Association & Club Conference 2011

[Spookster]

As announced here on the British Orienteering website:

Association & Club Conference
Saturday 15 October 2011 11:00 – 17:00
A venue in Sheffield to be determined

Notice of Meeting
A Conference of Association and Club representatives will be held on Saturday 15 October 2011 in a venue to be confirmed in Sheffield.

Invitations to attend:

• Association Representatives
• Club Representatives
• Board members

Invites extend to up to 2 members of each club and association that are chosen (by the club or association) to represent their views. Club/Association chairs or secretaries must confirm the names of delegates attending on behalf of their club or association. This will register their attendance.

Agenda
The Board would like to place the following items on the agenda:
1. Whole Sport Plan 2013/2017
2. Committee structure and membership
3. Membership & Levy proposal for the 2012 AGM
4. Articles of Association proposal for the 2012 AGM

This is an opportunity for attendees to make their association or club views known on a variety of important and strategic matters and Board members look forward to gaining insight into thinking on these matters.

Associations and Clubs are also asked to raise strategic items or issues that you would like to be added to the agenda. Any such requests should be sent for consideration to Laura Martin, Executive Officer (laura@britishorienteering.org.uk) by the end of August 2011. Whilst it may not be feasible to add all such items to the agenda, those items that are of strategic importance and are common to several requests will be added.

Further details and papers for the Conference will be circulated as soon as they are drafted and at the latest by the end of July. We are aware that this is later than we would wish to circulate papers for your consideration however timescales are short for 2011. For 2012 onwards, papers will be circulated 6 months prior to the meeting to ensure that they can be fully considered at association and club meetings.

The above provides an outline and early notice of the Club and Association conference. Further details including venue, agenda and structure of the day will follow in the coming weeks.

[Big Jon]

Good choice of date - the middle weekend of the Scottish mid term holidays! Should encourage attendance from Scottish clubs.
Maybe choosing a date that is equally accessible to all would be useful?
Or is it a ploy to reduce the attendance of the "rebellious Scots"?

[NeilC]

Good choice of date - the middle weekend of the Scottish mid term holidays! Should encourage attendance from Scottish clubs.

Why not? What do most Scots do during the mid term break?

[greywolf]

Good choice of date - the middle weekend of the Scottish mid term holidays! Should encourage attendance from Scottish clubs.
Maybe choosing a date that is equally accessible to all would be useful?
Or is it a ploy to reduce the attendance of the "rebellious Scots"?

Maybe not confusing "Aberdeenshire" with "Scotland" might help too?

Many (most?) of Scotland's pupils get only 1 weeks holiday in October - some areas like Borders & Stirling get the week before the 15th/16th, others like Glasgow & Edinburgh get the week after. Those areas that get two weeks aren't consistent either: Angus gets the first 2 weeks in October, Aberdeenshire, Highland etc get the middle two, and the Western Isles & Orkney the last two.

If you don't know this then it's hardly surprising BOF don't either... (and as Neil says, am not entirely sure why it's relevant... but of course if you want to find grievance it's always easy to do so...)

[Big Jon]

Greywolf - Its a grievance to me because we are planning a family holiday for much of those two weeks. I feel very strongly about the proposals from BOF for changes to its structure. I can't make the conference so can't present my comments.
I did obviously get dates wrong, but I am not organising a major conference that is attracting lots of strong views on its subject matter, so its not me who should take more care but BOF who should do their best to ensure the date they choose is likely to be free for most members.

[greywolf]

Jon - well I can understand why you'd be upset, but I think it's almost impossible to find a date that doesn't clash with something else.
Obv. i had no input to the choice of date but my assumption was that it was to tie in with the CSC/T final the following day just down the road; and because it's CSC/T cup final there are no other Level B events elsewhere in the country that weekend.
Which begs a question as to whether those of us from clubs who don't enter CSC/T can get a run on the sunday if we go to the conference?

[NFKleanne]

Only two representatives of each club may attend, so someone else will be able to represent Jon's views.

[70plus]

I feel very strongly about the proposals from BOF for changes to its structure. I can't make the conference so can't present my comments.

Jon - can you not submit your comments in writing, or through someone who will be going? [edit] this crossed with the above post ...

[frog]

I would have thought putting it on on a weekend with a Sat and Sun event nearby would encourage more orienteers to travel, rather than just travelling for a meeting.

[awk]

I would have thought putting it on on a weekend with a Sat and Sun event nearby would encourage more orienteers to travel, rather than just travelling for a meeting.

I'm not the greatest fan of BOF at the moment, but do feel for them on this one. Having organised major conferences, both for BOF and elsewhere, it's nigh on impossible to get a date that satisfies all, or even nearly all. For every one of the BigJon's in the world who object it to being in the middle of a school holiday, there'll be somebody else who almost certainly can't make it unless it is in the middle of a school holiday. That is also why it's a delegate conference, so that clubs and associations can find delegates for whom it's not a difficulty.
Personally, even though it's unlikely to be a viable date for me, I think the date makes a lot of sense given the limitations of the orienteering calendar.

[frog]

I still feel it's very unconstitutional and until this structure is approved by the whole membership the status quo should prevail. I still don't understand how this could be not mentioned in April and now can't wait until next April.

[Big Jon]

"I still don't understand how this could be not mentioned in April and now can't wait until next April."

Learning from totalitarian governments the world over - claim things are an emergency and need dealing with NOW or the world will crumble.

[Clive Coles]

Am I missing something ~ this surely is an attempt to consult prior to formulating proposals to be tabled at the next AGM. To label the exercise "totalitarian" and "unconstitutional" is a bit wide of the mark.

The date (or location) may be inconvenient for some individuals ~ any date runs the risk of that happening. But, at least all Clubs and Associations have received good notice and if they hold strong views on these issues they should be able to find 2 delegates to present their views. This is a delegate conference which allows clubs (and associations) across the country to have an equal say ~ probably more democratic and representative than a General Meeting.

Much as I have disagreed with what BOF has been up to in recent years I do think we need to give them credit for attempting to involve the grassroots in this exercise. Perhaps (if they listen) we might get some concensus before the next AGM votes on these issues. It is important for the future of our sport that BOF and the Clubs pull in the same direction.

[seabird]

This is a delegate conference which allows clubs (and associations) across the country to have an equal say ~ probably more democratic and representative than a General Meeting.

As democratic as the US Senate; two seats for each state - whatever the population.
Effectively this gives greater representation to the members of smaller clubs - which of course may not be problematical - and is certainly preferable to the self-selection that goes on at the AGM.

[SeanC]

In practice I suspect small clubs will be under-represented as they are more likely to struggle to find anyone to attend. Clubs within easy travelling distance of Sheffield and those in the CSC/Trophy the next day are more likely to be represented.

It's still a good idea though IMHO - and a reasonable date given the CSC the next day. MDOC regional event the next day also? Can't be that far away from Sheffield?