Page 15 - Summer 2016

AGM 4:Layout 1 01-Sep-16 9:11 AM Page 1

If I had been a representative I certainly would have done. I did ask the Chairman when 15
this overspending would stop and the answer came back the he didn’t know. It was sub-
sequently mentioned that there may be an increase in the ESMBA Registration fees, which if im-
plemented would allow the ESMBA to spend even more money!
I see that travelling expenses for the World Championships were over £5,000 pounds, the
majority on mileage I assume? I was the person that originally proposed and initiated committee
expenses but these were only supposed to cover the actual costs incurred by a committee mem-
ber. I understand that everyone is paid 45pence a mile, thus a 200 mile round trip would be £90
but at say 30 mile per gallon the actual cost would be about £57. A lot of cars do better than 30
and some journey’s are of course longer than 200 miles.
I will turn my questions around and not ask the ESMBA when are they going to stop over-
spending but “when are the counties going to take action to stop this overspending of their mem-
bers money”.
Astonishingly, the Umpires on duty at the World Championships were apparently told they
were there to measure and not enforce any rules, 3 Umpires told me this. The total of about 14
Umpire present must have cost the ESMBA a lot of money, surely using local people to measure
would have cost far less?
In regard to sponsorship, a committee member argued at the Championships that sponsor-
ship monies were not members money. However, surely ANY money generated by the National
Committee is members funds as the committee are appointed by the members. They are not the
autonomous body who can pretend some money is not in the members control. There is also an
apparent payment made by our equipment insurance company that has not gone via the ESMBA
Accounts but has apparently been paid privately to individual people.
I have no problem with people being paid for the work involved but I still think that this should
be included in the ESMBA accounts, no matter who gets it. Any funds generated as part of an
ESMBA activity should surely go through the accounts. I’m sure your county will gladly offer to
supply a copy of the ESMBA Accounts if you ask.
What I really have to say about the ESMBA’s apparent Gravy train is most certainly not suit-
able for print as I feel like spitting blood an behalf of the ordinary grass roots bowler who pays his
or her fees every year.
I am also unhappy that when the Association was formed it was strictly on the basis that we
were to be a mixed sport but we spent over £1.200 on a so called ladies team last season. I am
not against ladies at all and I am a basic supporter but I regard this as a total waste o members
money.
The only argument I have heard is the “The Men” are deliberately holding the ladies back
but the real truth is that they are simply not good enough at the moment. I have repeatedly asked
the question “Why have ladies not won anything a National level on their own”. No lady has an-
swered this question. The only argument I have had back is that I’ must be a male chauvinist,
which is complete nonsense.
The question they should be asking of outside professional help is “why, in a sport based
on skill and not strength, have ladies not progressed as much as they should?” I have seen
some very good lady bowlers and indeed some outstanding ones but they have not been as suc-
cessful as I think they should. For me, to answer the question I
asked I think the ladies should be seeking advice from the sports
council and elsewhere to get this very fundamental answered.
If it can be answered AND addressed both County teams and
the real England team would no doubt benefit immensely from an
improved ladies game. Any help I can give to our Lady bowlers in
this direction is very sincerely offered! But of course I’m a chauvin-
ist!
Bobbyweaf