorary Treasurer and a comparison of the accounts with these records.
The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the financial statements
In my opinion proper accounting records have been kept; the SCHA accounts agree with the accounting records and no matters have arisen from my examination which give cause for concern.
BRJ Gill FCA
Micheldever
|
|
Income |
Expenditure |
Net |
31/03/2008 |
|
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
Affiliation
Fees |
9,192 |
0 |
9,192 |
8,781 |
|
Men’s
Indoor |
1,000 |
996 |
4 |
33 |
|
Women’s
Indoor |
1,975 |
1,491 |
484 |
553 |
|
Women’s
Vets Tournament |
720 |
613 |
107 |
209 |
|
South
Veterans Hockey Kit |
0 |
0 |
0 |
40 |
|
Disciplinary
Committee |
100 |
29 |
71 |
-55 |
|
Bank
Interest less Charges |
1,008 |
0 |
1,008 |
1,647 |
|
Interest
Received -War Stock |
8 |
0 |
8 |
8 |
|
|
14,003 |
3,129 |
10,874 |
11,216 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Administration |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Committee
Expenses |
|
-1,084 |
|
-915 |
|
Insurance |
|
-744 |
|
-663 |
|
Presentations |
|
-332 |
|
0 |
|
Room
Hire |
|
-380 |
|
-265 |
|
SCHA
Website |
|
-262 |
|
-155 |
|
|
|
|
-2,802 |
-1,998 |
|
Excess of Income over Expenditure |
|
|
£8,072 |
£9,218 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Add :- Retained Profits brought forward |
|
|
25,956 |
22,021 |
|
|
|
|
£34,028 |
£31,239 |
|
Add :-Past year provisions no longer required |
|
|
£0 |
£717 |
|
Prior
year adjustment- Berkshire Affiliations 2007/2008 |
|
|
£594 |
£0 |
|
|
|
|
£34,622 |
£31,956 |
|
Less :- Support Grants paid out |
|
|
|
|
|
South
Youth Boys |
|
|
0 |
-£3,000 |
|
South
Youth Girls |
|
|
0 |
-£3,000 |
|
JRPCs |
|
|
-8710 |
0 |
|
Retained Profits carried forward |
|
|
£25,912 |
£25,956 |
Year Ended 31
March 2009
|
INCOME |
|
Affiliation |
South |
South |
Women’s |
South Vets |
Disciplinary |
Interest |
Total |
|
|
|
Fees |
Men’s |
Women’s |
Vets |
Hockey |
Committee |
Received |
|
|
|
|
|
Indoor |
Indoor |
|
Kit |
|
|
|
|
|
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
Fees , Sales etc |
|
9,192 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,192 |
|
Entry Fees & Players Contributions |
|
|
1,000 |
1,975 |
720 |
0 |
|
|
3,695 |
|
Appeals Fees less Refunds |
|
|
|
|
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
Interest Received - Bank |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,008 |
1,008 |
|
-
War Stock |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8 |
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Income |
|
9,192 |
1,000 |
1,975 |
720 |
0 |
100 |
1,016 |
£14,003 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenditure |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kit Purchase |
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
Pitch and Hall Hire |
|
|
836 |
885 |
460 |
|
|
|
2,181 |
|
Umpires and Officials Expenses |
|
|
160 |
606 |
153 |
|
|
|
919 |
|
Committee Members Expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
29 |
|
29 |
|
Bank charges |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
0 |
|
Total Expenditure |
|
0 |
996 |
1,491 |
613 |
0 |
29 |
0 |
£3,129 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Surplus/ Deficit |
|
9,192 |
4 |
484 |
107 |
0 |
71 |
1,016 |
£10,874 |
|
|
|
Current |
|
|
Previous |
|
|
|
Year |
|
|
Year |
|
|
£ |
£ |
|
£ |
£ |
|
Current Assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bank--
Current Account |
0 |
|
|
0 |
|
|
--
Reserve Account |
75,099 |
75,099 |
|
72,326 |
72,326 |
|
Sundry
Debtors |
|
1,896 |
|
|
3,925 |
|
Total Current Assets |
|
£76,995 |
|
|
£76,251 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
1/2% War Stock |
|
250 |
|
|
250 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Assets |
|
£77,245 |
|
|
£76,501 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less: Current Liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sundry
Creditors |
6,409 |
|
|
4,636 |
|
|
Coaching
Fund |
7,627 |
|
|
7,627 |
|
|
Minihockey
Fund |
1,395 |
|
|
2,079 |
|
|
South Youth (Boys) Fund |
9,597 |
|
|
10,406 |
|
|
South
Youth (Girls) Fund |
13,975 |
|
|
13,210 |
|
|
Women’s South League |
4,995 |
|
|
5,252 |
|
|
Youth
Fund |
2,335 |
|
|
2,335 |
|
|
|
|
-46,333 |
|
|
-45,545 |
|
Total Net Assets |
|
£30,912 |
|
|
£30,956 |
|
Accumulated Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Introduced |
|
5,000 |
|
|
5,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Retained Earnings |
|
25,912 |
|
|
25,956 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Accumulated Fund |
|
£30,912 |
|
|
£30,956 |
I would like to thank all the CDAs in the South for
adhering to the new rules concerning the reporting of Red Card offences, MMOs
and Disrepute charges. The new system appears to be working satisfactorily and
the expected additional workload has not yet materialised.
To date there have been 47 red cards issued to players of clubs in
the South since June 2008 and this figure includes three red cards issued in
EHL matches. The number of Red Card
offences is the same as last year and this equals the lowest number of Red
Cards issued in a season.
We have had two appeals
this season; both on evidence received and this reduced the necessity for
booking rooms, calling witnesses and having an oral appeal. One appeal was
dismissed and the other was partially successful with the suspension being
reduced from 30 to 16 days. I am extremely grateful for Colin Howard and the
other members who adjudicated these appeals but I am sorry to say that because
of ill health to Colin, Sheila Plant has been asked to chair any future
appeals.
There has been a rise in
MMOs and Disrepute charges making it the worst season since 2005 – 6 with a
total of sixteen incidents. There has been one Disrepute Charge that concerned
violence by Birkbeck College against an umpire. The incident was considered too
serious to be handled by the South and it was passed to Norman Stott the
England Hockey Disciplinary Officer. After several weeks of deliberation all
the Regional Disciplinary Administrators were approached and their views and
suspensions were requested. I asked for at least 180 days or possibly one-year
suspension for all the people involved but all the other RDAs opted for 120
days suspension for two people and 75 days suspension for the third person. I
have complained to Norman Stott but he believes that he should not dictate to
the RDAs any minimum suspension and that democratically a general consensus
should be accepted. Mike Ward also formerly raised the matter with England
Hockey but the response was non-committal. There was another incident involving
three players from Indian Gymkhana, which was dealt with by the county, and I
would personally like to thank Alison Toner the Middlesex CDA for the
professional manner that she has dealt with all the incidents this season.
Split between the counties, the
following details are shown, this season Hants and Sussex have had the most
Cards and Oxon has had the least, however, Middlesex have the worst record for
MMOs and Disrepute Charges and Berks, Bucks and Kent the best. The second column
shows where MMOs or Disrepute Charges have been issued.
(EH shows that incidents occurred
under England Hockey jurisdiction.)
|
Berks |
2 |
|
|
Bucks |
4 |
|
|
Hants & Dorset |
10 (1EH) |
1 |
|
Kent |
8 |
|
|
Middlesex |
7 |
5 (1EH) |
|
Oxon |
1 |
4 (3EH) |
|
Surrey |
5 (1EH) |
3(1EH) |
|
Sussex |
10 |
3 |
Considering the number of
appointments made throughout the region the number of Red Cards issued is very
low, but we must not get complacent and the training and education that appear
to have made such an impact should be continued throughout the remainder of
this season. The worrying aspect is the number of MMOs and disrepute charges
being brought for verbal abuse and violence and hopefully the clubs and
counties will be able to reverse this current trend.
Despite several reminders
Berkshire still do not have a deputy CDA and action should be taken to ensure
that there is a person nominated in case of long-term accident or illness,
which prevents the County responding in accordance with the Code of Discipline,
should a Red Card be issued.
Once again I would like to
thank everyone in the South for their continued help and support and especially
the CDAs and deputies who have given consistently fair decisions when called
upon.
|
South Men’s League |
Fareham |
Promoted to EHL |
|
South Women’s League |
Buckingham |
Promoted to EHL |