The British Speedway Promoters Association held a special meeting on Monday January 18th to consider changes in the membership of the two Leagues.

Since the original meeting, Belle Vue had been accepted back into the Elite League and Kings Lynn moved into the Premier league to take their place. Rumours that Peterborough and Ipswich were consdering following their East Anglia rivals into the Premier league continued.

Swindon foud that they were unable to recruite an Elite League team within the pay guidelines and decided to go for the Premier league or not run in 1999. This move was resisted to prevent the collapse of the already shaky Elite League.

Today it was announced that Swindon were joining the Premier League but that Kings Lynn had opted to go back to the Elite League. This preserves the numbers at 10 for the Elite League and 13 for the Premier League and avoids the problems of recasting the fixture pattern for the two Leagues.

Current membership as of Monday 18th January (but who know's what will happen next week!) is as follows:
 

Elite League Belle Vue Coventry Eastbourne Hull Ipswich Kings Lynn Oxford Peterborough Poole Wolverhampton

Premier League Arena Essex Berwick Edinburgh Exeter Glasgow Isle of Wight Newcastle Newport Reading Sheffield Stoke Swindon Workington

The points limits remain as previously agreed at 40 points for the Elite League and 41 points for the Premier league both for seven man teams.

Hopefully with the uncertainty removed this will free up the logjam for team building.

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