AGM 2004/5
Contents
Agenda
minutes from previous season
chairman’s report
Treasurer’s report
Agenda
Minutes (previous year’s AGM)
Chairman’s report
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT – Kieron Cotter – AGM – WSYL – 14th June 2004
May I welcome you all to the West Surrey Youths League AGM for the end of the 2004 season. This has been my fifth year as your Chairman and I would like to thank the Clubs and our Management Committee for their continued support.
I hope you will forgive me but I really believe that all your Management Committee deserve a mention. As they are very rarely praised.
I am delighted to tell you that many of our current league officers have agreed to remain in office for a further year, which highlights their commitment to the running of this league.
I am also delighted to announce that we have been able to attract new members to our Management Team which now numbers 30.
Our most valuable commodity is time and your Management Team have devoted an awful lot of there own time to the smooth and efficient running of the league. As well as having other commitments, with families and clubs they still found time to make sure that the league was effective.
I would like to add my own heart felt thanks for their commitment and support and it has been an absolute pleasure to work with you all.
Our presentation day was extremely well supported and we estimate it was attended by over 2000 people. My heart-felt thanks go again to your league committee who spent hours and hours preparing for the day and setting out the trophies. However there were one or two teams who failed to attend, and in some cases this was, they thought it was more important to attend a 7 a-side tournament. For those teams we will be invoking Clause ZH (4), whereby they will not only receive a fine but also forfeit their trophies. I wonder how their respective managers will tell there players why they have not received there so richly deserved league awards. However for 99% of the teams and their supporters that did take the time to attend, it was a great pleasure, for us to show our appreciation for all their efforts.
I am sure you will agree with me that your Management Team deserves generous recognition and a big thank you.
I would now like to move onto matters of discipline. This has been the worst year for reports of bad behaviour. I am not referring to the players but to club officials and supporters. It gives us no pleasure to expel officials from the league but if needs must then we will continue to do so. This year we have made it a condition of joining the league that each club signs a Codes of Conduct agreement. This is to ensure that a Child Protection Policy is in place. (This can be downloaded from our leagues web site) and that racism and bad behaviour will not be tolerated.
The County cup achievements of this league last season 2003/2004 continue on previous years successes, we were the U10 Inter League County Cup champions and Surrey County champions in the U12, 13, 14 , 16 and unfortunately our U18’s were beaten in a penalty shoot-out.
Also we were the Southern Counties Inter league Challenge Cup Champions at under 13, 14, 15 and Division 1 champions at U15.
I am sure you will agree with me that these are enormous achievements and only go to prove that the WSYL is a centre of excellence for youth football in Southern England, and we are proud that we are able to give so many children the opportunity, not only to enjoy themselves but also to make new friends.
For next season we have attracted over 400 teams, which will means our players membership will be approaching 7000. This is an increase of teams joining us, from last season. (2002/03)
We have managed to keep the subscription fees stable again this year. This in the main was due to good accounting housekeeping.
I am delighted to inform you that we have secured a sponsor for the coming season. The company is “Instant Portfolio” a property development company. I am sure that in the coming season you will be hearing more about the company, and we welcome their involvement with the league.
May I now make mention of the Surrey County Girls league, as many of you know I and other members of this league are members of that leagues management committee. We were asked in 2002 by Surrey County FA to assist in formulating the new league, which we did.
Unfortunately Dave Workman and myself were unable to maintain our commitment in terms of time to that league for next season due to the expansion of this league. However we were able to achieve what we had been asked to do.
That was to establish a girls league within Surrey County, more than double the club membership, leave a bank balance with a surplus, and establish and experienced and dedicated Management Team.
It was with great pleasure at the Surrey County Girls League AGM last week that Dave and myself were made the leagues first Vice Presidents.
May I thank you for your continued support and I continue to be extremely proud to be able to represent the WSYL. May I wish you all a well earned rest this summer and my very best wishes to you, your families and to all your teams, and the very best of luck for the coming season.
…………………………………………….
Kieron Cotter
14//06/2004
Treasurer’s report
West Surrey Youth League
Key points for the Financial year Mar 03 to Feb 04
Because of the need to present audited figures to the AGM these results do not follow a “traditional” football season, thus some figures such as cup finals will relate to the previous season (2002/3).
Expenditure
Trophies: Again this season we have increased our trophies budget, this is due to the fact that this season we have again increased the number of divisions, which has meant that we needed to purchase more trophies.
Officers Expenses: Expenses still continues to be a major expense, This season there has been a large increase in this figure, this is down to a number of reasons. Last season although the size of the management committee increased offices expenses were over £800 lower, this was because a number of expenses were after the financial year cut off. This year the size of the league has again increased. When compared with two years ago this figure is only 26% higher which is more in line with the increase in the size of the League
Payment to General Secretary: This season this figure was increased by £500 because of the increased size of the league. The principle of a payment was approved by the member ship 3 years ago.
Payment to Registration Secretary: Again this year the production of Id cards was contracted out at 50p per ID card.
Inter-league: This year the WSYL had another successful year in Inter-league competitions, the cost only showed a very small increase over last season.
Registration System: The on going costs of the registration system (£1927) showed a slight increase over previous years, but as we needed to print more ID cards this is to be expected. Total cost running the ID card system of £5,210, although the League did receive £1,580 for registration services from SCGL
Rules Books: After the problems with last year’s printer this year the rule book was printed by a different company. Not only did we get a better quality product, we also managed to save money as well. The league are very grateful to Gary Downs for the production of this year’s hand book.
Stationery: The cost of stationery has reduced this year, although last year was higher than expected due to a timing of the submission of some invoices.
Cup Finals: This figure relates to Cup Finals in season 2002/3, but semi finals for this season. This season we aimed to get senior neutral grounds for all semi finals (League and Invitation), the League are grateful to Alison and Peter from Egham FC for their help in this matter.
Hall Hire: This is the direct costs of hiring Imber Court for Committee meetings, AGM and Presentations.
Applications returned: This figure is in line with previous seasons
Equipment Purchase: This relates to the purchase of a PA system for the use at cup finals etc.
Web Site: due to the increased use of the web site, greater band width has been used resulting in a increase in costs.
Income
Applications/Registrations: Due to the number of extra teams this season this figure has increased by 15%
Players Registrations: There is a large increase this year due to the increase in registrations fees and the fact that we have a lot more players
Fines: The figure this year is in line with last year, which means that in real terms the amount of fines has dropped as we have a lot more teams this season.
Telephone Result service: Even though we have more teams this season the revenue is roughly the same as last year, this we believe is due to less people using it for updated results with people preferring to wait for the web site.
Payments from SCGL: Small increase over last season as the number of teams in the SCGL was static last season. This figure is not all profit as cost of production of ID cards needs to be deducted.
Web Site: The website continues to be self funding.
Cup Finals: This is essentially program sales for season 2002/3, which showed an increase over last season. Season 2002/3 we again offered free entry to cup finals, hoping to recoup some of the costs with program sales, however it is still a surprise to the Management Council how many people refuse to purchase a £1 program.
Bank Interest: with reduced interest rates we again experience a decline in interest received.
Written off Cheques: All cheques relating to the previous season had been cashed so there was no cheques to write off this year.
Conclusion/Summary
The Web site again this season has proved popular with a peak of over 6,250 visitors in a single month, twice as many as last year. As you will be in no doubt aware this season we intend to make more use of technology, with the submission of “result cards” , handbook details etc on line.
You will have recalled that last season we made a loss, as I said at the time we were still in good financial shape, with this year making a “profit” of £1,800. Obviously we do not look to make money so we have looked at ways to return “value” to clubs. With the withdrawal of the goal magazine next season the cost of joining the league will reduce by £30 in real terms, there is also the opportunity to save a stamp each week with the submission of result cards on line. The League have also looked to increase the “quality” of the cup final venues and programs. The Invitation cup was also treated the same as the League Cup for the first time. Hopefully everyone that attended the cup finals at AFC Wimbledon and Imber Court will have appreciated this. The League would like to extend our thanks to these two clubs for the excellent facilities they offered the League.
David Lomax W.S.Y.L. League Treasurer
Dlomax@wsyl.org.uk
