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Subject/Actions Agreed   

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PRESIDENT'S WELCOME.

The meeting was opened by the Ladies President Mrs I. Ballam who welcomed everyone to the meeting.

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Mike Carr then went on to introduce Steve O’Dare from Skegness Council and part of the team who have started the Save our Greens campaign.

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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.

Mr. T. Flatt (President) Mr. D. Thomas (Deputy President) Mr. R.Taylor. . (Junior Deputy President)                         Mrs. J. Phillips. (Junior Deputy President EWBF)  Mrs.J.Murphy (National Safeguarding Officer) Mrs. J. Croxall. Durham Men, and Northumberland Ladies,

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The meeting was originally called after we received a letter from E.L.DC saying the greens would not be maintained after our Championships in August.

Steve O’Dare a Councillor from Skegness has agreed to give us an update on what is now happening.

Steve went on to give us his own background having served in the Army for 23 years, worked for the Police force and will be a Town Councillor for at least the next 4 years. He was also the Town Crier for 3 years a job he thoroughly enjoyed.

He went on to say that 3 weeks ago he was approached to be part of a working group set up to save the greens at Skegness

This followed. Mike Carr attending a Council meeting, where it was stated that they did not want anything to do with the greens.

Steve, Richard Underwood from the Suncastle and Carl Macey then started a petition to save the bowling green’s. They called a meeting not knowing who would turn up inviting local business including the Hoteliers and members of the general public. Over 150 people attended the meeting and a number of people had signed a form to save the greens.

They then formed the North Parade Bowling Greens Association which is fully constitutional.

They are now in constant contact with E.L.D.C. All buildings have been inspected and we now have a professional body working on the greens from an outside source.

A full committee will be formed in the near future. E.L.D.C has said they will help with funding although it is a paltry sum.

The meeting was then opened to questions, Norfolk  made it clear they do not want to leave Skegness, Humberside would be happy to stay at Skegness if the greens were improved,

What is needed is more competitions to be played, there used to be 2 in June 1in July and one in September, plus the National Championships.

If the greens do close then Skegness will be poorer without the 2 competitions that are now held there.

What is required is the support of people, we have noticed that less people are now attending and the reason being is the state of the greens. It is hoped that with the new firm working on the greens that this will improve them, but it will take time.

The E.B.F have had a police report saying that unless the people are causing damage there is nothing they can do. Unfortunately a large fence can’t be built as it is a Heritage site and we would not get permission,  also there are 7 or 8 openings around the Suncastle and gardens which would have to be left open.

However it is intended to put a smaller fence around the greens like the one they have at Great Yarmouth. The fence would be hooped, but first of all we would require permission from the English Heritage. The fence would be connected to the concrete around the greens. There are CTV cameras on the green and these are controlled from Boston, the trouble is the Police have no powers because it is an open space

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All this will depend on funding, a minimum of £30,000 would be required, £8000 per green and the remaining £6000 would be used to fund other bowls projects.

It was suggested that the hotels should add on £1 per night to all their customers, this would bring in quite a lot of money for the committee. The new organisation called Sands may help. This is the new Hoteliers organisation, it is hoped that someone from the Hoteliers Association will join the committee.

It has been quoted that the week brings in 2 to 3 million for the week we believe it is nearer 1 million.                 

The trouble is, it’s the Hoteliers and Businesses that make the money, not the Council.

As everyone is now aware things are moving quite quickly and that is why we invited Steve to our meeting, to give us an update on what is going on.

We have been trying and have had meetings over the last two and a half years, but have got nowhere.

Steve, Richard and Carl have only been involved for about 3 weeks and things are developing very quickly.

The E.B.F fully support everything that Steve, Richard and Carl have done, we must now look to the future and not the past.

The organisation will now be called the North Parade Bowling Green’s Association. It is now hoped that all our members will join the face book page of save our bowling green’s.

Jayne Croxall from Nottinghamshire had sent a letter to Steve covering most points we have discussed.

We have given the new organisation our commitment to holding the Championships for a long time at Skegness if the greens are improved to a Championship standard.

The meeting ended by all Counties showing their appreciation for what the 3 people have done and thanked Steve for attending the meeting and giving us a very good insight to what is now happening.

An email from Graham Marsh is attached to these minutes.

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