As Chair I report briefly below on the key matters covered at the second meeting of the new British Fencing Board on Thursday evening, 15 November;-

• the Board had a lengthy and detailed review of BF finances, taking account of questions raised at the AGM and by Directors; Interim CEO Peter King and Finance Chair Andrew Brannon reported and advised.  New finance staff are now in place. The Board reviewed new style management accounts from Peter; these will be refined and presented and reviewed at each monthly Board meeting. The Board aim will be to achieve a surplus in the next financial year and beyond but a deficit is likely this year;
• Directors agreed the priorities for the Interim CEO and the Board for the rest of this financial year, encompassing Green, Grow, Gold reviews and programmes, governance, finance, communications and delivery;
• a sub group of the Board is reviewing governance proposals;
• Peter King reported that BF had seven TASS places for which names had now been submitted but not yet confirmed. The nominations reflected the TASS policy for clear links with the WCP;
• the BF Committee structure is to be reviewed urgently, to encompass for example changes in the Refereeing Committee;
• activity is in hand to support the BF nominees to FIE posts, with the key Congress in Moscow in December;
• the Board meets again at Bisham Abbey on 7/8 December and in London on 17 December.

David Teasdale

Chair, British Fencing