Snowsport Modernisation

An open letter to all Snowsport Scotland member clubs - 10 October 2005

Dear Friends

The issues raised by John Clayton [letter and attachment] and Tony Trayner [letter] are exceptionally important. The board and I welcome the wider debate that their emails and the proposed meeting will lead to. There will be further opportunity to discuss matters at the AGM at Ingliston on Sunday 6 November, details on this website soon.

The issue of modernisation has been under consideration for some 18 months involving representatives from a range of organisations across the UK including direct representatives of sportUK, all the home nation sports councils, National Governing Bodies (SNSC, SE, SW, NISC) SnowsportGB, Combined Services Winter Sports Association, British Association of Snowsport Instructors, British Alpine Racing Ski Clubs, Ski Club of Great Britain & British Snowboard Association.

Snowsport Scotland has been ably represented on the UK modernisation working group by John Liddell our current president & past chairman, who has considerable experience of change both within our community during the last changes involving the then BSSF and outside as a former regional council deputy chief executive. Myself, other board members and Bruce Crawford have also spent considerable time and effort in looking to the future and what would be best both for the sport as a whole and Scotland in particular.

Just some of the things which started this are;

Sportscotland changed their funding process so we lost 25k of funding for the part time team programme last year, simultaneously they increased TAP funding to athletes by £30,000 though the recipients are Scots in the British Team
Northern Ireland could no longer afford civil liability insurance
Each of the organisations including Home nations has separate registration and membership databases which overlap and have conflicting criteria, some families have 4 or 5 separate memberships which each have to be administered and pay insurance for
British Land chairman announces his impending retirement
Increasing overlap with BASI, Snowsport GB and England with various coaching requirements driven by external factors and attempting to meet the needs of our members

The process to date has been based on some guiding principles;

A review of the status quo
What is best for the sport in the future in Scotland and the UK as a whole
A new UK-wide organisation would not resemble any of the current organisations but be a new entity
No single group, region, interest or discipline should be able to dominate and each should be effectively represented in democratic manner
Each constituent group must be able to continue delivering at least the current level of provision in any changed arrangement with improvements in delivery and effectiveness being channelled to those areas not currently being delivered as best practice across the UK
Ring fenced funding streams from various sources would not be jeopardised and could continue under any new arrangement ie. Money from sportscotland would have to be spent on Scottish programmes

The steps to date have been;

Modernisation working group with a single representative given a clean slate to examine the issues
Agreement of general direction by boards of all the organisations and the relevant sports governing bodies
Meetings held UK wide in Scotland, England and Wales
Working groups to look at specific areas with representation from the organisations above
Chair's steering group with a representative from each organisation
Appointment of an external specialist Genesis Consulting (based in Glasgow) to examine the work to date and put firm proposals forward.
Establishment of an email consultation forum to widen the input beyond boards

To address some of Tony and John's concerns directly;

Sport Scotland has been supportive of the process, indeed has given £2000 grant specifically towards the costs of the consultant.
Funding by the major contributors including sport uk, sport scotland or British Land is NOT affected in any way by the proposals to date as long as they are 'ring fenced' for the agreed programmes.
Those who attended last years AGM were given a report and presentation giving as much detail as was available
The situation was updated at the last council meeting.
The proposals by Genesis are expected in the next fortnight i.e.
prior to our AGM and the next Snowsport GB congress on the 6th and 7th November respectively, this date was set to allow the fullest possible discussion at the AGM.
Once the proposals have been received, John Liddell, Bruce and myself intend to hold a series of open meetings with all clubs over the next few months, prior to this would have been premature as there were no proposals to discuss and many clubs shut up shop over the summer.
I have had no direct contact with Tony, John or any other 'concerned' snowsport club or representative which I can usually expect from a vocal and involved community.
It's no 'done deal' if it doesn't deliver tangible benefit's here in Scotland and the rest of the UK, and you the membership don't want it, it's off the table.
This has been looked at before approximately 10 years ago and foundered I understand on mistrust and threats of withdrawal of funding.
John Liddell was actively involved in the process then and now and the majority of these issues are now long dead and buried.
The board recognises the unique contribution volunteers make to the sport and wants to encourage and support further involvement. It is also recognised that these efforts have over many years built a strong sense of community and Scottish identity.
We also recognise that we are failing to allow full participation in the sport regardless of financial status, volunteers are fewer each year, costs increase while funding decreases yearly, we duplicate effort needlessly, we have less athletes able to compete on an equal footing with their peers, the regulation and management of the sport can no longer be based on anything less than a professional standard whether TD's, coaches, athletes, volunteers or staff. In short as a board we have looked into the future to protect and enhance snowsport provision here in Scotland.

To conclude, we are expecting a proposal for the future organisation of snowsports in the UK and Scotland just prior to the AGM at which a full presentation can be made and a full discussion had by all. During the winter season we expect a full and frank discussion of the proposals, adjustments and fleshing out of any areas requiring further work and if broadly supported will then be voted on at an EGM no earlier than May 2006.

I am unable to attend the meeting on the 20th, as like John I am also abroad, however those Board members who are available at this notice will I am sure wish to attend.

I look forward to seeing you all at the AGM on Sunday 6th November.

Yours Sincerely

Paul

Paul Hancock
Chair Snowsport Scotland
8a Rosebery Crescent,
Edinburgh.
EH12 5JP