Further details regarding BAFL leaving BAFA
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By BAFL
Feb 8, 2010 - 10:29:18 PM
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Reasons for the recent BAFL action in more detail
Whilst there are many reasons for the BAFL withdrawal from the NGB, in recent years BAFA’s consistent poor delivery of business critical services to the BAFL has contributed to the potential demise of the League. This demise has only been avoided by a lot of hard work by dedicated BAFL Directors, Officers and with the support of the BAFL clubs and teams.
As previously mentioned, at the recent BAFA meeting (February 6th, 2010) BAFL considered reports and actions on the aforementioned five key business critical and National Governing Body (NGB) strategic areas that BAFA provide. A summary of these outcomes is detailed below:
• BAFA’s Central Registration System: BAFA requested BAFL to operate in a format in essence unchanged from last year (2009). In addition BAFL was requested to handle the fee collection from its members for BAFA. No offer was made to the BAFL to recompense for the additional costs that would be incurred by the BAFL in operation of these activities which as central functions are the responsibility of BAFA to provide.
• CRB services for BAFA members: BAFA remains unable to provide a CRB process for its members since losing its ability to process CRB’s mid-2009 at this time. The continuing lack of a CRB system for several months has caused damage to BAFL clubs who have faced the unenviable decision of turning away new volunteers or breaking the law.
• Delivery of the recent Sport England Impact and Improvement award to BAFA: BAFL has concerns that a recent schedule of work provided by BAFA does not match the award agreement and there is no evidence of an amendment to the award having been made.
• BAFA financial management processes: BAFA has had no Finance Officer since December 31st, 2009 and had not identified an individual or organisation to fulfil this role in the near future.
• Progress of BAFA and other member associations towards single association status on or before 2013: There were no reports from BAFA or other member associations for the third consecutive BAFA meeting. BAFL presented its report in July 2009 including a full timetable of actions required leading up to it becoming part of a single association.
It is important to note, the unsatisfactory service provided by BAFA in 2009 significantly contributed to additional pressures upon the BAFL to provide quality services to their member clubs – further contributing to the potential demise of the League.
The reports and replies from the BAFA were considered by the BAFL Board and were deemed to remain unsatisfactory in their content – compromising the BAFL and its ability to deliver services to its members clubs.
This left the BAFL with no other action but to withdraw from BAFA with immediate effect and take control of their own destiny as they feel that BAFA as an institution has made little or no progress since the problems that manifested early last year and continues to be ineffective in providing both services to its membership and active leadership of the sport.
What happens next?
The BAFL will be providing new BAFL registration forms and guidance notes on how to complete them to teams early tomorrow morning (9th February) – this will also include how to register as a BAFL Coach.
With regards to Officials, the same form will be available as a download from the BAFL website for those referees who wish to officiate in the BAFL for the 2010 season.
The BAFL can confirm that membership and CRB applications for Officials will be free of charge for the 2010 season.
The BAFL confirms it already has a registration system to provide photo-id roster reports for game-day.
Finally, BAFA fees are only associated with personal registrations and not team registrations. No one within BAFL will be automatically required to pay a BAFA fee, although if an individual chooses to belong to an additional association (BAFA, BAFCA and/or BAFRA), they may be required to pay a membership fee for that association. The BAFL recommends that any person wishing to join BAFA, BAFCA or BAFRA seek advice from the relevant association. The BAFL confirms that it does not require nor deter people from being a member of BAFA or a BAFA member association (BAFRA or BAFCA).
Services to its members
The BAFL has been working in the background towards providing the business critical services at a fee to its members that is no more that that which has been charged in previous years. Namely as follows:
• Adult contact and non-contact: £32 per annum
• Youth contact: £22 per annum
• Junior contact and youth, Junior and cadet non-contact: £16 per annum
In addition, to actively participate in the BAFL for the 2010 season and beyond, as mentioned, ALL participants must be BAFL members. This includes Coaches and Officials.
Appointment of Ken Walters
The BAFL confirms that Ken Walters resigned from the BAFL Board on December 31st, 2009. Ken is no longer a Director of the BAFL but was appointed as Chief Executive Officer and is contracted to deliver the business critical services for the BAFL’s after consideration by the BAFL Board that the business critical services provided by BAFA being were unsatisfactory as reported on February 6th 2010.
Ken and the board of Directors (Mark Blyth, Simon Newnham, Pat Mapleston) and Officers (Chris Halford and Doug Adamson) under the Non-Executive Chairman, Jeremy Rogers, will be working towards delivering the following services for BAFL members over the coming days, weeks and months:
• Registration – inclusive of roster reports, transfers, debtors
• CRB processing
• Coaching development
• Officiating development
• Volunteer development
• Welfare
• Equity and Diversity
• Financial administrative support
The BAFL team are happy to respond to any question if it presented via the BAFL team representative by email. We will not be responding to postings made on the forum. This action is to ensure that questions are handled correctly and that the responses are collated and circulated to all teams accordingly.
Thanks for your support!
To conclude, the BAFL are delighted to report overwhelming support in its first day as an independent member association from its member clubs, individuals and from other stakeholder groups from within the sport. A list of those supporting our action will be published very soon.