Poll Vote: only 7% support BCGBA & YCCGBA stance

Bowling News

The Poll votes are coming in and they are not good news for the BCGBA and Yorkshire CCGBA. Local bowlers are not impressed with the early reminder about paying the 2021 membership fees to these organisations with no recognition of the fact that there is still guarantee of any bowling in that period.

Only 7% of the 30 responses received, support the stance of these two organisations. There is more support for local bowling clubs from the votes cast so far with 40% of the opinion that clubs should be asking for full 2021 membership fees now. The Leagues don't come off lightly either with 83% of the votes cast against Leagues sending out demands to clubs for 2021 fees at the present time.

A number of voters have also added personal comments to their votes and these have been reproduced below. This is the final update before we close the Poll on Friday at 5pm.

You can cast your vote and add your own comments by visiting the Poll or alternatively just add your own Comments at the foot of this posting. These are the comments submitted along with votes so far:

• Only the well off would ask for the fees. John Swallow
  

• I've agreed with the local bowling club charge as our club does not take bowling membership until March. On another point the greenkeeper has to be paid for work done and also the quarterly green fee to Kirklees is to be paid and on yet another point members may be able to bowl allowing for social distancing as was the case this year. Thomas Broadbent
  

• It's just greed by the governing bodies. More concerned about income than enjoying a game of bowls! Michael Pointon
  

• As the tier system is likely to be until April (start of the bowling season) and Kirklees in danger of tier 3 it's not looking good at the moment. C Bartaby
  

• For what we pay to be members of clubs and associations I think we should pay just to make sure the clubs and associations are available when we need them whether start bowling in April or not. Crown green bowling clubs are excellent value for money when you look at what you have to pay for other sports. Allen Chapman
  

• A number of bowlers may have found alternative pastimes during the pandemic and may not come back to bowling so we need to keep fees to a minimum but no more than 50% to these bodies. Mike Thornton
  

• These comments apply to all bowling organisations and so include the BCGBA, YCCGBA, Leagues and individual Bowling Clubs. I believe, that as a principle, these organisations should acknowledge that fees were paid in good faith for this year but services were not received because of COVID and so their starting point should be to aim to carry forward this year's fees to next year, as the Ladies League has done. We should be provided with TRANSPARENT FINANCIAL INFORMATION which as a minimum, should include- Estimated surplus ( or loss ) this year, Actual surplus ( or loss) last year, Estimated balances at the end of this year and Estimated surplus (or loss ) next year. This would then allow us to form a balanced view on whether this year's fees can be carried forward in full, or in part to next year. For illustrative purposes, if the organisation made a bigger profit this year than last year then I’d expect the increase to be used to offset next years fees. Also, if the organisation had very substantial estimated balances at the end of this year then the decision to carry forward this year's fees to next year should be an easy decision. This may apply to the BCGBA which has large balances which I understand just increase every year!! Where the above minimum financial information is not provided then I believe we should ask for it so that we can judge if there is a real intention to try to carry forward this year's fees to next year. Perhaps, a League or Leagues, if not provided with this financial information should join together to demand it. Hope this makes sense to bowlers. Philip Walker