Regional Meeting Minutes
REGION:
South East
Date:
Wednesday 17th February 2011, 6.00 for 6:30pm
Venue:
Address:
Crosse Keys
9 Gracechurch Street, LONDON, EC3V 0DR
Where necessary please refer to support documentation in pre-meeting reports.
APPENDIX I – Pre-meeting Report from SIBA
APPENDIX II – PBD – Q&A with Keith Bott
1) Present
Brewer
WJ King
Pilgrim
Westerham
Old Dairy
Surrey Hills
Flack Manor
Andwell
Brewer
Tonbridge
Windsor & Eton
Ramsgate
Flowerpots
RTW
Itchen Valley
Goddards
2) Apologies
Brewer
Sambrook’s
Hepworth
Rankin
Wantsum
Irving & Co
Brewer
Wantsum
Ballards
West Berks
Meantime
NYB – Karen Goody
Brewer
Nelson
Ascot
Redemption
Associates
Fuller Smith & Turner
Other
Hoopers
Phil Wilcox - Wibblers
SIBA
Keith Bott
Julian Grocock
Brewer
Oakleaf
Bowman
Associates
SIBA
Charlie Gorham
3) PBD – Q&A with Keith Bott
 APPENDIX II – Q&A with Keith Bott (written response to follow)
4) Minutes & Matters Arising Last AGM
 No meeting minutes from the last AGM have been forwarded.
5) Minutes & Matters Arising Last Area Meet
 Proposed: Tonbridge
 Seconded: WJ King
 Action Points from Last Regional Meeting:
Malt Supplies and Specifications

Hepworth advised brewers to request spec for any malt supplied. Proposed that a standard form
be created for brewers to complete on order. RTWBC to make request of Dom Burgess.
16/02/2016
Page 1 of 8

Regional Meeting Minutes
RTWBC to make sure approach is made to Dom Burgess in advance of next meeting. Email approach made on
20th February. Update for next meeting.
6) National AGM Proposals
 Chairman apologised to the region for not arranging in time to allow potential proposals to be generated
from Regional AGM.
o Other regions also missed the deadline
o SIBA central did however send out a reminder email to all members (28 th Jan) in advance of SIBA
National AGM so opportunity to make individual proposal was available.
o Future SE Regional AGM(s) to be held in January.
7) Regional Chairman’s Report
 Proposed approach for coming year
o Better Planning
o More Officers
o More Social activity
o Planned Meeting(s)
o Finances to be sorted and moved into credit
o AGM date to be correct.
 Other activity
o Westerham identified a vast amount of time and effort had been put into progressing the
Memberships campaign on PBD
o Campaign film has been commissioned to target MPs with the aim of getting them to consider the
value of the industry more. View film and get updates via Twitter on #proudofbeer.
8) Treasurer’s Report
 Overall – Account is on the Black. Very positive year
 4 brewers have still not invoiced the region for beer supplied to the SE Beer Festival. Any problems
please refer to minutes of last meeting or approach Chairman or Secretary for help.
9) Election of Officers
 Following posts to continue;
o Chairman – Ramsgate
o Secretary – RTW
o Treasurer - Irving
 Standing down;
o Oakleaf – Regional Trustee
 However will continue to run the SE Regional Beer Competition and Beer Festival.
o Westerham moved that the region should write a letter of thanks to Oakleaf for service in position
as Regional Trustee. Seconded and approved by Ramsgate.
 Newly proposed;
o Sambrook – Regional Trustee
16/02/2016
Page 2 of 8
Regional Meeting Minutes
10) SALSA
 For info – Southern Section has an evening meeting on SALSA – Safe and Local Supplier Approval at
BRI, Nuffield, Redhill Surrey, RH1 4HY on 28th February @ 18:15 with planned finish at 19:30 followed
by refreshments. The event is free and the speaker is Chris Grimes.
 If you are interested in attending please email the Section Secretary, Pete Channon, on
pete.channon@nsf-cmi.com or call him on 07771 933091
 Costs: TBC - Membership is £50 per year. Accreditation is £500.
11) Future Meeting Dates – proposal:
 2011 Meeting Dates:
o May 9th Mon - SE Regional meet – West of region. Location TBC
o Jul 15th Thurs - SE Regional meet @ Tonbridge (tie in with Beer Comp)
o Oct 19th Wed - SE Regional meet, London
 2012 Meeting dates;
o Jan 17th Tues - AGM, London
16/02/2016
Page 3 of 8
APPENDIX I
Regional Meeting Minutes
REGIONAL MEETINGS & COUNCIL January/February 2011
PRE-MEETING SUMMARY
Prepared for meetings including:
 East – 19/01/11
 Scotland – 21/01/11
 South-West – 22/01/11
 SIBA Council – 02/02/11
SECRETARIAT & OPERATIONS
National Operations
 07/12/10: JG/CG met Michael Stickland, MD of Planning Solutions, who has confirmed availability early in
2011 of office space at National Brewery Centre. To be followed up Jan/Feb.
Commercial Operations
 Carl Beeson (Summerskills) has been appointed as a Trustee representative to the SIBA Commercial
Board. First meeting 12/01/11.
National Finance
 Accounts presented to Commercial Board 12/01/11 – to go to Council for formal approval 02/02/11.
MEMBERSHIP
Brewing Members
 Application for associate brewing membership received from Budvar, Dec 2010.
 Following opening of William Worthington's Brewery at National Brewery Centre, an associate brewing
membership application is also anticipated from Molson Coors.
Supplier Associate Members
 SIBA is delighted to accept Close Brewery Rentals as a Gold Standard Sponsor and thanks Intercaps Filling
Systems for its support.
Pub Associate Members
 'SIBA Locals' pilot scheme ready to be launched in South-West following presentation at regional meeting
22/01/11.
COMMUNICATIONS
Electronic
 Development of the SMI continues. All members are urged to develop 'the habit' of regular/permanent logon and to maximise access among key employees.
 New-style SIBA website has gone live.
Members' Pack
 Prototype pack due to be presented at Council 02/02/11.
PR Update
 Ros Shiel remains in charge of PR management.
16/02/2016
Page 4 of 8
Regional Meeting Minutes
 Press release has gone out for National and keg beer competitions, to maximise publicity for our
'competition week' in Nottingham in early Feb.
 Other major PR events coming up include SIBA 'Local Beer' Report, Annual Conference and Budget
response in March.
 RS continues to co-manage 'SIBA Locals' scheme with JG.
MARKETING
Annual Conference 2011
 At Holiday Inn, Stratford, 03-04/03/11.
 Theme will be 'It's Time For Beer!' to celebrate the achievements of independent local brewers and to
emphasise the industry's position on the threshold of a potentially great era, with craft beers broadening
their appeal to an ever-growing demographic range of customers.
 Guest speakers to be finalised.
 Thursday will be 'Members Day', to include AGM, seminars and reporting sessions, and the Chairman's
Reception.
 All formal procedures – Trustee elections, motions for debate – must be carried out in within time limits as
set out in SIBA Rules.
POLITICAL
Survey, Local Beer Report & Budget
 Record 51% response to the survey.
 SIBA Local Beer Report 2011 in preparation for publication in Journal and as standalone document in midlate Feb.
 From survey and report, SIBA's Pre-Budget Submission will be prepared.
 KB/JG/RS will be ready to respond immediately to Budget statement.
Industry Liaison
 JG has had an exploratory meeting with BII, with a view to developing a co-operative and constructive
working relationship. To be followed up by JG, KB and NS.
 KB/JG and Robert Wicks (Westerham and Council) have been involved in some detailed discussions with
wider industry and large brewery representatives to develop the 'beer agenda' – to co-ordinate campaign
against duty escalator, build the case for cider duty equivalence, and to emphasise the economic, social,
cultural and health positives of British beer and brewing.
 Planning for a video celebrating British beer is well advanced. Hopefully will be ready to open Conference.
CONTAINER MANAGEMENT
4 areas to container management
 SIBA container repatriation
o Rejuvination of the SIBA hubs and repatriation being looked at by Nick Stafford & Paddy Johnson
o SIBA are currently working with KegWatch on a repatriation system
16/02/2016
Page 5 of 8
Regional Meeting Minutes



RAMP – Best practice for containers
o SIBA raised concerns regarding the continued collection of containers with orange stickers on
them. We believed that, in these instances, the associated costs of repatriation should be borne
by those companies who had incorrectly uplifted the containers. Therefore some work has been
done to reword the orange labels (available to all members on the SMI)
o The net Spa-Trak clear down will occur in April
Keg & Cask Committee – Technical specs
o 50litre keg technical guidelines have now been finished and signed off
o The other sizes can follow the same template
o Work is now to start on cask technical guidelines
o Don’t forget that the container buyer guidelines are available on the website
o We recommend that containers purchased outside of the EU are tested within the EU
Cask/keg complaints
o 3 conversion complaints processed in 2010
o 3 misuse complaints processed in 2010
o 1 misuse complaint processed so far in 2011
o Complaint form can be found on the SMI. Photographic evidence is needed.
BEER COMPETITIONS
"Keg" Competition
 National 'Craft Beer in Keg' Competition and Beer Festival to be held 08/02/11 at the Canalhouse,
Nottingham.
 50 beers in eight categories. Category winners will be judged to decide overall champion at National Finals.
National
 National Final (10/02/11): Canalhouse, Nottingham. Followed by SIBA Champions Beer Festival, to include
56 casks and eight keg winners.
Organisation
 Decision needs to be taken as to whether time constraints will permit the introduction of extensive revision
to rules this year – JG may recommend deferment to 2012, unless proposals to be recommended can be
agreed and in place for the Maltings in April.
16/02/2016
Page 6 of 8
Regional Meeting Minutes
APPENDIX II
Question and Answer session with Keith Bott
(Answers from KB recorded here are abridged and not a complete record of details presented by KB)
PBD – what is going on and what are SIBA doing about it?
Overview (KB):
 The Treasury has not announced a formal review of PBD
 The SIBA defence is ready to go. It is based on the costs of the big Breweries and not on the overhead of
the Microbrewers where the difference might be as much as £70 per barrel. The data being offered to the
Treasury has not yet been requested and this is being seen as a positive.
1. CAMRA have published their pre-budget submission on their web-site; will SIBA’s submission be made
freely available to the membership? CHAIR
The submission is the Industry Report. SIBA have been told by the Minister that the report is not required
at this time. This is currently understood to be an indication of there being no change.
Can we put note on website to that effect (as above)? RAMSGATE
Did the Survey show what was expected? W&E
Yes. Information will be in the journal next week.JG
2. What is the legal status of PBD and what can SIBA do to help secure the long term future of the relief?
RAMSGATE
The current position is that PBD is written into Legislation. The duty reduction is written into Primary
legislation while the rate of reduction is written into secondary legislation, which means it can be changed
without being included in the Queens Speech and therefore is the part that could be included in any
potential review.
3. In your position you have entered discussions about the future and possible modification of PBD: what
mandate did you have to do this? ANON
The SIBA council is a democratic body of 22 members which will debate and vote on all key issues on
behalf of the membership.
Recent discussions in council have moved to agree that any change such as for PBD would in principle be
opened up for further discussion with the membership.
Industry Report shows: “All Brewers up to 200,000HL should be included”
Yes –
42%
No –
37%
No answer – 21%
4. Are the Government planning any changes to PBD? Is SIBA lobbying for any change? OAKLEAF
In this budget SIBA is very optimistic that there is no move for change. SIBA is not lobbying for any
change.
16/02/2016
Page 7 of 8
Regional Meeting Minutes
5. You, the CEO and other representatives, have referred to a “review of PBD”: what body is conducting this
review? ANON
The Treasury is the natural place for the review to take place.The simplest change is a percentage
change in duty which could be slipped into the Budget. SIBA are keeping on top of this.
Does the Chancellor understand the effect of PBD? RAMSGATE
This Chancellor is more on the side of beer than the previous encumbent.
6. The members’ charter, which is the centrepiece of SIBA policy, states that any member wishing to see a
“revision in the terms of PBD” should “undertake to pursue their objectives and argue their case through
the internal and democratic processes of SIBA”. If a member ignores this and their opinions are aired in
public do you think they should resign from SIBA? NELSON
This is a complex issue. There is a benefit to being a broad church. Larger members are useful to help the
organisation look big and act big politically. It is the view that more brewers represented by SIBA the
better. Kicking someone out would not help and maybe would increase the pressure form outside.
Is there a dialogue with Adnams? FLOWERPOTS
Yes with all levels, including Andy Woods.
If you have the charter and it is ignored why have it in the first place? What is the point of the rules?
NELSON
This is considered on a case by case basis. Adnams opinion was that they had not stepped outside the
charter.
7. Why do Adnams remain SIBA members? WANTSUM
See above.
Further questions were forwarded to KB. Answers to be completed and returned to membership in due course.
16/02/2016
Page 8 of 8