Report of meeting held Monday 11th April, 2016

Minutes of a meeting of the board of directors of the Company held at BBPA Offices, Brewers’ Hall, Aldermanbury Square, London, EC2V 7HR on Monday 11th April, 2016 at 12:30pm

 

Present:

Sir Peter Luff (Chairman)

George Barnes

Jim Cathcart

Mike Clist

Brigid Simmonds

Kate Nicholls

Nick Griffin

Bill Sharpe

Martin Caffrey

Jane Twitchin

 

Apologies:

 

1.Preliminary

The Chairman noted that the meeting had been duly convened, that a quorum of five directors was present in accordance with the Articles of Association and declared the meeting open.

 

2.Minutes of the last meeting 7th December

The Chair proceeded with the meeting by requesting that the minutes of the meeting held on 22nd February be proposed as a true and accurate record of the discussions that took place.  The Board approved the minutes.

 

3.PICA-Service update/cases

  • Over the last year there have been over 100 calls to the BII helpline that are not recorded as PIRRS/PICA-Service cases. In some cases licensees may have been seeking just information or advice.
  • The report listing the open and closed cases were studied and with the exception of one or two of the footnotes that will be checked following the meeting the PGB members were happy with the content.
  • MC had drawn up a service level agreement between the PGB and the BII. It was felt that this should be between the BII and the BBPA and the changes will be made and sent to BS.
  • Any current cases are being discussed between MC and Rodger Vickers. One case is due to go to a hearing on the 3rd May and MC/RV are taking legal advice over a second ongoing case. All others are in early stages of progression.
  • James Anderson has been put nominated as a replacement for Rodger Vickers as PICA-Service chair. He has agreed to a fee of £6k with an additional £2k per case up to a maximum of £15k which is in line with current fee structure. He is a solicitor for Poppleston Allen in the licensing sector, is good at mediation and has been a PICA Service panel member since inception.
  • Action: The Board asked MC to circulate his CV and if no objections were received by noon Friday the appointment would go ahead. MC/KN to work on PR story.
    • Martin Rawlings has been told his services will come to an end at the end of May, but that he would complete the work he is doing on 3 cases he has been working on for some time. Martin will also be employed to compile the report on compliance.
    • All new enquires are going to MC via the PICA-Service administrator. Those that are deemed to be PICA-Service will make it onto the tracker.

     

    4. PIRRS update on cases

 

  • The report was presented and accepted. There have been two new cases since the last PGB meeting and one enquiry.

Independent Experts

  • Rodger Vickers and Paul Newby have been removed from the PIRRS list of Independent Experts.
  • Martin Nicholson of Brownhill Vickers has been proposed by Rodger Vickers and seconded by Martin Caffrey as a new Independent Expert. MC will circulate CV and if no objections are received by noon Friday the appointment will be approved.

 

5.PGB Subscriptions

  • All invoices prior to January 1st 2016 have now been paid.
  • One pub company only still to submit their numbers.
  • Invoices for the 6 months Jan/Jul 2016 have been sent out and payments are now being received.

 

6.Compliance Report 15/16

  • MC has agreed a quote of £2,000 for Martin Rawlings to complete this piece of work on behalf of the PGB.
  • Questionnaires have gone out to the 6 pub companies and are due back on 30th May, 2016.
  • The questionnaire was resent to all recently following a required revision to a footnote following a query

 

7.Statutory Code and adjudicator

It was noted that Paul Newby has been appointed and would start work on the 1st May.

 

8.Statutory Regime and Transitional Matters

  • A debate as to whether PIRRS/PICAS cases will be allowed after the statutory regime begins on the 26th May was held. It was agreed to allow cases that had occurred before the 26th May to be heard up until the 26th May 2017. This timeframe could be updated once the statutory code is made public.

 

9.Professional Indemnity Insurance

A renewal has come in from our existing insurance for PGB Professional Indemnity, but MC had secured an additional quote at half price and MC will arrange cover through them.

 

10.AOB

  • MC is seeing SIBA on Wednesday to ask them to recommend to their members that have less than 500 pubs that they should join in the under 500 code group.
  • The new statutory code does not at present apply to Scotland. It is hoped that the companies that have pubs in Scotland will partake in the under 500 code group. The companies concerned are Punch, Greene King, Admiral and Star Pubs and Bars.
  • MC met with IFBB and presented the Profit and Loss account and has spoken to other parties that have agreed to come under the under 500 code. A fee has been agreed of £20 per pub per annum for the PIRRS/PICS Service administration.
  • MC confirmed changes have been made to PEAT re the wastage in respect of cask ale and a footnote has been updated to the appropriate section.
  • MC is now representing BII on the PGB. This means there is vacancy on both tenant and pub company member groups.

Action: Once the statutory regulations are announced and the new regimes begin, the PGB will need to review representation on the board.

  • An advert has gone out for a full time replacement for JT who is the current part-time PICA-Service Administrator, as agreed with the under 500 groups.

 

11.Date and time of next meeting

 

The date of the next Board meeting will be Wednesday May 18th, 12.00 pm – 1:30pm, at the BBPA Offices in Brewers Hall

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