BCGBA SGM Decision Day

Bowling News

Saturday 14 November 2026

Today is a big day in the history of the British Crown Green Bowling Association (BCGBA) as a Special General Meeting of members will be held in Warrington to resolve a difference between two bodies. That is the BCGBA itself and a three counties breakaway group. The crux of the differences appears to be surrounding the move by the BCGBA to make major changes to its remit and responsibilities. That has been triggered by the BCGBA making major changes without following proper procedure and now having to reverse their stance and formalise some of the changes before any progress can be made.

That has resulted in a bitter row between the two parties. With the BCGBA forced into going through a process to gain approval to progress their programme of changes which may not be successful. The key being the need to acquire two-thirds of the votes for each of their resolutions to make any progress and regain control of the future make up of the BCGBA. The indications are that if the vote required had just been a straight majority total then the BCGBA would be comfortable winners but things have been clouded by the 2/3 majority need as confirmed by the BCGBA's own solicitors.

The BCGBA is in a bit of disarray at present with the Chief Executive Officer, Dan Newton, resigning his post in September and working a 6-month notice period. In addition the position of BCGBA Chairman is vacant and Yorkshire CEO, Steve Cochrane has been filling the position on an interim basis for the last 9 months. Steve has stated that, whatever the outcome of today's meeting, he will resign from the interim post immediately after the meeting.

The three counties are using all this as an opening to challenge the track record of the BCGBA and mount their own bid to take over the BCGBA and push the present officers to stand down which you would expect them to do if the vote goes against them. Should that happen then we can expect the 3-year strategy introduced by the BCGBA will be abandoned and a new alternative version to be put in place sometime in the future, or not.

The trigger for much of the clash of views came about with two members of the BCGBA - the Admin Officer and Finance Officer - both being given notices of redundancy which should have seen both individuals leaving their posts on 31 August 2026. In fact they are still in post. Add to all that a pot of over a quarter-a-million pounds that whoever wins the day will have access to via the Trustee funds.

The stakes are high, the outcome uncertain. It is going to get personal, it is going to get messy. The BCGBA had indicated that they hoped to provide a live link to the meeting so that all members could view the meeting's debate and voting. No details have been released of that yet.

Catch up on the history of this conflict by following these links.

BCGBA Temporary Board response Huddweb 1 November 2026

Special General Meeting Update   HuddWeb 30 October 2026

Special General Meeting called   HuddWeb 17 October 2026

How it all started    HuddWeb 16 September 2026

Squabble over £285,000 Trust Funds     HuddWeb 15 September 2026

Derbyshire statement     HuddWeb 11 September 2026

Yorkshire response to BCGB Row   HuddWeb 9 September 2026

BCGBA CEO resigns    HuddWeb 8 September 2026

BCGBA v South Yorkshire - can either win?   HuddWeb 8 July 2026

BCGBA Statement    HuddWeb 7 July 2026