REGIONAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE REPORT FOR AGM

The above Committee met on four occasions during the last year with a further meeting devoted entirely to Strategic Planning 2009 to 2013

At  these meetings which are mostly attended by the Presidents of the various Regions together with the two elected Vice Presidents of England Hockey and the President. The meetings are chaired by the President of the North who has a place on the England Hockey Board. During the year we have discussed many inter regional matters and of course during our meetings we do have a briefing from both the England Hockey Chief Executive, Sally Munday and the Financial Director Ian Wilson. Often the Development Director Holly Woodford attends and various Staff members dependent on the subject  which the RCC wish to discuss. On a few occasions David Faulkner the Performance Director has attended.

During the last year a lot of time has been taken up surrounding the Single System and the implications which this has had in the Regions. In the EAST we have two centres one at Merchant Taylors School,Northwood and the other at Bury St Edmunds/Culford School  All of us have had some concerns, but it is now up and working and some Finance has been found to get the process working at all levels. I was particularly appreciative of the support I got from Clubs which enabled our nomination of Sue Boddycombe to become a Vice President of England Hockey. This means that in the EAST we now have a direct Board Member.. The President of England Hockey Martin Gotheridge will be resigning if he is successful in August in becoming European Hockey Federation President. This will mean an election for a new President for England Hockey

Obviously the next three years coming up to the Olympics are an important time and even now the legacy which England Hockey will have after the Olympics is far from clear, as of course   is the funding from Sport England and UK Sport after the Olympics. Much will depend upon our success on the field of play in Stratford (the Olympic Site). In 2012.

Bill Felton

20/6/09