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British Canoeing AGM

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 4:16 pm
by davebrads
It is worth reading this thread on the UK Rivers Guidebook forums. On the face of it British Canoeing are trying to pull a fast one to ensure that they prevent interference in their governance from their membership. Ivan Lawler is a coach from the Sprint disciplines and he is standing for President, on the one hand to prevent the above from happening, and on the other because he isn't happy with the way British Canoeing is managing his sport.

I think that Ivan is likely to represent my views than the current board and I shall be voting for him. If you feel the same I urge you to get your proxy votes in so that they will be counted.

Re: British Canoeing AGM

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 12:03 pm
by Canadian Paddler
The vote for President is not a proxy vote it is a postal vote, in advance, so like Dave I urge you to make your voice heard.

Anyone actually wanting to vote on the ECM, or the AGM, which inlcudes efforts to create a LIFE president as well as a president, can register a proxy in my name (or I suspect Dave Bradshaw's name) as long as they send me a copy os I know how to vote! Yes I am sad enough to be going to attend

Re: British Canoeing AGM

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 2:25 pm
by WindsorCC
Not sure if anyone else has had the time to actually read through the AGM/EGM papers...

I've had a nose and it doesn't seem to be quite as simple as BC making Albert Life President and removing the only post members are able to vote on.

Looking at EGM papers, and in particular item 12, it looks like they are creating a new post of Life President, which they are proposing to give to Albert, then creating a post of Honorary President, which along with the various vice presidents (there seem to be about half a dozen of those) and as with the current President role sit for a two year term, have to resign at the end of that term, but can re-stand. None of the presidents have, or seem to ever have had, voting rights. So they are able to speak at meetings to express an opinion, but decisions rest solely with the Directors.

It seems to be that at any point in the past, or future, any BC member can offer themselves up as either the Honorary President, or vice president, and then represent their area of interest at BC committee meetings?

I'm not wanting to suggest that BC have the representation thing right, I think all of us would expect as members to be able to have some say on those who are making decisions, which we can't do as Directors are appointed by the Board, not by the members. But the Life President thing doesn't seem to change that?

Unless I'm missing something...

Re: British Canoeing AGM

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 8:46 pm
by davebrads
I think you are right, I kind of assumed that Ivan had done his research. Nevertheless he has a strong personality and may stir things up a bit in the British Canoeing board meetings, which can't be a bad thing.

Re: British Canoeing AGM

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 9:27 am
by Jerry Tracey
Albert Woods certainly has a very long-standing background in slalom and white-water and an in-depth understanding of our side of the sport. I remember his name coming up repeatedly in various capacities ever since the early '70s.
I once went for an interview for a BCU job in Nottingham with Albert W on the panel (this attempt was a strange aberration on my part!). He was wearing an amazing tie with a slalom course on it running from the knot down to the tip; I found this quite a distraction, as I couldn't resist the temptation to stare at this course and try to work out how to do the gates!!

Re: British Canoeing AGM

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:35 pm
by John Sturgess
The things I do for my sport! I have spent c. 12 hours since this thread opened reading the BCU Memorandum of Association (and comparing it with the .gov.uk Model Articles of Association for Companies Limited by Guarantee - not much comparison there ... so when anyone tells you that the BCU runs the way it does because that is what is required by Company Law, they are talking through their .... 1.1 The Model Articles shall not apply to the Company but the regulations contained in the following clauses (as originally adopted or from time to time altered by Special Resolution) shall be the Articles.
I do not see any point in anybody standing as President, Vice President, or anything else. It is not just the lack of a vote, it is getting things on the agenda in the first place.
However there is an opportunity between now and the AGM in a few days' time: get one of the English Council to nominate you for one of the three Directorships reserved for England. They are the Discipline chairmen (Dave Spencer in our case) and the Regional Chairmen. There are two vacant Directorships, tho' in the case of one the incumbent is at the end of his term and standing for re-election.
Isn't it ironic that the one sort of post you can forget is that of Independent Director! Nominated by and appointed by the Directors.

Re: British Canoeing AGM

Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 12:43 pm
by John Sturgess
Losers?

My heart sank before I even got beyond the title page of the new British Canoeing strategy

Its title is 'STRONGER TOGETHER'

A slogan most recently used by Hilary Clinton's election campaign (she lost) and by the Remain Campaign in the Referendum (they lost)

In both cases they are reckoned to have lost because they patronised 'ordinary voters'. Echoes of the recent BC Annual General Meeting?