Club Management Training Resource Pack January 2011 This pack was written in January 2011 and, to the best of our knowledge, was correct at that date. It is designed to give an overview of and advice on club management, but it should not be seen as the only way to manage a club. We hope that this publication will help club officers and committees to develop their own techniques and practices to suit their club’s circumstances. Gender: All references in the text to “he/him/his” shall mean “she/her/hers” where applicable. Diana King Development Committee Chairman January 2011 Club Management Training Resource Pack CONTENTS PRINCIPLES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE....................................................................5 CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS....................................................................................5 Club Structure and Governing Document .................................................................5 Legal Requirements .................................................................................................6 Democratic Requirements ........................................................................................6 Limited liability protection .........................................................................................6 Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) ................................................................7 Directors...................................................................................................................7 GENERAL MEETINGS ................................................................................................9 Calling the meeting ..................................................................................................9 Circulating papers for the AGM ..............................................................................10 Committee elections...............................................................................................10 Other preparations and holding the meeting...........................................................10 Follow-up ...............................................................................................................11 THE COMMITTEE .....................................................................................................12 Committee Structure ..............................................................................................12 Committee Members..............................................................................................12 Appointment or election of committee members.....................................................12 Committee Processes ............................................................................................13 Committee Agendas...............................................................................................13 Effective minutes....................................................................................................15 Committee Proceedings .........................................................................................17 Committee Paperwork............................................................................................17 Committee Roles....................................................................................................17 Essential Tasks ......................................................................................................18 MANAGING VOLUNTEERS ......................................................................................19 Strategies for responsible volunteer management..................................................19 MANAGING THE FINANCES ....................................................................................21 Committee responsibility ........................................................................................21 General Financial Principles...................................................................................21 Financial and budgetary planning...........................................................................21 Financial Control ....................................................................................................22 Software.................................................................................................................23 Longer term planning .............................................................................................23 BGA Club Management Training 2011 2 Club Management Training Resource Pack PUBLICITY, PR, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS .............................................24 Importance of Communication................................................................................24 The Audience.........................................................................................................24 The Message .........................................................................................................25 The Medium ...........................................................................................................26 Listening for messages ..........................................................................................27 STRATEGIC PLANNING ...........................................................................................28 Simple Rules of strategic planning .........................................................................28 Strategic Plan.........................................................................................................28 Business Plan ........................................................................................................28 Sports Development Plan.......................................................................................28 When to prepare Plans...........................................................................................29 Process of creating Plans and who should be involved ..........................................29 INSURANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT..................................................................31 Insurance ...............................................................................................................31 Risk Management ..................................................................................................32 SOURCES OF ADVICE AND INFORMATION...........................................................33 Courses..................................................................................................................33 Pamphlets and other documents............................................................................33 Consultation with BGA and other experts ...............................................................33 EXTERNAL REQUIREMENTS & LEGISLATION.......................................................36 Child Protection and Protection of Vulnerable Adults..............................................36 Data protection.......................................................................................................36 Employment law.....................................................................................................36 Disability Discrimination and Equal opportunities ...................................................36 Health and Safety...................................................................................................37 Music licensing.......................................................................................................37 Licensing Act..........................................................................................................37 APPENDIX 1 – GOVERNANCE ................................................................................39 The Governing Document ......................................................................................39 Model Declaration for Fit and Proper Persons........................................................42 Committee on Standards in Public Life...................................................................44 APPENDIX 2 – GENERAL MEETINGS .....................................................................45 Sample Preliminary notice of AGM.........................................................................45 Sample AGM Agenda.............................................................................................46 Sample EGM Agenda and supporting papers ........................................................47 Form Of Proxy........................................................................................................49 BGA Club Management Training 2011 3 Club Management Training Resource Pack Extraordinary General Meeting...............................................................................49 APPENDIX 3 – COMMITTEES ..................................................................................50 Group Dynamics ....................................................................................................50 Characteristics of Team Members..........................................................................52 Role Descriptions ...................................................................................................53 Sample Agenda......................................................................................................55 Sample Minutes .....................................................................................................56 Sample Action List .................................................................................................58 Evaluating Meetings...............................................................................................59 Examples of tasks required to be done and suitable volunteers to take responsibility ...............................................................................................................................60 APPENDIX 4 - SOURCES OF ADVICE AND INFORMATION...................................62 Development Officers Regional and Clubs responsibilities.....................................62 Planning and Environment Fund ............................................................................63 BGA Club Management Training 2011 4 Club Management Training Resource Pack PRINCIPLES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE Good governance in the context of a gliding club can be defined as the proper management of the club’s business, so that • legal, financial, democratic and safety requirements are complied with; • the members are kept fully informed and have the opportunity to debate plans and proposals made by the committee; • everything is properly documented and the necessary records are retained for the benefit of members and of subsequent club officers; • appropriate professional advice is sought when necessary. Good governance, i.e. properly organised club management, should enable the club members and officers to achieve their work more easily and effectively and should also result in all the members enjoying more extensive opportunities and facilities and better value for their money and time. CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS Club Structure and Governing Document Any club needs a clear framework of rules and procedures within which to operate. This is provided by the governing document, which governs the structure and management of the club. A club may be registered as a society, with the Industrial and Provident Society (under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965), or as a company limited by guarantee with Companies House (under the Companies Acts). Both options can provide limited liability protection for the Club’s officers and members. In either case, the governing document will be a Memorandum and Articles of Association (or in more recently constituted clubs, simply Articles of Association, which incorporate the previous contents of the Memorandum). If the club is not constituted as a company, the relevant document is the Constitution. In this case it is necessary to protect the members from liability by taking out appropriate insurance. The major items in the governing document are normally • The objects (or aims and objectives) of the Club • The membership structure, including admission and expulsion of members • Convening and proceedings at General meetings • Election of committee members and the functioning of the committee See Appendix 1 for more details. The Committee, particularly the Club Secretary, should be familiar with the major provisions of the governing document, as these govern how the club is to be managed and what the Committee is entitled to do. Club members should also be encouraged to understand the contents of the document. The proceedings of the committee and the club in general should be in accordance with the terms of the governing document. Any action taken in contravention of these terms is technically outside the authority of the committee or the individual taking the action BGA Club Management Training 2011 5 Club Management Training Resource Pack and they could be held personally liable for the cost or consequences of such an action. Changes to the contents of the governing document can only normally be made as a result of a majority decision of the membership, either at an AGM or at an Extraordinary General Meeting. A copy of the Club’s governing document is usually an essential item when applying for external funding, such as a Lottery grant, or for borrowing. The document must include sections which are acceptable to funding agencies, e.g. that membership is open to all. Legal Requirements A club registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act is listed at Companies House but is regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Clubs registered under the Companies Acts are registered and regulated by Companies House. The legal and administrative requirements are similar in both cases. The principal requirements are: • The Annual Return must be filed with the appropriate regulator within 28 days after the anniversary of the so-called ‘made-up date’, which is usually the anniversary of the company’s incorporation, or the made-up date of the previous annual return • The Annual Accounts must be filed with the appropriate regulator within 9 months of the Company’s financial year end • The details of the Club’s Directors (usually the Committee members) and Secretary must be registered with the appropriate regulator, and retiring Directors’ names should be removed from the register. Failure to comply with these requirements carries the risk of significant fines. Democratic Requirements The Committee should have the full support of the members and should not act outside the membership’s authority or against their corporate interest. The Committee should be accountable to the membership. This is achieved by making information on committee plans and decisions readily available to the members in the form of minutes, accounts, financial reports and major proposals. The authority of the members should always be obtained for major policy and strategic decisions. Limited liability protection Members are not always keen to accept responsibility or office in a club. This is particularly so if the officer or director might be held personally and financially liable in the event of business failure resulting from a major uninsured loss or third party claim. Setting the club up as a Company Limited by Guarantee provides protection for the individual members from debts and damages incurred by the club. In the event of a large claim against the club (for instance in the case of an under- or uninsured loss), a large error of judgement, defaulting on a loan or similar, the members as a group are financially liable. However, the Memorandum of Association provides that the personal liability of each member is limited, usually to £1. There are some exceptions to this protection: • If any management ‘errors’ involve any criminal activity, those responsible for the errors may be prosecuted and the limited liability protection will not apply. • Following a number of fatal accidents in other sports and activities, it is possible BGA Club Management Training 2011 6 Club Management Training Resource Pack for individuals to be prosecuted for criminal negligence if someone is fatally or seriously injured. However, adherence to normal Rules and Recommended Practices should protect clubs and their members from this risk. • Members (particularly committee members and officers) can be held personally liable to pay if they have acted outside their normal authority as set out in the Club’s governing document and have incurred debts or liabilities. A club which is not incorporated as a company (under either form of regulation) does not benefit from limited liability protection and it is important to obtain suitable insurance to protect the club members and officers in the case of claims against the club. Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) A club registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a CASC benefits from significant tax and other advantages. The club must be constituted in a way that is acceptable to local and national funding bodies and HM Revenue and Customs. Significant rules include a dissolution clause in a particular form and the membership should also enjoy equality of opportunity and be open to all. CASC status does not affect the underlying structure and legal status of the club; it is an additional feature to the club’s fundamental structure. For the purposes of Gift Aid, CASCs are also now required to satisfy HMRC that any person with day-to-day control over the finances of a CASC, along with trustees, directors and board members, has no history of tax fraud or financial impropriety. This is achieved by applying a Fit and Proper Persons Test to managers of all CASCs. The CASC must be able to show they have given proper consideration to the appointment of managers especially where they influence or control financial or tax matters. HMRC have provided a template declaration form which can be used for managers, directors and trustees appointed after 5 April 2010. This, along with further guidance and a basic guide for those being asked to fill in the form, is available on the HMRC website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/guidance-notes/chapter2/fp-personstest.htm. The declaration form is included at Appendix 1. Directors Who should be Directors As the Committee members are the people taking policy decisions and responsibility for the finances of the club, it makes sense in a limited company for all Committee members to be directors of the company. Any Committee members who are not officially directors might in any case be considered to be ‘shadow directors’. A shadow director is an individual who, while not listed as a director, is seen to have responsibility and authority for the club’s management and finances. He may therefore be held liable in the case of problems, to the same extent as named directors. Principles to observe in appointing Directors or Committee members The Committee on Standards in Public Life (the Nolan Committee) set out seven principles which should be observed by people holding office in public or voluntary organisations. These principles are • Selflessness • Integrity • Objectivity • Accountability BGA Club Management Training 2011 7 Club Management Training Resource Pack • Openness • Honesty • Leadership More details of the implications of these standards can be found in Appendix 1. BGA Club Management Training 2011 8 Club Management Training Resource Pack GENERAL MEETINGS A properly organised and well run General Meeting should be an enjoyable, interesting and useful occasion for all the members, including the Club Chairman, Secretary and other office holders. Conversely a meeting which has been inadequately organised, where the office holders are not well prepared with the facts and procedures at their fingertips and where the Chairman and others do not know how to run a meeting effectively, can be worrying for the office holders, boring for the members and may not achieve the results intended and needed. There are two main types of General Meeting: Annual General Meeting (AGM) – a legal requirement for most organisations, this meeting is held each year to review the club’s operations and finances and to elect the committee for the next year; Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) – a meeting held only when required to pass some unusual or urgent business that cannot wait until the AGM. A club which is a company limited by guarantee must hold its first AGM within 18 months of incorporation and, subsequently, not more than 15 months should elapse between each AGM. Company business at an AGM will be defined either as Ordinary Business or Special Business. Ordinary business to be carried out at AGMs is normally prescribed in the governing document and generally includes • A report by the Committee on the year’s activities • Approval of the accounts for the previous financial year • Election of Committee members and officers for the next year • Appointment of the auditor or independent examiner of the accounts Ordinary business requires an ordinary resolution, with 21 days’ notice for an AGM, and needs a simple majority of the votes cast, i.e. more than half the votes. Special business is any business other than the ordinary business and, depending on the governing document, may require a larger majority to approve a resolution. Special business would include, for example, changing the terms of the club’s constitution, adopting a new strategy or making some other significant change to the workings of the club. Many clubs also use the AGM as an opportunity to hold a general and open discussion on any matters which the Committee or the members wish to raise. The business carried out at an EGM has to be specified in the notice calling the meeting and no other business can be dealt with at the meeting. The club’s governing document should specify the timescales required for each phase of the process leading up to the meeting and these should be carefully observed. Calling the meeting The starting point for your AGM is to consult the club’s governing document. In addition to the amount of notice required for calling a General Meeting, this document should also specify who is entitled to call one. For an AGM, the preliminary calling notice will generally include an invitation to nominate candidates for the Committee, with details of BGA Club Management Training 2011 9 Club Management Training Resource Pack how this is to be done and the timescales for nominations to be received. Circulating papers for the AGM At the appropriate time, usually 21 days before the meeting, the relevant papers have to be circulated to all the members, the directors (if any of them are not members) and the auditors. It is normally required that papers be circulated by post, but with the consent of the members it is becoming more common for email circulation to be permitted. Remember that the notice period is from the time club members receive papers, not from the date which they were sent out Papers to be circulated include: • Agenda • Minutes of the last General Meeting • Financial reports and accounts • Auditor’s or independent examiner’s report • Other written reports from the Committee or specific officers • Details of any resolutions which are to be considered at the meeting • Names of members standing for Committee, ideally with a brief resumé of their background and reasons for standing • If permitted by the governing document, a proxy form to enable people who cannot attend to nominate someone to vote on their behalf. Agenda The agenda should include the following information: • Date/time and place of the meeting. • A statement that it is an AGM. • The exact wording of any special or extraordinary resolution and a statement making the nature of the resolutions clear. • Exact wording or general explanation of ordinary resolutions. • Details of postal voting (if allowed), proxy voting (if allowed) and a deadline for submitting a proxy form. • Any members’ resolutions that have been properly requisitioned according to your governing document. Sample agendas are included at Appendix 2. Committee elections The run-up to the AGM is a good time to review the Committee members, to establish who wishes to continue in office and who wishes to stand down and to look for new Committee members. More detail on this is in the next section. Other preparations and holding the meeting The meeting should be held in a location which provides sufficient space for all the members, where it is easy for everyone to see and hear the proceedings. All the relevant officers should be prepared to present their reports and to answer questions. BGA Club Management Training 2011 10 Club Management Training Resource Pack The club secretary should have a copy of the club’s governing document to hand in case of any question or dispute over the rules. The meeting itself is less daunting for the Chairman, Secretary and other officers, if all the preparations have been properly done in the right timescale before the meeting. Good preparation should minimise the possibility of challenges from the members and uncertainty about the procedures to be followed. It can be reassuring to have a brief informal discussion before the meeting, among the key officers and anyone presenting reports, to make sure that all the information is to hand and that the preparations are complete. If there are Committee elections, a paper ballot is normally the preferred method of voting. Sufficient ballot papers for the expected attendance must therefore be prepared in advance. At the meeting, scrutineers must be appointed to oversee and count the votes; it is usual to appoint two senior and trusted members to undertake this task. It is normal for other votes to be decided by a show of hands, but there is usually provision in the governing document for a member to request a poll or paper ballot. Follow-up The Minutes taken during the meeting should be circulated to members within a reasonable time after the meeting or displayed on the club notice board and on the website. A password protected members-only section is useful for such purposes. Any actions required as a result of formal proposals or informal discussions should be followed up. One way to ensure that this is done is for the Club Secretary to take responsibility for bringing the topics to the next Committee meeting for a decision on how to proceed with the next stage on each topic. Audited Accounts and the details of new Directors should be supplied to Companies House promptly after the meeting. BGA Club Management Training 2011 11 Club Management Training Resource Pack THE COMMITTEE An effective and well-run Committee can make a great deal of difference to the success of any organisation and gliding clubs are no exception. As with general meetings, a Committee which is well led, which understands its role and agenda and which encourages and attracts capable people to join it, is likely to be more rewarding for all concerned as well as more successful in getting the work done. Committee Structure The governing document should specify • the size of the committee • the length of time that individuals can serve • specific roles and positions • the process required to elect, appoint of co-opt committee members • the voting structure within the committee • any special procedures required for the contact of business It is not necessary to have a large committee to get everything done, provided that the committee members are good communicators and able to liaise and work well with noncommittee members who are carrying out some of the roles. There should be a simple but effective process of reporting so that the committee is kept informed about ongoing work. Committee Members It is useful for the club chairman and committee as a whole to take an active role in recruiting new committee members. Ideally, they identify what type of person is needed to fill a gap and they look for someone who best meets the requirement. This is partly a matter of looking, for example, for an accountant who could become the treasurer or someone with knowledge of building to take responsibility for the club’s buildings. A broader way to consider this task is also to consider the nature of people already on the committee and look for people with different characteristics in order to create a balanced group which can address a wide range of circumstances. A committee may include, among others, a strong leader, a creative individual, an efficient and effective administrator, someone able to develop and hone ideas and someone else capable of implementing them. If the individuals in such a group are able to ‘play to their strengths’ the committee is likely to achieve more than a group of people who are all rather similar in their outlook or if the individual members are not encouraged to use their natural instincts and abilities. There is more about this concept at Appendix 3. It is of course sometimes difficult to find enough people to serve on the committee at all, without creating additional constraints. However, even with the people you have, you should aim to identify the strengths and weaknesses of individuals, their preferred working method and the areas where they can be most effective. Try to position people in roles where their personality as well as their knowledge can be used to best effect. Appointment or election of committee members The process for appointing or electing committee members will be in the governing document. Invitations to nominate Committee members should be circulated to all members in good time before the constitutional deadline. It is usual to require a written BGA Club Management Training 2011 12 Club Management Training Resource Pack nomination with confirmation in writing from the nominee that they are willing to stand. This is the normal process for those standing for the first time; some governing documents provide that those who have to stand down but are eligible for re-election are not required to be formally nominated in this way, provided that they have confirmed their willingness to continue. It is good practice, though not often included in the governing document, to ask the nominees to provide a brief note of their background and relevant knowledge and experience, plus their reasons for standing for election. This ensures that newer members, who may not know all the other members, can make an informed decision. It may also reveal hidden talents among the nominees. Committee Processes It is common for people running voluntary organisations to think that, because they are volunteers, they should not be required to work in a business-like fashion. However, by using a normal business approach to your work and meetings, you are likely to achieve more and in less time, thus freeing you to go and do more flying. An ideal set-up for committee operations should look something like this: • meetings are scheduled well in advance, generally at a regular date, time and place and as far as possible at times to suit the maximum number of committee members; • the secretary invites agenda items from committee members and other key people in good time before the meeting and then discusses a draft agenda with the chairman; • the secretary obtains written reports from committee members with responsibility for particular work; • the secretary circulates the agenda and other papers and reports in good time, bearing in mind that all the members have other commitments and will need time to get around to reading the committee papers; • the meeting itself starts on time and ideally a closing time is specified or agreed; • the chairman considers in advance how much time needs to be given to each item on the agenda and manages the debate so that an appropriate amount of time is given to each topic; • at the end of each discussion, it is clear what decision has been made and who is responsible for any further action; the minutes clearly reflect these decisions and action points; • minutes are circulated to all committee members within a reasonable time – say a week - and are published on the club’s notice board or website once they are approved by the committee. Committee Agendas A well thought-out agenda will help the committee to get through the business in the most effective way and in the shortest possible time. Planning the agenda Check with all the key people who might have something to put on the agenda. Make it clear to everyone how to get their items on the agenda and who to contact. Produce a pro forma for this purpose. BGA Club Management Training 2011 13 Club Management Training Resource Pack Go through the minutes of the last two or three meetings to find any items that need to be put forward or reviewed as agenda items in their own right. Keep ‘Matters Arising’ for items requiring brief and straightforward feedback. Check the club’s strategic and business plans and annual calendar to find out whether this meeting has to deal with any recurrent business such as financial reports, the AGM or particular flying events. Prepare papers needed for agenda items and get them ready for circulation. Make it clear on the agenda if papers are being sent out or are to be tabled. Send the agenda out sufficiently in advance as a means of reminding people of the meeting and giving them time to prepare for it. Ordering the agenda Put the agenda items in a logical order. For example, decisions to spend money should not come before the financial report. Put the agenda items in a helpful order and one that suits your committee. This usually means that substantial items are dealt with first and quick ones later. Alternatively, it can be helpful to alternate big and small items. Meeting information The agenda should contain: • The name of your club and the committee or group. • The day and date of the meeting. • The starting time (and ideally, the finishing time too). • Venue details, if necessary including room number, travel instructions by car, details of public transport and information about car parking. • Details about access and facilities for people with disabilities if required. • Details of catering or other relevant services. Agenda items It should start with the necessary openers: • Apologies for absence. • Welcome, and introduction of guests. • Agenda review (very brief overview of the purpose of this meeting and/or the main items to be discussed). • Minutes of the previous meeting (to agree whether they are a true record). • Correspondence information (if it is felt to be appropriate). • Matters arising from the minutes which are not included elsewhere on the agenda. Major items of business should follow: • Give enough information for people to know what the items are about – a single word or phrase is rarely enough information. • Indicate who will introduce each item (make sure they know in advance!). • Specify the purpose of each item. For example, to report, for discussion, to BGA Club Management Training 2011 14 Club Management Training Resource Pack approve something such as the minutes of the last meeting, to decide a course of action. • Indicate whether papers have been sent previously, or will be available at the meeting. • Indicate how much time has been allocated to the item, if this works for your committee. The final items on the agenda will be: • Date, time and venue for next meeting as the second last item. • Any Other Business as the last item. As a general rule items taken under AOB should be genuinely urgent or brief and for information only, and the chairman should be consulted before including them. A sample agenda is at Appendix 3. Effective minutes Having a clear record of your committee meetings is important because they are: • An agreed record of the decisions made by a meeting. They have legal status as documentary proof that decisions were made and in the right way. • A reminder of action that people have agreed to take, or a means of checking whether an agreed action has been taken. • A source of information for people who were not at the meeting. Role of the minute taker As well as producing a record of the meetings, normally the minute taker also has to: • Be well prepared for the meeting – for example, know the agenda, bring the minutes of the last meeting for signing as a true record, record attendance at the meeting and organise travel expense forms. • Know the club’s constitution and standing orders, e.g., to be aware of when a meeting is quorate. • Plan ahead, e.g. a schedule of future meetings. • Liaise with the chairman and develop a good working relationship with him. Taking the minutes Taking the minutes is normally done in two parts – taking notes during the meeting followed by writing up the minutes in a finished form after the meeting. Helpful tips to taking good minutes include: • Listen more than you write! Follow the meaning not just the words. • Summarise - practise listening for between 5 and 10 minutes and then writing a 30 word summary of the discussion so far in 60 seconds. • Use a pro-forma that you can slot your notes into. • Use symbols and abbreviations of your own. • Use a star or red pen to note action points. • Do not hesitate to check that you have understood the points being made! BGA Club Management Training 2011 15 Club Management Training Resource Pack When writing up the finished minutes • Remember the ABC of minute writing – be Accurate, Brief and Clear. • If you need to use jargon, give an explanation. • Write in short sentences and adopt the rule, one idea per sentence. • Keep your paragraphs reasonably short – one paragraph per topic. • Write impersonally, e.g. ‘The meeting noted the information provided’. • Use the passive case, e.g. 'It was decided‘ rather than ‘We decided’ • Use bullet points for lists. • End each minute with a decision and an action. Adopt a clear structure for writing your minutes: • Have a helpful heading, normally the same as shown on the agenda. • Set the scene – who presented and whether it involved a proposal or report. • What happened next in general terms – discussion, questions? • If it’s a report, did additional information emerge in response to questions? If it’s a proposal, summarise the arguments for and against. • What were the decisions and do the reasons for the decisions need to be recorded? • Who has to take action, what must they do and by when? What minutes need to contain • Name of the club. • Description of the meeting. • Date. • Place. • Members present. • Other people present. • Who chaired and who took minutes. • Apologies. • Corrections if any to minutes of previous meeting. • A record that minutes of previous meeting were signed as a true record (corrected if appropriate). • Matters arising. • Separate minute for each agenda item. • Date, time and place of next meeting. • Minutes of Any Other Business. A sample set of Minutes is at Appendix 3. BGA Club Management Training 2011 16 Club Management Training Resource Pack Committee Proceedings A gliding club committee does not need the formality of parliament or even the local council. However, observing some standard protocol helps to get the business done more easily. The chairman leads the committee through the agenda and announces each item in turn. If there is a report on a topic or someone responsible for the work, they should introduce the item, reporting on progress made, explaining the background to a proposal, or whatever is appropriate. The discussion can then be opened to others. The chairman is responsible for ensuring that the discussion stays relevant to the topic, that it is not repetitive and that everyone has the opportunity to contribute. He is also responsible for keeping to the timetable that has been set. At an appropriate time the discussion on each topic should be drawn to a close, with a vote being taken if needed and agreement on the action to be taken, identifying the person responsible. Committee Paperwork It is advisable and helpful for Committee members, as well as the Secretary, to keep a note book to record discussions, requests from club members and other business relevant to their role. Committee members should also file and retain any Club papers, correspondence and emails, which should be handed over to their successor in their particular role. These papers belong to the club and are not private correspondence to be kept or disposed of by the individual. This helps with continuity and also ensures that the workings of the Committee and the Club are transparent and that any transactions can be reviewed later if needed. Ideally a club policy should be adopted about the length of time to keep different categories of document, so as to comply with legislation (e.g. for financial and tax documents) and to ensure that the club’s archive and historic documents are not lost. Failing a formal policy, individuals should consider carefully before throwing away club documents. Committee Roles Clubs need to have suitably qualified people in the key roles. They do not all need to be Committee members, provided there is a mechanism for them to report to the Committee on their area of work and provided they have the necessary level of authority and delegation to fulfil their responsibilities, without constantly having to ask for guidance, approval or funding. In a large club, it should be possible for each role to be held by a separate individual. In smaller clubs, it may be necessary for one person to hold several positions concurrently. It is of course important to try to avoid overloading one individual, with the risk that they are unable to do a good job or that they become stressed and worried by the workload. The major roles are: • Chairman • Secretary • Treasurer • CFI • Safety Officer • Technical Officer BGA Club Management Training 2011 17 Club Management Training Resource Pack • Tugmaster and/or winchmaster • Site and buildings officer • MT officer • Membership secretary • Social secretary • PR, marketing and publicity officer • Newsletter editor • Child Protection officer The principal club officers are normally elected either by the membership or by the committee members. Other roles are generally appointed by the committee. Role descriptions for the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer are included at Appendix 3. Essential Tasks With a few exceptions, there are no hard and fast rules about who must carry out the essential tasks needed by the club. A table of commonly required tasks is at Appendix 3, with a suggestion of the most appropriate people to take responsibility for each one. BGA Club Management Training 2011 18 Club Management Training Resource Pack MANAGING VOLUNTEERS Within a club, we rely on members volunteering to help with the many tasks that are required to keep the club running smoothly. If you had to pay someone to do all these jobs, it would cost the club many thousands of pounds each year, making gliding far more expensive than many people could afford. Even if you cost your volunteers’ time at a conservative £10 per hour, you can see that the total financial benefit to the club is huge. It makes sense therefore to look after your volunteers, to give them clear guidance on what is needed, to treat them well and make them feel wanted and appreciated. A survey of volunteering in the UK in 2006, funded by the Home Office and Charities Aid Foundation, tracked trends over 16 years. It found that fewer people now volunteer, but those who do put in more time per person. It also discovered that seven out of ten volunteers are dissatisfied with the way their voluntary work is organised. There are many reasons for volunteering, such as: • I offered to help • To meet people, make friends • Someone asked me • To meet needs of family or friends • I started the Club • It connected me to paid work • To suit my own needs or interests • I had some spare time • To improve things, help people • I’m good at it • To meet a need in the community • To learn new skills Unfortunately, volunteering isn’t always fun, for a number of reasons: • I sometimes get bored or lose interest • Things could be much better organised • I can’t always cope with things I have been asked to do • My efforts aren’t always appreciated • I don’t get asked to do the things I would like to do, or that I can do • My help is not really wanted • It takes up too much of my time • Too much is expected of me In general, glider pilots are bright people, successful and well thought of professionally. They are often high achievers in several fields. Many of your members are willing to help others and loyal and passionate about the club. Most clubs have among their members much of the skill, experience and knowledge that they need. Strategies for responsible volunteer management Recruitment Think about what your Club does (and why), what you need voluntary help with (and why) and how a new volunteer could make a difference. Where appropriate and within reason, develop a volunteer policy and simple job descriptions for each volunteer role, so that anyone interested in volunteering can see the nature of the job required and can decide whether they are suited to it and can manage the time required. Give thought to the best way to recruit new volunteers and aim to make the opportunity appear attractive – but be realistic in your description of the role. Consider whether BGA Club Management Training 2011 19 Club Management Training Resource Pack training will be required and how you will provide it if necessary. Make time to talk and plan with volunteers and consider in advance any potential problem areas. Communication and Management Is important. Make sure that everyone knows and understands what the volunteers are doing and why. Ensure that there are opportunities for volunteers to communicate with the Committee, so that the volunteers’ views are taken into account and also so that the Committee’s needs are clearly transmitted to the volunteers. In a large club or for a substantial project it may be worth appointing a Volunteer Coordinator to provide the liaison between the Committee and the volunteer members. Recognition and reward Volunteers need to have their contribution recognised and appreciated and they also need support. As a bare minimum, saying thank you both privately and publicly is an essential part of the committee’s responsibility. Awards or trophies for contribution to the club can be useful. Where possible, the club should offer to pay a volunteer’s expenses. If the volunteer does not wish to have their expenses reimbursed and if the club is a CASC, you can invite the volunteer to claim expenses and then donate them back to the club, which can then claim Gift Aid on the donation. BGA Club Management Training 2011 20 Club Management Training Resource Pack MANAGING THE FINANCES Committee responsibility The Treasurer has the primary task of managing the club’s finances. However, the whole committee is also responsible for monitoring the financial situation, so that sensible financial decisions can be made without putting the club at risk. In clubs which are limited companies, where the committee members are also the company directors, this is a legal as well as a moral responsibility. If a company continues to trade when insolvent, the directors may become personally liable for the company’s debts, if they are unable to show that they took proper care or gave appropriate levels of attention to the company finances. In order that the committee members can keep themselves adequately informed, they should as a matter of routine request the treasurer to provide regular (say quarterly) financial reports. Management accounts, including all accruals of liabilities falling due, provide information as to the club’s technical profitability and solvency. Even if the club is solvent, it can get into trouble if sums due to the club (e.g. flying fees) remain unpaid, so that the club is unable to pay its regular suppliers, staff or other outgoings. Cashflow statements indicate the state of the bank accounts and enable the committee to check that the club is not going to run out of funds to pay the immediate bills. General Financial Principles A gliding club is not in itself intended to be a profit-making business. ‘Non-profit making’ means that no profits are removed from the organisation. It does not mean that a club cannot make a surplus that can be retained in the club for future activities. The basic aim of most clubs is to break even or to show a small cash margin at the end of the year. Thus the Club is able to provide its members with flying and facilities at cost, or at least at the lowest sustainable price. However, for a club to grow and to develop it needs to raise funds to replace damaged or worn-out equipment and to put towards new and better facilities. Unless the club resorts to short-term fund-raising every time a new project is being developed, an operating profit is essential, which means that income must exceed expenditure. A club may be able to run at a deficit for short periods if there are sufficient cash reserves, but it cannot sustain that position for many years. The other reason for planning for small surpluses is that gliding income is subject to risk. Bad weather and factors beyond the Club’s control such as the Foot and Mouth disease epidemic in 2001 can sometimes prevent flying and reduce income for substantial periods. Budgets should therefore be planned to make some surplus so that the club can survive in bad years when there may be a deficit. Financial and budgetary planning Budgets It is important to have a business plan, with a budget that reflects the contents of the plan. The budgeted and estimated income and expenditure can be checked and monitored against actual results as they occur. It is helpful in preparing a budget to consider both income and expenditure under the headings of Fixed and Variable. A budget must include non-cash items, such as depreciation. BGA Club Management Training 2011 21 Club Management Training Resource Pack Fixed costs or overheads are those items which remain unchanged, at least over the period of a financial year, irrespective of the amount of flying that the Club is able to achieve during the year. Fixed costs include such items as rent, business rates, insurance, building repairs, depreciation and routine maintenance. Variable costs are those which increase in direct proportion to the amount of flying and the number of launches. They include fuel, oil and consumable items such as cables. Similarly, fixed income items are subscriptions, rents for trailer and caravan sites, grazing sales, hangar space etc., whereas variable income is directly proportional to the volume of flying and is made up of launch fees, glider soaring time, trial lessons, income from courses, etc. A business principle adopted at many gliding clubs is that fixed costs should be met by fixed income. Thus rent, rates, insurance and site maintenance costs are covered by fixed income from subscriptions and site fees and the Club can survive at a minimum level of activity. Variable costs proportional to the number of launches and the amount of flying done need then to be covered by variable income, i.e. launch fees and soaring time. Once the fixed costs are covered by fixed income, the operating profit then becomes a simple function of number of launches and flying time. In a good season, the Club will flourish. In a bad one the Club will survive. Cash flow forecasts The Cash Flow forecast is an important aspect of financial planning, particularly in the gliding environment where income and expenditure are seasonal and the club’s bank balance may therefore suffer from substantial swings from surplus to deficit. The forecast is best achieved by working from the whole budget, considering only the cash income and cash expenditure items and noting when each item will impact the club’s bank account. Breaking down these figures on a monthly basis enables the treasurer to predict when the club’s bank account may be under pressure and to take steps to mitigate any problems. As the year proceeds, the actual cash figures can be compared with the forecast and the variances explained. This will then inform the subsequent months and also make it easier to produce more accurate forecasts in future. Financial Control Expenditure Once the Committee has agreed a budget, individual committee members and other volunteers who have some responsibility for purchases should be advised of the budget available to them. It must be made clear that they should not exceed that budget without discussing it with the treasurer and obtaining authority for additional expenditure. If necessary, guidance should be given on the detailed expenditure in any particular area to ensure compliance with the budget. Invoices should only be paid after they have been checked to make sure that the goods invoiced have been received. It may be appropriate for limits to be set on the figure of non-budgeted expenditure that the treasurer can authorise. Exceptional expenditure above this level and significant capital purchases should normally be discussed and agreed by the full committee, who should be properly briefed by the treasurer on the club’s current financial status and the future implications of the proposed expenditure. BGA Club Management Training 2011 22 Club Management Training Resource Pack Income Efficient recovery of income due is important, especially if the club plans to operate at minimal surpluses. When interest rates are at a reasonable level, keeping the maximum funds in an interest-bearing bank account helps to increase the club’s income through bank interest. Actions to take to optimise the club’s situation include: • Encourage members to keep their flying accounts in surplus; • Operate an effective credit control system to prevent members or others running up significant debts for flying fees or other facilities • Bank the money promptly • Transfer any funds not immediately needed to an interest-bearing account Software There are a number of suitable software packages available, either to deal with the basic accounting requirements or to handle gliding-specific requirements such as logging flights, maintaining information on pilots and aircraft and using that information to feed into the club’s financial systems as well as providing data for training and technical purposes. Longer term planning When planning your finances and budgeting, remember to keep an eye on the 2-5 year period as well as the immediate year ahead. You may need to build up some reserves to cater for possible rent reviews, a new tug engine, glider refinishing, winch refurbishment, fleet modernisation. If you know that you are planning a major project such as the purchase of the airfield or building a new hangar or clubhouse, you will need to give additional thought to how you will raise the exceptional funds needed. BGA Club Management Training 2011 23 Club Management Training Resource Pack PUBLICITY, PR, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Importance of Communication Communicating with your key stakeholders is vital. Having a sound communications strategy and regular comms activity will help you to promote the messages you want people to hear, whether it is good news or bad news. If you fail to communicate, people will tend to • Make up some story in order to fill the gap • Start rumours about what they think is going on • Assume the worst (especially in a bad situation such as a serious accident) • Lose interest and stop supporting the club In the opposite direction, it is important for the club committee to keep communication open so that they hear what the members and other key groups are saying and thinking. Failure to get this side of communication right can lead to: • Being unaware of members’ dissatisfaction until they throw the committee out at the AGM • Not understanding what sort of flying the members (and others) want and therefore failing to provide what is wanted • Not taking advantage of a member’s good ideas and suggestions and so missing an opportunity for a new or improved activity • Not hearing when some external threat to the club is developing, such as increases in rates, a wind turbine development close by, or new regulations coming from Europe • Being unaware of opportunities that may exist, for example for outside funding or an opportunity to promote the club at an event. Keeping a two-way flow of information going will help the club to develop and remain strong. The Audience This wide topic, of Publicity, PR etc., can be split into its constituent headings as listed in the title. It can alternatively be considered on a basis of the audience being addressed. Starting from the centre and working outwards, this audience includes: • Regular, committed and long-term members • Members who attend occasionally and fly irregularly • The families and colleagues of members • Potential or actual trial lesson and course students • Other groups and individuals within the sport (e.g. the BGA or your neighbouring clubs) • The club’s landlord and any other users of the same airfield or immediate area • Neighbours and local landowners • Local authority and local or regional sports organisations BGA Club Management Training 2011 24 Club Management Training Resource Pack • Local press, radio and TV • Local schools and youth groups and other social groups • Local businesses and organisations • Libraries and other venues where club activities can be advertised The Message The message to be promoted to your audience will depend on whom you are addressing, what you want to achieve and what you want them to hear. Publicity, PR and marketing are all essentially forms of communication, so if you get communication right you will probably be managing all the rest. Examples of the messages you may want to promote are listed below and there are many others that could be added. Regular, committed and long-term members Come and fly more often Pay your bills promptly Come to a particular club activity (AGM, flying week, party etc) Members who attend occasionally and fly Come and fly more often irregularly Tell us why you don’t come more often What could we do better? The families and colleagues of members This is what gliding is about Would you like to try it? Potential or actual trial lesson and course This is what gliding is about students Come and try it and maybe take up the sport Other groups and individuals within the sport (e.g. the BGA or your neighbouring clubs) We have a successful activity that we’d like to shout about We are having a problem and would appreciate some help Can we work together more closely? The club’s landlord and any other users of the same airfield or immediate area This is what we do and how we do it How can we work together to everyone’s advantage? Please tell us if you have any concerns Neighbours and local landowners This is what we do and how we do it (would you like to have a go?) This is how we aim to operate without inconvenience to you Please tell us if you have any concerns Local authority and local or regional sports organisations This is what we do and how we do it Our local community benefits from having a gliding club nearby BGA Club Management Training 2011 25 Club Management Training Resource Pack Local press, radio and TV Local schools and youth groups and other social groups Local businesses and organisations Libraries and other venues and events where club activities can be advertised We can help you to meet some of your targets Gliding is a wonderful sport! This is what we do and how we do it Please come and visit so that we can show you more Gliding is a wonderful sport! Would you like a go? Can we come and give you a presentation about our club? How can we help you to achieve some of your objectives for your young people? Gliding is a wonderful sport! Would a group of you like to come and have a go? Can we come and give you a presentation about our club? Would you be willing to support us with sponsorship or other support? Gliding is a wonderful sport! Please can we put up regular advertisements or leaflets at your venue? Here is a glider – come and talk to us today! The Medium With electronic communication, the opportunities and ways of communicating are extensive. Pick the right medium for the audience and the message you are promoting. • Email – regular or one-off • Letter – ditto • Newsletter - electronic or postal • Notice boards • Press release - electronic or postal • Advertisements, brochures, leaflets and posters • Feature article • Phone call • Face-to-face discussion • Meeting for a group • Website BGA Club Management Training 2011 26 Club Management Training Resource Pack Listening for messages There are various ways of picking up incoming messages; some require more active work than others and the right ones to use will depend on what you are trying to hear. Get yourself on the system for regular updates, by email or hard copy, from useful organisations or individuals. These include the BGA, other sporting organisations and sources of local news. So that you have time to do justice to the useful ones, remove yourself promptly from any that turn out to be a waste of time. Keep up to date with what is going on locally so that you are not taken by surprise when a windfarm springs up nearby or the major local employer makes half your members redundant. Be available to your members and to other people – let them see that you are approachable and willing to listen if they have a problem or a complaint. However, be firm about when you are willing to talk club business and politics. For your own flying enjoyment and for safety reasons, if you are preparing to fly, have the confidence to refuse (politely!) to discuss business. Suggest to the member that it would be better to discuss it another time and agree when that might be. The exception should be if the matter is one of flying safety or immediate flying importance. Most importantly, keep your rigging, DI and cockpit check free of distractions. ‘The cockpit should be a committee-free environment.’ Mechanics to use are similar to the outgoing communication: • Face-to-face discussion • Email – regular or one-off • Letter – ditto • Advertisements, news and articles in local papers • Local planning applications • Phone calls • Meeting for a group • Websites BGA Club Management Training 2011 27 Club Management Training Resource Pack STRATEGIC PLANNING If a club is to thrive, it is important to have a clear sense of direction and purpose. This can be formalised in a Strategic Plan which clearly sets out the Club’s aims and objectives. The means of achieving those objectives needs to be the subject of a Business Plan, both for the short-term and for the long-term (or for at least the next five years). To complement and support the Business Plan, it is sometimes necessary or helpful (especially when applying for external financial funding) to have a Sports Development Plan which will set out and monitor specific targets for sporting achievement. The purpose of the Strategic Plan is to produce an approved and agreed framework within which the Club can operate its business. It is usual for it to cover a time span of 4 to 5 years. Simple Rules of strategic planning • Think long term and avoid getting bogged down in detail. • Be seen to be leading from the front . don’t let the tail wag the dog! • Get all members involved to ensure that they see it as their strategy. Strategic Plan The contents of a Strategic Plan normally include: • A brief summary of the Club’s background and history • Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats/Constraints (SWOT/C) recognised and listed • An analysis of the possible implications of the SWOT/C, and the actions that may be indicated by some of the factors identified • The Club’s aims and objectives • Principal activities planned to achieve the aims and objectives in the medium term Business Plan Either within the Strategic Plan, or as a separate Business Plan, set out: • Closer analysis of the competitors and threats to the club and some plans for coping with them • More detail of the activities planned • Financial plans required to achieve the activities. A broad plan of income and expenditure should be prepared for a period of at least 5 years with the detailed components subject to review each year • Underlying administrative and support structure to enable the plans to be implemented Sports Development Plan A Sports Development Plan may be required by funding agencies, especially the sportbased ones. Even if not required by external agencies, it can help you to focus on what you and your members want to achieve in sporting terms. This will break down into BGA Club Management Training 2011 28 Club Management Training Resource Pack greater detail the type of activities to be undertaken in order to enable your members and others to participate, develop and excel. The Sports Development Plan can be constructed by answering some straightforward questions under each general heading of the club’s activities: • Where are we now? • Where do we want to be in four/five years’ time? • How do we propose to achieve the stated targets? • What resources are required (financial and other)? A sample Sports Development Plan is included in the Club Policies and Guidelines Pack on the BGA website at www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/clubmanagement/policies/gliding.htm. When to prepare Plans The time that you realise that you need a Strategic or Business Plan is often when you have an opportunity to apply for some funding or other support, or when you need to develop a new relationship with an outside organisation. Time is often short then and this is not the best way to develop your plans. Instead, aim to develop a plan during the quietest time of year (usually the winter) when you can give time to the process and do it without pressure other than your own selfimposed deadlines. Process of creating Plans and who should be involved If there are already some Plans, your task may be simply one of updating them. But always keep an open mind and consider carefully whether the old Plan still reflects the Club’s activities, or whether you would do better to start from scratch. In either case, the process will depend on your circumstances and the dynamic within the club, but will probably include some of these elements: • Establish a small working group to lead the process. The Chairman should normally be a member of the group. Instinctively and rightly you will ask experienced members to be involved in the project. Consider also involving newer members, as they will bring fresh ideas. • Set realistic deadlines for interim stages and the final result. • Survey the members to seek out opinions, ideas, comments and offers of relevant knowledge or help. This may be done by questionnaire and/or meetings. Try to find someone with some knowledge of market research to help you devise a well-structured questionnaire, which invites the members to give their opinions and ideas without channelling them into the ideas that you are already considering. • Debate the main aims and objectives of the Club in the full Committee. • The Working Group should draw up outline Plans based on the findings of the preliminary survey and discussions. • Delegate the initial drafting of different sections of the plans to members of the working group and/or brainstorm some of them. For example the SWOT/C is often best started with an open discussion. • Ask other members to draft the detailed specialist sections at the appropriate time – e.g. the Treasurer should write the financial sections and the CFI or Club’s BGA Club Management Training 2011 29 Club Management Training Resource Pack coach should write the Sports Development Plan. If they are not on the Working Group, involve those specialists in some of your meetings and discussions so that they can present their suggestions for an open debate. • Delegate one member of the Working Group to draft the complete document from the drafts prepared by all the contributors. This results in a document that reads coherently and has a single style. Get someone who has not been involved in the project to proof-read it. • Provide the full Committee with regular briefings on progress and consult them on points that are controversial before you become completely committed to them. This avoids surprises and minimises the chances of the Committee rejecting the ideas. Be prepared for disagreements and don’t take it personally. • Likewise, keep the club members in touch with progress and development of the ideas, and create a mechanism for them to comment without letting them take over the leadership. • Present the draft documents to the full Committee for a proper debate and comments before the final revision. At the same time, let the members see the drafts and let them comment. If you have kept people in touch with progress throughout the project, there shouldn’t be any surprises or major disagreements at this stage. • Redraft the final version taking all the comments into account. • Publish the Plans and present them to your members and to your key stakeholders. Have copies of the Plans available for members to read and consider putting them on your website. If parts are confidential (e.g. the financial sections or the parts describing how you are going to challenge your competitors) keep them hidden, but aim to publish the headlines that anyone can read. In keeping some parts confidential, don’t forget that most club memberships are as leaky as a sieve! • Keep the Plans available for the Committee to refer to during their work and make sure that you refer back to them when planning your various activities. Monitor and evaluate your progress periodically to see whether the Plan is being achieved. Be prepared to adjust the Plans if things are not working out. • In 4 – 5 years time, start again! BGA Club Management Training 2011 30 Club Management Training Resource Pack INSURANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT Insurance The subject of insurance is complicated. Some insurance is a legal requirement, some is required under BGA Operational Regulations and some is discretionary. Ideally a club should find a good Insurance Broker and should only move to alternative brokers if absolutely necessary. His advice will be invaluable. The principal elements of each insurance policy will be • to provide cover against the risk of a claim against the club by one of the members or by a visitor or other third party • to compensate the club for any loss suffered in the event of an accident, event or incident which causes damage to or loss of an insured item. Airfield Owning or operating an airfield entails having an Airfield Operators Liability policy or its equivalent. Airfield Operators Liability insurance is very important and the Committee should ensure that adequate cover is available. The policy should make specific provision for member to member cover as this is often omitted from the normal schedule. Aircraft It is mandatory under EU law to have third party cover for aircraft. This includes • cover for any claim made by someone in the ‘second seat’ • cover for claims from someone outside the aircraft, who has suffered injury or loss such as damage to property or crops, or personal injury. See Laws and Rules for the up-to-date amount of cover required. Insurance cover for the aircraft itself, i.e. the value of the aircraft and its related equipment, is not obligatory. A club may decide to save the cost of the premiums and effectively to self-insure. This should only be done if the club is willing and able to stand the financial loss of a written-off aircraft, including the ongoing loss of income when the aircraft is not available. If self-insurance is adopted it is prudent to put aside the money saved on premiums so that there is a fund available to pay for repairs and replacements if an aircraft is damaged. A Club may decide to hold individual pilots responsible for the first £500 or so of any damage or for the amount of the excess where the glider is insured comprehensively. This makes the individual more aware of his responsibility and he can insure against this risk for a modest premium. Clubs which have had a Lottery Sports Fund grant for the purchase of an aircraft must insure the aircraft comprehensively for an agreed value, even if the grant was only a proportion of the cost. This usually continues for seven years from the date of the award. Buildings, contents and other property It is not mandatory to insure buildings and contents, but it is prudent to do so and it may be a condition of any lease, bank loan or grant. . Vehicles If any vehicles are to be taken on the public road, they must be insured in compliance with the usual legislation. BGA Club Management Training 2011 31 Club Management Training Resource Pack Employer’s Liability A club employing staff must, by law, have employer’s liability insurance and the certificate of insurance must be displayed at the place of work. This provides unlimited cover and meets claims by staff for loss or damages suffered in any accidents in the course of their work. Paperwork All insurance policy documents should be kept beyond the year they relate to, as you may want to make a claim several years later and you will then need to be able to refer back to the insurance that was in place at the time of the accident or event giving rise to the claim. Legal advice should be obtained on the detailed requirements of the various types of claim. Risk Management A risk is the chance, great or small, that the organisation will be damaged in some way as a result of a particular hazard. For example, a rope or cable left in the wrong place is a hazard, which could lead to injury to a member or a visitor. As a result there are risks of injury, litigation and direct financial costs. Risk management is sometimes perceived to be a highly complex and potentially overwhelming process. While some risks can be complex, there are simple tools available to assist the process. Although clubs should apply time and care to risk management, they should not be put off by a concern that they might not get it 100 per cent right. A partially effective risk management strategy is infinitely better than none and, by virtue of going through the process, you may recognise hazardous situations that you can easily improve. There are two documents in the pack of Club Policies and Guidelines, which can be found on the BGA website, at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/clubmanagement/policies/business.htm The first document to look at is an explanation of risk management and how to set about it; the second is a simple example of risk analysis. BGA Club Management Training 2011 32 Club Management Training Resource Pack SOURCES OF ADVICE AND INFORMATION Courses runningsports http://www.runningsports.org/ This provides information for sports governing bodies and clubs Evening workshops on a variety of topics are available at centres around England, at a fee of £10 - £15 National Council for Voluntary Organisations - courses are rather expensive but good quality http://www.ncvovol.org.uk/governanceandleadership Directory of Social Change - courses cost between £100 and £200, but are good quality http://www.dsc.org.uk/Training Pamphlets and other documents Sport and Recreation Alliance – Smart Sport programme http://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/smartsport This programme is being comprehensively revised and new sections will be added to it over the next few months runningsports http://www.runningsports.org/ This provides information for sports governing bodies and clubs You need to register free of charge to access the information from runningsports. Short and simple guides can be downloaded without charge. More comprehensive workbooks can be purchased for £14.99. National Council for Voluntary Organisations – materials on governance and leadership are particularly useful http://www.ncvovol.org.uk/governanceandleadership Directory of Social Change – a wide range http://www.dsc.org.uk/Publications of publications at various prices Consultation with BGA and other experts The BGA has a large team of volunteer and professional experts to help you with your problems, questions and plans. General Club Management - BGA Development Committee The principle members of the Development Team are: Chairman Diana King diana@king618.co.uk Development Officers Roger Coote j-rcoote@talktalk.net BGA Club Management Training 2011 33 Club Management Training Resource Pack Alison Randle alison@gliding.co.uk See Appendix 4 for a break-down of responsibilities and geographical regions. Advice and documents to help you with a wide range of aspects of managing your club are included in the Club Management section of the BGA website. Funding for projects Planning & Environment Fund – grants for professional fees in planning and environmental cases - see Appendix 4 for details Philip Wills Fund – loans for capital projects - contact Keith Mansell at keithrmansell@yahoo.co.uk or 01588 650630 Refer to Project Funding Guide at http://www.gliding.co.uk/forms/accessing-funding.pdf and http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/clubmanagement/documents/fundingguide-ed1.pdf Advice and Information for Treasurers Join the Yahoo group run by the BGA Treasurer. The broadcast email is at glidingtreasurers@yahoogroups.com. To access the system, you have to be registered as a member of the group, which is managed by Michael Corcoran. Contact him at m.j.corcoran@strath.ac.uk to get yourself added to the list. Child Protection Up to date advice is on the BGA website at http://www.gliding.co.uk/childprotection For specific advice, contact the BGA’s Child Protection Leader, Karon Matten, at karon@gliding.co.uk. Flying and Instruction There is useful information and advice in the Instructors section of the BGA website at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/instructors/index.htm Your immediate contact for advice on flying and instruction should be your Regional Examiner or Senior Regional Examiner. Go to the website address above and see the Contacts section. Junior flying See http://www.juniorgliding.co.uk/ for information on opportunities for young pilots, including where to fly and sources of grants and other funding. Technical and Aircraft Maintenance There is useful information and advice in the Airworthiness section of the BGA website at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/technical/news.htm. Your immediate contact for advice on Technical and Aircraft Maintenance should be your Regional Technical Officer. You can also look up names of technical officers qualified to sign off your ARC. Go to the website address above and see the Contacts section. Safety There is useful information and advice in the Safety section of the BGA website at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/safety/newsletters.htm. Your immediate contact for advice on Safety should be your Regional Safety Officer. You can also find advice there on Club Safety Check Lists and on the role of the Club Safety Officer. Go to the website address above and see the Safety Committee organisation section. BGA Club Management Training 2011 34 Club Management Training Resource Pack Airspace Help your pilots to understand the airspace rules and to stay on the right side of the law! For information on Airspace, including how to get NOTAMs, see http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/airspace/introduction.htm. BGA Club Management Training 2011 35 Club Management Training Resource Pack EXTERNAL REQUIREMENTS & LEGISLATION This section was written in January 2011. It is designed to give an overview of relevant legislation, but it does not aim to provide expert and detailed knowledge. Specialist advice should be taken from suitably qualified professionals if you need to find out about some specific regulation or legislation. These days there is a multitude of legislation and regulation that affects gliding clubs as much as any business. You will probably be familiar with the aviation related laws and regulations. You can check on these in the BGA’s Laws & Rules, available at £5 from the BGA Shop (http://www.bgashop.co.uk/) or accessible on the website at http://www.gliding.co.uk/forms/lawsandrules.pdf. Most of the other legislation that affects sports clubs is notified to the BGA by the Sport and Recreation Alliance (SRA), of which the BGA is a member. The SRA is the umbrella organisation for governing bodies of sport in the UK and has close contact with legislators both in parliament and in government departments. BGA staff and volunteers regularly review the information distributed by the SRA and disseminate all relevant items to clubs and members, usually in the monthly BGA Newsletter and sometimes in letters direct to club officers. In order to keep up with legislation it is therefore highly advisable to read the BGA Newsletters and any other material from the BGA carefully and to ask for further advice if needed. Signing up for email alerts of new information on the BGA website is an easy way to ensure that you are kept informed with the Newsletter and other documents. If you hold a specific role within a club, please ensure the BGA Office holds your contact details (including email address) so that relevant information can be forwarded to you. Other legislation that also affects clubs includes (in no particular order): Child Protection (and Protection of Vulnerable Adults) The BGA has been keeping abreast of this legislation and has advice on the current situation on the BGA website. See www.gliding.co.uk/childprotection. Refer also to the Club Policies and Guidelines Pack at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/clubmanagement/policies/gliding.htm. Data protection The latest advice on data protection is in the Club Policies and Guidelines pack at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/clubmanagement/policies/business/dataprotection.doc Employment law Clubs that employ staff, whether part-time or full time, have to comply with all the employment legislation applicable to the size of the operation. There are some concessions if you employ fewer than 5 people and also for people working only a small number of hours per week. The Working Time Regulations may be of particular relevance in the club context. Guidance can be found in the Club Policies and Guidelines pack at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/clubmanagement/policies/hr.htm and on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/workingtimedirective.htm. Disability Discrimination and Equal opportunities The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 set standards for fair treatment of disabled people. Since then the Equality Act 2010 has been passed and includes many of the BGA Club Management Training 2011 36 Club Management Training Resource Pack aspects of the DDA. Equal opportunities legislation and practice is particularly relevant in the context of employment, but may also be relevant in the context of a club and with volunteers. Discrimination or failure to offer equal opportunities is generally considered to be illegal or at least morally wrong if it is based on assumptions about an individual purely because they come from a particular background or group. The following forms of discrimination are generally covered by equal opportunities policies: sex, marital or family status, race, ethnic or national origin, colour, nationality, disability, religion, religious or political belief, sexual orientation and age. A sample Club Equity and Equal Opportunities Policy is included in the Club Policies Pack and the HR section of the pack also covers the requirements for employers. See http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/clubmanagement/policies/gliding.htm. Health and Safety Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, you have to ensure the health and safety of people who may be affected by what you do or fail to do. This includes people who work for you, including volunteers, trainers and sub-contractors and visitors to your club. It is very important that appropriate training is provided and that procedures are in place to manage all health and safety risks that emanate from your club’s activities. More information can be found at http://www.wcva-ids.org.uk/wcva/1112 and at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/clubmanagement/policies/hr/H&S.pdf. Music licensing The Performing Right Society (PRS) and Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) launched a campaign in 2006 to increase the number of sports clubs purchasing music licences, which are required for events such as discos, and also for the use of audiovisual equipment. Charges are calculated according to the tariff for members’ clubs. The Government’s 2009 review of music licensing led to the end of exemptions from PPL (Phonographic Performance Limited) music licensing for charitable organisations and community buildings. This change came into effect to bring UK law into line with international law in this area, but the implementation of the new fee structure has been delayed until 2012. The Statutory Instrument which will bring the new laws into effect was published In November 2010. It is said that charities and other community organisations will get extra protection and that the impact of any changes is minimal, but talks between the community sectors and PPL are continuing. For further details, see the Intellectual Property Office website at http://www.ipo.gov.uk/about/press/press-release/pressrelease-2010/press-release-20101108.htm Licensing Act If the club runs a bar, you must comply with the licensing legislation, which includes some recent amendments made in 2010. For more details, see the update of 5th May 2010 at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/clubmanagement/index.htm and the Sample Age Verification Policy in the Club Business Policies at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/clubmanagement/policies/business.htm. Alcohol, entertainment and late night refreshment licensing is administered by licensing authorities, usually your local council. BGA Club Management Training 2011 37 Club Management Training Resource Pack BGA Club Management Training 2011 38 Club Management Training Resource Pack APPENDIX 1 – GOVERNANCE The Governing Document BACKGROUND The ‘Governing Document’ is effectively the instruction manual for an organisation, so everyone involved should refer to it. For instance when working on the business plan it is important to ensure that the plan matches the aims of the organisation. Likewise, the Secretary will need to consult it when planning the next AGM. It should be reviewed from time to time to ensure it is relevant to the current and planned activities, in tandem with the business, strategic or sports plan. It should only be amended if there are significant and long-lasting changes in circumstances. Organisations that only consult their governing document in times of stress often find that they could have avoided much of the bother if they had consulted it sooner! ANATOMY OF A GOVERNING DOCUMENT Although governing documents vary in detail and technical characteristics and the subject in its entirety is vast, there is a basic structure which is largely common to all. 1. Name in which the organisation will be administered 2. The ‘objects’ or aims of the organisation May include a description of the people who may benefit, geographical area and so on. 3. Power of the Governing Body (i.e. the Committee, Board of Directors etc) What they can (and can’t do) to fulfil the aims of the organisations. Either in the same section or in a separate section later in the document, there will be provision for the Governing Body to make secondary rules (bye-laws) and policies that will run in conjunction with the governing document. This is to aid the smooth running of the organisation’s activities; otherwise the Governing Body may have to call a General Meeting to consult the membership for small decisions. The Governing Document sets out the level of power that is delegated by the members to the Governing Body. The Governing Document does not usually detail bye-laws or policies. 4. Criteria for membership, voting rights and subscriptions Setting out who can be a member, how they become and cease to be members, what voting rights they have and how subscriptions are set. 5. Procedures for electing the Governing Body (Committee), holding meetings The members hold a General Meeting in order, among other things, to nominate a group of members to run the organisation on their behalf, usually for a year at a time. Rules outlining the structure and powers of this ‘Governing Body’, the roles that must be filled, rules for appointing or removing Governing Body members, Office time limits, rules for running general and committee meetings, frequency of meetings and so on. 6. Financial matters Rules for managing finances, numbers of signatories required for financial transactions, reimbursement of expenses, whether governing body members can be remunerated in any way (usually NOT!), types of bank account that can be held, BGA Club Management Training 2011 39 Club Management Training Resource Pack whether money can be borrowed, level of audit and reporting required and so on. 7. Amendment procedures (not always present) What can be amended and how it can be amended – usually only at a General meeting. 8. Dissolution procedures Sets out how to wind up the organisation; the discharging of any remaining liabilities and instructions on how any remaining assets are to be distributed (usually listed in order of priority to give a degree of future proofing). Modern organisations rarely distribute these to remaining members. This is to help prevent ‘carpet bagging’. BGA Club Management Training 2011 40 Incorporated Club Management Training Resource Pack VARIATIONS TO THE BASIC ANATOMY There are many types of organisation, each with slightly different governing documents, terms and features. Organisation Type Governing Document Governing Body Liability Regulated by Some defining features (not a complete list) Association Constitution Trust Industrial & Provident Society Trust Deed The Rules Management Committee Board of Trustees Management Committee Company Limited by Guarantee Memorandum & Articles of Association* Board of Directors Community Interest Company (CIC) Memorandum & Articles of Association* Board of Directors Personal ^ Personal^ Limited, usually to £1 Limited to guarantee, usually max £10 Limited to guarantee, usually max £10 No-one Non-commercial, often small& non-complex. No-one Financial Services Authority and subject to the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965. Companies House Companies House There are donated assets It has corporate status. Society number ends in R or RS. Cannot be registered under the Charity Commission. If charitable will come under HMRC. Private limited company with guarantors rather than shareholders. Mem & Arts will state that members’ liability is limited. Usually has assets and/or staff. New Structure. Not-for-profit, but with significant capital assets which are ‘locked-in’ (hard to sell). Cannot register as a charity. Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) Registered Charity Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Depends on organisation’s underlying structure Depends on organisation’s underlying structure Depends on organisation’s underlying structure Depends on organisation’s underlying structure Depends on organisation’s underlying structure Board of Trustees (and also Directors if a Company reporting to Companies House) Depends on organisation’s underlying structure Depends on organisation’s underlying structure Depends on organisation’s underlying structure As required for organisation’s type PLUS HMRC As required for organisation’s type PLUS The Charity Commission The Charity Commission ONLY Specifically for Sports Clubs. Membership must be open to all. Dissolution clause allots any assets to similar organisations. Cannot register as a charity. All activities MUST be for charitable purposes. Dissolution clause allots any assets to similar organisations New for 2011 – some charities will be converting from April. Dissolution clause allots any assets to similar organisations *NB under the Companies Act 2006, changes since 1st Oct 2009 mean that most of the Memorandum has been brought into the Articles, so they may no longer be distinct from one another ^Insurance can be arranged to protect individual liability Overlay structures BGA Club Management Training 2011 41 Club Management Training Resource Pack HM Revenue & Customs Model Declaration for Fit and Proper Persons (ADAPTED FOR USE IN CASCS) Declaration Name of organisation in full Name of individual I, the undersigned, declare that: • I am not disqualified from acting as a charity trustee. • I have not been convicted of an offence involving deception or dishonesty (or any such conviction is legally regarded as spent). • I have not been involved in tax fraud • I am not an undischarged bankrupt. • I have not made compositions or arrangements with my creditors from which I have not been discharged. • I have not been removed from serving as a charity trustee, or been stopped from acting in a management position within a charity or CASC. • I have not been disqualified from serving as a Company Director. • I will at all times ensure the CASC’s funds, and tax reliefs received by this organisation, are used only for sporting purposes. Signed Date Home address Previous address if moved in past 12 months Date of birth .. .. .. .. .. .. BGA Club Management Training 2011 42 Club Management Training Resource Pack National Insurance number National Identify Card Number (If appropriate) If you have signed this declaration but want to make any information known or clarify any points, please add them in the space below. BGA Club Management Training 2011 43 Club Management Training Resource Pack Committee on Standards in Public Life The Seven Principles of Public Life Selflessness Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. Integrity Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties. Objectivity In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit. Accountability Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office. Openness Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands. Honesty Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest. Leadership Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example. These principles apply to all aspects of public life. The Committee has set them out for the benefit of all who serve the public in any way. BGA Club Management Training 2011 44 Club Management Training Resource Pack APPENDIX 2 – GENERAL MEETINGS Sample Preliminary notice of AGM 25 February 2008 TO: ALL FULL MEMBERS Committee Nominations I am writing to give preliminary notice of the AGM on 3 April 2008. I now invite nominations for the Committee for next year. The current Committee members automatically stand down at the Annual General Meeting. They are however all eligible for re-election and the elections will be held at the AGM. Any nominations should be received by the Secretary by Thursday 20 March. Nominations should be made in writing, by a club member, and should be accompanied by the nominee’s written consent to the nomination. May I please ask that any nomination for a new Committee member is accompanied by a brief note by the nominee giving their background and reasons for standing for the Committee. The current position with Committee members is as follows: Elected Officers Chairman Jane Ellis Vice-Chairman David Jones Treasurer Keith Smith Secretary Frank McDonald In addition to the elected officers, there are four places for ordinary Committee members. Current members are: Other Committee members Michael Edwards Lawrence Johnson Frances King John Thompson David Jones and Frances King have indicated their intention to stand down at the AGM. Other Committee members are willing to stand for re-election. Frank McDonald Secretary BGA Club Management Training 2011 45 Club Management Training Resource Pack Sample AGM Agenda MIDSHIRES GLIDING CLUB To All Club Members Notice is hereby given of the 37th Annual General Meeting to be held at the Clubhouse on Saturday 13th November 2010 at 7 p.m. Agenda 1. Apologies for Absence 2. Minutes of the last AGM 3. Matters Arising 4. Chairman's Report 5. Financial Report and Accounts 6. Chief Flying Instructors Report 7. Election of Auditor 8. Election of Committee & Officers for 2010/11 BGA Club Management Training 2011 46 Club Management Training Resource Pack Sample EGM Agenda and supporting papers MIDSHIRES GLIDING CLUB AGENDA Extraordinary General Meeting to be held 7pm, 14th August 2010 in the Clubhouse 1. Apologies for absence 2. Background explanation of the need for the following special motions 3. Special Motion to amend paragraph 8.0 of the Memorandum of Association 4. Special Motion to amend paragraph 71.0 of the Articles of Association Please note that there will be no other business at this meeting. Background explanation Many of you will have read the article in S&G on how clubs can cut their business rates by registering as a Community Amateur Sports Club. Your committee has decided to take advantage of this opportunity to reduce our rates by 80%. However at the moment our Memorandum of Association and our Articles of Association preclude this, as we do not comply with one of the conditions laid down by Inland Revenue, namely that on dissolution of the club any remaining funds are passed to a club with similar aims, another Community Amateur Sports Club or The British Gliding Association. In order to make the necessary changes an Extraordinary General Meeting will take place at the Club House on Saturday 14th August 2010 at 7 p.m. to consider and vote on the following extraordinary resolutions: A. To delete the present Paragraph 8.0 of The Memorandum of Association and replace it with the following paragraph. 8.0 If upon winding up or dissolution of the Company there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Company but shall be given or transferred to another organisation having objects similar to the objects of the Company and which shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property among its or their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the Company by virtue of Clause 5 of the Memorandum, such organisation or organisations to be determined by the members of the Company at or before the time of dissolution, and if and insofar as effect cannot be given to such provision, then to either another Community Amateur Sports Club or the British Gliding Association. B. To delete the present Paragraph 71.0 of the Articles 0f Association and replace it with the following paragraph: BGA Club Management Training 2011 47 Club Management Training Resource Pack 71.0 If upon winding up or dissolution of the Company there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Company but shall be given or transferred to another organisation having objects similar to the objects of the Company and which shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property among its or their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the Company by virtue of Clause 5 of the Memorandum, such organisation or organisations to be determined by the members of the Company at or before the time of dissolution, and if and insofar as effect cannot be given to such provision, then to either another Community Amateur Sports Club or the British Gliding Association. For your information the relevant Paragraphs are reproduced at the annex ANNEX Reproduced below are current versions of the relevant paragraphs. Note that they are contradictory. Memorandum of Association 8.0 If upon winding up or dissolution of the Company there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Company but shall be given or transferred to another organisation having objects similar to the objects of the Company and which shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property among its or their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the Company by virtue of Clause 5 of the Memorandum, such organisation or organisations to be determined by the members of the Company at or before the time of dissolution, and if and insofar as effect cannot be given to such provision, then to some other charitable objects. Articles of Association 71.0 If upon the winding up or dissolution of the Company there remains, after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever the same shall be paid or distributed among the Members of the Company rateably in proportion to the number of years each member has been a fully paid up member of the Company. This article may only be altered by Special Resolution. BGA Club Management Training 2011 48 Club Management Training Resource Pack FORM OF PROXY Extraordinary General Meeting I the undersigned, being a member of the company, hereby appoint the Chairman of the meeting or as my proxy to attend and vote for me on my behalf at the Extraordinary General Meeting of the company to be held on 14 August 2010 and at any adjournment thereof. I direct that my vote(s) be cast on the specified special resolutions as indicated by an X in the appropriate spaces. Resolution 1. To amend paragraph 8.0 of the Memorandum of Association For 2. To amend paragraph 71.0 of the Articles of Association Against NOTES To be valid this form of proxy together with the power of attorney or other authority (if any) under which it is signed, or a notarially certified office copy thereof, must be deposited at the correspondence address of Midshires Gliding Club, at the address shown below, not less than 48 hours before the time of the meeting. To appoint as proxy a person other than the Chairman of the meeting, delete the words “The Chairman of the meeting” and insert the full name in the space provided. The completion and return of a proxy will not prevent a member from attending and voting at the meeting if so desired. Unless otherwise directed, the proxy will abstain or vote, as he thinks fit on the specified resolution. Full Name (BLOCK CAPTALS PLEASE) Address Signed this Signature day of 2010 BGA Club Management Training 2011 49 Club Management Training Resource Pack APPENDIX 3 – COMMITTEES Group Dynamics Ever wondered why some teams just seem to work and others hit the rocks? When things don’t work, it is obvious to all and it often has a profound effect on the people involved, as well as the project or objective to be achieved. There are many forms of analysis of individuals available. We are not suggesting that you go and get your Committee analysed, but the following may be of interest to you. Remember the aim is to get a range of people (styles, skills and experience) involved with running your club. The following is from www.belbin.com BELBIN TEAM ROLE THEORY In the 1970s, Dr Meredith Belbin and his research team at Henley Management College set about observing teams, with a view to finding out where and how these differences come about. They wanted to control the dynamics of teams to discover if, and how, problems could be pre-empted and avoided. As the research progressed, the research revealed that the difference between success and failure for a team was not dependent on factors such as intellect, but more on behaviour. The research team began to identify separate clusters of behaviour, each of which formed distinct team contributions or ‘Team Roles’. A Team Role came to be defined as: “A tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way.” It was found that different individuals displayed different Team Roles to varying degrees. The nine Team Roles The first Team Role to be identified was the Plant. The role was so-called because one such individual was planted in each team. They tended to be highly creative and good at solving problems in unconventional ways. One by one, the other Team Roles began to emerge. The Monitor Evaluator was needed to provide a logical eye, make impartial judgements where required and to weigh up the team’s options in a dispassionate way. Co-ordinators were needed to focus on the team’s objectives, draw out team members and delegate work appropriately. When the team was at risk of becoming isolated and inwardly-focused, Resource Investigators provided inside knowledge on the opposition and made sure that the team’s idea would carry to the world outside the team. Implementers were needed to plan a practical, workable strategy and carry it out as efficiently as possible. Completer Finishers were most effectively used at the end of a task, to “polish” and scrutinise the work for errors, subjecting it to the highest standards of quality control. Teamworkers helped the team to gel, using their versatility to identify the work required and complete it on behalf of the team. Challenging individuals, known as Shapers, provided the necessary drive to ensure that the team kept moving and did not lose focus or momentum. It was only after the initial research had been completed that the ninth Team BGA Club Management Training 2011 50 Club Management Training Resource Pack Role, ‘Specialist’ emerged. The simulated management exercises had been deliberately set up to require no previous knowledge. In the real world, however, the value of an individual with in-depth knowledge of a key area came to be recognised as yet another essential team contribution or Team Role. Balance is key Whilst some Team Roles were more high profile and some team members shouted more loudly than others, each of the behaviours was essential in getting the team successfully from start to finish. The key was balance. For example, Meredith Belbin found that a team with no Plant struggled to come up with the initial spark of an idea with which to push forward. However, once too many Plants were in the team, bad ideas concealed good ones and non-starters were given too much airtime. Similarly, with no Shaper, the team ambled along without drive and direction, missing deadlines. With too many Shapers, in-fighting began and morale was lowered. Strengths and allowable weaknesses As well as the strength or contribution they provided, each Team Role was also found to have an ‘allowable weakness’; a flipside of the behavioural characteristics, which is allowable in the team because of the strength which goes with it. For example, the unorthodox Plant could be forgetful or scatty; or the Resource Investigator might forget to follow up on a lead. Co-ordinators might get over-enthusiastic on the delegation front and Implementers might be slow to relinquish their plans in favour of positive changes. Completer Finishers, often driven by anxiety to get things right, were found to take their perfectionism to extremes. Teamworkers, concerned with the welfare and morale of the team, found it difficult to make decisions where this morale might be compromised or team politics, involved. Shapers risked becoming aggressive and badhumoured in their attempts to get things done. The Specialist had a tendency to focus narrowly on their own subject of choice, and to prioritise this over the team’s progress. Granting all volunteers an ‘allowable weakness’ seems an enlightened move. Perhaps this level of tolerance is something else to build into your club’s culture BGA Club Management Training 2011 51 Club Management Training Resource Pack Characteristics of Team Members BGA Club Management Training 2011 52 Club Management Training Resource Pack Role Descriptions The following descriptions should be seen as a model that club officers should aspire to achieve. All the characteristics and abilities listed for each role are not often found in one individual! In a small club, the individual officer may expect to manage all the tasks personally and may hold more than one voluntary position in the club. In a larger club, the named officer may have assistants to do some of the aspects of the role. Chairman A chairman should • be respected by the committee and the wider club membership; • be well informed about the club, its activities and finances; • be knowledgeable about the sport, including broader aspects outside the club; • be able to represent the club externally, at local, regional and national level; • be actively involved in developing a clear strategic plan for the club; • be able to show leadership and contribute ideas on achieving the club’s aims; • encourage committee members and others to contribute ideas and be able to draw consensus from all the suggestions made; • have a close working relationship with the Secretary in arranging committee meetings and planning the agenda; • chair committee and general meetings effectively: manage the discussion so that items on the Agenda are discussed constructively and amicably, give members an opportunity to make their points, ensure that conclusions are drawn and minuted with points for action; • be unbiased and impartial; • be a good listener and communicator; • be able to maintain harmony and to motivate and get the best from the members; • understand the legal aspects of running a club and know when to seek advice from the BGA or specialist advisors. Secretary A secretary should • be tactful and persuasive and a good team player, able to help the committee to run smoothly; • be well informed about the club and its activities and be aware of current developments among the members; • work closely with the Chairman to plan and run committee meetings effectively; • circulate notices of meetings and agendas in good time and circulate minutes within a few days of meetings; • prepare the paperwork for general meetings and make sure that time limits and other rules are complied with; • assist the Chairman at meetings, ensuring that all business is properly dealt with and actions agreed; BGA Club Management Training 2011 53 Club Management Training Resource Pack • take accurate minutes of meetings; • keep an oversight of the actions agreed at each meeting and remind committee members and others of actions to be completed; • file annual reports and accounts and other statutory documents at Companies House and/or with other authorities; • liaise with and act as conduit for information to and from the BGA and other external organisations; • promulgate information promptly and effectively, using the notice boards, website, email and postage as appropriate; • Ensure compliance with legislation and regulations (other than specialist aviation matters, which are normally the CFI’s or Technical Officer’s responsibility); • deal with routine administration and correspondence promptly and efficiently; • work in liaison with other volunteers, such as the Membership Secretary, Social Secretary and Marketing Officer; • understand the legal aspects of running a club and know when to seek advice from the BGA or specialist advisors. Treasurer A Treasurer should: • be well informed about the club, its activities and finances; • understand the principles of accountancy and bookkeeping; • prepare clear and realistic budgets and cash forecasts; • maintain the account books; • prepare regular (e.g. quarterly) accruals based management accounts, for comparison with the budget; • monitor and manage the cash flow and the amount of cash at the bank, to maximise interest earned and to ensure that funds are available to pay bills; • supervise credit control, ensuring prompt payment by members and others; • pay bills when due; • bank all payments promptly; • advise the committee on the financial situation and financial planning; • prepare and monitor capital expenditure plans; • take responsibility for the preparation and audit of annual accounts; • attend to VAT returns, other tax matters and PAYE; • lead on seeking appropriate professional financial advice when needed. BGA Club Management Training 2011 54 Club Management Training Resource Pack Sample Agenda Midshires Gliding Club There will be a Committee meeting starting at 5 p.m. on Saturday 4th December in the Clubhouse Agenda 1. Apologies for absence 2. Minutes of the meeting on 5th November 3. Matters arising from the Minutes (other than those on the agenda) 4. Reports – to receive and note reports (attached or to follow) a. Secretary b. Treasurer c. Tugmaster d. CFI e. Technical, aircraft maintenance and workshop f. Marketing Norman Smart to present publicity material for approval g. Airfield Jane Smith to report progress on re-seeding To agree any further work required 5. Flying and other activities programme for 2010/11 CFI to present proposed flying activities 6. Social Secretary to present proposed social activities To discuss and agree preliminary programme 7. Budget and pricing for 2011 Treasurer to present draft budget and prices for approval 8. Strategic plan – to agree process for preparing new 5-year plan Chairman to outline proposed process and timescale 9. Any Other Business Fred Brown Secretary Telephone 01234 567890 email fredbrown@hotmail.com BGA Club Management Training 2011 55 Club Management Training Resource Pack Sample Minutes Midshires Gliding Society Minutes of the Committee Meeting Held in the Clubhouse at 8.00 p.m. on September 15th 2009 Present: Chairman Don Hadley (DH) Secretary Angela Harris (AH) Treasurer Mark Cooper (MC) Membership Secretary Ian Roberts (IR) In attendance: Development Officer Andy Brown (AB) (ex officio) CFI Rachel Masters (RM) (ex officio) Apologies for absence: Vice Chairman Jim Hutchins (JH) Technical Officer Chris Smith (CS) 1. Minutes of the previous meeting – accuracy and approval The minutes of the previous meeting were circulated and there being no corrections, were signed by DH. 2. Matters arising from the previous minutes Minute 3 (v) Trophies ongoing Minute 3 (vi) Combination Has xxxxxxxx IR to purchase two combination locks. ACTION: IR Minute 3 (viii) Fundraising No progress. Minute 3 (ix) Signage AH passed details to DH today. ACTION: DH Minute 3 (x) Newssheet Ready for distribution 3. Treasurer’s Report (i) Financial statement: MC gave an update of figures, will email to AH ACTION: MC Bank Statement as of end of August: Balance £xxxx (ii) Rate relief: The club is to apply for discretionary rate relief. ACTION: MC (iii) CASC: AB to progress CASC application on our behalf. He will email forms to AH or Debbie Humphreys as appropriate. The local authority has already agreed that a certain amount of the remaining rates bill will be given relief. ACTION: AB (iv) New Constitution: AH sending signed minutes of EGM to Debbie Humphreys who will amend with Companies House. DH to get Mem & Arts amended (typed up). ACTION: AH 4. CROW update AB reported that the Club has made an application which is on record for a safety buffer zone around the airfield. Turned down as expected. No further action required. BGA Club Management Training 2011 56 Club Management Training Resource Pack 5. Committee workload Discussed how to delegate to other club members when committee members’ workload is too high for a task to be completed. The consensus was that the size of the committee should not be increased but that keen club members should be approached and included as required. 6. CFI’s Report RM reported that .. 7. Secretary’s Report i) Report attached ii) BGA annual Stats - AH to talk to MC and IR and send off after 30th Sept and before end Oct ACTION: AH 8. Membership Secretary’s Report Subscription income figures from 2008 were presented. This year to date we have done xxx IR passed new members’ forms to AH for file IR amending 3-month member forms to include DOB 9. Technical Officer’s Report Not present 10. Safety Officer’s Report Not present 11. Development Officer’s report i) “Thermal Uplift” project is reinstated. The local authority will provide funds towards items xxxx ACTION: AB ii) Sports Development Action Plan - AB has spoken to xxx, local authority Sports Development Officer, who has been very helpful. Will email the template plan for us to fill in. AB progressing. ACTION: AB 12. Date of Next Meeting 13th October 2009, 7.30 pm in the Clubhouse Deadline for Agenda items and reports – 3rd October 13. Any Other Business i) Dinner Dance: 25th Nov at the Bedford Hotel in Midtown. Karen Blake is sending invitations out and reminded the Committee that the trophies need to be returned. ii) Communications IR suggested setting up an e-group. AB to talk to webmaster. ACTION: AB Meeting closed at 10.25pm. BGA Club Management Training 2011 57 Club Management Training Resource Pack Sample Action List Item Combination Locks for clubhouse Rate relief Action Who When Date complete Purchase two combination locks Ian Roberts Apply for discretionary rate relief. Mark Cooper 20-Sep 30-Sep CASC Progress CASC application Andy Brown 15-Oct etc etc . BGA Club Management Training 2011 58 Club Management Training Resource Pack Evaluating Meetings This questionnaire is a simple way to evaluate the quality of meetings that you are responsible for or required to attend. Make as many copies of the questionnaire as you need. After each meeting that you attend or organise, fill one in. Give copies to your colleagues, especially for the meetings that you are running. People are very reluctant to criticise their colleagues openly, so keep the forms anonymous. Questionnaire 1. Was a clear agenda circulated beforehand? Yes/No 2. Did the meeting start on time, regardless of any late-comers? Yes/No 3. Were there any late-comers? Yes/No 4. Did fewer than half the people present say anything? Yes/No 5. Did you get to the end of the agenda with all action points settled? Yes/No 6. Were some important points rushed because of time pressures? Yes/No 7. Did the meeting end on or before an agreed time? Yes/No 8. Subjectively, did you feel the meeting helped you in your work? Yes/No 9. Did everyone get minutes with action points within a week? Yes/No 10. Were any A-items held over until a future meeting for lack of time? Yes/No Score Give the meeting one point for ‘Yes’ answers to questions 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, and one point for ‘No’ answers to 3, 4, 6 and 10. 0 – 3 A shocker. If you were running the meeting, you wasted a lot of people’s time, but you should know what to do now. If someone else was running it, you will need tact and diplomacy to put it right. 4 – 6 Par for the course. Now that you are aware of the weak points, it isn’t too hard to tackle them. 7 – 8 Pretty good! If the meeting was organised by someone else, let that person and everyone else know how good it was. Flattery does work. As Disraeli said, lay it on with a trowel. 9 -10 Exceptional. If this is the norm for whoever organised the meeting, they hardly need encouragement. Persuade everyone else that this is the model to be followed. Keep the forms and repeat the exercise at regular intervals. Are the scores improving? If not, analyse the specific areas that repeatedly fall short and tackle them head on. Extract from ‘The Time Effective Manager’ by Michael Bird (aka Platypus) BGA Club Management Training 2011 59 Club Management Training Resource Pack Examples of tasks required to be done and suitable volunteers to take responsibility Task required Possible people to take responsibility Leading the club’s strategy and long-term plans Chairman Chairing club and committee meetings Chairman External relations with neighbours, authorities and other significant organisations Chairman or Secretary Managing and coordinating the work of key volunteers and staff Chairman Planning and arranging club and committee meetings; taking Secretary and circulating minutes Managing liaison and correspondence with external organisations Secretary Passing on information to members from external organisations (e.g. the BGA) Secretary Administration of membership lists Collection of subscriptions Processing of membership applications Secretary or Membership Secretary or Treasurer Compliance with legislation e.g. health and safety, food standards, planning, discrimination and equality, child protection Secretary Buildings officer Safety officer Child Protection officer Processing of documents to Companies House or FSA Treasurer or Secretary PR and publicity for the club PR or Marketing officer Secretary Marketing and selling the club’s activities PR or Marketing officer Secretary Maintaining insurance as required Treasurer or Secretary Preparation of budgets and managing cash flow Treasurer Preparation and presentation of financial reports to the committee and the AGM Treasurer Managing capital expenditure plans Treasurer BGA Club Management Training 2011 60 Club Management Training Resource Pack Banking flying fees and other income Treasurer or bursar Credit control Treasurer Suitable investment of surplus cash Treasurer Monitoring, checking and paying invoices Treasurer Managing VAT, PAYE and other tax matters Treasurer Overseeing flying and training and coaching for all club members CFI Monitoring and making recommendations on safety in flying and ground based activities Safety Officer CFI Technical Officer Winchmaster Tugmaster Managing the technical maintenance and airworthiness of the Technical Officer club fleet Maintenance of the winches and ground equipment Training of winch-drivers Winchmaster Transport Officer Maintenance of buildings Buildings Officer Maintenance of airfield and other land Site Officer Preparation of duty rotas Secretary or CFI BGA Club Management Training 2011 61 Club Management Training Resource Pack APPENDIX 4 - SOURCES OF ADVICE AND INFORMATION Development Officers Regional and Clubs responsibilities Alison Randle – alison@gliding.co.uk 01453 882720 Andreas (Isle of Man) Banbury (Hinton in the Hedges) Bannerdown (Keevil) Bath Wilts & North Dorset (The Park) Bidford Gliding Centre Ltd. (Bidford) Booker (Wycombe Air Park) Borders (Milfield) Bowland Forest (Chipping) Bristol & Glos. (Nympsfield) Burn (Selby) Chilterns (RAF Halton) Cotswold (Aston Down) Dartmoor (Brentor) Derby & Lancs. (Camphill) Devon & Somerset (North Hill) Dorset (Eyres Field) Edensoaring (Skelling) Herefordshire (Shobdon) Heron (RNAS Yeovilton) Lakes (Walney Island) London (Dunstable) Mendip (Halesland) Midland (Long Mynd) Needwood Forest (Cross Hayes) North Devon (Eaglescott) Northumbria (Currock Hill) Oxford (RAF Weston on the Green) Oxfordshire Sport Flying (Enstone) Seahawk (RNAS Culdrose) Shalbourne (Rivar Hill) Shenington (Shenington) Shropshire Soaring Group (Sleap) Staffordshire (Seighford) Stratford on Avon (Snitterfield) The Motor Glider Club (Hinton) Upward Bound Trust (Thame) Vale of the White Horse (Shrivenham) Windrushers (Bicester) Wolds (Pocklington) Wrekin (Cosford) Wyvern (Upavon) York Gliding Centre (Rufforth) Yorkshire (Sutton Bank) Wales Black Mountains (Talgarth) Denbigh (Denbigh) North Wales (Llantisilio) South Wales (Usk) Vale of Neath (Rhigos) Scotland Angus (Drumshade) Cairngorm (Feshiebridge) Connel (Oban) Deeside (Aboyne) Dumfries (Falgunzeon) Fulmar (Easterton) Highland (Easterton) Scottish Gliding Cntr (Portmoak) Northern Ireland Ulster (Bellarena) Alison also takes the primary role in • Financial matters • Fund-raising • Environmental matters • CASCs • Chairmen’s Conference • Youth and junior gliding • Equality and discrimination BGA Club Management Training 2011 62 Club Management Training Resource Pack Roger Coote - j-rcoote@talktalk.net 01273 515373 Anglia (Wattisham) Buckminster (Saltby) Cambridge (Gransden Lodge) Channel (Waldershare) Cranwell (RAF Cranwell) Darlton (Darlton) East Sussex (Ringmer) Essex (Ridgewell) Essex & Suffolk (Wormingford) Fenland (RAF Marham) Four Counties (RAF Wittering) Imperial College (Lasham) Kent (Challock) Kestrel (Odiham) (Army) Lasham Gliding Soc. (Lasham) Lincolnshire (Strubby) Nene Valley (Upwood) Norfolk (Tibenham) Peterborough & Spalding (Crowland) Portsmouth Naval (Lee on Solent). Rattlesden (Rattlesden) Sackville (Risely) Southdown (Parham) Surrey Hills (Kenley) Surrey & Hants. (Lasham) The Gliding Centre (Hus. Bosworth) Trent Valley (Kirton in Lindsey) Vectis (Bembridge IOW) Welland (Lyveden) Roger also takes the primary role in • Planning • Aerodrome safeguarding • Land management • Rates • Windfarms BGA Club Management Training 2011 63 Club Management Training Resource Pack Planning and Environment Fund PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT FUND INFORMATION FOR CLUBS JANUARY 2009 1. INTRODUCTION The Planning and Environment Fund is a fund established and funded by the BGA (through member clubs’ affiliation fees) to assist clubs which are at risk in the context of planning, environmental or similar developments and may need financial help to fight legal challenges or to support a complex planning application or appeal. 2. STRUCTURE OF THE FUND The Fund is governed by a Trust Deed, which is drafted in broad terms, to enable the Trustees to use their discretion in deciding whether to offer funding to any particular case. The Trust refers to “assisting or promoting the aims and objectives of member clubs and/or the development of civil and/or recreational aviation in matters of an environmental nature, including matters involving town and country planning regulations and controls”. 3. INTERPRETATION The Trustees have recently reviewed the interpretation of the Trust Deed and have agreed a number of general principles. 1. The Fund is for the purpose of funding professional fees, rather than capital purchases. 2. The Fund is not intended to assist Clubs with general development, which they should be planning and providing for in the normal course of their operations. The Trustees recognise that such development is necessary and important, but the PEF will not be available to fund it. 3. Cases where the Trustees would expect to offer funding (subject to the nature of the application being satisfactory in other respects) include: a. Where a club is losing its site and needs assistance with planning permission and similar work, to establish a new site. b. Where a club is at risk of loss of amenity on its present site, due to neighbouring developments, and needs to fight a planning case to retain the use of the current site. Examples of this would include windfarms, significant buildings or other obstructions planned in such close proximity as to threaten a club’s safe operations. 4. A precautionary action by a club to head off possible future problems might be eligible for funding, depending on the full circumstances. 5. Where a club is forced to build or develop facilities to comply with unavoidable external pressure, such as new regulations, consideration would be given to funding. 6. The likely success or failure of a planning application or other case is not considered to be a critical factor in the process of deciding on a funding BGA Club Management Training 2011 63 Club Management Training Resource Pack application, unless the case is clearly and objectively completely unsustainable. Subject to the application being satisfactory in other respects, funds would be made available. 7. In all cases any offer of a grant would be subject to sufficient funds being available in the Planning and Environment Fund. 4. APPLICATIONS Clubs that wish to make an application to the PEF should do so to the Chairman of Trustees, Diana King, by post or email through the BGA Office. There is no formal application form, but clubs applying should prepare a brief business case for their application, covering the following points: • explain the circumstances of the case • outline actions taken and progress so far • the timescale and degree of urgency • the potential benefits to the club • conversely, the threats or disadvantages to the club if it is not granted the relevant permission • an outline of the anticipated costs • a summary of the club’s financial situation • the process that is intended • details of the expert advisers that you propose to use • any unusual circumstances • any aspects which could create a precedent for the benefit of other clubs or British gliding in general. On receipt of an application, the trustees confer and make a decision, usually within a couple of weeks. If a grant is agreed, an offer is made to the club, specifying any conditions of the grant. The grant is normally paid in arrears, on production of receipts and a brief report on the outcome. The BGA Development Officers and Diana King are available to advise clubs on a proposed application, in order to maximise the chances of good quality applications and to reduce the number of rejections. Diana King 21 January 2009 BGA Club Management Training 2011 64