CHESHIRE COUNTY ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

Minutes of the meeting held at Frodsham Community Centre on Wednesday 10th March 2010. 
Apologies: R Lynch and E Gore.

1. Present : M Cutler (Chairman), MJ Lamb, P Allen, AFJ Thiemicke, JL Driscoll, C Boyce, W Smith & BJ Warren.

2. Minutes of the Meeting held on 27.1.10
Accepted.
Following the AGM in Feb. 2010 the Cheshire Handbook requires some updating on the web site.

3 Matters Arising from the Meeting held on 27.1.10
Dealt with under subsequent headings.

4.Correspondence
a) Request from weathercommerce.net for our web site to have a regular 5 day National Weather Forecast provided. The Committee declined the offer
b)  Paul Thomas, a disabled athlete from Sussex asked various questions regarding the participation of disabled athletes in various events. Though disabled athletes take part in different events in the County, no specific records are maintained.
b) Request from Ellen Molloy asking if clubs who provide no officials at Cheshire Championships should have their athletes excluded. The Committee recognised that this is a serious problem and some big clubs are offenders, but they felt it unfair to punish the athletes. Following some discussion it was decided that a financial punishment may be more appropriate. This idea will be pursued. 
c) Another request from Ellen Molloy asks if 3 awards could be given for Cheshire Championship events. Currently the number of awarded is dependent on the number of entries because of financial considerations. Our Championships do not get subsidies, so each meeting endeavours to break even financially. Therefore, it was considered that our current regime should not be changed.
d) Preliminary notice of the UK Counties Athletic Union AGM on Sun 30.5.10 in Bedford.
e)  e mail from Alan Barlow, regarding the Cheshire Secretary’s  Report for 2009, in which he points out that some notable Fell Race achievements by Cheshire athletes was omitted. The report will be amended.
f) Invitation from Cheshire West and Chester Council- Open Space, Sport and Recreation Provision Workshop in Chester Town Hall on 17.3.10 from 10.30- 12.30. JL Driscoll has kindly offered to attend.
g) Request from D Wall of West Cheshire asking of the Medley Relay could be replaced by a 4x400m relay in the County Track Relay Championships this year. The Committee decided against this.
h) A book entitled ‘Running Anatomy’ by Joe Puleo and Dr Patrick Milroy (a Frodsham GP) has been published. It explains how to maximise running strength, speed, and endurance. It shows how to improve performance by increasing muscular strength, optimising the efficiency of running motion and minimising the risk of injury.  Dr Milroy was once the medical officer with the UK Athletics Team at the Olympic Games.
i) The affiliation request from EA has been received. The fee is again £50.
With this literature is news that there will be Regional Council elections. Nomination for this will close on 16.4.10.To make a nomination and for instructions go to www.englandathletics.org/election or telephone John Temperton on 0121 713 8493.
Is R Lynch prepared to stand again?
5. Financial Matters
	Current A/C		1,849.50
	Deposit A/C		   131.16
	Building Soc.	             11,357.60
	Total		             13,338.43
The entry fees received from the Cross Country Championships was £1644, so there was a clear profit. The bill for the coach to the Inter Counties Cross Country Championships is £740.

6. Coaching Report
An update was given by the Chairman on the Athletics Network. A grant has been approved of £23,000 per year for 3 years. Part of this will be used to finance a coach/coordinator. More clubs have joined the Network.
The next meeting will be on 31.3.10 when a formal committee or committee partnership will be drawn up to make a programme to handle the money. The current proposal is to spend £15K per year as a wage, and the balance on coaching initiatives.

7. Officials Report
J Shellhorn issued an Officials Newsletter recently in which he announces that he is handing over his role of Officials Secretary to Alan Morris. However, the hand over is to be gradual.

8. County Championships
a) Cross Country at Reaseheath on 9.1.10
A very successful  meeting. Our thanks go to the host South Cheshire and Crewe and Nantwich AC.
b) Cross Country Jan 2011
VRAC has offered to host next year’s meeting at Knights Grange. The committee will await further offers before coming to a decision.
c) T&F at Macclesfield on 8/9.5.10
It was reported that the cage in now satisfactory.
d) Track Relays at Crewe on 3.7.10
AG Bunner is to be asked if he will take the entries.
e) Junior Multi Events at Macclesfield on 12.9.10
Nothing more to report.

9 Road Race Matters
a) The first Grand Prix meeting will be held next month.
b) The Secretary has written to Tony Hulme asking if he would write a short report  on Cheshire Fell Running successes in the year for next year’s AGM.

10. England Athletics/N Region/Northern Athletic/.Matters
The next meeting of the NW Regional Council is on 31.3.10. The minutes of the meeting on 18.11.09 have been circulated to members. The Feb. ‘10 minutes have not been received.

11. Any Other Business
a) VRAC are holding a Joshua Tree Charity Fun Run in Marbury Park on 24.4.10, starting at 10am.
b) Allyn Condon took part in the Bobsleigh in the Olympic Games in Canada.
c) Hayley Jones was a member of the 4x400 relay team in the World Indoor Championships.
d) Mike Lamb has kindly taken over the role of keeping the ‘Club List ‘up to date. He has already improved the format to make it easier to read. 

12. Next Meeting 
The date of the next meeting will be on Wednesday 28.4.10 in Frodsham

BJ Warren, 13.3.10