A joint press statement issued by the Regional Forum of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain and Kapitol Promotions Ltd has set out the exact registration criteria bands will have to adhere to if they are to compete at the 2013 National Championships of Great Britain.

Hammer blow

In a move that would appear to signal a terminal hammer blow to Brass Band England’s hopes of continuing to run a viable rival registry service, bands in all six English regions will now have to register with Brass Band Players Ltd if they are to be eligible to compete in the 2013 National Championships.

Signed up

The Nationals will now only accept registrations from the Scottish, Welsh and Brass Band Player Ltd Registries.

4BR understands that a number of leading top ranked bands have already pledged their support and have either signed up or agreed to sign up to the new registry.

Statement

The statement reads:

“The Regional Forum of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain this week voted to amend the ‘definitions’ and ‘Rule 17 (e)’ of National Rules so that, from 1 November 2012, the ‘Accredited Registries’ of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain are: ‘Brass Band Players Ltd. for bands based in England, The Scottish Registry for bands based in Scotland and The Welsh Registry for bands based in Wales.

Bands in the six English regions of the ‘National’ series must now immediately register with the new Brass Band Players registry. English bands failing to register with Brass Band Players Ltd. will not be eligible to compete in the Regional Championships or the National Finals.”

Vote

Regional Forum Co-ordinator, Alan Hope, told 4BR: "After discussion with their respective regions, the Regional representatives of the Forum voted to amend the National Rules to make the new Brass Band Players registry the accredited registry for English bands competing in National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain."

He continued: "It is now imperative that the secretaries of English bands contact the registrar of the Brass Band Players Registry, Philip Rogers, without further delay to register in order to be able to compete in the 2013 National series."

Registry contact

4BR was informed that the Brass Band Players registry office hours are 9.30am 3.00pm weekdays. Telephone: 01269 841127. PO Box 73, Ammanford. SA18 9AP.

Email: registrar.bbp@btinternet.com

It is now imperative that the secretaries of English bands contact the registrar of the Brass Band Players Registry, Philip Rogers, without further delay to register in order to be able to compete in the 2013 National seriesAlan Hope

Costs

Alan Hope concluded: "So that bands competing in the ‘National’ series do not incur any additional cost during the first year of transferring their player registrations to the new Brass Band Players Registry, the expiry dates of existing British Brass Band Registry cards issued before 1 October 2012 will be honoured, providing they are one-year registration cards and not two-year ones."

Major problem

Meanwhile, speaking to 4BR, Philip Morris of Kapitol Promotions, which presents the British National Finals, said: "In the weeks leading to the Cheltenham 2012 National Finals, it became abundantly clear that the British Brass Band Registry had a major problem due to a dispute.

In that period, a substantial number of bands contacted Kapitol Promotions to say that they felt badly let down by the British Brass Band Registry and to suggest that we establish a new registry. After a great deal of thought, we formed the Brass Band Players Registry."

North West Area Brass Band Association

Asked about the recent decision of the North West Area Brass Band Association to remain with the British Brass Band Registry, Philip Morris added:

"I would assume that those committee members, including its General Secretary, Shirley Woodward, who are also Executive Committee members of Brass Bands England which administers the British Brass Band Registry, declared a conflict of interest in relation to the North West’s vote to remain with the British Brass Band Registry.

That would be normal protocol in any organisation. However, the North West Association’s decision has nothing to do with the ‘National’ series and the ‘National’ series has nothing to do with the North West Association.

Equally, Brass Bands England / the British Brass Band Registry has nothing to do with the ‘National’ and vice versa. With that in mind, the Regional Championships and National Finals will not be bound by the outcome of Brass Band England’s current pointless ballot of British Brass Band Registry bands."

Clarify

Philip Morris was keen to clarify the reasons why there was a need for a new, transparent and fully functional registry to be set up.

"It is also important to remember that the circumstances leading up to the formation of Brass Band Players registry were not of Kapitol’s making," he told 4BR

"The British Brass Band Registry became totally dysfunctional in the run-up to Britain’s two most important brass band contests — the British Open and the National Finals.

No one at the British Brass Band Registry communicated with the National series about what later reportedly emerged as a long-running dispute at the British Brass Band Registry."

Integrity

He continued: "The British Brass Band Registry also subsequently reported disappearance of vital registration data before the 2012 ‘Finals’. Given that the British National Championships are the biggest, most prestigious and, arguably, most important brass band competition series in the world, preservation of the continuity and integrity of the series is paramount."

Inept

Philip Morris added: "Such level-playing field integrity must include vetting valid registration for every competing player.

In the light of the complete break-down of registration service for English bands competing in the 2012 National Finals, neither the Regional Forum nor Kapitol Promotions are any longer prepared to vest the all-important registration process in the hands of the British Brass Band Registry, which I think acted ineptly and which failed to communicate about a long-running dispute that had serious ramifications for the ‘National’."

Worried bands

He added further: "As late as this Monday night, Regional Forum representatives reported that they had received calls from worried bands competing in the coming weeks that have still had not received their registration cards from the British Brass Band Registry.

Contrary to statements issued by the British Brass Band Registry that normal registration service has resumed, apparently, it has not."

Advisory body

4BR understands that Brass Band Players will set up an Advisory Body to review and modernise the current registration system, as well as to lead discussion on a range of vital topics including strengthening the level playing field of brass band contesting.

New dawn

Philip Morris concluded: "The time is well overdue for a fully representative body for English bands to influence the future development of their new Brass Band Players registry, which could provide real benefits to bands at every level, especially with regard to addressing the creation of level playing fields and areas of widespread concern, such as the current influx of foreign players.

We firmly believe Brass Band Players will herald a new dawn for the integrity of brass band competition."