Then why bother affiliating to ARC or even being a member of a Club?
While I agree with you that most runners just want a good race, some form of organisation is required in order to ensure that the abuses perpetrated by a few people (whether athletes, promoters or administrators) do not spoil the event for the majority of people.
I also believe that higher levels of competition at National and International level are important for the sport and this needs to be managed, developed and funded.
It is highly unlikely that small organisations will bother with many aspects the sport, apart from their own self-interest, and one should question the real motives and reasons for setting up such groups.