LDBSA AGM Proposals

LDBSA AGM - MONDAY 15th JUNE 2026
7.30pm HYKEHAM SC

LDBSA COMMITTEE PROPOSALS - the following rule updates are made to create new interest, support and participation and we urge the membership to offer views at the AGM.

Rule 18 - Snooker

The current LDBSA Committee, (having listened to the views of the membership during the March and April 2026 Committee Meetings) propose that the league is reformed to a handicapped league of 1-2 divisions, which is totally dependent on number of entries; there would be no miss rule, the format would be 6 singles initially, with a review of the handicaps at the half way stage, adjusting players by +/-7 by a maximum of 14, from there starting handicap, unless the player is new to the league and unknown to the committee, whereby rule 5. Power of the Executive would apply. 20+ breaks would also be recorded to assist with the handicap mid-season review.

Alternative Proposal received by Chris Ellis, Vice Chairman

Proposal is a Premier League of 8 Teams (5 existing teams + top 3 teams from 1st division) with a reasonable handicap system in place.

The rest of the teams in another league, with a reasonable handicap system.

The format for the premier league is either 7 singles or 6 singles + 1 doubles.

The format for the other league is 4 singles + 2 doubles.

Rule 17 - Billiards

Additional Ruling which proposes to apply Rule 8 Baulk Line Crossing Rule from the WPBSA Billiards Rulebook:

“8. Baulk-line Crossing”

In any event where the Baulk-line Crossing Rule is applied, the cueball must cross the Baulk-line as part of a legal stroke between 80 - 100 points in every accumulation of 100 points within a break.

(a) Crossing the Baulk-line must be made into Baulk, i.e. against the smooth grain of the nap of the cloth.

(b) The cue-ball is in Baulk when it crosses the Baulk-line (resting centrally on the Baulk-line means that it has not crossed). The cue-ball does not have to return out of the Baulk.

(c) The referee must call BAULK-LINE WARNING AT 80 after completion of the stroke that took the striker’s break score to, or past, 80 points.

(d) The Baulk-line crossing must be made when the break score is within the 20 points tolerance, that is 80 to 100 points, and made during, or prior to, the stroke that takes the break score to, or past, 100 points.

(e) If the referee fails to state the Baulk-line Warning at the correct point of the break score, the cue-ball must cross the Baulk-line within 20 points of the break score at which the Warning is announced. The break score at which the next Warning is due in the break is unaffected.

(f) When the referee is satisfied that the cue-ball has crossed the Baulk-line legally, they shall call the break score and shall then call BAULK-LINE CROSSED.

(g) If the striker is playing from in-hand or from within Baulk, it is possible to make a Baulk-line crossing providing the referee is satisfied that the stroke causes the cue-ball, either fully or the greater part of it, to leave Baulk before returning to cross the Baulk-line.

And;

League Format

Maximum handicap is increased from +100 to +140.

And;

Handicaps

As part of the current handicap rule, the current ruling is that “No player shall receive a handicap lower than minus 800”.

It is proposed that this element of the rule is removed and that “There is no shelf to a players handicap,” since players entering/playing with a handicap 300 or greater, both players total target would be halved so the adjustment per week would be 5 points.

Proposal received by Chris Ellis, Vice Chairman and Dean Manders, Executive Committee Member

12 - Snooker and Billiards Leagues

As part of the Snooker and Billiards League Rule, the current ruling is that “Any teams failing to attend a match will be fined the sum of £20, points awarded to their opponents and points relevant to amount of frames played in the division deducted from their current points standing (at the discretion of the committee)”.

This proposal specifically relates to the Billiards League:

“If a team withdraws from the Billiards League, the remaining players handicaps are not affected by the withdrawal.”

And;

“If a team withdraws from the Billiards League, the points received by the teams who have played the withdrawing team are adjusted to the previous completed quarter only.”

And;

“If a team withdraws from the Billiards League, the points received by all teams in the quarter nullified.”

The reason for these proposals is that when a team has withdrawn before, the points and handicap adjustments for the completed legs, have the potential to heavily influence the league and handicap tables and this proposal is to try and maintain fairness and competitiveness for the remaining matches should this scenario occur.

The membership is reminded of Rules 6 and 7 concerning the AGM and Amendments to Rules - for the 2026 AGM, the committee opt under Rule 5. Power of the Executive, to bring forward the AGM date to June 2026, to try and increase attendance levels, for the changes proposed, which is to give more time for firming up the league divisional structures.

6 - Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting, of which six weeks’ notice should be given, shall be held in the month of July each year for the purpose of electing the Honorary Officers and the Executive Committee, the Auditors and confirm or revise the rules.

A statement of accounts showing all receipts and expenditure, duly audited, shall be rendered by the Secretary and Treasurer.

At this meeting any number of members of the club may attend but each club is only allowed one vote for its Snooker team and one vote for its Billiards team, however the Billiards vote can only be used by the clubs with a Billiards team that was entered in the League the previous season and only for Billiards business. Likewise, the Snooker vote can only be used for Snooker business if the club had a team in the League the previous season.

All clubs participating in the league shall send at least one representative to the Annual General Meeting. Failure to do so will result in a fine of £10.

7 - Amendments to Rules

These rules shall not be altered, or any new rules added, except at the Annual General Meeting. Six weeks’ notice shall be given to enable twenty eight days’ notice of any proposed alteration or new rule to be submitted to the Honorary Secretary (in writing) who shall communicate the proposed alteration to clubs forming the League with a notice convening such a General Meeting.

Where applicable, proposals to be tried out for one season in one division of the League as a pilot scheme. This division to be specified by the Executive Committee. Not to be arbitrary. Amendments to proposals can be accepted up to, and including, the night of the Annual General Meeting.

Tristan Fussey, LDBSA League Secretary, for and on behalf of the 2025/26 LDBSA COMMITTEE