Confirmation of minutes of 2008 AGM held on 22 May 2008-see below

Matters arising

Presentation of accounts

Reports of team captains

Report on junior section

Report from tournament controller

Report from county grader

Reports on EACU and ECF issues

Report from league secretary

Election of officers

Any other business

(a) Consideration of any proposal for the league meeting on game fees and ECF membership

Bedfordshire County Chess Association

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 22 May 2008

At the Open University

Present: A. Elwin (Chairman), B Valentine, G. Ward, K. Williamson, C. Hill

Apologies: P Montgomery

The minutes of the previous AGM held on 24 May 2007 were accepted.

The treasurer’s report was presented by Mr Ward and accepted by the meeting. There was a surplus of £1,218.70 up from 950.60. There were a number of outstanding items – prize money for the County Championship and possible fines for the county defaulting some games. There was a general discussion about the financial position and was agreed to recommend no change in league entry fees but investigate if there was a possibility of reducing ECF game fees because of the number of direct members playing in the league

Mr. Williamson reported that the Beds 1^st team after last years report the team had beaten Derbyshire and then Norfolk in the minor counties championship final. This season there had been a number of close matches but the team had lost all 6 matches played. Mr Valentine reported that the County correspondence team come bottom Butler Thomas trophy in 2007. In the current competition the team was doing much better and is in the lead but Essex are close behind with a number of extra incomplete games.

The Junior Chess congress was successful with about 70 entries. This year the event will take place in Leighton Buzzard during June.

The county championship was won by Brian Valentine with a score of 5/6. Paul Habershon was second, while Steve Ledger and Michael Joseph tied for third place. Alan Heath won the grading prize.

The County Grader reported that no games had been forwarded to the ECF but that all games submitted by 31^st May would be graded.

A discussion took place about county membership schemes and game fees but no action was agreed. The EACU had run an arbiters course. Adrian Elwin was congratulated for qualifying for the British Championship after winning a qualifying event in Great Yarmouth.

Bedford A won the Beds league followed by Milton Keynes A. The result was very close with three teams leading the division at some point during May. Leighton Buzzard were eased out with Bedford winning by one game point with match points equal. Milton Keynes B and Bedford B were relegated. Kents/Luton dominated division 2 winning all games apart from conceding one draw to runners up Leighton Buzzard B.

The following were elected, unopposed
Chairman A Elwin
Secretary B Valentine
Treasurer G Ward
1^stTeam Captain K Williamson
Correspondence Chess B Valentine
Tournament controller J Shaw
Junior Organiser xxx
Grading Officer A Elwin
EACU Delegates G Ward, C. Hill, A. Elwin
League Secretary V Rumsey and A Elwin
Archivist J Shaw

11. It was agreed that the treasurer should obtain insurance for the forthcoming junior congress on the best obtainable terms.