Board Meeting Summary

Meeting Date: Wednesday 18th April 2007

Budget 2007/08 and Financial Forecasts to 2009/10

The HBLB Board approved its 2007/08 Budget and Financial Forecasts to 2009/10 for planning purposes.


Fixtures Incentive Scheme 2008

The HBLB Board approved the 2008 Fixtures Incentive Scheme within an allocation of £6.026m, compared to £5.85m in 2007. The Flat and NH Turf payments have been increased by approximately 3% across the board.


National Joint Pitch Council: Annual Report

The NJPC Chairman made a presentation to the HBLB Board on the Council's key activities in 2006 and related matters. The NJPC's Annual Report will be published shortly and will be accessible on the NJPC website.


'New Threats, New Solutions' Research Project at HFL Ltd

The HBLB is supporting a three-year research project at HFL which is addressing the threat to the integrity of racing, posed by the advent of gene transfer technologies, recombinant proteins and 'designer' drugs, through the development of indirect detection methodology. Grants for the project are renewable annually, subject assessment by an independent scientific Review Panel.

Grants of £289,884 and £285,784 were approved in 2005 and 2006 to support the first two years of the project. Following confirmation by the Review Panel that the work is progressing satisfactorily, the HBLB Board approved a grant for the third and final year in 2007/08 of £290,879.