Yorkshire response to BCGBA row

Bowling News

The full-frontal battle for control of the national body for crown green bowling continues with the current ruling body battling against an emerging threat from three counties to take over full control with a remit to change the emphasis of the national strategy. These three counties, South Yorkshire, Manchester and Lancashire, proposed a vote of no confidence in the BCGBA Board and asked for an Emergency General Meeting be called to move things forward.

The BCGBA Board had to react to that request and the meeting was duly organised to be held at Owley Wood BC. The three counties failed to attend this meeting but did arrange another one for the same time and invited all the other counties to attend. By this time two more counties, Staffordshire and Wales, had decided to align themselves with this breakaway group, taking the number of counties up to five.

It seems that after this meeting this group of five counties, calling themselves the 'BCGBA Interim Executive Committee' wrote to all counties with certain demands. This prompted some robust responses from these counties including one from Yorkshire CCGBA which is copied below.

Addressed to the So Called Interim Executive Committee

7th September 2026

To whom it may concern

YCCGBA held an executive meeting on Saturday 5th September 2026 amongst the Agenda was your communication giving YCCGBA 7 days to align to yourselves.

Our position is very clear:

1/ We do not recognise Interim Executive Committee as an entity authorised to act

on BCGBA business.

2/ Your meeting and vote was not valid as it did not conform to the current BCGBA

Bye-Laws

3/ Your request as it has been suggested is tantamount to blackmail.

4/ YCCGBA paid its membership fees to BCGBA which run until the AGM to be held

in January 2027, YCCGBA and its clubs are therefore members of the said

Association until that time.

5/ We request you stop sending communications particularly in a threatening

manner.

We furthermore request that you liaise with the BCGBA Board to put your concerns, as we

understand they have requested on several occasions, so they may be appropriately discussed in a professional manner. We will be liaising with other counties who have a similar position to ourselves.

On behalf of

YCCGBA

YCCGBA Executive

So the battle for control of the governing body for crown green bowling rumbles on with the growing threat that the group of five counties will form a breakaway group, as they are entitled to do. Meanwhile the work being undertaken to support the new BCGBA 5-Year National Development Strategy is in disarray and shrouded in uncertainty, being at the heart of the programme for change, which is the top target of the breakaway group's agenda.

A Position Statement from Derbyshire Crown Green Bowling Association which, amongst other things, calls for the sacking of the CEO two days before he resigns.

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