British Parachute Association
5 Wharf Way
Glen Parva
Leicester
LE2 9TF
Tel: 0116 278 5271
Fax: 0116 247 7662
e-mail: [email protected]
www.bpa.org.uk
The Council
Minutes of the meeting held on
Tuesday 17 February 2004 at 1830
at the BPA Office, Wharf Way, Glen Parva, Leicester
Present:
Chris Allen
Calvin Blacker
Kieran Brady
David Hickling
Eddie Jones
Ian Marshall
Ian Midgley
Andy Scott
Elizabeth Stoodley
Brian Vacher
Jim White
Chairman
In attendance:
Debbie Carter
Lesley Gale
John Hitchen
Martin Shuttleworth
Treasurer
Editor, Skydive Magazine (from item 8)
NCSO
Secretary-General
Observer:
Andrew Frew
Apologies for absence:
Paul Appplegate
Tony Goodman
Nigel Holland
John Smyth
Development Chairman
Communications Chairman
Vice Chairman/Competitions Chairman
Item Minute
06/04
Welcome
The Chairman welcomed the new Council 2004 to its first ordinary meeting.
07/04
Minutes
7.1 EGM - Tuesday 2 December 2003
Ian Midgley proposed, and Eddie Jones seconded, a motion that the minutes of the
Extraordinary General Meeting held on Tuesday 2 December 2003 be approved as a correct
record. This carried unanimously.
Approved
7.2 Council meeting - Tuesday 2 December 2003
Kieran Brady proposed, and Calvin Blacker seconded, a motion that the minutes of the
Council meeting held on Tuesday 2 December 2003 be approved as a correct record. This
carried unanimously.
Approved
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08/04
7.3 AGM - Saturday 24 January 2004
Ian Midgley proposed, and David Hickling seconded, a motion that the minutes of the
Association’s thirty-seventh Annual General Meeting held on Saturday 24 January 2004 be
approved as a correct record. This carried unanimously.
Approved
7.4 Inaugural Council meeting 2004 - Saturday 24 January 2004
Kieran Brady proposed, and Ian Marshall seconded, a motion that the minutes of the meeting
of the Inaugural Council meeting 2004 should be approved as a correct record. This carried
unanimously.
Approved
Matters arising:
8.1 Correspondence (Council minutes, 2 December 2003, page 5, minute 70)
Ian Marshall said he had been absent from that meeting and was uncomfortable at what
appeared to be censorship of the Council’s post by the Chairman. The Chairman said that his
decision not to circulate the particular item of correspondence referred to in minute 70 had
been supported by the Council. Members of the Council were, as stated in the minute,
welcome to view the correspondence at the BPA Office. There was a difference between
making correspondence available to view, and distributing potentially libellous material. The
Chairman invited Ian Marshall to view the correspondence and believed that if he did, he
would see the matter in context.
8.2 BPA Representatives in the Sport England Regions (Inaugural Council meeting,
pages 1 and 2, minute 3)
Ian Midgley proposed, and Andy Scott seconded, a motion that Ian Rosenvinge should be
elected as BPA representative to the North East Region of Sport England.
Carried unanimously
09/04
It was hoped that a nomination would be made at the next meeting for the office of BPA
Regional Representative, Sport England South West Region.
Action: BPA Office
Ratification of minutes of Subcommittees
The minutes of each of the following meetings had been circulated in advance.
9.1 Development Committee meeting on Tuesday 2 December 2003
Kieran Brady (Development Chairman) proposed, and Ian Midgley seconded, a motion that
the minutes of the Development Committee meeting held on 2 December 2003 should be
ratified. This carried unanimously.
Ratified
9.2 Communications Committee meeting on Tuesday 2 December 2003
Eddie Jones (Communications Chairman) proposed, and Kieran Brady seconded, a motion
that the minutes of the Communications Committee meeting held on 2 December 2003
should be ratified. This carried unanimously.
Ratified
9.3 Safety and Training Committee meeting held on 4 December 2003
There being no questions for John Hitchen (STC Chairman), Ian Midgley proposed, and Ian
Marshall seconded, a motion that the minutes of the STC meeting held on 4 December 2003
be ratified. This carried unanimously.
Ratified
9.4 Safety and Training Committee meeting held on Thursday 5 February 2004
The Chairman reported that he had attended this STC meeting. He had not been convinced
that the treatment of proxy votes had accorded to the procedure for proxy voting
recommended by the Council (minute 20/02 of the Council meeting on Tuesday 19 February
2002 refers). On investigation, the Chairman had found that although the Council’s definition
of a proxy vote had been included in the STC’s terms of reference, an old definition - that the
new one had been intended to replace - had been left in. This had given rise to an ambiguity.
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John Hitchen said he would review the STC terms of reference to remove the anomaly.
Action: John Hitchen
There followed an extensive discussion on the item of page 5, minute 6 of the STC minutes
about the mandatory fitting of AADs. STC had passed motions that, (I) from 1 July 2004, all
parachutists below FAI ‘B’ Certificate, excluding parachutists jumping traditional (front and
back) static line equipment, must use equipment fitted with an operational AAD which must be
switched on prior to any descent; and (ii) from 1 July 2004, all parachutists taking part in
display jumps must use equipment fitted with an operational AAD which must be switched on
prior to any descent.
John Hitchen explained that STC had been presented with three options for future policy on
wearing AADs. The status quo was not an option because a Board of Inquiry had
recommended that there should be a change to the existing policy. By mandating the use of
AADs for parachutists below ‘B’ licences, STC believed that, as these parachutists
progressed to ‘C’ and ‘D’ licences, they would retain the practice of using AADs.
The Chairman asked that when wording any proposals and / or rules on AAD's STC should
bear in mind that in the future other AAD's would no doubt enter the market that may not have
the same tolerances as those currently used.
On a different matter, in response to a question from David Hickling, John Hitchen said he
believed that Annual Returns for 2003 were still awaited from a few centres. Dave Hickling
thought this to be very late, as we were now six weeks into the new year.
10/04
Dave Hickling then proposed, and Andy Scott seconded, a motion that the minutes of the
STC meeting held on 5 February 2004 be ratified. This carried unanimously.
Ratified
9.5 Competitions Committee meeting held on Wednesday 11 February 2004
Ian Marshall (Competitions Vice Chairman) proposed, and Andy Scott seconded, a motion
that the minutes of the Competitions Committee meeting held on 11 February 2004 be
ratified. This carried unanimously.
Ratfied
Reports on Committee meetings held earlier this afternoon
10.1 Communications Committee
Eddie Jones (Communications Chairman) reported that the Communications Committee had:

agreed to publication of the Magazine on the first weekend of the month instead of
the 16th of the month, except for the February issue (to be published on the 14th of
that month);

considered a request from the press officer of Humberside Police to publish an item
about the murder of Stephen Hilder, and decided to ask for the piece to be modified;

drafted the Communications Action Plan for the year 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005
(see minute 11);

monitored progress towards the achievement of all targets set out in the current
2003/4 Action Plan, and found these to be on target and on budget. The BPA
Calendar 2004 had cost £4168 against a budget of £5000.
10.2 Development Committee
Kieran Brady (Development Chairman) reported that the Development Committee had:

allocated areas of responsibility on the new Committee for 2004;

formally established what had been known variously as the ‘insurance group’ or
‘insurance working party’ as the Insurance Subcommittee of the Development
Committee
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
actioned an item on a late claim for out-of-pocket expenses;

further considered a request from Simon Ward for a banner advertisement for
SkyVenture on the BPA website;

drafted the Development Action Plan for the year 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 (see
minute 11);

considered the possibility of the BPA opening a bank account in US dollars to seek to
benefit from the current favourable exchange rate;

monitored progress towards the achievement of the remaining targets in the current
year’s 2003/4 Action Plan - the new web page on travel insurance was in preparation,
and work was starting on the BPA display on the history of parachuting in the UK;

agreed to re-invest maturing BPA reserve funds that secured the vital financial
underpinning of the Association.
The Chairman asked the Council tonight to discuss the Development Committee’s suggestion
that the BPA might consider opening a bank account in US dollars. This was because the
current favourable exchange rate would probably not last very long. Therefore, if it was
decided that any action were to be taken, it needed to be taken quickly.
Kieran Brady reported that John Hitchen had made the suggestion, not least in view of entry
fee payments that would need to be made in US dollars for world meets over the next year or
two. As John Smyth was not present, a ball-park figure for US dollar payments for world
meets over the next two years was not available. The Chairman said that there was a broader
question to consider - should the BPA seek to invest funds of up to (say) £40K in an account
in US dollars to seek to benefit from the exchange rate? It was a question about the prudent
investment of the membership’s money, and not necessarily just a matter of paying entry fees
to international competitions.
David Hickling said that financial specialists such as Debbie Carter (Treasurer), John Gretton
(Financial Administrator) and, through them, banking and investment advisers, needed to be
consulted. John Smyth also needed to be consulted so far as international competition entry
fees were concerned. There might be little benefit from a favourable exchange rate if, for
example, the BPA had US dollars languishing in a current account earning little or no interest.
Elizabeth Stoodley had business experience of currency transfers and advised that the best
approach was to earmark a known sum for a specific purpose rather than have a more
general fund. She said that the BPA were not currency traders and believed a more limited
approach to be appropriate.
Kieran Brady then proposed, and Ian Midgley seconded, a motion that the BPA should
investigate, and if appropriate make, an investment of up to £40,000 in a BPA account in US
dollars, to seek to benefit from the current favourable exchange rate. And that any such
investment should only be after taking advice from the Treasurer, Financial Administrator, and
outside advisers as appropriate: and if significant potential disadvantages were identified, a
dollar account should not be opened. The voting was:
For - 9
Against - 0
Abstentions - 1 (Elizabeth Stoodley)
Carried - Action: BPA Office (Jon Gretton)
11/04
BPA Action Plan: 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005
The Chairman said that the same timetable would be followed as in previous years for the
submission to UK Sport of the BPA Action Plan. This was notwithstanding that the UK Sport
funding panel’s meeting to consider the Action Plan had now changed from May to
November. It meant that this Action Plan would be considered part-way through the year it
was in force. UK Sport was never in a position to give any future funding commitment. Over
the past years, UK Sport’s exchequer funding to the BPA - in common with most other
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minority sports - had declined. In recent years it had stabilised at £40K (comprising £20K that
UK Sport had specified for Safety and Training and £20K that it had specified for
Competitions). During the last year, UK Sport had changed the start date of its funding year
from 1 June to 1 April, which had resulted in a grant covering a 9 month period ending on 31
March 2004. This had been for £30K, which pro rata equated to £40K for a full year. The
next grant would be decided on the current Action Plan, and progress on achieving the
measurable targets to be set out in the new 2004/5 Action Plan - that was to be drafted
tonight - would be considered by UK Sport in relation to their 2005/6 grant to the BPA. The
UK Sport grant might be £40K, it might be nothing, or it might be somewhere in between. For
the avoidance of doubt, therefore, the Chairman asked Council Members to be clear that
voting budgets through tonight meant spending the BPA’s own money, with the possibility of a
contribution from UK Sport at a later date.
The Chairman then invited consideration, in turn, of the proposed Action Plans (circulated) for
each of the BPA’s functional areas, viz (i) Safety and Training, (ii) Competitions, (iii)
Development, (iv) Communications, and (v) Administration. These plans would then be
consolidated into a single document covering all of the approved targets by area in the form of
an overall BPA Action Plan to be submitted as a funding bid to the UK Sports Council. The
Chairman said that experience had shown the need, during compilation and editing of the
final bid document, for there to be flexibility in the precise form of words used to convey the
targets to UK Sport. For example, UK Sport had certain preferred terminology that should be
used wherever possible because it linked with UK Sport’s own priorities. In no way would this
sub-editing process alter the ethos of the targets or the budgets that the Council would be
setting tonight. However, some flexibility in the wording was essential to be able to convey
the Council’s targets clearly, cogently and cohesively.
11.1 Safety and Training Action Plan 2004/5
The targets and their associated budgets were:
11.1.1
11.1.2
11.1.3
11.1.4
Increase the number of tandem instructors from 203 to 233 - budget £15K
Update guidelines for conducting risk assessments for all BPA Clubs - budget £5K
Train Club personnel in the use of risk assessments - budget £10K
Continue to review and update current canopy handling instruction techniques budget £10K.
The Chairman asked that the phrase ‘some club personnel trained’ should be quantified in the
draft text explaining target 11.1.3.
Brian Vacher asked the Chairman for clarification of the progress of the work of the canopy
handling review group. The Chairman outlined its progress, and said this work was
continuing. He referred to documents on the ‘Stay safe’ section of the BPA website. The
review group had yet to present its recommendations to STC, and would do so in due course.
He asked Brian Vacher to contact John Hitchen and John Horne, Chairman of the Review
Group, with his ideas on canopy piloting competitions. He said that such competitions had
not been the focus of the review group’s work to date.
Kieran Brady then proposed, and Ian Midgley seconded, a motion that the above STC Action
Plan, with the four targets stated and a total budget of £40K, should be approved.
Carried unanimously
11.2 Competitions Action Plan 2004/5
The targets and their associated budgets were:
11.2.1
Improve competitor standards to build a strong base for future National teams
through coaching at Grand Prix events and at Skills Coaching Roadshows - budget
£25K
11.2.2
Improve the skills base for developing teams at World Cup events by inviting at least
3 senior teams, plus coaching the 2004 Intermediate event Champions, to
compete in the 2005 World Cup - budget £2K for coaches’ expenses
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11.2.3
Keep the UK self-sufficient as a Nation for Judges at all levels in all Disciplines budget £5K
11.2.4
Make the UK self-sufficient in equipment for judging, including for example an
accuracy tuffet and canopy piloting judging equipment - budget £2K.
There followed discussion with Ian Marshall and Andy Scott on clarifying the wording of the
targets to ensure that this captured, without ambiguity, what the Competitions Committee was
seeking to achieve. Andy Scott explained that the over-arching strategy was to try to keep
teams within the system, and to support free-of-charge coaching by current or previous
National Champions for upcoming teams, including specific coaching for the National and
Grand Prix overall intermediate event champions 2004 (if different) in each discipline, by
meeting the coaches’ travel and subsistence expenses. It was planned that the intermediate
event champions from 2004 would represent the UK as a fourth senior team in the World Cup
in October 2005 at Eloy, Arizona.
Ian Marshall then proposed, and Andy Scott seconded, a motion that the above Competitions
Action Plan, with the four targets stated and a total budget of £34K, should be approved.
Carried unanimously
11.3 Development Action Plan 2004/5
The targets and their associated budgets were:
11.3.1
11.3.2
11.3.3
11.3.4
Start a new page on the BPA website listing UK National skydiving records - budget
£500.
Host a forum meeting for Drop Zone Operators - budget £500
Create a new Development Committee role as Media Officer - no special budget.
Improve the quality and quantity of media coverage of skydiving in the UK by
seeking to draw on communications skills from the membership - budget £250
The Chairman suggested, and the Council supported, the broadening of target 11.3.4 to
include other fields of expertise within the membership, and that the final wording of the target
should if possible reflect this.
Kieran Brady then proposed, and Ian Midgley seconded, a motion that the above
Development Action Plan, with the four targets stated and a total budget of £1.25K, should be
approved.
Carried unanimously
11.4 Communications Action Plan 2004/5
The targets and their associated budgets were:
11.4.1 Publish a BPA calendar 2005 and explore its use as a sponsorship medium - budget
£5K
11.4.2 Conduct a membership survey by questionnaire - budget £1.2K
Eddie Jones proposed, and Calvin Blacker seconded, a motion that the above
Communications Action Plan, with the two targets stated and a total budget of £6.2K, should
be approved.
Carried unanimously
11.5 Administration Action Plan 2004/5
The targets and their associated budgets were:
11.5.1
11.5.2
11.5.3
11.5.4
Upgrade 7 PC terminals on the BPA Office computer network - Budget £4.2K
Upgrade the computer server at the BPA Office - budget £1K
Purchase image manipulation software - £500
Train a member of staff on the use of image manipulation software and in basic web
design - £300.
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Kieran Brady proposed, and Ian Midgley seconded, a motion that the above Administration
Action Plan, with the four targets stated and a total budget of £6K, should be approved.
12/04
13/04
Carried unanimously
Reports from Club Representatives
Andy Scott (Central Rep) reported that he would combine his DZ Rep role with that of a coach
when he visited Clubs & Centres over the summer. He had agreed with Jim White (Northern
Rep) that he, Andy Scott, would visit NWPC Cark as he was due to coach there. Tony
Goodman (Southern Rep) reported in absentia that he was sending out an introductory letter
to make arrangements to visit DZs in his area.
The Chairman asked that Club Reps should always send in to the BPA Office a report for
advance circulation to the Council, however short, on each visit. Any questions asked during
the visit should be clearly set out in the written report. This would enable answers to be
provided by the appropriate people within the BPA, and fed back to the Rep. It was important
that the Rep should then ensure that the answers were relayed back to the Club Member who
had originally raised the question. The Chairman said that being a Club Rep did not mean
that the Rep was expected to be the font of all knowledge. It was impossible to know
everything about the complexities of every aspect of the BPA’s operations and activities: the
correct approach was for the Rep to say he would find out and report back. Experience had
proven this to be far more effective than making only a verbal report to a Council meeting,
and relaying questions raised by Members at that time.
Action: Club Representatives
Report on Royal Aero Club Activities
In John Smyth’s absence due to his father suddenly falling seriously ill, Ian Marshall (BPA
Alternate Delegate to RAeC) reported that the RAeC Awards Ceremony would be held at the
Naval Military Club in St James’s Square, London, on Tuesday 9 March 2004 at 1730. The
awards would be presented by HRH The Duke of York. British women’s 4-way FS World
Champion team VMax would receive the RAeC Gold Medal and John Smyth the RAeC
Bronze Medal. The Council congratulated the award winners on their achievements. Tickets
for the presentation ceremony were available from the RAeC via the BPA Office price £30
each.
Ian Marshall then reported that the RAeC had written to say that the BPA’s offer of possible
assistance with the RAeC Secretariat on the retirement of the current RAeC Secretary, Barry
Rolfe, was not now likely to be needed. This was because RAeC was likely to be able make
other arrangements. This had always been the BPA’s first preference. The Chairman
thanked Ian Marshall for his report.
14/04
Request for sign language interpreter at the AGM 2005
The Council considered a request from Stuart Wilson (circulated) for sign interpreters at the
AGM 2005. The Council was entirely sympathetic to this request. Estimates that had been
obtained from commercial interpreter agencies suggested that two interpreters would be
required, at a total cost of about £800. In response to a question, the Chairman said his
understanding of the law was that the BPA, which was in effect a private members’ club, was
not under a strict legal obligation to provide interpreters under the provisions of the Disability
Discrimination Act as were, for example, bodies offering a public service. The Council had
every wish to have sign interpreters at the AGM, but at an anticipated cost equivalent to over
£100 each for the 6 or 7 deaf skydivers likely to attend, the Council did not at this time
consider it reasonable to fund this from the Association’s reserves. Ian Marshall therefore
proposed, and Eddie Jones, seconded a motion that the BPA should seek the services of
sign language interpreters from or associated with the membership for the AGM 2005, as
there was plenty of time available to do this.
Carried unanimously - Action: BPA Office
In addition, the Council asked that other measures to help deaf Members should be initiated
at the AGM. This included asking the deaf skydivers to nominate their group’s choice of
seminars so that the speakers could be advised in advance, and asked to design their
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presentations to be accessible and to provide, where possible, a written summary of the
seminar content. Also, front row seats could be reserved at the AGM and in the nominated
seminars.
The Council noted that Stuart Wilson’s request for sign interpreters had also included Chris
Lynch’s Wing Tips seminars. As these were not organised by the BPA, the Council
considered this request to fall outside its remit.
15/04
Application for Re-Affiliation: Swindon Skydiving Centre (formerly Skydive Redlands)
Calvin Blacker proposed, and Ian Midgley seconded, a motion that the application for reaffiliation by Swindon Skydiving Centre (circulated), formerly known as Skydive Redlands,
should be approved with its new directors of Steve Swallow, Helen Swallow and James
Swallow, and the new location of Draycot Airfield.
Carried unanimously
It was understood that a CCI had yet to be appointed and that Paul Hollow would act in this
capacity pro tem.
16/04
Presentation of Certificates to Ian Marshall
The Chairman presented Ian Marshall with 36 hours freefall and 7000 jump award certificates.
17/04
Date of meetings in 2004
Tuesdays at 1830 at the BPA Office, Leicester: 20 April, 15 June, 24 August*, 19 October and
7 December (after the EGM).
* Changed from the original date of 17 August by agreement of the Council, at the request of
the Chairman.
The meeting closed at 2025.
Issued: 20 February 2004
Distribution: Council, Vice Presidents, Treasurer, Staff and Editor
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