TTE Annual Conference and AGM 2022
July 2022
These notes have been prepared to report back to Sussex County. These are not the official minutes of the meeting. Those will be prepared by Table Tennis England in due course.
The build up
The preparation for the Annual General Meeting starts months before with the first draft of resolutions drawn up in January. This is normally to consult over possible membership fee increases. By the time the resolutions reach the AGM, they have normally been written and re-written to maximise their chance of being passed.
The Board had a terrible time with resolutions in 2021 with virtually none of their resolutions being passed.
This was due to mistrust from the membership following on from the revelations of poor practices and behaviour by the Chair and CEO, the Board and the SLT
They managed to avoid an EGM for a vote of no confidence really only by the departure of Sara Sutcliffe.
So, it was important for the new CEO, Adrian Christy for the resolutions to be passed under the threat of the loss of Sport England funding for being non-compliant with the Code for Sports Governance.
At the March meeting of the National Council, the resolutions that were put forward were heavily defeated. They needed to be re-written and re-ordered.
In the June meeting of the National Council, Adrian Christy presented his strategy for the future-running of our sport. This was generally accepted as the most positive plan that had been presented for some years. In order to give him the opportunity to put the plan in place, the resolutions would need to be passed to ensure the continuation of the Sport England funding.
Going into this Annual General Meeting, there was still considerable doubt about whether the resolutions would pass due to the historical discontent of the membership with TTE and the Board.
TTE Annual Conference
X opened to request information:
- Q&As on website
- Notes of honours from last year.
- Notes of discussions from last year.
- Q&As will be published.
- Points of accuracy need to be sent to office.
X opened to welcome everyone. Short recount of year. Considering start being in pandemic and the sport has recovered over the year.
- Thanks to lots of people – staff, board, SLT, volunteers.
- Welcome to Richard Ayers – data and commercial, development within UK sport
- AC to present strategy will which revolve around collection and use of data.
Meeting opened to welcome everyone.
The Annual Report
The Annual Report 2022
No comment on Chair report
X was pleased to see paragraph in CEO report suggesting that more of the skills of the membership are likely to be used more in the future.
X wanted to see how ordinary members to communicate with TTE. Need to look into how communication can be improved.
X said MAG has written a paper on accountability which has been published and is on the website.
X raised that Salisbury league did not receive details how to vote. How widespread is this?
X Kent concerned about the breakdown of membership. Too heavily veteran. What is the future?
TC made the point about communication and succession planning to get more young people involved in the administration and running of the sport.
X spoke about TTKidz and Everyone Active to bring in more players. Are there still organisations working with schools? Everyone Active partnership is run in several leisure centre with more joining.
Premier Education is a partnership in this field that TTEW is working with.
X comment about Ping Parlour in Scarborough. 450,000 playing need to join the dots to get into the TTE system as club players and hopefully administration. About communication between age groups.
X no ping pong parlour in Kent.
X– Ping table in MK – no evidence of information about where to play. Asked centre management about putting leaflets and information but no definite answer.
X talked about Ping. Need to expand. Around the country. Plan to look at technology to capture participants to enable contact. Need to be more sophisticated to gather information.
X Salisbury is not a registered league. Not completed annual returns. Therefore, no voting rights.
X suggested looking at parental magazines as that may be an alternative conduit as well as schools.
X commented on performance – about Governance section. Committee having a positive impact in the Governance and working with the staff.
X Organisation on players forum to be headed by EV
Two promotions in teams, but no individuals past last 64.
GB TT is progression funding. Once funding is lost it is difficult to get back.
About building a system. Meeting on Friday to set budgets.
X wants to see a report just about SBL. The annual report does not give enough detail with just a picture of the winners. AC to include to SBL in the report next year.
TC Ladies only tournament. MK also ran a ladies only session. Caption needed for lady from MK in the annual report.
Royal Mail stamps to be issued this month for Commonwealth Games. TT is one of the stamps – possibly disabled.
X Kent – question about affiliation fees – not ring-fenced – how is it spent? Kent leagues have asked for this before.
X- replied Information produced previously, but not this year. A little vague response.
X – big issue about performance income & expenditure? Has there been any change in expenditure to allow participation by players that are not rich?
X – MAG – communication improved on presentation of finances. Pandemic caused a break. More needs to be done to communicate more detail on expenditure from different pots on various projects. More breakdown from individual events.
X last spent “underspend”. Board needs to consider how to prioritise spending on performance. In future, Board may have more tangible income to spend in future. Need more income. Less money now than 4 years ago.
TC mentioned Wolverhampton grand prix being cancelled due to finance. Also looked at more intelligent use of our membership data.
X – international report – no mention of commonwealth. Our executives in commonwealth are not mentioned on the report. Commonwealth Games (CG) should be mentioned in the report as CG offers great TV coverage. Good numbers watching and on TV. Our players should have good chance of medal success.
X name missed off on Commonwealth. CG is biggest event in England for some years. Low key in this report as it is look back rather than look forward.
X need to add Shaun Bibby in the in memorium section.
Annual review to be updated for publication.
X – select committee of NC – very positive about the direction of the board. Giving time to ask questions. We need to support this program. Catalyst for development of sport.
X – VP – congratulated AC on presentation. Raised point on value of volunteers. Local organisers have not previously been empowered previously. Good explanation of finance and budgeting. Are committees going to be told about their budgets and need information? Need to know where profit and loss is made. Need to look at how things are going to happen.
X wants organisation to lead but not run things locally.
Dependencies different for different parts of the country.
Committees should be involved in setting budgets. To be put to board.
X has seen presentation and is more impressed as she sees it. Will support for two reasons
- Puts table tennis back front and centre of everything we do.
- Engages and re-engages with volunteers – helps them have more input and influence. Enables more collaboration. Everybody more engaged.
X– Bristol – Qs – Structure – problem regional alongside county structure? Should we opt for one or other?
Information flow. Difficult to ask questions. We need to be able to pick up nuggets from all information provided.
X– information has been a problem for years. Possibly have an “ideas committee”. Need to know who people are within the organisation. Also, a lot of misunderstanding about the construction of the board.
X believes that county and regional structures should feed into the national system.
Information flow – out. Critical one upwards – to try to make that work. How we listen! Will have a local point of contact.
X plans to find our own national centre in the future.
X – thought MAG was the ideas part of TTE. Possibly not doing as good a job as he thought. Made a good start with impact. Inventing it as we go on to work out how the committee can be effective. Does have a MAG email address. Not made as much of this as we should have done. Raise issue on email address.
X – thoughts on regions v counties. Both have potential great value for sport. County championships very popular. Counties also appoints NCs. Counties run things themselves.
Regions are capable of delivering what the board wants to deliver throughout the country. Need to have resources. Regional development officers and coaches.
Note Need to speak with AC about regions v counties.
X – we need go to people around the country who are able to support.
Annual General Meeting
These notes are primarily to report back to Sussex County. They are not offiical minutes of the meeting. The official minutes will be produced by TTE in due course.
Showed the annual review video – should have been shown at annual conference but technological problems meant it was moved to the afternoon.
Silence for members lost.
Opening remarks from the chair of the board.
Apologies for absence list.
Acceptance of Standing Orders report and adoption. Made by show of hands in the room.
X made comments for accuracy of the annual general meeting
X made points on SO committee rotation.
Acceptance and approval for approval of minutes from 2021.
Matters arising not on the agenda – none.
Annual Review Video – showed lots of activity – fun.
Resolution 1
Introduced by X
Members will be aware that a similar Resolution was presented by Peter Charters (Berkshire) to the AGM in 2021 which the Board heard and understood.
The request to increase the Table Tennis knowledge on the Board, through increased Member representation, has subsequently been considered by the Board and the proposal is one that the Board is fully supportive of.
The Board has engaged with Peter Charters to represent the Resolution this year and the amendment to the current Article is recommended to the Members for adoption.
TC and X supporting.
X addressed resolution 2 rather than resolution 1.
Resolution 1 Result
For 31097 100%
Against 0
Abstain 0
Pass
The Resolutions
Resolution 2
New Article 23.8 – Nominations received for Elected Directors shall be considered by the Nominations Committee taking account of the candidate’s ability, experience and expertise to fulfil the identified role on the Board, and of the need to ensure that the Board has the appropriate balance of skills, experience, diversity, independence and knowledge. All candidates will be presented to the Members to vote for their preferred candidate.
Introduced by X – Nom com to board – board will make recommendations
All candidates to be presented to the electorate
X– The original resolution did not include that all candidates would be presented.
8 appointed directors should allow them to fill the skill matrix.
X – this and resolution 5 appear to be no win – disaster to lose funding. Worry about losing power to the board.
If resolution passes to today AC needs to realise leap of faith of membership trusting for change.
X – when PC spoke on 1 should have been 2. DP agrees with PC. Board will not veto any candidates.
X – thanks to X. In the interests of sport. Candidates have own written statements. Independent assessment of skills on board.
TC – support for resolution. In line with Code for Sport Governance
X – Somerset – giving up authority that membership previously had. But supporting.
X– what does it achieve? Without veto it becomes meaningless.
X – nothing in articles sets out this.
X – this proposal discussed in detail.
X answered for board.
Resolution 2 Result
For 30068 96.66%
Against 1038
Abstain
Pass
Resolution 3
Amend article 24.2 – Such directors shall be appointed by resolution of the Board following an open, formal, publicly advertised and transparent selection process by an appointments panel the Nominations Committee, taking account of the candidate’s ability, experience and expertise to fulfil the identified role on the Board, and of the need to ensure that the Board has the appropriate balance of skills, experience, diversity, independence and knowledge.
Introduced by X. – inclusion of diversity – nom com
Resolution 3 Result
For 29395 99%
Against 142
Abstain
Pass
The Resolutions
Resolution 4
That from 1 August 2022 the following affiliation fees apply:
- Senior Compete Member £20 £18
- Junior/Cadet Compete Member £10 £9
- Compete Plus will remain at a £22 upgrade for senior and £11 for Juniors/Cadets
Presented by X – 2016 – 5-year plan put in place. Difficult times – reduced £18 rather than £20, Junior £9 rather than £10.
X – spoke about reduction due to difficult times.
X – Somerset was concerned about any increase in fees. Leagues feel that this increase is hampering their growth.
TC talked about having fees payable monthly.
X not happy with increasing fees. Possible subscription system introduced later on.
X original proposal £4 increase too high. Supports MK level of increase.
X – splitting vote between different leagues – contentious every year. No justification for increase.
Amount is not the key. Principle – what do members get? Need to justify fees. Membership means different things to different people.
X – people pay £60/70 for rubber but worry about paying a small fee for membership. Possibly look at short term fees.
X – worth considering – £4 or not at all, MK proposal is suitable halfway house. Prices going up everywhere. Tax on playing. Should be investment in the sport. What is your money doing for table tennis? Bigger family investing in sport. Should it evolve. Confusing What if somebody wants to sample? Needs review. Board aware, but we have not yet got it right.
X – county of Buckingham strongly supports this.
X– putting context on it. Raises £37/£40,000 money to pay for things that we want to do. Good compromise to allow us to start where we want to be. Move to transactional fees so people buy what they want.
X – X has set vision. We need to put faith in the Board and strategy. Need to increase volume of people paying. Asking for collective faith.
Resolution 4 Result
For 29148 93.19%
Against 2130
Abstain
Pass
Resolution 5
Remove Article 34.3 – Article 34.3 states ‘Affiliation fees shall be set only at a General Meeting
X presented. Most contentious – board setting fees. Looks for the board to move towards being trusted. Want to be a high performing organisation. TTE has not been compliant with the code for sport governance. Board to have strategic authority to make all decisions. Shifting of power. Increase by volume rather than price.
X – wanted to put amendment, but after NC in June decided not to. Wants board commitment – increase not to exceed CPI. Board considers part-payments – to December or from January etc. Exceptional circumstances to fund for projects
X – instructed to vote against proposition. SE constantly change guidelines – numbers not followed up. Changed criteria move from Hastings – people lost jobs. MK staff lost would not be so valued. In 2017, TTE lost funding for a short time. 2017 IRP set up. Changes not addressed, no part 2. Sponsorship negligible.
X – we need to keep the £9million. Not acceptable to lose money, not acceptable to change rule. Huge amount of support would need to stop. Volunteers replace by staff, volunteers no longer there. Appointment of CEO has increased trust in board. We can trust the board not to do the “wrong thing”.
X– reluctantly voting for – under instruction. Against democracy.
X – Thanked AR for comment. Committee set up last year has worked. To be followed up in other areas.
X – voting against. Information asked. Members organisation. In other organisations, they still get the vote. Leagues voting against. Wider voting for.
X– heard X and X and shares a lot of their opinions. Promises of IRP – lip service. Need to give time for change to be made.
TC – articles should align with Code for Sport Governance to have the board as ultimate decision-maker.
X – thanked CD, AR and TC for their views. Board doing this will give flexibility of fees. Need real process of consultation during the year. Need to support resolution.
X – thank you for support and also those who voted against for their consideration. Would have been lost previously. Now convinced that we have turned a corner. Relationships within board and within membership and TTE have improved significantly. Sport England just part of chain. This is for all sports. Two principles – table tennis in centre and working together.
Resolution 5 Result
For 26767 85.11%
Against 4684
Abstain
Pass
The Resolutions
Resolution 6
That throughout the Articles all references to ‘Individual Company Member’ shall be amended to ‘Director Company Member’.
X presenting – merely a renaming of individual company members to Director company members
X presented for rule committee – last year objections to particular aspects. Now just a technical resolution.
Resolution 6 Result
For 29483 100%
Against 0
Abstain
Pass
Resolution 7
Amend Article 41.4 – In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the person who is chairing the meeting shall have a second, or casting, vote on matters relating to finance but not on any other matters; in any other case the resolution shall fail.
SV presented removal of casting vote at general meeting.
EW – position at the moment at tie would give the chair a casting vote. This is the removal of the casting vote.
MH – MK – only applicable to ordinary vote 50/50.
Resolution 7 Result
For 29533 99.68%
Against 96
Abstain
Pass
Resolution 8
Amend Article 51 That throughout Article 51 the phrase ‘Board of Appeal’ shall be replaced by ‘Appeals Panel’
Change of board of appeal to appeals panel
X presented the resolution.
X explained that last year it failed due to alteration of threshold. So just a name change.
Resolution 8 Result
For 29717 100%
Against 0
Abstain
Pass
Resolutions
Resolution 9
We consider that over the last few years the relationship between the Board and its membership has been unhelpful and has damaged the sport. It needs to be strengthened. This meeting requests the Board to confirm that they understand that the members are the key stakeholder in the sport and should be considered as such with this longstanding understanding remaining in place.
X now chair for next 5 resolutions
X explained about the select committee of the National Council. Set up following discontent with the board.
Status of membership. Concern members not being treated with due respect. Members make the sport happen. Want acknowledgement from board.
X– should be members are the key stakeholders.
X – agreed with AR. More influence for the membership from AC. Membership used to be involved earlier in the process. No opportunity to influence the spending of £9million.
X – resolutions 9-12 purely advisory. How will influence how the governance of our sport will be enhanced?
X – had report and it came to NC a couple of times. Asked to look in great detail. Board gave a response after spending 2 hours of a board meeting. Other stakeholders need to be considered.
TC supporting this.
X – member of select committee. Name not on resolution as he was away on holiday.. Select committee did not fee that the responses to the questions were not satisfactory. Members want to know where the board stand. Detailed response was 9 lines against a page and a half of resolution. Answer we got was not clear. Resolution put forward to get that clarification.
X – intention is that members be considered as key stakeholders. Understand that board has other stakeholders. Meet demands of other stakeholders, such as Sport England. Others are Stakeholders but not key stakeholders. These resolutions are advisory. Written diplomatically and fully. Some points in reply were missed or incomplete. AGM carries more weight than simple advice from a committee.
Resolution 9 Result
For 20777 74.9%
Against 5489
Abstain
Pass
Resolution 10
There is a concern that the pathways no longer appear to be open for talented committed volunteer officials to make progress into decision making roles within the operational side of the Associations work. This meeting requests the Board to consider ways that senior, knowledgeable, and experienced volunteers can have much greater inclusion in the operational side of the work of the Association which would be to the benefit of the sport as it has been for the large majority of the Association’s existence.
X– there is a concern that the pathway no longer appear to be open for volunteers to be included in the operation side of the workings of the association. Since Portas Report staff now make decisions. Board makes strategic decisions and everything operational is passed back to the staff. Lost senior expert volunteers and cost very little, replaced by staff that cost and the quality of decisions is not as high. AR listed excellent expert volunteers. There should be room for volunteers to come forward again. Not room for volunteers to have any authority Volunteers should be recovered.
X – sharing personal experience – we have a volunteer crisis in our sport. Officers not replaced at local level. NH has been involved in a lot of national level activity. Contributions welcomed. Volunteers kicking at an open door.
X– one of the problems with volunteers – currently no progression. Often proven at local level and then appointed nationally. Annual report should outline all the committees. All committees have term limits. Knowledge is lost as people are moved out of roles. Many people lost due to lack of respect.
Remove term limits – more respect given to volunteers.
X – X and X were right about disrespect of volunteers. Two years ago. New talent and performance committee has been resounding success. Going back to respect
TC raised statements of responsibility. Need to manage expectations.
X agreed with X. X did research into numbers of volunteers. Volunteers do not exist today. Pathway is key to progress of volunteers. Served his time and learned. Earned his stripes to greater responsibility. Pathway has been eroded. We need the volunteers to be developed.
X – local level we have a problem. We have people with great skills sets that could do great things for the sport. People have been on MAG but it did not give them what they wanted. Volunteers give a lot of service for free. We need to engage our membership to the benefit of the sport.
X – one of the purposes of the resolution was to have this discussion. Praised NH for all the duties he undertakes.
Sport used to have many volunteers that gave a lot of time. Those pathways are no longer open. It used to be the job of senior administrators to look out for volunteers who have potential. Need to recruit other volunteers.
Resolution 10 Result
For 20,980 76.29%
Against 6,521
Abstain
Pass
Resolutions
Resolution 11
This meeting accepts there is a concern that a significant number of decisions taken by senior staff have had a negative effect on the sport in England. Therefore, included within the skill sets required when employing staff should be a factor that applicants have a good knowledge and passion for table tennis, particularly for senior appointments in the Performance, Competition, and Development areas of the sport and request the Board to confirm that the above will be included in future requirements.
X – this point was ignored in reply from the board. Poor decision-making by SLT. Missing younger age groups. Youth championships moved to June which clashes with exams.
We need to encourage good experts into staff. Millions of £s could have been spent better in performance.
TC – issue could be dealt with by skills matrix for recruitment. could well be dealt with by the new committees rather than single member of staff that lack knowledge.
X does not think TT knowledge guarantees a good outcome. TTE would not have got more money – Missed point about miss-spent money due to ignorant staff. Desirable in role descriptions but still not guaranteed to ensure that decision making will be correct. AC has to recruit team to delver strategy.
X – important that certain staff with knowledge. TT knowledge does not guarantee good work. Wants to see commitment from staff and reduce staff turnover. Use knowledge and experience of volunteers rather than see them as a threat.
X – Desirable definitely, required not necessary. AC already thinking this way. Key thing is culture. Surround with people that have knowledge. Some staff do not value input. Culture change will solve the problem. Staff need to accept advice.
X – agrees with most of things said. Has seen NC and Board. Feels that the board has offered better decision-making. Gap opened between board and membership. But now being addressed. Will vote against as should be desired rather than required. Let’s get everybody working together.
X – Board director – independent – chair of finance and audit committee. Come from outside to bring experience from elsewhere. Worked in SA, where inclusion was an override over expertise. F&A report – very difficult year. Loss made for Centenary celebration. Sam Garey is a finance expert without TTE expertise.
X – a bit concerned about generalisations. Some do need TT background, but many do not.
X concluded “desirable” would a good result. But not for all departments.
Resolution 11 Result
For 11839 44.09
Against 15015 55.19
Abstain
Fail
Resolution 12
This meeting is concerned about the negative effects that Sport England, and, in particular the PORTAS report, has had on the progress of our sport over the last decade, as recently highlighted in the national press, and that these concerns should be raised with the appropriate people in DCMS and/or Sport England in order to seek a review of those negative effects and request the Board to facilitate this.
X raising concerns SE/DCMS decisions from Portas have raised issues for the sport. Need to give feedback to SE/DCMS meeting.
X – passing over to X. He has more credibility with SE/DCMS after setting up CEO forum for CEOs. Has got influence. 41 sports in forum started in 2014. To get funding for Tokyo Olympics. This has been successful. Recent meeting had DCMS present. Money now going into safeguarding for all sports. Looking at funding for various areas, looking at impact on government to provide funding for sport. We need to shift the dial to increase emphasis on sport rather than health. There is nothing more that we can do that we are not doing already.
X concluded that select committee was undertaken before AC as appointed and therefore resolution is not required.
X- agreed
SO 5.6 committee cannot allow withdrawal without approval of the meeting. Shows of hand online.
Resolution 12 Result
No vote
Resolutions
Resolution 13
This meeting instructs the Board of Table Tennis England to delete from its Ranking Programme the inclusion of an ITTF Override element from the start of the 2022/23 season.
At present the Override gives precedence to the ITTF Ranking over TTE’s Ranking lists, creating a distortion and imbalance of TTE’s ranking which renders it inaccurate. The results, both wins and losses of the English players who compete in international tournaments, enter the TTE ranking system via the Equivalence Table which gives a Dummy position for each of the foreign opposition. The ITTF Ranking does not include losses which goes some way to explaining why the English top ranked Junior Boys in particular, have fewer points than those below them. So why the need for an ITTF Override?
Chair returned to X.
X put forward ITTF overrides to TTE ranking list.
X took legal advice resolution cannot be special but can be ordinary. Vote change to ordinary resolution.
X committee was not told that legal advice had been taken. Does not understand legal advice.
To be heard as a special resolution
X presenting the resolution – ITTF overrides to the TTE ranking list.
The override causes problems to the ranking list. Has been involved since 1970s. Feels that the override hides hidden agendas.
X – the proposition was to remove the override altogether. But committee has set it at the right level. Now rectified as it is.
X – just clarifying. Board took legal advice without telling anybody. Ranking should be sterile and not open to opinion. Layers should play matches and win points. Ranking should not be manually adjusted. Nobody should have the right to interfere with the rankings.
X – impact of override has been significant. Junior tournament has been sparse domestically. Players getting points going abroad and not wanting to lose points. Ranking made without losses. Seedings were made farcical. Very unfair on most people. Get rid to return to level playing field. Ranking based entirely on merit.
X – T&P has done great job. Agree with getting rid of override for juniors. Different view on seniors. Going with committee.
X – on committee all through. Looked at override for juniors – did not make sense. Not giving level playing field. This resolution is about the seniors. Top 75 is to protect the internationals that cannot play domestically.
X – if it is commonsense, why was it not addressed previously? Does not work for U21s? Also consideration for senior women, less difference between the senior women.
X – study international system, spoke with Simon Griew, blame all placed on ITTF system. Works on how far a player gets in a tournament. Does not count any losses. Ignorant staff members have made poor decisions.
Resolution 13 Result
For 17627 70.12%
Against 7513 29.88%
Abstain
Fail
Financial & Audit report
Slides in annual review.
X happy to speak to answer questions.
Beginning to see recovery to pre-pandemic numbers.
£3.5 million budget broke even.
Centenary project cost £20,000. Which is nearly all of the deficit.
Core funding – going to be pretty flat over the coming cycle.
Sport England provides 56% of income. Ring-fenced during pandemic.
Sponsorship would have been cut in pandemic. We need to build up with commercial partners.
Amount going into grass roots has increased over the years.
Slide showing where membership fees go. In step with strategy. We need to get communication on this issue.
X – already under warning from Sport England that funding is going to go down 2 years ago. Ring-fenced during pandemic.
X – likes clarity of the pie chart of membership fees. Slide is clear and useful to make points when enquiries.
Where does the money from Sport England go? Similar chart would be very useful.
X – we need to communicate better to get the messages out.
Received and accepted – almost unanimously 100% with one abstention.
Auditors
Auditors are Hays MacIntyre. Work with a lot of NGBs. Worked on recommendation last year. We compare well
with other NGBs. Re-appointment for one year. Approved for a further year.
Standing Orders Committee
No new standing order committee members volunteered. Thenafter chance meeting at Centenary event, Rob Sinclair going to join SO committee. 100% approval.
Presentations
Presentation of awards
Life Member
Estyn Williams
Vice-Presidents
Noel Sewell
Harmesh Jutle
Skylet Andrew
Alison Broe
Ian Harrison
Lisa Lomas
Sara Sutcliffe
Gorash Vecko
Brenda Stephenson
Keith Ponting award Mike Holt
Malcolm Scott award Simon Griew
Ivor Montagu award Richard Hudson
Leslie Forrest Award Stuart Seaholme
AK Vint award Paul Stimpson
Victor Barna award Para Olympic medallists list
Special award for contribution to centenary book
Diane Webb
Colin Clemmett
Special award for work on Centenary event
Victoria Weiglib
Close of meeting
X confirmed centenary book is still available.
Commonwealth Games start on 29th July
European Championships in Munich to be televised on BBC.
Thank you to Caroline Williams and all staff.
Thank you to everybody for staying with us.
The Catt’s Eye View
So, this was an AGM where peace broke out.
On a personal note, I took part in many of the discussions. Looking back at my notes, I do not really have any of the detail on the points that I made as I was typing away about other comments as soon as I sat back down. I can guarantee that I did not simply stand up to support things without any detailed rationale.
Any discussions that took place were undertaken on a dignified basis and nobody seemed to get upset or angry on the day.
The Board and indeed everybody should breathe a sigh of relief that the positive passage of most resolutions will mean that TTE is compliant with the Code for Sport Governance and therefore our funding from Sport England can continue for the time being.
Many people were saying that these positive results would not have been achieved 12 months ago. Indeed, virtually all of the resolutions last year failed. I would go a step further that these results would not have been achieved before the National Council meeting in June 2022.
At that meeting, Adrian Christy introduced his strategy plan for the future of table tennis in England. This was received very positively at the meeting. It was good to see that the strategy has moved on since then. It is very encouraging to see that this work in progress is a live document in which the strategy is taking shape.
Many people see the resolutions agreed at this AGM as a further erosion of the franchise of the membership to have any impact on the running of table tennis in England.
Contrarily, I feel that Adrian’s plans with the committee structure will mean that more of the legacy knowledge of the membership will be used much earlier in the decision-making process, which will hopefully lead to better quality decisions and plans going forward.