Cycling UK Forum

John Catt

bikepacker wrote:
John Catt wrote:
bikepacker wrote:Why do we need a blogspot when we have a perfectly good forum topic going for any debate?

Personal preference. In a forum we go shooting all over the place. With a blog I can set up a page to try and deal with each issue and try and avoid going back over the same old ground.

.

Deal with each issue from whose point of view?

Mine.

John Catt

Lawrie9 wrote:I would like to see the CTC returning to its roots as a nice friendly organisation catering for solely cycle tourists and would like to see a separate pressure group set up that campaigns for everyday practical commuting type cyclists.

The only problem with this is that the "nice friendly organisation" would be probably be very small. Based on the "DA" membership of about 700 in Leicestershire and Rutland, with probably about 100 at best actively involved with the DA and other Groups, the national organisation would have about 12,000 members.

Through cycle campaigning I know of many members who have never been on a cycle tour and know nothing of the local groups, and aren't interested. These probably form the majority of the membership.

I'd also point out that if you check out the main CTC objectives (which are listed at http://witherthectc.blogspot.com/2009/1 ... ional.html ) it is apparent that "campaigning" was the prime reason for the formation of the Club.

This post may also be of interest http://witherthectc.blogspot.com/2009/1 ... ughts.html .

Whilst the organisation may need to be better focused and efficient (as do most of the organisations I have or ever have had involvement with), this is an issue regardless of whether or not the Club is a charity. Having one management structure and one set of accounts would seem to me to make it easier to improve the organisation.

John Catt

Simon L6 wrote: namely; council members have been bullied and cajoled into going along with matters they are not totally happy with. You cannot have people put under the time constraints of 15 minutes on a policy matters like this. And where then was the membership's agreement prior to this action?

If this is what you believe then you should find and campaign for others to stand for the council who will not be "bullied and cajoled". Since the Council and members subsequently approved the report and accounts, including the property transfer, the whole episode is water under the bridge.

The situation is that the bulk of the Club's assets are held by a charity, so in future they can only be used for charitable purposes. Even if the trustees chose to liquidate the trust, all the assets including the offices would have to pass to another charity with similar objectives.

John Catt

bikepacker wrote:Why do we need a blogspot when we have a perfectly good forum topic going for any debate?

Personal preference. In a forum we go shooting all over the place. With a blog I can set up a page to try and deal with each issue and try and avoid going back over the same old ground.

bikepacker wrote:Are your figures on the blogspot the same ones that could have been subjected to a high degree of creative accountancy? Or are they a new set of your own?

They are taken from the published accounts. I included the link to these so you can check my figures if you wish and read the explanations of what the expenditure related to in the accounts.

As to creative accounting, if you don't think a true and fair view of the financial position is being presented, perhaps you should propose the appointment of different auditors at the AGM. As far as I am aware there is no reason to doubt the professionalism of our current auditors.

bikepacker wrote:As you have not yet taken up your post as councillor, how do you know your submissions of what has gone on, are correct?

I don't. But but what I have stated is based on my understanding or what is in the public realm.

John Catt

Simon L6 wrote:John - if you can just itemise the member benefits that will be deemed charitable, and itemise the Trust expenditure over the last (say) three years which has been deemed charitable, and put some amounts to these items, we'll all be much the wiser....

And if you could set out the thinking behind the proposed Executive Committee, that would be helpful too.

I've attempted to deal with your questions.

Re.

itemise the member benefits that will be deemed charitable

See http://witherthectc.blogspot.com/2009/1 ... vices.html

Re.

itemise the Trust expenditure over the last (say) three years which has been deemed charitable, and put some amounts to these items

See http://witherthectc.blogspot.com/2009/1 ... r-ctc.html

Re.

And if you could set out the thinking behind the proposed Executive Committee, that would be helpful too

I'm not familiar with any detailed proposal for an Executive Committe. I have yet to attend a Board meeting and I do not become a Councillor until the new year. No doubt various options are being looked at by various members.

If the governance of the CTC is to be changed, that is the makeup and election of the Council, that will be a matter for members.

If the Council chooses to delegate to sub-committees (as it already does I understand), one of which might be described as an Executive Committee, then that falls within the remit of the Council (in the same way that most local authorities delegate power to a Cabinet with the full Council scrutinising rather than managing).

Regards,

John

John Catt

Hi All,

I'm a new Councillor and new to this forum.

Simon L6 wrote:hitherto, apart from a circular from my DA sent out to branch secretaries, there has only been one side to the argument. Articles in Cycle, pages on the website, bits on Newsnet all put the National Office view - even before the text of the special resolution has been determined, and the special resolution voted for (or against) on Council.

The 'nay' campaign, which includes current and past councillors, hasn't got going yet. That's because there's no rush. Proxy voting forms will be sent out in March, and, by that time, the 'nay' website will be up and running, and we'll be doing our level best to do a David against the Goliath that is the National Office publicity machine. In the end it's about the strength of the argument, the weight of evidence, and the trust you place in assurances. We're still amassing the evidence and attempting to simplify the argument.

So this is going to take a while to play out. Those of you interested in it now run the risk of being thoroughly bored by it by May..........but hang on in there! Together we can save the CTC!

I'm a Trustee of an a charity the BHA http://www.humanism.org.uk and can't at the moment see any major disadvantages in becoming a charity. All organisations have their politics, differences and inefficiencies. Charitable status as far as I can tell won't make any difference to these either way.

The main reason as I see it for becoming a charity is that the Charities Act 2006 increased the range of bodies that could qualify for charitable status to include those promoting amateur sport and the promotion of health whilst bringing in a requirement to demonstrate public benefit. Hence all of the CTC can now qualify rather than just a part.

I've had a go at a blog trying to assess the arguments which can be found at http://witherthectc.blogspot.com/2009/1 ... r-ctc.html.

All comments welcome. If the issues are to be debated and investigated thoroughly we need to get the debate under way.

Regards,

John Catt

Cycling UK Forum

Search found 111 matches

Re: Are we looking forward to being a membership charity?

Re: Are we looking forward to being a membership charity?

Re: Are we looking forward to being a membership charity?

Re: Are we looking forward to being a membership charity?

Re: Are we looking forward to being a membership charity?

Re: Are we looking forward to being a membership charity?