Ballot Paper Arrives

[Graham Breeze]

The sub-committee has done a great job.

...and as you will have noted from the Summary Note "All members of the sub-comittee, who best understand the issues, voted to stay affiliated".

Point made?

[FatCumbrian]

As somone whose participation is limited to occassionally turning up and paying £3 to charge across the landscape and who is fairly new to the FRA, can someone from the disaffiliation side please explain what the advantage of disaffiliation will be.

The report says the disadvantage will be about £7000 and more work for committee members. Which is quite pecise.

The advantages put forward for disaffiliation so far appear to be more vague - a desire to get rid of the bureaucracy and bad feeling for past injustice?

I read the bit in the mag and the hand out at Auld Lang Syne but what is the argument against staying affiliated and checking further down the line if problems really are in the past?

I appreciate there are some strong feelings on this and don't want to upset anyone by asking daft questions but I would like more information before using my vote.

[daz h]

err can the more experienced in these matters please explain to me why dissafiliating would revert us back to being a poor relation fringe sport

not really been around long enough to remember the bad old days before UKA
please can you explain how the fra sorted itself out then

thanks

[Graham Breeze]

err can the more experienced in these matters please explain to me why dissafiliating would revert us back to being a poor relation fringe sport

not really been around long enough to remember the bad old days before UKA
please can you explain how the fra sorted itself out then

thanks

I presume this is a reference to the greater athletics family (right up to IAAF) and so credibility, access to grants, routes into coaching, "clout", responsibility for organising eg England Internatinal Teams. Many athletics clubs have T&F, XC, Road and Fell members: all part, in the broader sense, of "athletics".

By being part of UKA the voice of fell running must be heard, say in the light of future legislation and it is better to be part of THE recognised body than some odd fringe association.

Some people will claim if the FRA disaffiliates nothing will change but that is not known; "a leap in the dark!" Certainly a few years ago when it was possible that the FRA would withdraw from organising English Teams for the World Trophy etc an alternative group was champing at the bit to take over.

The great and the good of the past including Mike Rose and I believe Dave Jones took the FRA into UKA. I have yet to see a sensible reason (I discount old grievances and bias) why we should come out.

[Penguin]

I presume this is a reference to the greater athletics family (right up to IAAF) and so credibility, access to grants, routes into coaching, "clout", responsibility for organising eg England Internatinal Teams. Many athletics clubs have T&F, XC, Road and Fell members: all part, in the broader sense, of "athletics".

By being part of UKA the voice of fell running must be heard, say in the light of future legislation and it is better to be part of THE recognised body than some odd fringe association.

Some people will claim if the FRA disaffiliates nothing will change but that is not known; "a leap in the dark!" Certainly a few years ago when it was possible that the FRA would withdraw from organising English Teams for the World Trophy etc an alternative group was champing at the bit to take over.

The great and the good of the past including Mike Rose and I believe Dave Jones took the FRA into UKA. I have yet to see a sensible reason (I discount old grievances and bias) why we should come out.

true, i agree with you there GB.

[XRunner]

...and as you will have noted from the Summary Note "All members of the sub-comittee, who best understand the issues, voted to stay affiliated".

Point made?

Another point to make.

The Committee (16 members present) voted by a majority of over 2 to 1 to remain affiliated with UK Athletics...

Not all FRA members on the Executive Committee voted in favour of the ballot.

[Swoop]

Another point to make.
Not all FRA members on the Executive Committee voted in favour of the ballot.

As it says "more than 2 to 1" but does not say "3 to 1", I would have thought it must have been 11:5.
Assuming my arithmetic hasn't deteriorated since I gave up teaching!

[XRunner]

Some people will claim if the FRA disaffiliates nothing will change.

For the majority of members nothing will change if the FRA choose to disaffiliate from UKA.

Athletes will still be able to run on the hills and races will still be organised.
The Committee have a very strong vested interest in remaining affiliated to UKA as they explained in their report.

If the FRA disaffiliate from UKA then

There will be an inevitable increase in bureaucracy to manage the sport.

[Penguin]

As it says "more than 2 to 1" but does not say "3 to 1", I would have thought it must have been 11:5.
Assuming my arithmetic hasn't deteriorated since I gave up teaching!

best laugh on this thread so far

[Mud]

"All members of the sub-comittee, who best understand the issues"

And that is just specious nonsense.

The fact that they've spent lots of time on our behalf discussing the issues doesn't mean they understand them better. Or worse, for that matter.

Understanding is not the sole province of committee members...