Club Representation on EBU Board
The following will be going out shortly in an email to all clubs:
Although there is a well-respected member of the EBU board, Bev Purvis, who has responsibility for clubs, some concerns have been expressed by clubs about the lack of representation for them in the EBU organisational structure including at board level. In order to address this, it was decided at the AGM to increase the number of board members by one with the new board member being chosen by clubs to represent their interests. The intention is that the person taking up the position should be someone active in club administration who will try to represent the views and concerns of all clubs.
With over 600 clubs a process will need to be found to select the individual who will take up this position. One proposal for a process would be for each club to be allowed to propose a candidate (if they choose to) and there can then be a vote, using a single transferrable vote system unless clubs prefer otherwise. It may well be that clubs who are in contact with others will decide to propose one candidate who is likely to command support among a larger number of clubs. That process is just a suggestion and the clubs as a whole are welcome to design their own process if they prefer. The selection will be done by the clubs although EBU are available to help in whatever way is useful e.g. communications to all clubs, practicalities of voting. We suggest that a discussion start on the club forum and the email will link to this post. This will all need to take place quite quickly if someone is to be selected in time to be invited to the January board meeting.
As always please contact me if you have any questions or concerns about this or any other club related topic.
Jonathan Lillycrop
Club Liaison Officer
Email: jonathan@ebu.co.uk
Phone: 01296 317206
Comments
Excellent idea! But not an easy role to represent both large, thriving clubs and smaller clubs keeping their heads above water with difficulty.
I agree this is a good idea. However, I don't see how 600 clubs can find a process to democratically elect one person. I would be interested in this role myself - having been approached by several people suggesting I should stand. But do I have to propose myself? Do I have to campaign local clubs? Without an agreed path as to how we go forward it seems difficult to know what to do.
It is five days since this original post was made - and over 200 people appear to have read it - and yet until now there has just been one comment.
I think the Board needs to give guidance as to how to take things forward particularly if they are wanting someone in place for the meeting in January.
I know the board were keen not to be seen to be taking control of the process or imposing it on clubs, since part of the reason for the proposal is that clubs want to determine their representation for themselves. After all, there is already a board member with responsibility for clubs, but she was given that role by the board rather than by clubs.
I think one way out of this is for me to suggest a process, which others are welcome to reject, modify or otherwise improve, but which will hopefully get the discussion going.
So I'll make the suggestion that members should be able propose themselves or be proposed by clubs, bearing in mind that they "should be someone active in club administration who will try to represent the views and concerns of all clubs"; that they should be elected by our affiliated clubs with each club having one vote and using some sort of single transferrable vote system.
This forum can be used for candidates to present themselves and lay out their candidacy. We in the EBU office will be happy to help with the practicalities of the election once we get a sense of agreement among clubs about its basis.
OK, now you can all come and pull this apart and replace it with something better!
There is a group of clubs, holiday companies and other bridge related organisations that have a newsletter and a monthly zoom conference to discuss Bridge in the New Normal. The next newsletter is due this weekend and the next zoom meeting on Wednesday 16th December 2pm. If you would like to join us please find the web site on BridgeWebs called Bridge For Pleasure, click on New Normal, then Newsletters and Conferences, and complete the form to get the newsletter. From the newsletter you can request a link to join the Zoom meeting. Choosing a director to represent clubs will certainly be discussed.
Gordon> @gordonrainsford said:
Gordon - your suggestions seem to make perfect sense. But do we first have to have a vote amongst the clubs to agree this will be the basis of how the new Board member will be elected - or should I start the ball rolling by "throwing my hat into the ring"? Disappointed in the lack of comments on this subject.
The problem, as I see it, is the problem with democratic systems generally. In order to garner support in a local election, you need to be well known (or more commonly stand under some party name).
However, f you are looking at elections on a national level, something perhaps more akin to the US presidential election, then there are 2 issues. You could be well known in the bridging world at a national level, however, this may make one appear to be 'one of the establishment' and so not really representative at a club level. Or you are relatively little known or only known to a couple of clubs, in which case can you garner enough support to gain votes from clubs that have never heard of you?
My proposal to get around this would be to have clubs propose 1 potential representative... for each club that nominates a person (a person could be nominated by multiple clubs) an entry goes into a hat - so those that have a wider impact on their bridging community may have several entries into the hat.
Then pull one out at random.
That person is then club representative for a set period of time (maybe 3 years so that there is some aspect of continuity, but that person is not entrenched). After which time, the process repeats.
A second proposal might be a council of club reps - maybe done at a county level? Those reps report into the county organisations. The county organisations then elect 1 club rep (perhaps using my semi-random method above), but have that as a mechanism for clubs around the country to feedback to the club rep, without overloading that person. Essentially clubs feedback to their county organisation, the county feeds into the a council of county reps and a report of issues/suggestions/feedback is then handed to the club rep.
That way, when the club rep raises an issue - lets say that (I don't think this which is why I am using it as an example) NGS is terrible, counterproductive and should be scrapped. It would be easy for this to be dismissed, however, if there is this feedback mechanism going back to the club rep, it would give legitimacy to that point. They can show the report and say well 40% of clubs have fed this back, or whatever.
Having said all that and whatever way it goes, it would be something that I would be interested in doing.
I don't think having a random element to it would gain support or inspire confidence. It does seem that the meeting mentioned by Nicky Bainbridge above would be well-placed and timed to come to grips with this, if lots of other club representatives or potential candidates went along to it.
So, how do we see the voting working? every club will vote for their own rep...
Then is goes to alternative votes... presumably, everyone that is only voted for by 1 club is dismissed and we look at those voted for by 2 or more clubs, looking at the alternative votes and cut the list of possibilities further until just one person is left?
How can a club genuinely or meaningfully vote for someone that they do not know?
Not all clubs will have a candidate. Many candidates will be known by a number of clubs in their area. Candidates will be able set out their background, experience and intentions here or elsewhere so that clubs can make a meaningful decision..
Good afternoon Gordon
I fully agree that the process should be as you suggested with any club that wishes to being able to propose a candidate and the each club having the opportunity to vote based on the CV the candidates each put forward. I do not, however, think this should be done through the forum as I am sure there are many club members and indeed club officers, who do not look at the forum on a regular basis. Could the CVs be sent out to club secretaries or to club secretaries via the county secretaries with a deadline for them to vote. What I would like to see is this moved forward quickly. The EBU, at the AGM, raised the expectation of clubs that there would be somebody appointed who they felt represented them and this was done on the basis of feed back from the clubs. I feel it is now essential that this appointment is made without delay and with each club having an open vote. It would mean setting a deadline for nominations and a deadline for voting - I would suggest 2 weeks for each would be reasonable given this has already been raised with clubs. I am not sure whether you would be able to set up the vote electronically to save EBU staff having to collate the votes but if you cannot I would be very willing to help out with the count or even take responsibility for it as I know you are working on reduced staff numbers.
Sue Phillips
The following email was yesterday sent to all clubs:
This email follows on from my email of 3 December with regards to a new board position for a club representative. Based on discussions on the club forum and elsewhere the feedback we have received is that the EBU should define the process for the clubs to elect an individual for the new position. The process will therefore be as follows. This is a tight timeline but that is in order to allow the new official to be chosen in time for the board meeting on 12 January 2021.
Each club can propose one candidate if they choose to. Please send details of the candidate to Jonathan Lillycrop by 1700 on Monday 4 January 2021. The details should include the name and a brief biography of the proposed candidate remembering that it should be someone active in club administration who will try to represent the views and concerns of all clubs.
The biographies of all candidates will be sent out by email to all clubs on Tuesday 5 January and each club will have a single transferable vote. Details of how the voting will be done will be provided at the time. Voting will close at 1200 on Friday 8 January and the person who has been elected will then be announced.
Let me take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and hopefully 2021 will be a better and more normal year!
Regards,
Jonathan Lillycrop
Club Liaison Officer
Email: jonathan@ebu.co.uk
Phone: 01296 317206