What do we want to achieve tonight? The Future of the Club, in - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

What do we want to achieve tonight?

• The Future of the Club, in particular the Track
• The Opportunities we have in relation to Club

Operation and Development

• What we need to achieve in the Short and Long

Term - Timetables

• The Structure and Status of the Club – Future

Strategy

• To hear your Views and Ideas
• But first some details of where we have come from

Our Roots & Background

• Formed in 1951 - always been an Athletic Club

encompassing all athletic disciplines – not just Road and Cross Country

• Originally used grass tracks at various venues in

Biggleswade

• A Track had been the aim of the Club from about 1960
• In 1996 encouraged to bid for a Track in Biggleswade
• Many meetings with local council and Mid.Beds.Council
• Funded from sale of Biggleswade Open Air swimming pool
• Expansion of our Coaching Team took place
• Coaching of youngsters in winter – on minor

roads/footpaths

Our Roots & Background

• Club House at Fairfield was pulled down in 2000
• Club took its headquarters to Stratton Upper

School – grass track

• Stratton Upper School turned down bid to put

Track on their site

• Sandy Upper was a Sports College and

welcomed the chance

• We relocated to Sandy Upper School in 2004 –

we already had started holding the Sandy 10 there – obtained ClubMark later that year

• Supported development of plans - warned

Mid.Beds. we were the only Club likely to use the facilities – did not agree their Business Plan

After The Track Opened

• Opened in September 2005 by Olympic Athlete,

Liz Yelling

• The facility was operated by SLL on behalf of

Mid.Beds.DC

• The Club arranged to hire the Track from SLL on

two nights/week and occasionally at weekends. It had been, incorrectly, estimated we would contribute £10,000/year. We paid £4,000 per annum approx.

• Our Club Coaching staff further increased

significantly with some Officials being trained up

After The Track Opened

• Membership increased, especially the juniors
• We expressed concerns at lack of advertising of

facilities

• Was it to be just a White Elephant?
• Mid.Beds.DC was dissolved and Central

Bedfordshire Council took over – not such a close working relationship but improving

• In April 2011 CBC grant to SLL ceased – the

Track could have closed – School not interested

A Radical Change

• In April 2011 the Club took over, unofficially, the
• peration of the Track – should have been

formalised that year – still awaited

• Negotiations with CBC and Sport England have

proceeded

• Recognised we would now have to “Manage” the

Track

• Would take the form of an Asset Transfer
• An Asset Transfer occurs when a Public Sector Body, usually a Local

Authority, passes on the management and/or ownership of a facility to a community group

• Vital we kept our Road Runners on side

A Radical Change

• Further Club Growth – seniors and a significant

number of juniors

• Necessary to think more as a Business but

without losing the social structure and friendliness of the Club

• Business and Development Plans produced
• Club Governance – currently an Amateur

Athletic Club affiliated to UK:Athletics (England Athletics)

• Excellent support from Sport England – Nick

Boulter

Club Governance

• Community Amateur Sports Club status
• Registration as a Charity
• Become a Limited Company

– Liability of Committee Members – Tax Relief and VAT Treatment – Ability to obtain Sponsorship – The Club as a purchaser of products – Grant aid application – The Club as an employer?

Current Status and Timescales

• We have produced all the necessary

documentation relating to the Asset Transfer

• CBC to take our plans and present them to elected

Councillors with a recommendation to proceed with the Asset Transfer – Jan/Feb 2014 – target handover date April 2014

• 20/25 Year lease – CBC will lease the land from

the Upper School and then sub-lease the Track to us at a Peppercorn Rate

• CBC have earmarked £150K for Track

Refurbishment– imminent

Current Status and Timescales

• 5 year life at least before major work is

necessary

• CBC will remain responsible for all major capital

costs – the Club will be responsible for any expenditure up to £4K

• Sandy Upper School – major changes in

structure (Pinnacle Trust, Harlington School

management, Barnfield Federation)

• Legal Complications concerning transfer of land

from CBC to the School’s Trust/Academy – CBC confirm this should not take long to resolve

Advantages to Biggleswade AC

• We remain in control of the Track & Equipment –

no need to ask SLL for access (outside School hours)

• Major cost savings – floodlighting (reduced from

£6K to £1.5K per annum). Cheaper sources of consumables and equipment

• Volunteer labour has helped tremendously
• Members feel the facility is worth supporting –

pride of ownership

• Better knowledge of Track Operation &

Maintenance

Advantages to Biggleswade AC

• Condition of Track significantly improved –

recognised by external auditors and assessors

• Improved Visibility of Club’s attainments

within the Community

• Improved working relationship with SLL
• Potential increase in Club membership

realisable

• Masters of our own Destiny

Proposals

• Maximise use of Track by others – another Club?
• Serious Consideration of Responsibilities – at

Club/Individual level

• Work more with Sub-committees (e.g. Coaching,

Competition, Officials, Social, Communication, Development, Major Events)

• Event Managers for larger activities (includes races,

leagues, and social events)

• Funding and Sponsorship – sort out the Toilet

problem

• Closer association with local community and other

groups – Communications Co-ordinator

Proposals

• Succession Planning
• Establish new Roles and re-organise Existing

Structure

• Clear understanding of Roles & Responsibilities

– rolled out to members before the AGM

• Ensure excellence in Coaching Structure –

identify gaps & resolve

• Encourage greater participation by

parents/guardians of young athletes – encourage Qualification of Officials

• Improve Volunteer support

Update Procedures & Processes Sub-Committees Idea Generation Generate Best Practice Consult other Sub-Committees Management Committee

Everybody needs to know!

The Future

• What do you think?
• Can you help?
• Help from other sources?
• Procedure and Process Reviews
• Idea Generation – feedback to

Committee