Discipline panel arrangements for Cumbria have now been changed.  The North and South panels have been combined and there is now one panel serving the whole of the county.

The chairman is:  Mike Neal of Kirkby Lonsdale, (015242 71085).  The secretary is David Morton of Carlisle (01228 515486).

Generally, the panel will meet on the first Wednesday of each month at Penrith Rugby Club at 7.30pm (business requiring). The RFU disciplinary officer must now approve people wishing to serve on the discipline panel. So far, six are approved to sit on the Cumbria Panel and there are plans for others to be accredited following a course in June/July 2006.

From 1st September 2006 no one will be allowed to serve on the Discipline Panel unless they have been approved by the RFU.  From this season only three people will sit on any particular panel together with a secretary (if the latter is not a member of the panel).   The make up of a panel for any particular meeting will reflect the need to try and avoid any undue conflict of interest.

David Morton, the panel secretary will also act as the Disciplinary secretary for all disciplinary matters involving youth and schools issues.

The accredited panel members in Cumbria are:

Mike Neal (Kirkby Lonsdale)

David Morton (Carlisle)

Nigel Rimmer (Windermere)

David Wilson (Aspatria)

Jim Thompson (formerly Cumbria Referees Society)

Trevor Braithwaite (Upper Eden).

It is anticipated that Alan Lynch (Wigton) and Richard Knowles (Kendal) will be added to the list after June/July next.

Other persons currently on the panel, but not mentioned above, can continue to serve until 31st August 2006.

If there is anyone interested in serving on the discipline panel please give David Morton a ring.

There have been a number of important changes to disciplinary procedures that came into effect on 1st September 2005.  These have been circulated to all clubs, but for anyone wanting further information, full  details of the regulations and the revisions can be found in the 2005-2006 edition of the RFU Handbook.

Please click on the links below to take you to the new documentation:

Admin fees & costs from 2005

Advice Circular

Guidelines for imposing sanctions(01112005)

Posted: December 7th 2005

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