From secretary@dwpc.fsnet.co.uk
Date: 25 Aug 2006

SWPC Meeting 24 Aug 2006

"The following are my notes and observations of what was discussed at the meeting of the Scottish Water Polo Committee (SWPC) which I attended on behalf of the Club in the absence of Roddy MacKay :-
Attending : Hugh Cullen; Alan Carlile; Lorraine Campbell; Dave Balbirnie; Keith Johnston; Derek Docherty; Ken Fussell & Brian Campbell

• No minutes of the previous meeting were provided and once again I commented on the lack of Communication within Scottish Water Polo where Minutes of SWPC are not even provided to Clubs.
• Details of a National Water Polo Conference at Loughborough on Saturday 2 September (next week !) was provided.
• A ladies team has been entered into the National League Div 3 this season under the banner of Caledonia.
• A contribution of £100 per player will be sought from each player participating in the forthcoming Junior Home Internationals (1997+) and the Youth (1991+) matches vs Wales being held at Newport. It was reported that kit will be available, for those players who have not been issued previously, which will include a bag and a polo shirt.
• It was reported that Water Polo is in good health financially at present although, with the above Internationals postponed from June, the position is better than it should be.
• No further information provided on when a Development Officer will be appointed although Water Polo's contribution has been set aside.
• It was agreed that a contribution will be offered to those Coaches who attended Millfield recently.
• My request for a contribution towards the expenses of the Players who also attended Millfield was deferred until later in the meeting but was not discussed subsequently.
• A Service level agreement for a Scottish Swimming Training Centre at Rosyth covering all disciplines is currently being drawn-up.
• No information was available on the creation of the RTC which remains scheduled to commence from October - I noted that we have put forward Mike Tate as a volunteer RTC Manager.
• The remainder of the meeting was taken-up with discussions on the 2006 - 2012 Water Polo Development Plan which has been produced by a sub-committee of the SWPC. When it is issued to the Club later today (Friday) it will be made available for members to review, the main points discussed / noted were -
  1).The process started last year. The Plan had to be approved by SWPC that night as it 'goes' to the board on Monday 28 August 2006
  3) If no plan is put forward Scottish Water Polo may not receive any Budget next year or it may be late
  4) The Plan (Rev 4 apparently) was only issued to the members of the sub-group two days prior to the meeting and to no-one else. Even members of the sub-committee involved in producing the Plan did not fully accept the content and issues raised so far had apparently not been resolved.
  5) No additional monies will be forthcoming to support the plan over and above the normal SWPC budget.
  6) A proposal to delay the issue to the Board by 1 month to allow for discussion and review by all Stakeholders, which I seconded, was defeated by 6 votes to 2.
  7) A proposal to allow minor changes to the Plan and submit it to the Board on Monday 28th August was accepted by 6 votes to 2, I voted against submission (not the plan whatever it may be) as I could not support submitting such a document which I had no knowledge of. I requested that my position be minuted - which was that, on behalf of the Club, I was neither supporting or rejecting the Plan but was voting against its submission without proper review.
  8) It was agreed towards the end of the meeting that changes may be made up until 3pm on Monday 28 August 2006 - Members are likely to see the Plan on Saturday 26 August 2006 and should you have the time to review it you should make comment direct to Lorraine Campbell at Scottish Swimming with a copy to the Secretary.
  My stance was taken not against the Plan (which I have no knowledge of) or the need for drastic change (which is required) but on the principle of adopting an unknown plan which may not be deliverable - one target seemed to be the creation of over 200 new Coaches in year 1 with no explanation how that was to be achieved. This equates to probably ten courses being held by next September by someone - this was asked to be revised.
  I consider this whole situation to be farcical with Scottish Water polo effectively coerced into adopting a major 6 year Development Plan upon which it will be judged on and one which no-one outside a group of around 4 or 5 persons have any knowledge of it at present. With no real ownership of the plan by the Stakeholders within Scottish Water Polo I consider the risks involved in delivering  to be high
  The reason why the Plan was not issued in June to allow time to review it over the summer and try and get the water polo fraternity on board was not provided at the meeting."

Brian M Campbell