Re: CCBN declares its incompetence

":Jerry:" <INVALID@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:46ee7293$0$47138$892e7fe2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
As for the BNChange group, personally I don't think they have the answers
either [1] but they can't do any worse than the current 'sham'.

[1] if they make BN an overtly campaigning group, even worse overtly
support non naturist protesting (such as the WNBR), they are as likely to
loose as many members as join - if not more.

Oh yes they can do worse than the current executive, and judging from some
of their posts here, and their web site probably a lot worse than the
previous 'administration', who all in all, had been doing an acceptable job.
This constant knocking of BN in public has become the real problem, much
worse than any internal shortcomings.

The BN change group has some good ideas, and I support the need for
improvement at BN, but they way they go about it puts me off.

Reading about John Paine it seems the real reason the BN exec wanted him
out, is that he was a complete pain in the backside who lost an argument and
was not prepared to move onto next business. He proposed a vote of no
confidence in the Chairman but had not persuaded enough of his fellow exec
members to agree with him. It reads like he wasn't prepared to do his own
role sufficiently well to earn the respect of his colleagues before trying
again. There may be some jealously that the 'Commercial Manager' has such a
dream job, with concerns of whether or not the organisation could afford the
cost coming a second, and how the appointment was made a weak third.

Clearly the committee handled this situation badly, but they are a volunteer
body, and I guess would have had no comparable previous experience to draw
upon. But they are still the group of people who have been doing this work
for many years with only a small thankyou from the membership.

The constitution and systems CCBN are using have been slow to adapt from
those put in place mostly under Gerry Ryland (a fine man, even if he was a
GCHQ man... ) which largely mirrored post war local government and the civil
service. Suntrekkers made a series of measured and reasonably well thought
out suggestions to gradually change CCBN. The change to one member one vote
was good, but that took away the control of CCBN from the clubs (most
importantly the commercial clubs), and that meant loss of direction for the
organisation. CCBN's procedures were fine for the time, have not been
entirely outdated by events, but could do with some improvement.

For instance why does a member have to attend the AGM or send a proxy? No
amendments are allowed to a proposal, so why not vote by post as for the
elections? Why not have a publicly available register of committee members
interests, with voting prohibited where there is a conflict of interest?
Where is the development plan / improvement strategy?

But there is no need to throw the baby out with the bath water, and gradual
change is often a lot better than sudden schism (is it the British way?).
I've a feeling the BN change group will zoom off in a direction, make
colossal mistakes, zoom back in the opposite direction, damaging the cause
of naturism in the UK beyond repair in my life time, in an egocentric mania
thinking they are the centre of the universe, and all the while moan about
how people fail to support them. Asserting they are right, without trying
to persuade ordinary members (like me) why we should think they are right,
and not listening when others with more expertise is a particular field try
to point out where they could do things better.

If BN is to become a more campaigning organisation how is this to be done?
Would it be sensible to underwrite the legal fees of the Naked Rambler? (not
with my money it wouldn't). Would it be right to try to occupy parts of
some of larger parks (not if it meant my flabby body was pictured on page
seven of the Sun in Hyde Park it wouldn't). Could BN become more of an
events organiser, raising money and buying sites for naturist use? Lot's of
comment is made that BN should change, but where is the substance?


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: An open letter to BNs EC
    ... BN is actually doing very little to support the cause they lose interest ... and then spent its time and efforts following that purpose then members ... Being so Club dominated, BN's management ... While naturism overall is booming, naturist clubs seem to be in decline too. ...
    (uk.rec.naturist)
  • Re: BN Alton Towers Naturist weekend
    ... The management at AT must be a bit naive if the think that BN members are in any way ... Although I would support pretty much anything which promotes or supports the ... normalisation of naturism and other non-sexual nudity, ... lending much support to this one due to the cost. ...
    (uk.rec.naturist)
  • Response from the Commercial Manager
    ... widest number of people - all for the good of naturism in the UK. ... I have no doubt that members will feel much more up to ... BN magazine has been completely redesigned and increased to 80 pages ... Media profile - this has been one of our greatest successes. ...
    (uk.rec.naturist)
  • Re: Response from the Commercial Manager
    ... > widest number of people - all for the good of naturism in the UK. ... For this BN members get almost nothing. ... through the magazine and new website. ... > Media profile - this has been one of our greatest successes. ...
    (uk.rec.naturist)
  • Re: ponder me this, ponder me that...
    ... Besides the obvious fact that kenny hates me more than cod liver ... Don't you people that rehash this over and over and over again get ... share experienceand give support ... members" feel the "vibes" all around that some other members, ...
    (alt.support.chronic-pain)