AGM 2025 – Northants Bar Billiards League

The 2025 Annual General Meeting

The 2025 meeting will soon be upon us and so it is as important as ever that you attend if you possibly can. There are plenty of areas where we can improve our offering for players and venues alike – why not attend to offer your insight into how we can do better, make suggested rule or format changes as well as lend your support to ensure our league continues to thrive.

Meeting Details

Date & Time: 9th September 2025 – 8pm

Venue: The Cock Inn

agenda

Apologies
Minutes from previous AGM – posted on this site 4th October 2024
Finance
Committee Elections
Proposals to AGM
Any other business

Committee election of officers

In accordance with our constitution an open invitation for league members to stand for election to committee posts was posted in the June25 Committee meeting minutes. Election of officers and committee members shall take the form of a ballot (show of hands) where the candidate with the highest number of votes shall prevail. Proxy votes shall not be valid in the election of committee officers and AGM proposals. All committee roles shall be subject to election at this AGM.

Please send in any nominations for every office by the end of this week (5 September). Each nomination should be proposed and seconded.

Chair: Vacant

Vice-Chair: Vacant

Secretary: Vacant

Treasurer: Tony B (current holder)

Competition Secretary: Martin Atwill [current holder)

Social Secretary: Vacant

Additional Committee members currently: Stuart Greenaway, Kevin Ayres, Keith Thomson, Dunc Harris, Darren Woodward

Nominations received

Treasurer: Tony B – proposed by Mary, seconded by Jim

Competition Secretary: Martin A – proposed by Tony B, seconded by Mary

Vice Chairman/Vice Treasurer: Martin A – seconded by Mick Haynes

Nominations for Committee should be received in advance but we will accept them at the meeting.

The committee and the entire league would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the longstanding commitment to the Northants Bar Billiards League exemplified by our departing colleagues. Thank you.

committee endorsed Proposals for discussioN

1. League Format – the current format of 2 divisions, one of 4 teams and the other of 5 teams, leaves many of the teams with little to play for as they have no possibility of winning either of the divisions. A change to putting the teams into 3 sections with the top team being promoted and the bottom team relegated would solve this, and give those teams the make up the bottom of division 2 a real possibility of winning something. Every team would continue to play against every other team as happens at present.

The sections would, using the current teams, be made up as follows :-

Gold Section – Rushden Cons, Cock A, Storm

Silver Section – Headlanders, Snooty Exiles, Britannia Club

Bronze Section – Cobblers, Cock C, Saints

With this format, trophies would only be awarded to section winners. There could be a small award to the highest away break and highest away score which could only be won by considering scores against teams in that person’s own section or above, or in their achievements in the individuals or team KO competitions. If a new team was to enter the league, they would enter the Bronze section, unless that team several experienced players, in which case the League Committee would take a view on which section would be most appropriate for that new team, and their decision would be final.

2. If the above proposal is accepted, this would cause an issue concerning the 2nd Division Individuals and the eligibility for the Blind Pairs. It is therefore proposed that using the data compiled from the previous season, those players averaging less than 2500 would be eligible to play in the 2nd Division Individuals and would also be considered to be the 2nd division partner in the Blind Pairs. Newcomers to the league would be eligible for the 2nd Division individuals etc, but returning players would be considered on the basis of their historical playing record. The Committee decision in this respect would be final.

other Proposals for discussioN

1. Amendment to rule 49. In the case of 2 or more teams ending the season on equal points, positions shall be decided firstly by the outcome of the head-to-head matches (legs won and if equal then aggregate scores). If teams remain equal, then away wins, followed by home wins and ultimately aggregate scores shall determine finishing positions. Should teams still remain level, then a neutral table play-off shall take place, with a coin toss to determine who breaks first in 1,3 & 5. All games shall be even break, with the final game featuring a timed break if the score is 2-2. The winner shall be declared league winner.

2. Amendment to rule 127. In the event if a tie, the following shall be the order of precedence:

a) Result of the head to head matches (legs won, and if equal then aggregate scores)

b) Number of matches won

c) Number of leg wins

d) Aggregate scores.

3. Amendment to rule 36. Change words ‘all league matches shall start by 8.30pm’ to all team matches shall commence by 8.30pm’. Add the words ‘all individual, pairs, blind pairs and masters matches shall commence by 8pm’. Delete the wording after ‘THURSDAY evenings’.

Proposed by: Martin Atwill

Seconded by: Ian Underwood

Suggested for inclusion:

Eligibility for the Masters shall be determined by considering the player’s average score against all opponents, and their win percentage. They must have played at least 30% of the total number of games in the season, and at least 2 games against opponents in their own section of the league. (This differs from the current method of considering average scores against players in their own division, together with just the number of games won.)

Proposed by: Martin Atwill

Seconded by:

Please complete the form below if you wish to submit a proposal for discussion at the AGM.

We very much look forward to seeing you there.