Representatives from shinty clubs across the country gathered at the West End Hotel, Fort William for the Camanachd Association Annual General Meeting on Friday 25 November 2016.
Members were told that that Camanachd Association’s accounts were currently in a fragile position and it may be necessary to dip into reserves. The Association are particularly keen to obtain a sponsor for the Camanachd Cup. The 2016 blue riband event was the first time in around 35 years where there was no sponsor. This will leave a gap in the 2016 accounts and it was confirmed that the Association is seeking £30,000 to secure a new sponsorship deal.
However the focus of this year’s AGM was on the 2015 audited accounts where turnover had dropped to £584,986 from £601,119 the previous year. This can largely be put down to a drop in Grants and Sponsorship. There was increased spend on Development and Coach Education as well as in other areas such as Wages, Offices Costs, Offices Expenses and Advertising & Promotions which led to an overall deficit of over £8,000 against a surplus of almost £35,000 the previous year. Reserves at the end of December 2015 stood at just over £124,000.
The Camanachd Association have been unable to find a replacement for Chief Operating Officer Torquil MacLeod. A first round of interviews failed to identify a successor and the post will be re-advertised early in the New Year. The package on offer may be altered and there is a view within the Association that the new incumbent must be able to match Torquil Macleod’s events management skill-set.
A Special Resolution put forward by Newtonmore, seeking a relaxation in the rules surrounding pitchside technical areas for televised semi-final and final matches, just failed to achieve the required 75% support. Newtonmore proposed that, to aid communication with players, team managers be allowed out of the designated technical area from time to time to communicate with their players, returning after a reasonable time or as requested by the fourth official / referee. With an overall voting strength of 27 votes, Newtonmore required the support of 21 members to succeed. However they fell frustratingly short with 20 members or 74.7% backing their resolution. Therefore substitutes, support staff and coaches must stay within this area for the duration of the game unless authorised to leave by the referee or fourth official. The only exception is for substitutes who are allowed to move out-with the designated area to warm up.
There was agreement to Glenurquhart’s amendment to the Ordinary Resolution proposed by the Camanachd Referees Association which sought to help increase the number and standard of referees available to officiate youth shinty matches.
The Camanachd Referees Association proposal would have set a requirement that, as a condition of entry, every club with a senior team is required to identify at least two club members, separate and distinct from the referees currently officiating at senior level, who are either qualified as Foundation referees or enrolled to attend a Foundation referee course and who will commit to refereeing youth games for their home club or any other youth games as required. The amendment from Glenurquhart restricted the requirement to clubs to identify just one new official to assume this role. The amendment was agreed so the Camanachd Referees Association proposal was not taken forward.
Members also approved an increase in adult membership fees from £15 to £20 and youth membership fees from £5 to £6. The increases came about because of costs incurred through the compulsory introduction of company pensions, anticipated additional VAT payments due and a drop in commercial revenue following a year in which the Camanachd Cup was without a sponsor. Club and Affiliate fees and Competition fees remain unchanged and there was agreement to an increase Public Liability cover.
The AGM also formally elected Willie MacDonald from Fort William and Steven MacKenzie from Beauly as Company Directors. Willie MacDonald will continue in the post of Youth Director with Steven MacKenzie having special responsibility for Communications.
Oban Camanachd took the opportunity to raise their displeasure at the changes to age eligibility rules at U14 level.