2025 minutes

[Leo Martin]

Minutes of 2025 AGM meeting.

Many thanks for everyone's input and attendance to the 2025 AGM meeting. Also thanks for embracing the late notice on the adjustment to the Laurels match start and finish times in order to be able to hold this meeting in the Anglers Arms.  For information we have also booked our last summer league matches at Lindholme in 2026 and 2027 seasons so we can follow the same format with the AGM being held after the match.

This years AGM had some bad news to deliver and discuss with what could have been contentious subjects. Thank you for embracing the issues and assisting in negotiating a positive way forward for the 2026 season.


Big Bash AC 2025 AGM 25.10.2025
Location Anglers Arms Lindholme

Attendees
John Lanelly, Richard Cooke, Paul Whitehouse, Steve Guy, Paul Atton, Mark Radford, Mick Roche, Tracey Benson, John Utting, Steve Curtis, Joe Martin, Scott Barker, Dave Fox, Jasper and Leo Martin
Apologies
Andy Waite and Kevin Webster

Comprehensive agenda and accounts kindly printed and distributed by Jasper

Items
1.    New committee member
Many thanks for Joe Martin accepting his nomination

2.    Accounts
Detailed accounts presented and discussion on the large losses (approx.  £800) the club has taken in 2025 season.  Accounts  agreed and accepted

a)    Reasons for losses explained and demonstrated as poor attendance to booked matches, paying for used pegs, fixed match payouts. Pegging fee rises at some fisheries.
b)    Detailed discussion on how booking venues works, timing of these bookings, the various methods of contact  required to these fisheries and also their responsiveness. Flexibility of some venues to assist clubs with these peg requests along with Inflexibility of others.
c)    Also, the need for advance peg requested bookings to secure venues requested by the membership. 2026 venues already secured and some deposits paid. 2027 venues also fully booked except 2 dates awaiting Lodge farm to open their books in January.
d)    Proposal for correcting this financial loss mentioned to be discussed later on the agenda.
e)    Gratitude expressed to the kind donations from former club members of Glen and Max which have almost covered the losses the club has experienced in the year.

3.    Review of 2025 summer league season and venues
a)    Bank End West Lake it was felt the access to the middle lake from cars was very poor especially road side bank. It has been provisionally booked for 2026 so request made to see if an alternative can be found. Suggestions Hayfield and Hallcroft. Action Leo
b)    Barnburgh Middle Lake. It was mentioned that the lake is 20 pegs but unfishable for more than possible 14 anglers. Request not to book the lake again, top and bottom are okay but no middle for 20 pegs This fishery were inflexible to reducing peg numbers booked to save the club some costs for the 20 pegs.
c)    Discussion that venue selection should be open to members for ideas and requests. These requests are made in advance of booking however all venues and dates are not always available and able to align. Similarly, some venues do not respond or reply in a timely manner to enable match diary to be completed efficiently. Also some venues getting currently getting booked up 2028. The difficulty this club faces in provisionally booking a suitable venue is actual peg  number required when allocated pegs are not being filled. This has a major financial impact

4.    Club Rules
a)    Clarification on club member and league member titles required.
Response. To fish matches throughout the year, everyone has to me a club member for an annual fee. A league member is optional within the club on a separate fee Action Leo to up0date in rules
b)    Guests clarification required.
Response a non club member can fish up to 3 matches per season before having to join the club Action Leo to add to rules
c)    Rules title on forum to have date removed so as not to be updated every year Action Leo
d)    Rues to update with relevant items form this AGM      Action Leo

5.    Complaints    No complaints made or received

6.    Number of members for 2026 season
a)    Discussion on how we have to book pegs for matches in up to 2 years in advance. Previous years the club had over 20 members and it was suggested to book 20 pegs. The last 2 years data point towards an attendance of between 50 to 80 % with 70% being a good average even supported by guests. 2025 season started with 16 members but through the year this has reached 20 members. The Legends weekend was in particular poorly attended. Request is from club committee for a firm commitment from members who are to join the club as the forum is currently only showing 11 joining the league, 5 unsure and 1 as a club member.  Currently there are 20 pegs booked for 2026 season, 15 pegs booked for 2027 season. It is easier to ask for more pegs than cancel booked pegs. Booking the 20 pegs in 2025 and unattendance of members has cost the club £800 which is unsustainable.
It is also expected that in 2026 there may be a pegging cost increase at some fisheries
Several methods are proposed to correct this going forward. Discussion on payments for club matches. Paying a one off fee for pegging all up front or  stay as currently is pay throughout the season per match. Pros and cons on this item, most club members miss one or more matches per season. Only one member has a full 100% attendance. Working shifts, family circumstance, holidays, and other commitments all affect attendance to matches
        Dependence on club size, booking 15 pegs corrects the 75% attendance from 20 pegs issue and offers the savings of £50 per match over a season. This adds up to circa £800 which is the ls discrepancy in  2025  season.
Actions in relation to above
A firm commitment required from members who are joining the club to agree by 31st December every year so that we have a working number. Action all members
a)    Once numbers are known it is proposed that between January and March all fishery owners will be contacted to ask if we can reduce from 20 pegs to 15pegs for the 2026 season. Grange excepted where we get the lake for 16 pegs Action  Leo / Jasper
b)    Note League members will take priority over club members for the 15 pegs booked
c)    Match bookings would be on first paid on first served basis, if more than 15 members names down a request for more pegs to the fishery will be made
d)    Payment for 2026 season club membership would be required by a week in advance of the first summer league match at the end of March.  Action all members
e)    It was decided to run with current system for 2026 season and review in 2026 AGM effectiveness of the changes made above if we need to change paying for matches as a full season or not. Action all members

7.    2026 venues booked
    Venues reviewed and request made to try replacing Bank End West Lake. Suggestions made Hayfield or Hallcroft.  Leo said that Hallcroft had not returned 3 phone calls and ansafone messages when trying to book 2027.  Action Leo

Items associated with improvement to match attendance

8.    Afternoon match suggestion either Lodge Farm or Grange Park.      Group in favour  Action Leo to speak to fisheries if allowed

9.    Silvers only match. LM        Vote taken and declined

10.    Rod only match, LM            vote taken and proposal is mystery pairs on the Sunday of Legends weekend on Loco lake

11.    Match attendance LM                                previously discussed and actioned

12.    Too many matches LM                              agreement around meeting No

13.    Not enough matches LM                            agreement around meeting No

14.    Season length LM            agreement around meeting  Leave as it is

15.    Number of pegs booked LM                      as previously discussed and actions

16.    Saturday or Sunday matches. LM        Vote for Saturday as current

17.    Pay on matches at start of season. LM                  As previously discussed

18.    Payouts LM Discussion on cost savings that fixed pay-outs as current system or flexible pay-outs dependant on attendance to matches.                Vote for flexible pay-outs dependant on attendance.
Second discussion on adjusting from winner, first and second in section payments or change payouts to winner and first in section only                    Vote taken to adjust payouts to winner and first in section only. Any remaining monies to go back in club.        Action match admin

Discussion on paying out only in relation to number of anglers fishing and not a fixed fee. This way match should be self-funding and not rely on support from club funds.                Vote taken in agreement of each match to self fund for payouts                        Action club admin

19.    Payouts to those numbers fishing  JM & SB                actioned as above

20.    Pay for pegs in advance and only book appropriate number. SG                              As previously discussed venues have to be booked well in advance to secure lakes so this is impractical.


21.    Only book 10 pegs in advance on first come , first served basis. JL                        As previously discussed

22.    Weekly payment of £3 . NC                                                                                                        Admin nightmare and impractical

23.    Pay up front for full season.,  NC                                                                                            As previously discussed

24.    Pay out what comes in per match.SB                                                                                    As previously discussed

25.    Join club, pay for every match. JU                                                                                            As previously discussed

26.    Pay up front for every match and a rider covers costs if able to do so. JL                                  As previously discussed

27.    Reduce pegging for 2026 season. JL                                                                                        As previously discussed

28.    Pay all your pegs up front. MR                                                                                                      As previously discussed

Other items requested inclusion on agenda

29.    Club rules regarding a league membership and nothing in rules. SG                                  As previously discussed

30.    Second day of legends weekend should be paid for by those fishing and not the club, SG                                  Discussion and vote taken that it is a club match and open to club members no different to any other match supported by the club.

31.    Peg fees paid up front by every club member for all pegs and then book venues and pegs in order to cover costs. SG                                            As previously discussed regarding need to book venues up to 2 years in advance so impractical.

32.    Pools paid on day or Paypal the week before. Payout variable depending upon attendance SG                                                                                        As previously discussed

33.    The term league member replaced by club member SG                                                                                                                                                                          As previously discussed

34.    Payouts to be based on members attending so no extra ciosts to club JM and SB                                                                                                                    As previously discussed

35.    Anyone willing to re start club football card to boost club funds LM                                                                        Joe Matin kindly  volunteered to go around at start of every match. Thank you                Action Note club members to support Joe on match days by bringing pound coins.


AOB

36.Discussion about reduced interactions due to paying on a online and how to improve. Could we go back to drawing on the day?                                  Vote taken and majority prefer the Friday night live draw

37.Discussion on club annual membership fee raising to £30 to help protect club funds MR                                                                                                                  Vote taken and 2026 membership fee will raise to £30. League fee to remain at £20.


38 Word of thanks for club organisation and admin to Jasper and Leo  SG.

[Leo Martin]

Rules updated and added to forum for approval