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So instead of the results of the competitions coming ‘as a surprise’ at the end of the season all
members would see how they are doing as they complete their qualifying rides.
CTT Co-operation
We are in dialogue with CTT to gain their agreement to this proposal. This involves the design of the
technical approach to transferring information between the two websites and ensuring we have a
solution that is acceptable to both parties regarding data protection issues. Progress on this is
promising and has now gone to the CTT Board. XNcreations develop and support both the CTT and
VTTA websites so we have one supplier for the end-to-end solution.
How do we pay for this development?
Three years ago, the VTTA benefited from Les Lowe’s generous legacy gift of £12,000. Together with a
surplus in the National account we used this money to fund all the new website developments to date.
But we are now in a position where we need to raise additional funds to develop the automated
solution for our competitions. The figure needed is around £10,000. Discussions at the AGM and
subsequent contact and conversations with a number of groups led to the following proposed
approach which I communicated in a letter to all groups on 10th February.
1. The NEC would make a starting contribution of £2,500.
2. We invite Groups to make a donation per member of their group. With the current membership
of approximately 2750 then a donation of £2.50 per member from each group would raise
approximately £7000. Groups financial position may vary and it may be that some can only
contribute less than the £2.50 but some could contribute more.
If we still have a shortfall after the funds raised from the NEC and Groups we would ask individual
members if they would make a donation.
In response to my letter, we have initially received NEC and Group pledges of around £8600, with
some Groups saying they could increase their donation if it would help meet the target. It has been
encouraging to see such a positive response from all groups. This has enabled us to commit to starting
the development work.
Next Steps
The system cannot be ready for the start of the 2020 season but we are working to implement at some
point during the season and to process the
backlog of results up to that point. So interim
results would be available during the course of
this year. We will be posting news updates of
progress on the website. We will also be
communicating to members how they can register
their permission to be included in the results.
This initiative will be another significant
improvement in how we operate as an Association
and further demonstrate that the VTTA is a 21st
century organisation that is providing a service to
its members in a modern and effective way.

Andrew Simpkins

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