SOUTH WALES AUTOGRASS LEAGUE LTD
NEWSLETTER - NOVEMBER 2007
Dear League Member
The purpose of this letter is to bring everyone that joined the league this year up to date with recent changes that occurred at the AGM meeting on 17th October 2007. It will include as much information as possible so that everyone is clear about the new league rulings.
LEAGUE COMMITTEE 2008
President: Duncan Rea
Chairperson: Gary Ray Mobile:07711 390090 Tel: 01594 564000
Vice-Chairperson: Kevin Jones Email: ksgns@aol.com Tel: 01267 211866 Mobile: 07974 574695
Secretary: Nicola Davies Email: nicola.davies2@tesco.net Tel: 01267 290550 Mobile: 07808762568
Assistant/Minute Secretary: Louise Jones Email: cm.40@virgin.net Tel: 01269-842237 Mobile: 07870-193442
Treasurer: Heulwen Reed Tel: 01239-891634
Asst Treasurer: Daphne Mousley
Chief Scrutineer: Nigel Reed
Asst Scrutineers: Colin & Owen Marks; Keith Jones; Barry Davies; Neil Reed
Chief Marshall: Norman Mason
Asst Chief Marshall: Derek John
Safety Officer: Duncan Rea
MONTHLY LEAGUE MEETINGS – Football Club, Priory St, Carmarthen
The Committee and the members present at the AGM decided that it was no longer necessary to hold monthly league meetings, especially with only 4…yes, you did read it correctly, only 4 out of the 300 league members attending to discuss their thoughts/opinions with the committee, (bearing in mind that the Chairman currently has a 2 hour journey to attend the meetings). Therefore, it was passed that meetings will now only take place when the Committee feel it is necessary to hold one. The dates of the meetings will be published on the South Wales League website (www.southwalesautograss.co.uk). Hopefully, some more members may feel that they can make the effort to attend so that they can contribute, give their opinions, discuss changes, etc so that the league committee can take these into account and take any necessary action if appropriate to make it into the league that members want it to be.
It was also decided that each area has to have 4 members to represent their area at each league meeting. If this does not happen in future meetings, then the committee will be resigning and therefore the league will have to find people who are willing to give up their own time do these jobs and run the league as well as the race meetings. Bearing in mind that there will no longer be monthly meetings, it shouldn’t be a problem for each Area Secretary to call up a few members before the meetings to ensure that they have members attending on behalf of their area and to inform one of the committee members who will be attending from their area. It will be discussed at length at the next meeting as to whether areas will be penalised if they do not have sufficient representation at the meetings.
For those who cannot attend league meetings, the Chairman will also be holding a meeting on the field if necessary on race days.
Gate Prices: Remained the same for 2008
Licence Fees: Drivers: £40.00 Juniors: £25.00
Mechanics: £10.00 Members: £5.00
For people who obtained a FREE members licence for the 2007 season but did not sign on to do any work at any of the race meetings, your Area has received a bill and has to pay the £5.00 licence fee on your behalf.
Prize Money: Remained the same for 2008
Signing on Fee: Remained the same for 2008 at £2.00
Race Dates for 2008:
9th March (Qualifier)
24th March (Bank Holiday)(Qualifier)
6th April (Qualifier)
20th April (Qualifier)
26th May (Bank Holiday)(Qualifier)
16 & 17th August (2 day meeting to run as 2 heats Saturday, heat and final Sunday)
28th September
19th October
We have the BAS round confirmed as being on the 3rd & 4th May 2008.
Qualifiers: Four out of the five race meetings will count towards National qualifying points. Points will remain the same as this year (points for heats & finals) however, now that all classes are 8 car grids, the totals for each position will be amended accordingly.
Now onto the major change with regards to whether you want to remain a member of the South Wales league for 2008……………..
RACE MEETINGS 2008
There is now a new rule in place with regards to drivers/ juniors/ mechanics/ members who sign on and race but do not participate or assist in any way at race meetings. This will no longer be tolerated by the South Wales league. Next year when league drivers sign on to race, your licence will be retained by the League Chairman and will have to be collected from the Chairman at the END of the race meeting. The purpose of this is so that EVERYONE who wants to be a part of this league can help out throughout the day and to help clear the field after racing, instead of loading up and going home once they have completed their races. This makes it fair for everyone that race, as people who are continually helping are getting fed up of the ones that do nothing at all at the race meetings, and it will only be a matter of time before the people that currently work will stop working, that will then mean that no one will be racing in this league.
Of course, if this works, and every single person who is a league member who attends the race meetings helps out, in reality this only means that it will only take up an extra 5 to 10 minutes of your time. If everyone does a little bit, then it is not left to the same handful of people to ensure that the field is clear before leaving after each race meeting and to set it up before each race meeting. If the field is not cleared in future, then it will be left as it is by the Committee and therefore the venue will certainly be lost as the farmer will not tolerate this – it is in our contract to clear up the field after each race meeting – unfortunately, this is the reality of the current situation.
Each driver/member/mechanic/junior will be responsible for collecting their own licence from the Chairman. If you have worked throughout the day ie marshalling, collecting litter etc, then it will be down to the Chairman to decide whether you can have your licence back should you need to leave the meeting earlier, there will be no point in coming to ask for it back from any other committee member.
If you decide not to collect your licence and leave the field anyway, then your name will be noted and you will not be able to race at any of the other league race meetings throughout the season or to join the league the following season.
A lengthy discussion took place with regards to this subject at the AGM meeting and everyone was in agreement that people joining the areas and not helping or participating in the league are not really needed – to what purpose do they serve to the league, other than the league paying their fees to NASA and making a mockery of the ones that currently do continually help at the meetings? If people are not happy with this arrangement, then the purpose of this newsletter is so that you know the position in the South Wales league before purchasing your licence for 2008, you then have the choice whether or not to join in and help out at race meetings or to opt to join another league where you may not be required to help out…simple as that….the league is here for you, it’s your league and hopefully you are proud to be a member of this league and would like to see it continue to be the success it is and thriving in the future .
Gary Ray, Chairman
and all league committee members