"Option to Confer"

The UK and European Championships have been selected to trial a new adjudication consultation process. The main difference in format being that the adjudicators will be allowed the "option" to confer between performances during each contest. Any conferring will be minimal and will allow each adjudicator the option to clarify any pertinent issues that may crop up during the contest. It must be stressed that any conferring that takes place will be focused on the detail of the performance, or any potential anomalies without specific reference to adjudicators individual placings. After the last band has played the adjudicators will fill in their individual placings within the normal timespan and hand over their result. The 4 individual results will be collected by the Director in charge of the arena as per normal and sent for processing by the results compilers on duty. No results will be changed at any point.

"The Consultation Process" ( this part of the pilot scheme will not affect the result already submitted)

Immediately after the contest is finished the 4 adjudicators will leave the arena.

A group consultative session (as per 2015 pilot scheme) will take place after each adjudicator has completed and handed over his or her final placings summary document. The RSPBA Director on duty shall chair the consultation procedure and have complete authority over the proceedings.

Order of procedure

Stage 1)
The piping judges will be made aware of any summary placings anomalies radically out of sync with each other.

Stage 2)
Placings in ensemble that are radically out of sync with the overall placings pattern and/or influencing the potential prize list will be highlighted to the group.

Stage 3)
Placings in drumming that are radically out of sync with the overall placings pattern and/or influencing the potential prize list will also be highlighted to the group.

The main objective of this process is educational. It facilitates each individual adjudicator with an insight into each others opinions and findings. The new 3rd copy of each critique sheet will be used by each individual adjudicator to check that the written comments and critique justify the place awarded. In the event of an anomaly the adjudicators involved should refer to the 3rd copy as a reference, with written content, terminology and vocabulary being shared within the group. This will hopefully help stimulate a process of self monitoring allowing continuous improvement and personal professional development.