Proposed changes to the constitution............

Friday 17 August 2012

 Proposed changes to the constitution............

Dear Member,
 
You should by now have received notice of the AGM at the Festival and a voting form for the proposed changes to the constitution.
 
Please can I stress the importance of having as many members as possible attend the AGM or vote by post; the main threat to these changes is apathy as only a very small percentage of the members usually cast their votes, but we need a 75% majority of those who do in order to pass these changes.
 
The full details of the new constitution have been sent to all members and can also be found on the website. I can assure everyone that having spent nearly 9 years now on the Executive Board, a change is essential if we are to move forward and build on recent successes. Even though our positions on the Executive Board will cease to exist if the motion is passed, the Board are unanimous in supporting the proposal. So in effect Turkeys are voting for Christmas !! – but we know that this is the best way forward.
 
It has been almost impossible in my time to get anything agreed on by a board of 22 or more and vested and personal interests always seem to come into it. The result is stagnation and we are still often discussing changes or new ideas first proposed years ago. A smaller board of directors will, I know, work much more effectively and be more accountable for its actions.
 
Most members of the Executive are there because they are interested in how the Sport is run, not in the business side of our association. Yet they are all currently Company Directors of BSJA Ltd and bear equal liability for all financial decisions, even though they are not involved in taking those decisions – which are the remit of the smaller Management Board. This has caused concern to many Executive members and also discouraged others from getting involved.
 
Under the new arrangements only those who are taking the financial decisions will be responsible should anything go wrong, and that is much fairer. The new Members Council will allow more people to get involved in shaping the actual Sport that we all love, and members in the regions will be better represented on that body than at present. Currently the Executive only has 3 riders on it,  but 5 show organisers for instance. On the new Council there will be equal representation of the important groups and it will be easier to feedback the members opinions and concerns.  
 
Please make sure that you cast your vote and that you ask as many other members as possible to do the same – and I hope that everyone will feel able to support these changes which will benefit our sport and its governance.
 
If anyone has any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me
 
Best wishes
 
James Loffet  
Regionally Elected BS Board member.
 

 
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