Laura Willoughby
12-03-2004, 18:55
Whilst voting and constitutions are the most boring aspect of any sporting organisation I am astounded to find that BSAC is proposing to change its constitution to stop under 18 year olds voting in elections.
There is no specific legal requirement in Company law that means under 18's cannot vote. Share holders who are under 18 in national football clubs can vote, young members of sports clubs that are registered as charities can vote and there is no legal evidence given either way that this is the case for companies ltd by guarantee (which BSAC is).Most national sport governing bodies are companies LTD my guarentee and advice from Sport England is that BSAC are the only ones who have and are proposing an age restriction. A restriction based on age rather than qualification or skill in sports is wrong.
Whilst I know the issue of the age to qualify as a diver and therefore as a voting member is an issue for further debate it is important we do not remove the only entitlement that an under 18 year old member has to play a full and equal role in the running of BSAC. It is your qualification as a diver that matters not your age. I would also point out that it is a shame that BSAC thinks its young members have so little to offer that they specifically rule them out even sitting on the council.
The lifeblood of any sporting organisation is its members, and getting young people interested and involved in the development of sports clubs at an early age means that clubs have a continual source of volunteers to renew and regenerate them and their HQ so that they last far into the future.
So I am asking if you could help me stop this short-sighted change:
1. Send me your proxy vote when you get it through this month (see address below)
2. Persuade your friends in your club to send theirs too
3. If you are under 18 make sure you have received your voting papers and go to the AGM yourself (if not pass it onto me too)
And I look forward to the following AGM where we can start the process of changing the shape of the council so that under 18 year olds can bring their enthusiasm and expertise to BSAC too. Otherwise the only people that will benefit from all of this is PADI.
Laura Willoughby
114d Blackstock Road
London
N4 2DR
<a href="mailto:lauraw@cix.co.uk">lauraw@cix.co.uk</a>
020 7354 5147
www.laurawilloughby.org.uk
There is no specific legal requirement in Company law that means under 18's cannot vote. Share holders who are under 18 in national football clubs can vote, young members of sports clubs that are registered as charities can vote and there is no legal evidence given either way that this is the case for companies ltd by guarantee (which BSAC is).Most national sport governing bodies are companies LTD my guarentee and advice from Sport England is that BSAC are the only ones who have and are proposing an age restriction. A restriction based on age rather than qualification or skill in sports is wrong.
Whilst I know the issue of the age to qualify as a diver and therefore as a voting member is an issue for further debate it is important we do not remove the only entitlement that an under 18 year old member has to play a full and equal role in the running of BSAC. It is your qualification as a diver that matters not your age. I would also point out that it is a shame that BSAC thinks its young members have so little to offer that they specifically rule them out even sitting on the council.
The lifeblood of any sporting organisation is its members, and getting young people interested and involved in the development of sports clubs at an early age means that clubs have a continual source of volunteers to renew and regenerate them and their HQ so that they last far into the future.
So I am asking if you could help me stop this short-sighted change:
1. Send me your proxy vote when you get it through this month (see address below)
2. Persuade your friends in your club to send theirs too
3. If you are under 18 make sure you have received your voting papers and go to the AGM yourself (if not pass it onto me too)
And I look forward to the following AGM where we can start the process of changing the shape of the council so that under 18 year olds can bring their enthusiasm and expertise to BSAC too. Otherwise the only people that will benefit from all of this is PADI.
Laura Willoughby
114d Blackstock Road
London
N4 2DR
<a href="mailto:lauraw@cix.co.uk">lauraw@cix.co.uk</a>
020 7354 5147
www.laurawilloughby.org.uk