UkPigeonRacing

There is no doubt that change will not occur unless procedures are followed, you and others have realised this as evidenced by the propositions that you and your friends have submitted for consideration and the result will be known at the AGM.
The reality is that currently every member has a right to a vote if they can be bothered just as you and your friends have done unfortunately most can’t be bothered, they consider it to be too much like hard work and subscribe to the view that someone else will do it when we know they won’t if your propositions succeed nothing will change, the majority will still not care less, all that will alter is that 5 people will determine what happens instead of 17
ATB

Bowbroom wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 6:57 pm There is no doubt that change will not occur unless procedures are followed, you and others have realised this as evidenced by the propositions that you and your friends have submitted for consideration and the result will be known at the AGM.
The reality is that currently every member has a right to a vote if they can be bothered just as you and your friends have done unfortunately most can’t be bothered, they consider it to be too much like hard work and subscribe to the view that someone else will do it when we know they won’t if your propositions succeed nothing will change, the majority will still not care less, all that will alter is that 5 people will determine what happens instead of 17
ATB

I think your statement has sold the proposal short.

Also not every member has the right to vote.

The double standards in this process has been appalling. The actions of some who should be upholding the rules and the processes is, in my opinion, a disgrace.

Ian Evans wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:20 pm

Bowbroom wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 6:57 pm There is no doubt that change will not occur unless procedures are followed, you and others have realised this as evidenced by the propositions that you and your friends have submitted for consideration and the result will be known at the AGM.
The reality is that currently every member has a right to a vote if they can be bothered just as you and your friends have done unfortunately most can’t be bothered, they consider it to be too much like hard work and subscribe to the view that someone else will do it when we know they won’t if your propositions succeed nothing will change, the majority will still not care less, all that will alter is that 5 people will determine what happens instead of 17
ATB

I think your statement has sold the proposal short.

Also not every member has the right to vote.

You’re right Ian. Us in the SW region haven’t been given a right to vote. No propositions have been made to the clubs from the region. So how can we have a say. It’s all being done to prevent any change.

Copied and pasted from my Facebook post yesterday. It's rather long sorry, but it will hopefully provide a proper overview of what's going on. Some of it repeats what's already been posted here...........

How to stop a Revolution?

Following the recent actions at the East Midland region as publicised on this group by Ray Knight along with other less public actions by certain prominent personnel within the RPRA, I thought back to the CEOs recent communication headed ‘ Evolution not Revolution’. This prompted me to google how to stop a Revolution.

These are just a couple of the results that came back:

1. Governments can use show trials and public executions to suppress uprisings.
2. Government can identify and remove the people or groups that are destabilizing the situation.

For those of you unaware of the background I will ty to be as brief as possible. Following the knee jerk reaction to the financial position of the RPRA last year, where the RPRA Council used an emergency rule to bring in a levy of the membership there was quite a lot of back lashing on social media. John Waters (EX Vice President of the RPRA) and I took part in a you tube video with Daniel Soanes-Brown talking about the levy and the financial position of the RPRA in general. Several requests followed asking how they could implement change in the RPRA. This resulted in a document of proposed rule changes being drafted and shared wide and far including two further You tube videos talking about what the proposals meant and what needed to be done to implement. Hopefully that is enough background, but if people want further details the you tube videos can be found here https://youtube.com/@pigeonracertv?si=BUagZInr_3wo8E3e

Let’s consider if the proposal is a revolution as described by the CEO? There are different definitions of a revolution including ‘when a significant change occurs’ and ‘a forcible overthrow’. If the CEOs interpretation of a revolution is the same as the former definition then I personally accept his reference to revolution BUT if it’s the latter then I don’t; the proposal has, after all, been made within the democratic process of the RPRA. A democratic process than (in theory at least) every RPRA member has an opportunity to engage with; BUT wait! That is unless you’re an individual member of the RPRA as described by its rules, in which case you have no say or vote.

Ray Night has excellently put across the issues as he feels exist in relation to the actions of the East Midland region at last weekend’s meeting. However, there are other actions from within the ‘Hierarchy’ of the RPRA that members may be interested in.

The Southwest region committee (or maybe an individual within the committee) has refused to provide the South West members with an opportunity to vote on the proposition. This clearly is undemocratic and the actions of what some may consider to be similar to those of a totalitarian/dictatorship state. The RPRA President has been made aware of this position and advised that regions are autonomous and there is no provision within the rules for him to intervene. Let’s assume the Presidents position on the situation is accurate; does that mean that regions can do what they like? That they can dictate as they wish? If so, then that in my opinion is another reason to get rid of the regions. However, it seems that maybe this autonomous position of the RPRA regions does not extend to all regions. At the Welsh region meeting of 12th January where the proposition for the ‘revolution’ was put forward by two clubs (not my club), the region voted overwhelmingly in favour. Within 24 hours the CEO rang the region secretary asking him to confirm that all members present at the region meeting were RPRA members. This was followed by a question as to whether I had paid my RPRA membership fee to which the secretary verbally confirmed that I had. Fir info, I paid my fee for 2025 on the 5th December. Given the Presidents position that regions are autonomous why is the CEO getting involved in the running of other regions? Doesn’t that autonomy extend to all regions or are some regions ‘more equal than others’? In addition, despite being told by the region secretary that I had paid my fee and was a RPRA member, the CEO took it upon himself 5/6 days later to tell individuals certain things at Blackpool that led them to believe that I had attended a RPRA region meeting while not being a member of the RPRA. I know this because some of these individuals contacted me and others contacted the region secretary concerned, I assume, that the region meeting may have been out of order. At the East Midland region, the Chairperson on a number of occasions stated that he had been instructed by the ‘RPRA’ on how to deal with the propositions; if regions are autonomous how can there be an instruction?

In addition to the above there have been what I consider to be other concerted efforts to undermine the proposals through personal attacks on individuals just because they have a different opinion on the direction of the RPRA. This includes the accusation of individuals using ‘undue influence’ to gain support for the proposal. Ironic, right?

I can understand more than ever why members are frustrated and disillusioned with certain aspects of Governance within the sport. I have also come to the opinion that there has been a concerted effort to undermine the proposal through actions that are similar to those results from my google search ‘how to stop a revolution’. In my opinion there has been total contempt shown toward those with a different opinion and the rights of a large proportion of RPRA members.

All well and good Ian but what can be done about it.?
We can all shout "its out of order" "its under-handed"
"its corrupt" but it makes no difference, it is falling on deaf ears.
It is a "closed shop" and if you follow the so called rules, they will not only shut you out but also put up barriers to protect their own interest.

Seems like the same way that the Levy was brought in. Those in “charge” can do what they like and don’t care about the members or allow all members to have their say. As already said none of us members in the SW have been allowed to have a say.

Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:51 pm All well and good Ian but what can be done about it.?
We can all shout "its out of order" "its under-handed"
"its corrupt" but it makes no difference, it is falling on deaf ears.
It is a "closed shop" and if you follow the so called rules, they will not only shut you out but also put up barriers to protect their own interest.

Fully agree Dave.

Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:51 pm All well and good Ian but what can be done about it.?
We can all shout "its out of order" "its under-handed"
"its corrupt" but it makes no difference, it is falling on deaf ears.
It is a "closed shop" and if you follow the so called rules, they will not only shut you out but also put up barriers to protect their own interest.

I really don't know Dave. I feel as helpless and frustrated with the position as anyone. The only thing i felt left that I could do is make as many people as possible aware of whats gone on, im sure thats just the tip of the iceberg. The problem is the same people associated with this terrible position are the same people that will be involved in any appeal or dispute. They've already closed ranks and so what good will any grievance or complaint brought the rules of the association do. I wish I had an answer.

I feel the only thing that will address this issue is a court case and I don't think it's that far off.

All I (and I'm sure you and others) wanted was an equal paying field. A fair and transparent process. 'Win or lose' We've been denied that.

Its even simpler than that if you ask me, all I am looking for is modernisation for the betterment of the Rpra and we are being denied that too.