Voting Review Group - Final Report
From Ron Payne, Director Club Affairs & Development
11 December 2009
The Working Group has spent the last three months since the AGM reviewing the present voting system used within the MCofS. Discussions have centred on how Clubs and their members vote and might vote in the future. The options considered were to retain the present Block Vote system, to give all members of Clubs an individual vote or a combination where both the Club and its members have a vote.
The Block Vote currently works well for small and medium size clubs however it under represents the small number of large clubs. However this does reduce the risk of large clubs dominating the MCofS. The larger clubs felt that their Block Vote should be enhanced but such a motion was defeated at the recent AGM. A subscription based system was mooted however this would be in a constant flux and be challenging to administer. The majority of the Working Group preferred to retain the existing Club Block Vote.
At present only around 10% of the total available vote is cast at an AGM. It was felt that increased participation might result from members of Clubs having an individual vote. Certainly apathy of the membership is not an argument against democracy. The MCofS belongs to all of it's members and not to a small band of activists. It is hard to imagine the MCofS present voting structure being used if the organisation was to be set up today. While this option attracted some support it was in the minority.
A compromise voting arrangement combining both the Club Block Vote and individual voting from members of clubs was considered difficult to grasp and not favoured.
While there was not a consensus the majority of the Working Group opted to remain with the present Club Voting arrangement. The Board have endorsed this view and the Voting Review is now complete and the Working Group has been stood down.
I am grateful for all the contributions from members of the Working Group. If any member has any further comments to add please address them to me either via the office or to cag@mcofs.org.uk
Published 10 December 2009
Voting Review Group Established
Following the 2009 AGM, the Board has established a Voting Review Group.
The remit of the Group will be to examine the present Club Block Vote system. If any changes are considered by the Group it will undertake the widest possible consultation with the membership - both Individual and Club Members - before making recommendations to the Board.
The Working Group will be chaired by Ron Payne, Director for Club Affairs and Development. Group membership will be Chris Townsend, President and individual member; Bill Park, individual member; John Fowler, Secretary Scottish Mountaineering Club; Mary Webster, Ladies Scottish Climbing Club; and members of the Clubs Advisory Group.
Announing the formation of the Group, Ron Payne said: 'The issue of the Club Block vote has been repeatedly raised at general meetings in recent years and at this year's AGM the Board gave an undertaking to examine the current system. The Voting Review Group has been established for that purpose. Any changes which may be proposed must command the widest possible support if they are to be implemented and stand the test of time.'
Published 10 September 2009
