MINUTES OF AGM 2024

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MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE PLYMOUTH AND DISTRICT TABLE TENNIS HELD AT THE LEAGUE HEADQUARTERS ON FRIDAY 26TH JULY 2024 AT 7.03PM.

There were 28 members in attendance.

The President, Laurie Harrison opened the meeting and welcomed those present. He said that he was honoured to continue to serve as President.

He mentioned those members that had passed away since the last AGM and that he had been able to attend some of the Funerals as the representative of the Club. His report included his congratulations to Russ Keith for arranging an open Taster session at the HQ to invite new players.

The President thanked the Officers and Executive Committee for their hard work, and in-particular to those that help to maintain the Headquarters and Russ Keith for maintaining the website and undertaking the challenging duties as Match Secretary. 

He thanked Bryn Ford and SWS Shopfitting for their continued support and sponsorship, together with other sponsors of individual teams and Clubs. He concluded by inviting those present to name members that had forwarded their apologies.

Apologies: Shirley Luckhurst, Martin Wilcox, Rob Batten. Richard Smaridge

Minutes of the last AGM held on 7th July 2023

Les Cole read out the minutes which were formally adopted as a true record and signed by the President.

Secretary’s Report:

The Chairman, Pete Nicholson stated that due to the absence of both a General Secretary and Assistant Secretary there was no report for this year. He said that he himself does what he can, but the Club needs volunteers for both posts. With regards to the Secretary’s role, Glyn Price may be able to assist at some point in the future.  

Treasurer’s Report:

Pete Nicholson, in his role as Treasurer read out a detailed report of the club’s finances for the 2023-2024 season. He said that the accounts had been audited and are available should any member wish to have sight of them. 

(Income and Expenditure information is not for display purposes)

It was proposed by Trevor Mole and seconded by Nick May that the annual Club fees be increased as per the Treasurer’s recommendation. This was unanimously agreed. There being no questions to the Treasurer, the report was accepted.  

Alteration to Rules:

Pete Nicholson addressed the meeting on the proposed New Constitution. He stated that the existing Constitution was out of date and that there had been little change to its contents since the 1940s. He said that he and Les Cole had re-written this document having regard to both Table Tennis England and Community Amateur Sports Club guidance /regulations. He went on to say that the proposed new Constitution had been presented and agreed by the Executive Committee and is now forwarded to members for approval.

It was proposed by Alan Davis and seconded by Laura Bone that the New Constitution document be formally adopted and this was unanimously agreed by those present.

The proposed Rule Change to Rule 1, para [e], [f] and [g] were read out and again unanimously agreed.

Election of Executive/Non executive Officers:

The President read out the names of the existing Executive/Non- Executive Officers which were unanimously re-appointed. The role of Secretary and Assistant Secretary at this point remains vacant. The existing Trustees for the HQ remain unaltered.

Election of the Independent Financial Advisor:

It was proposed by Laura Bone and seconded by Trevor Mole that Mrs Jean Morgan be re-elected. It was unanimously agreed that Mrs Jean Morgan be re-elected.   

Allocation of Teams/Structure of the League:

The Match Secretary, Russ Keith presented to the meeting the format for the forthcoming season, which will again be four Divisions over three parts of the Season. The ranking of the teams to Divisions had been recommended by the League Sub-Committee consisting of himself, Trevor Mole and Mike Briggs and agreed by the Executive.  He provided details of changes to various teams and gave examples of how these rankings had been arrived at and their effect on for the forthcoming season. 

Russ stated that for the League to run effectively, timing was essence and that matches needed to be played within the specific periods. Concern was expressed from the Floor that it was not always easy to get a reserve when players were not available. Russ reminded members that subject to the Match Secretary’s approval, teams can still borrow players to complete fixtures. He also stated that that the two- week postponement period will be reintroduced for the forthcoming season to help to avoid adjudications and to assist the completion of each stage during the season. At the end of the season, teams entering the League will be reassessed and re-ranked like past seasons.

After further discussion it was proposed by Ann Warren and seconded by Glyn Price that allocation of teams for the 2024/2025 as laid out by the Match Secretary be formally adopted. This was unanimously agreed. 

Before moving to the next point of the Agenda, the President advised the Floor that next season becomes a new season.

Matters for Discussion:

Pete opened the final part of the Meeting by advising members that as the new Constitution Document had been passed, the rules of the Club in the handbook will need to be updated. This task will be undertaken by himself and Les Cole.

Pete then mentioned that some inaccurate and inappropriate comments had been placed on the League What’s App Group. He made it clear that if needed he would shut down that facility if it was not used for the purpose that it was intended to assist League business. Should members have any issues or complaints, then there are procedures in place to address these and that officers of the Club including himself are easily contactable.

Russ then presented to the members a detailed account of the duties of the Executive Committee. This included, Management of the Cub, HQ Maintenance, accurately maintaining the Club’s finances including payment of Utility bills and Insurance. He mentioned the numerous Health and Safety checks that needed to be done that are linked to the Headquarters. He went on to talk about the attendance at the Plymouth Table Tennis Partnership meetings, updating TTE records, running practice sessions, attending Schools to promote new membership, arranging open days and running sessions for Sport In Mind sessions to assist those suffering from mental health problems. He concluded by stating that the Club needs to update the following policies: Code of Conduct, Equality Policy, GDPR Privacy policy and the Safeguarding policy.

A floor discussion followed, highlighting the need for Volunteers. In addition, matches could be played earlier than 7.30pm. However, all members should be mindful of other teams and their requirements. The Citizen Aid APP was suggested as a useful tool for First Aiders and that in addition to the Defibrillator and First Aid Kit we now have a Bleed Kit at the HQ.

Development Officer’s Report [including Sport In Mind]

Martin Hynes, the Development Officer gave a detailed report on projects/initiatives over the last 12 months. The Sport In Mind Charity continues on a Thursday at the HQ between 1.30 and 2.30pm. He stated that this support is aimed at males aged over 17 years with mental health issues. Although Martin has taken the lead with this project, he is assisted by Russ Keith and Tony Powlesland. He said that the Club receives £(not for display purposes) per session from the Charity which is used to cover the coaches’ expenses. He went on to say that he has leaflets providing more information should any member be interested. He felt it unlikely that the Club will gain new league players resulting from this initiative.

Martin then produced the P&DTTC promotional leaflet which promotes our League and was developed by Russ Keith. He said that these leaflets have achieved hits on the Club’s website. He encouraged those present to take a few of these leaflets to help friends/work colleagues play competitive Table Tennis.

Martin mentioned the Open Day which Russ Keith organised and although it was advertised through several mediums, only seven members of the public attended. He then mentioned the six- week Coaching course delivered by himself at Devonport High School for Boys. Sessions were on a Thursday between 3.30 and 5.00pm and lasted for six weeks. There were 14 students who attended and the coaching was generally well received. He highlighted that additional students from DHS and other Schools are already fully involved with the successful Joola Pathway Development Centre at Eggbuckland run by Paul Whiting.

Martin concluded that the Club’s biggest challenge is that of encouraging more people to become active in competitive Table Tennis. He said that the youth are fully engaged via the Schools and the Eggbuckland Centre. He asked members to let him know if they were aware of any community [either based at a village hall or work place] that would be interested in coaching support with a view to playing in the League.

English League Club

Pete Nicholson thanked Joola Plymouth for continuing to represent the P&DTTC in the English League Cup. 

They achieved the following positions:

Boy’s 7TH, Men’s 5th and Ladies 2nd

Any Other Business

It was noted that fees collected by the club include the Table Tennis England Fees.

The average playing age had reduced from 59 years 6 months to 57 years 6 months due to the entry of four Junior players from Joola, under the team heading of SWS D and sponsored by Bryn Ford.

The presentation of Trophies were then awarded to the winners of Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, and Division 4

No further business the President closed the meeting at 8.27pm

THE MINUTES WERE APPROVED AND SIGNED

Plymouth and District Table Tennis Club (P&DTTC) which includes Plymouth Table Tennis League is committed to ensuring that the behaviour of all who participate in the sport whether as player, official, coach or spectator shall be of the highest standards at all times.  In order for these standards to be maintained the following points are to be used as guidance.  

All members of the Club:  

1 Shall promote the reputation of the game and take all possible steps to prevent it from being brought into disrepute  

2 Must ensure that the game is played and conducted in accordance with discipline, sportsmanship and acknowledge that it is not sufficient to rely solely upon the match officials to maintain those principles.   

3 Shall not repeatedly breach the laws of the game.  

4 Shall accept and observe the authority and decisions of match officials and all other disciplinary bodies.  

5 Shall not do anything which is likely to intimidate, offend, insult, humiliate or discriminate against any other person on the ground of gender, race, disability, age, religious or political belief, sexual orientation, social background, ethnic origin, language, marital or civil partnership.  

6 Shall recognise and applaud all good play.   

7 Must ensure that they win with modesty and lose with dignity.  

8 Shall co-operate with coaches, team-mates and opponents.   

9 Will thank officials and opponents after competition.   

10 Will learn and play by the rules.   

11 Will display consistently high standards of behaviour.   

12 Shall play for fun and enjoyment.  

13 Will recognise and appreciate the efforts made by coaches, match officials and administrators in providing the opportunity for you to play the game and enjoy the sporting environment.   

14 Will treat HQ and other venues where they may play with respect and follow all guidance and advice such as HQ being a non-smoking site and that the use of tobacco and e-cigarettes on site will not be tolerated.  Also when arriving or leaving HQ or other venues make sure they respect those that are living in the vicinity.  

Any blatant disregard of this Code of Conduct reported to the Executive Committee will be investigated in a timely manner and disciplinary action taken as appropriate.  In the first instance this will usually be in the form of a written letter, but if further breaches of the Code are reported then suspension or in the most serious cases, exclusion from the Club, may follow.  

Any member of the Club accused of breaking this Code may appeal to the Executive Committee either in writing or by attendance at an Executive Committee meeting and will be informed of the Committee’s decision within 7 days.  

Responsibilities   

This policy will be available to and adhered to by all members, parents/guardians, volunteers and participants.  All members of the Club have responsibility for responding to any allegations or concerns, passing information to the Executive Committee.  Members, Parents/Guardians, volunteers and participants all have a responsibility to work together with the organisation in implementing the above procedures.  The policy and procedures will be widely promoted and are mandatory for everyone involved in P&DTTC.    

Monitoring  

This policy will be reviewed a year after development and then every three years, or in the following circumstances:   

• Changes in legislation and/or government guidance.  

• As required by TTE. 

• As a result of any other significant change or event.  

See also: 

PLYMOUTH AND DISTRICT TABLE TENNIS CLUB SAFEGUARDING POLICY 

PLYMOUTH AND DISTRICT TABLE TENNIS CLUB EQUALITY POLICY 

PLYMOUTH AND DISTRICT TABLE TENNIS CLUB DATA PRIVACY POLICY  

TABLE TENNIS ENGLAND – SAFEGUARDING PLAYERS CODE OF CONDUCT (ISSUE 1)  

P&DTTC recognises and commits to uphold its legal obligations under the following legislation:  

• The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974  

• The Sex Discrimination Act 1975, 1986 and 1999  

• The Race Relations Act 1976 and the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000  

• The Disability Discrimination Act 1995  

• Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003  

• Employment Equality (Religion and Belief) Regulations 2003  

• The Children Act 1998  

• The Human Rights Act 1998    

Plymouth and District Table Tennis Club (P&DTTC) which includes Plymouth Table Tennis League is committed to ensuring that equality is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equality:

Sports equality is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society. 

P&DTTC respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

P&DTTC is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse and therefore fully embraces the following principles:

· Discrimination whether direct or indirect will not be tolerated.

· Every member to be responsible for creating a welcoming comfortable environment for anyone wishing to participate in table tennis.

· That all individuals have the right to participate in and enjoy table tennis. 

· Equality is not just about treating everybody the same, sometimes action needs to be taken to target any under represented groups.

· All recruitment and selection procedures, whilst meeting all the necessary legal requirements, will be fair and transparent. 

· Ongoing training regarding equality will be provided for staff and volunteers.

· Any known or perceived inequalities or incidents of harassment, bullying or victimisation will be regarded as serious misconduct and will be liable to the appropriate disciplinary action.

Responsibilities 

This policy will be available to and adhered to by all members, parents/guardians, volunteers and participants. The organisation’s Welfare Officer has responsibility for responding to any allegations or concerns, passing information to the Executive committee. Members, Parents/Guardians, volunteers and participants all have a responsibility to work together with the organisation in implementing procedures. The policy and procedures will be widely promoted and are mandatory for everyone involved in P&DTTC. Failure to comply with the policy and procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the Club. 

Monitoring 

This policy will be reviewed a year after development and then every three years, or in the following circumstances: 

· Changes in legislation and/or government guidance. 

· As required by TTE.

· As a result of any other significant change or event.

P&DTTC recognises and commits to uphold its legal obligations under the following legislation: 

· The Equal Pay Act 1970 

· The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 

· The Sex Discrimination Act 1975, 1986 and 1999 

· The Race Relations Act 1976 and the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 

· The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 

· Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 

· Employment Equality (Religion and Belief) Regulations 2003 

· The Children Act 1998 

· The Human Rights Act 1998  

1 About this Policy 

1.1 Throughout this document where the word ‘we’ or the word ‘club’ is used that is referring to Plymouth and District Table Tennis Club and/or Plymouth Table Tennis League.

1.2 This policy explains when and why we collect personal information about our members, how we use it and how we keep it secure and your rights in relation to it. 

1.3 We may collect, use and store your personal data, as described in this Data Privacy Policy and as described when we collect data from you. 

1.4 We reserve the right to amend this Data Privacy Policy from time to time without prior notice. We may be required to amend this Data Privacy Policy due to regulations. For any significant changes you will be notified but you are advised to check our Website for the latest Privacy Policy

1.5  We will always comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) when dealing with your personal data. Further details on the GDPR can be found at the website for the Information Commissioner (www.ico.gov.uk). For the purposes of the GDPR, we will be the ‘Controller’ of all personal data we hold about you.

2 What type of personal information might we hold about you?

2.1 We will collect information about you that you provide by filling in the membership forms and by corresponding with us.

2.2 We may hold and process any or all of the following personal information about you:

· Personal details such as your name, gender, age, date of birth, contact details (e.g. your address and postcode, email, telephone and mobile numbers), and in some cases your medical background and doctors details.

3 Using your information in accordance with Data Protection Laws

3.1 Data protection laws require us to meet certain conditions before we are allowed to use your personal information in the way described in this privacy notice.

3.2 We rely on a condition that allows us to use your personal information to comply with running the Club. We also rely on a condition known as ‘legitimate interests’ in order to use this information in the way described in this privacy notice. We have legitimate interest to collect and process your personal information as we need to administer the League and to provide you with information concerning the League.

3.3 We will keep the amount of personal information collected and the extent of any processing to the minimum.

3.4 We will only process ‘sensitive’ or ‘special categories’ of personal information under the Data Protection Laws (e.g. information about your health) where you have explicitly consented to this by providing the information. You have the right to have this information removed at any time.

4 What we do with your information?

4.1 We may use your personal information for a number of purposes relating to the administration of the Club including the following:

· To notify you about changing match nights.

· To inform you about meeting dates

· To inform you about Rule Changes and to keep you abreast of the latest information concerning the Club.

· For record keeping.

· To inform you of any changes regarding access to the HQ Building.

5 How long do we keep your information?

5.1 We will hold your personal information on our system for as long as is necessary for the Club to provide benefits to you.

5.2 If you cease to be a member of the Club we will hold your information for a period of at least 6 years after you cease playing in case any further queries arise.

6 Who do we share the information with?

6.1 Where appropriate for the purposes of administering the Club we may share your information with other clubs and Devonshire County Table Tennis Association.

6.2 For affiliation purposes we will share your information with Table Tennis England.

6.3 We will never sell your personal data. We will not share your personal data with any third parties without your prior consent (which you are free to withhold) except where required to do so by law or as deemed necessary by us to fulfil the task of administering the Club

7 How we protect your personal data 

7.1 We will not transfer your personal data outside the EU without your consent. 

7.2 The data that we collect from you will only be stored inside the UK.

7.3 We have implemented generally accepted standards of technology and operational security in order to protect personal data from loss, misuse, or unauthorised alteration or destruction. 

7.4 Please note however that where you are transmitting information to us over the internet this can never be guaranteed to be 100% secure. 

7.5 For any payments which we take from you online we will use a recognised online secure payment system. 

7.6 We will notify you promptly in the event of any breach of your personal data which might expose you to serious risk. 

8 Your rights in relation to your personal information

8.1 The accuracy of the information that we hold about you is important to us. If any of the information that we hold is inaccurate or out of date, please let us know using the contact details set out at the end of this document.

8.2 You have a number of rights under the Data Protection Laws in relation to the way we process your personal data, namely:

· To access your personal data 

· To be provided with information about how your personal data is processed 

· To have your personal data corrected 

· To have your personal data erased in certain circumstances 

· To object to or restrict how your personal data is processed 

· To have your personal data transferred to yourself or to another business in certain circumstances

8.3 You have the right to take any complaints about how we process your personal data to the Information Commissioner: 

https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ 

0303 123 1113

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire SK9 5AF

9 Contact details

If you have any queries about this privacy notice, or wish to exercise your rights regarding this policy please contact Peter Nicholson, the Club’s Data Protection Manager on:

Email  petenicholson.nicholson@btinternet.com

Tel. 01752 813757

Mobile. 07

Address. 24 Woodland Way

Torpoint

Cornwall PL11 2DW 

Plymouth & District Table Tennis Club (P&DTTC) which includes Plymouth Table Tennis League acknowledges the duty of care it has to safeguard and promote the welfare of all, both children & adults and is committed to ensure its safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and TTE best practices. 

The policy recognises that the welfare and interests of all is paramount in all circumstances. It aims to ensure that regardless of age, gender, religion or beliefs, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or socio-economic background, all have a positive and enjoyable experience of sport at P&DTTC. 

Policy Aims 

As part of our safeguarding policy P&DTTC will: 

· Promote and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of both children and adults. 

· Ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding and is provided with appropriate education/training to recognise, identify and respond to signs of abuse and other safeguarding concerns relating to children and adults.

· Ensure that all members of the Club are aware of their responsibility to report concerns to the Welfare Officer. 

· Ensure that all suspicions and allegations of abuse and poor practice are taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately. 

· Ensure appropriate action is taken in the event of incidents/concerns of abuse and support provided to the individuals who raise or disclose the concern. 

· Ensure that confidential, detailed and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely stored.

· Ensure robust safeguarding arrangements and procedures are in operation.

· Ensure that anyone, who in good faith, reports their concerns is fully supported and whose identity where possible, shall remain undisclosed.

· P&DTTC will work in close partnership with children, parent/guardians and adults to review and implement all safeguarding procedures. 

Responsibilities 

This policy will be available to and adhered to by all members, parents/guardians, volunteers and participants. The organisation’s Welfare Officer has responsibility for responding to any allegations, concerns or child protection incidents, passing information to the Executive committee. Members, Parents/Guardians, volunteers and participants all have a responsibility to work together with the organisation in implementing procedures.  The policy and procedures will be widely promoted and are mandatory for everyone involved in P&DTTC.  Failure to comply with the policy and procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the Club. 

Monitoring 

This policy will be reviewed a year after development and then every three years, or in the following circumstances: 

· Changes in legislation and/or government guidance. 

· As required by the TTE

· As a result of any other significant change or event.

In drawing up this policy and the guidelines P&DTTC has taken into account the following legislation for safeguarding both children and adults:

· The Children Act 2004

· The Children Act 1989

· The Protection of Children Act 1999

· The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

· The Every Child Matters Strategy 2004

· Working Together to Safeguard Children

· The Sexual Offences Act 2003

· Human Rights Act 1998

· The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

· Data Protection Act 2018

· Police Act 1997

· Protection of Freedoms Act 2012

· The Care Act 2014

· Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims (Amendment) Act 2012

· The Equality Act 2010

· The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

· Mental Capacity Act 2005

Personal information will be treated in strict confidence, within the limits of the law, which requires that the Police, Children’s Services, Adult Services and/or any other statutory agencies including the NSPCC be informed where there are concerns that a child or adult is at serious risk of harm or it is believed that a crime has been committed.