CLUBS in the Dales Council League have voted out an increase in umpires’ fees.

There was a proposal from the Dales Council Umpires’ Association, seconded by league annual meeting hosts Pudsey Congs, to raise payments but it only received eight votes in favour and 10 against.

Had it gone through then an umpire with a colleague in attendance would have been paid £50 each instead of £40, or if only one umpire was in attendance they would have been paid £70 instead of £60.

For games where an umpire travels but no play occurs the fee would be £18 each for two umpires or £36 for one, rather than £15 and £15.

This was not the only proposed rule change to be blocked, with Cookridge’s proposal to limit a bowler to a fifth of the allotted overs below the top division falling 10-7.

Among rule changes going through were forming a league sub-committee to look at proposed rule changes (passed 17-0).

Visiting clubs that forfeit cup matches will now have to reimburse the home team for any expensed incurred and pay the umpires in full (passed 18-0), while the number of overs in divisions C and D will be reduced from 45 to 40 (passed 14-2).