The SEMLA Executive Committee is fully supportive and appreciative of the tremendous efforts that the Penarth Club has made over many, many years to develop the game in Wales and the South.

The Committee is also aware that their recent decision to withdraw their team from the Premiership decision is in the best interests of the sustained development of the club.

Although the timing of the decision is to be regretted coming after the South AGM, it was decided that all efforts would be made to accommodate Penarth's request to join the West Division.

It should also be made clear that the circumstances concerning Penarth are totally exceptional and would not apply to other Clubs making late decisions in future years. All Clubs must make decisions prior to the South AGM or risk not being included in the League.

The Executive Committee has, therefore, made a unanimous decision to keep any disruption to the decisions voted on by the SEMLA clubs at the recent AGM to an absolute minimum.

Many factors had already been taken into account by the Fixture Secretary and a wholesale redesign of the structures would be a huge and unnecessary burden.

The decisions are as follows;

The Premiership will consist of 9 teams for this season, the 9th team will still play-off against the loser of the East v West decider, if the loser wishes to take this opportunity.

The Premiership schedule will remain as distributed allowing for the removal of the Penarth fixtures, the Premiership clubs will be requested to provide referees on their now vacant week either side of Christmas for other games.

The East Divisions are entirely unaffected and the fixtures remain as distributed.

All of the Flags Competitions will remain as already distributed, Penarth are still drawn to play in the preliminary round of the Senior Flags, it will not be possible to include Penarth into the Intermediate or Minor Flags this season.

The impact will be confined to the West Division where Clubs are asked to be fully supportive of both Penarth and SEMLA. The Fixture Secretary has drawn up a new set of fixtures which are included with this email. These fixtures will need to be completed prior to the fixed dates of the East v West Play-off game.

Since there has been the need to include two BUSA Tournaments, there will be no spare Saturdays should we suffer a bad winter. Therefore, we ask West clubs to consider the option of Wednesday or Sunday games or towards the end of the season the option of double point games. Jon Cooper, Fixture Secretary, will assist clubs to make arrangements.

It is not an ideal solution but I am sure that we can work together to get through the season and make better plans for next year when, with luck, we may be accepting new clubs which will allow for a split in the Division as we have in the East.

Trevor Rogers
SEMLA President