South Eastern Centre Motocross Combine Minutes February 2003

PRESENT : 17 delegates were present representing the following Clubs : Brighton, Crawley, Greenwich, Horsham, Sidcup, and Twickenham. The Permits Secretary Ken Piles and the Sports Council representative John Claridge.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE : Were received from Andy Wood, Roy Humphrey and Messrs. Nicholas and Powell from Premier.

CHAIR : Eddie Herd took the Chair welcoming everyone and explained there would be no agenda for this meeting as it had been called to discuss the 3 dates already allocated to Winterpick Farm as the circumstances have now changed. He asked Mrs. Hayden from Horsham to give a brief resume on the facts.

The dates in question are the British Four Stroke, Sidecar and Under 21 Round on 13th April, A RR meeting on 4th May and the proposed lottery funded event on 17th August.

Mrs. Hayden said the British Championship Meeting was going ahead with the regulations already printed. Mr. Frank Dixon was committed to an event in Holland on the day but he would guarantee the track preparation up to the Thursday before the event. What was need was a team of people from within the Combine to do the key jobs on the day to assist with the running of the meeting. It had been agreed that John Bramall and Roger Brown would do the advertising, Alan Clarke the Clerk of the Course, Liz Argent IC of the Lap Scorers. Mr. Brown was negotiating with a club to have transponders but we would still need back up lap scorers. Mr. Clarke asked if we would need a generator to power the system and Mrs. Clarke suggested someone takes an interest in the system Sidcup will be using at their Early Birds meeting on March 16th. Mr. Jamie Clarke to try and give the event publicity. Mr. Clarke asked if the intention was to tie the 3 meetings together to which Mr. Brown replied only in so far as the land owner went the meetings otherwise would all stand alone. Mrs. Hayden said she had been approached by the Witley Club with offers of help and it was agreed she should produce a list of key jobs and ask specific people to fill the posts. Mrs. Clarke , wearing her Treasurer's hat, warned delegates that the Combine did not enjoy great funds, in fact the expected revenue would be 8 x £20 subs plus £250 from the Centre which had already had £60 odd deducted for rent. However she read an extract from the minutes of the last ACU Moto Cross Committee Minutes were it had been agreed by the Financial Director to help the Clubs who were running rounds with some sort of financial assistance. Mr. Frank Dixon said this now might not become available because Phil Roberts would be sponsoring the Four Strokes, Ray Hockey the Under 21's and Yamaha would supply each meeting with tape.

Agreed to approach Ron Callaway to see if he would be willing to commentate. Agreed there would be no Sidecar Wild Cards.

Mr. Clarke was concerned the land would be lost to the ACU riders if it was not used he felt sure it would gratefully be taken over by either the Schoolboys or another Federation of the Sport.

Mrs. Clarke wondered how the Combine would be fixed if the Lottery grant was refused. Mr. Claridge felt we had a good a chance as last year of obtaining monies in fact he read a hand written thank you from Andy Sutch who was in charge at Sport England. He did say that this year the emphasis had changed to the educational side of things and it was agreed we would invite the local schools and perhaps the Scouts to the meeting.

MAY 4TH : Mr. Batten said there was a Grand prix on in France that weekend and the Sidecars would be absent also the Twickenham Club would be in France the previous weekend on an exchange visit and some might not be back for the meeting. There was much discussion regarding changing the date because the Championship rounds that had already agreed for that date would be lost, it was muted that Crawley could perhaps use the venue for one of their dates but in the end it was agreed to move the date to May 11th. The permit would be applied for in the name of the Combine with Mrs. Hayden Secretary of the Meeting, Yan Dixon Clerk of the Course, Peter Burton and Ken Piles Stewards. The entry fee would be £35 with sidecars £45, no late entries would be accepted. There would be 5 groups :- Experts, Sidecars, 2 x Juniors and a Fours stroke class which Mrs. Argent said would be a round of the Ace Championships. A SAE would be required, marshals balloted for and the closing date the Monday beforehand. Mrs. Clarke to action. Admission price on the gate £6.

17th AUGUST : This would be the lottery funded meeting with Claire Mc Davitt Secretary of the Meeting and Kevin Mc Davitt the Clerk of the Course. Agreed to sort the other officials out at the April meeting. Mr. Claridge offered the services of Christopher Widoor for publicity. Mr. Brown wondered if the Combine could hire some radios of Sidcup to try and save money.

NOISE : Mr. Herd said he had only just received a multi page documents about the Danish Ride by System and had not yet had a chance to digest it.

Kurt Pringle had found out that in Queens land Australia they had decided to impose lower limits than the FIM had set and the Suzuki failed it.

Mrs. Clarke said she had spoken to Craig Elwell from DEP Pipes and he was very keen to come on board at the beginning coming to our next meeting giving a presentation and possibly having a test day of pipes.

Mrs. Clarke pointed out to delegates the notification on noise in the TSM erroneously said the limit was 92 db and not 98, a correction would be printed next month.

Mrs. Clarke was instructed to write to Andy Crawford of the Eastern centre to see if he would run a scrutineers/noise seminar in our Centre at which we could also invite our neighbours. Mrs. Clarke would collate numbers to avoid overcrowding.

MEDICAL SERVICES : Mr. Herd pointed out to delegates the notice in the new 2003 handbook under Moto Cross Medical Services was wrong, Mrs. Clarke read the amended text which was being circulated to all Moto Cross organisers. There was also some discussion on whether a person working on their own as a paramedic had insurance cover, Mr. Brown said the Insurance Panel were looking into this.

LAND : Mrs. Clarke had inserted adverts appealing for land in 4 publications and had one reply so far. This would be discussed more fully at the April meeting.

CHAMPIONSHIP COVER ADVERTISING : Mr. Frank Dixon said the advertising was coming along well.

NUMBER OF OFFICIALS ON RETURNS : Mr. Piles reminded delegates that they should be declaring the number of officials on their insurance returns.

There being nothing further to discuss the meeting closed at 10.20.