MINUTES OF
THE GENERAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH-WESTERN CAR CLUBS
HELD AT THE
HOLIDAY INN, RUNCORN, ON
(sent by
post due to IT failure)
WELCOME
The
Chairman, Bob Milloy, welcomed delegates to the
meeting.
ATTENDANCE
27
member clubs were represented by 28 delegates as follows:
1400
Rally Club (Chris Pedley), Accrington
MSA (John Harden, Steve Johnson), BRMC (Mike Farnworth),
BRSCC NW (Mike Harris), Bury AC (Richard Murtha), Caernarfon
& Anglesey MC (Jim Jones), Clwyd Vale MC (Peter
White), CSMA (Steve Johnson), Ecurie Royal Oak MC
(Nigel Bayley, Keith Wain),
Formula 1000 RC (Steve Johnson), Garstang &
Preston MC (Steve Kenyon, Terry May), Glossop &
DMC (John Buckley), HRCR (Stan Appleton), Ilkley
& DMC (Stan Appleton), Kirkby Lonsdale MC (Katy Mashiter, Bob Milloy), Knutsford & DMC (Steve Skepper),
Lancs & Ches CC (Martin
Nield), Liverpool MC (John Harden, Ron Hunt), Longton & DMC (Michael Ashcroft, Peter Riley), Morecambe CC (Katy Mashiter), Motor Sport NW (Martin Nield),
North Wales CC (Dave Thomas), Potteries & Newcastle MC (Eric Cowcill, Sue Sanders-Peppitt),
Quinton MC (Paul Maxwell), Stockport MC (Bob Milloy), Wallasey MC (Mike
Harris, Bill Turner), Wigan & DMC (Helen Fox,
Martin Fox).
Officials
present were: Bob Milloy (Chairman), Eric Cowcill (Treasurer), Katy Mashiter
(Press Officer), Dave Thomas (Championships Coordinator),
Mike Farnworth (Training Officer), Stan Appleton
(General Secretary).
APOLOGIES
Apologies
were recorded from David Bailey (Lancs & Ches), Eve Fisher (CSMA/AMSC), Gary Marriott, Gary Heslop, Tim Hobbs (
MINUTES
The
minutes of the November 2006 meeting were agreed as a true record on a proposal
from Wallasey MC, seconded by BRMC.
MATTERS ARISING
Bruce
Goddard had now left MSA and had not respond to the
points he had taken away from an earlier meeting. Eric Cowcill
would pursue with Danesh Gangahar
(MSA’s Financial Director) whether VAT payable on MOD
venues could be handled similarly to that for Forestry Commission.
MSA REPORTS
COUNCIL
Eric
Cowcill reported that the next meeting was to be held
on 15 February.
RALLIES COMMITTEE
Sue
Sanders-Peppitt reported that the last committee had
a big agenda:
An
upgrading path was needed to give road rally competitors a route to an
International Road Rally licence, needed for FIA
regularity events etc. A paper would go to next committee.
Proposals
for Cadet Marshals would go to Council on 15 February. This would introduce an
age band of 11-16 years and give some general guidance on scope of duties to be
supported by discipline-specific guidance. Regulations for events expecting to
use Cadet Marshals would need to include contact details of an MSA club’s Child Protection Officer.
If Cadet Marshals appear on the day then an appropriate CPO can be named on the
official noticeboard. It was the responsibility of
the Cadet Marshal’s ‘responsible person’ (parent/guardian) to be aware. John
Harden reminded the meeting that juveniles needed their parent’s permission even if a temporary guardian
was present.
Committee
had discussed drivers aged 14-16, following the Formula 1000 initiative. They
would need to be a minimum of 1.4m tall and be licenced
similarly to junior racing drivers. Their co-driver would need to be
CRB-accredited, a licence holder and preferably a
qualified instructor. Cars would be limited to 1000cc standard production cars
and venues would need to have no footpaths, bridleways, trees or other
significant hazards. Events would need to be specifically MSA-accredited or
form part of a specific championship. The aim is to introduce this for 2008 but
may not be easy to achieve.
Fuel
testing had been discussed – when, where, how, how safe, etc. More work remains
to be done including an extension beyond stage rallying and the question of
alignment with FIA.
K37
inevitably took a lot of time at committee. The intention is still to have a
January 2010 deadline but early planning is needed. Lee Carter has joined
Rallies Committee and brings relevant experience. Other active people have
joined too. Council will be looking at proposals on 15 February to consider
whether they are ‘fit for consultation’. The wording of the proposal has now
been expanded with several references to FIA compliance but may need further
redrafting around active differentials. In broad terms, conversion from 4wd to
2wd or from fwd to rwd should be acceptable.
Production vehicles would have a 6 cylinder limit as well as a capacity limit.
Transmission is likely to be free, subject to redrafting of the ‘active diffs’ clause. Wheel size and weight limits are to be
clarified. Overall, the intention is to re-present the proposals more clearly
when they come out for consultation.
The
next agenda of Rallies Committee is to include the use of the SOS/OK board and
to look again at refueling in service areas.
REGIONAL COMMITTEE
Bob
Milloy reported that the next meeting on 6 March was
additional to the original schedule.
There
is a proposal to discuss Forestry Commission charging, returning to per capita
to avoid smaller events disappearing from the calendar and reducing financial
risk for other events. Relationships with FC varied across the country with motorsport helping to balance the FC books in some areas
but being unwelcome in others. In discussion it was felt that some overhead
costs would be reduced by getting more mileage from each individual forest,
lessening the number of rescue, recovery and radio crews needed.
GENERAL SECRETARY’S REPORT
Stan
Appleton explained how injudicious posting on website forums had led to the cancellation
of the inter-association road rally and that a well-informed campaign was being
run by a serious and well-resourced objector. He reminded clubs that cyberspace
is publicly accessible and that club electronic newsletters, photo galleries,
etc should only carry responsible material, particularly where the use of the
public highway was concerned.
The
inter-association autotest would be run by
Herefordshire MC on 31 March. The i/a road rally
would be hosted by CSMA and Clitheroe MC on 27/28
October, whilst the i/a Stage Rally is likely to be the Tour of Mull again.
An
application for membership had been received from 1400 Rally Club, a club
arising from the ‘BTRDA control tyres’ situation.They have a long-term aim of running forest events
for 1400 cars only and currently have 50+ crews including some from tarmac
rallying. Their may be an opportunity for them to take advantage of the lapsed
Rally Stars concession negotiated with Forestry Commission. Their membership
was agreed unanimously.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Eric
Cowcill reported no current issues.
CHAMPIONSHIPS COORDINATOR’S REPORT
Dave
Thomas announced that 206 competitors had now registered. Two forestry events
had already been held. The Gareth Hall road rally had been postponed to 10
March due to bad weather.
Registrations
have been received for most championships including the new endurance
championship. There would also have been sufficient interest and sufficient
events to justify an autosolo championship; this will
be considered for next year. Altogether 100 events are expected. The link from
the ANWCC website to clubs regs sites have proved very successful. The results
of the Marshals Draw will be announced separately.
FORESTRY LIAISON OFFICER
No
report
AINTREE LIAISON OFFICER
John
Harden reported that there would be the usual full calendar of events. The golf
course is still threatened later this year.
OTHER VENUES LIAISON
No
report
PRESS OFFICER
Katy
Mashiter had nothing to report.
TRAINING OFFICER
Mike
Farnworth reported that 60 rally marshals had
attended the
Sue
Sanders-Peppitt said that Volunteers in Motorsport would include more ‘training of trainers’ and
would introduce buddy training. They want nominations from clubs, via
associations, for experienced marshals to be buddies to be trained. The MSA
marshals’ database will be made more accessible to Chief Marshals to give them
information about levels of experience to aid deployment. A clearer upgrading
route is to be created with better tracking of evidence and experience.
Training will be extended to all disciplines including kart and speed. It was
explained that although the card licences might seem
to have limited value they provided an audit trail for the government funding
that was used for the ViM initiative. Registered
marshals will now be sent copies of Motorsports Now!. In June 2006 there were 7231 rally marshals but a further
600 have been added since then, largely but not totally due to Wales Rally GB.
Race marshals seem to be spread thinly over too many meetings; many have bad
experiences of poor conditions or of poor attitudes from senior officials.
RALLIES LIAISON OFFICER
No
report
OTHER BUSINESS
Bob
Milloy discussed ideas for celebrating ANWCC’s 50th anniversary. Aintree
would be far too expensive. A show is being organized in
NEXT MEETING
AGENDA
For the Ordinary Meeting of the
Association of North Western Car Clubs,
which will
be held at Holiday Inn, Runcorn, on
(We
shall be joined by John Symes, Technical and Risk
Manager at MSA)
Apologies for absence
Minutes of last meeting (February
2007)
Matters arising
MSA Matters
- including, if required, discussion
about K37 rule change proposals
Reports
General
Secretary, including correspondence
Treasurer
Championship
Co-ordinator
Forestry/Facilities
Liaison Officer
Aintree Liaison Officer
Other
Venue Liaison
Press
Officer
Training
Officer
MSA
CTRLO
Any other business
Date and place of next meeting