Recently there was long thread about the BCA. I can now post possible answers to some of the questions, such as "Why is the BCA still raising membership prices when there is a significant amount still left in its coffers?"
In March, I volunteered to take on the vacant BCA Treasurer role, and was co-opted into it. That was my first involvement in BCA. I've spent much of the two months since then understanding the finances. In short, and contrary to what I previously thought, the BCA doesn't have any spare money. It did have, but now it only has what it believes it needs to cover emergencies. If there was a significant claim on the public liability insurance, the renewal premium could double. BCA therefore needs enough in reserve to pay that and ensure cover while it works out a longer term solution. There are also various other disasters, such a cyber attack or being denied banking services, that mean BCA would need a reserve to continue providing a service to cavers. BCA is likely to make a loss of £25-£30k this year, and by December reserves will be close to the minimum level set by previous Council meetings.
The previous thread discussed whether insurance and other BCA membership benefits are necessary – I don't want to revisit that topic here, but on the other hand I'm very happy to discuss how BCA could do things better. If you think the BCA should do something different, stand for one of the vacant seats on Council, or talk to your current region, club or member representatives.
The BCA did accumulate significant funds, and in 2015 it cut the membership fees as a result. Shortly after that, the membership voted to pursue the application of CRoW to access to caves, which resulted in £80k in legal costs. That, plus COVID and inflation, meant that reserves have been used up. Costs have caught up and membership fees are not adequate to fund everything the BCA does. I'm recommending to Council that fees are increased by the minimum possible, that the level of reserves is reviewed and that budgets are carefully scrutinised.
My recommendations are just that, they are not BCA policy, which is up to Council to decide. Council will be meeting on 14 May. The Agenda, and my Treasurer's Report, are on the BCA website.
Chris Bolton
In March, I volunteered to take on the vacant BCA Treasurer role, and was co-opted into it. That was my first involvement in BCA. I've spent much of the two months since then understanding the finances. In short, and contrary to what I previously thought, the BCA doesn't have any spare money. It did have, but now it only has what it believes it needs to cover emergencies. If there was a significant claim on the public liability insurance, the renewal premium could double. BCA therefore needs enough in reserve to pay that and ensure cover while it works out a longer term solution. There are also various other disasters, such a cyber attack or being denied banking services, that mean BCA would need a reserve to continue providing a service to cavers. BCA is likely to make a loss of £25-£30k this year, and by December reserves will be close to the minimum level set by previous Council meetings.
The previous thread discussed whether insurance and other BCA membership benefits are necessary – I don't want to revisit that topic here, but on the other hand I'm very happy to discuss how BCA could do things better. If you think the BCA should do something different, stand for one of the vacant seats on Council, or talk to your current region, club or member representatives.
The BCA did accumulate significant funds, and in 2015 it cut the membership fees as a result. Shortly after that, the membership voted to pursue the application of CRoW to access to caves, which resulted in £80k in legal costs. That, plus COVID and inflation, meant that reserves have been used up. Costs have caught up and membership fees are not adequate to fund everything the BCA does. I'm recommending to Council that fees are increased by the minimum possible, that the level of reserves is reviewed and that budgets are carefully scrutinised.
My recommendations are just that, they are not BCA policy, which is up to Council to decide. Council will be meeting on 14 May. The Agenda, and my Treasurer's Report, are on the BCA website.
Chris Bolton
