RSPBA Give Green Light to Adjudicator Consultation

The following proposals were recommended by the Board of Directors and approved at the RSPBA’s AGM: 

Critique sheet moving from duplicate to triplicate form – this means the judges can retain a copy for their own use during a competition the other two copies handed over to Association officials.

Two major championships, the Europeans at Forres and the UK in Belfast, will pilot a scheme whereby judges have the option to confer during a contest ‘where it is deemed appropriate and conducive to the adjudication process. e.g. dealing with performance anomalies, unexpected incident, clarify any pertinent instrument or performer issues or a build-up of multiple performances evident of a similar standard in the lower half of the assessment spectrum.

‘Generally this option should be exercised between judges adjudicating the same discipline. It should only be exercised as an OPTIONAL extension to the current recognised adjudicator duties and adjudicators should not lose sight of the requirement of the panel delivering an individual result from each adjudicator in his or her nominated discipline.’

Arguing in favour of the change, Adjudicator Panel Secretary Robert Mathieson said: ‘Our intention is to bring a better product to the bands. We believe this pilot will help us do just that. Any consultation under the new pilot will take place after an adjudicator has submitted his/her result. No consultation will take place during a performance.’

The vote for the 2016 change was approved 34 – 6 at today’s RSPBA AGM held in Glasgow. The photograph shows band delegates voting on this issue.