Resignation of BCA Legal & Insurance Officer

Bob Mehew

Bob Mehew

Well-known member
I have been discussing various matters with other members of the Executive and encountered escalating difficulties in undertaking my role as BCA?s Legal & Insurance Officer.  It has come to a head with a fundamental objection by two members to my issuing advice on one topic; something which I feel totally undermines the point of the role of the Legal & Insurance Officer.  I have therefore resigned from the positions of Legal & Insurance Officer and also Acting Child Protection Officer.  I will carry on supporting the Executive until after the ballot and if requested support specific tasks.  I am still considering my position as Rope Test Officer. 
 
Dave Tyson

Dave Tyson

Member
Sorry to see you go Bob as you have put a fantastic amount of work in over the years for the caving community. I think the exec will find it difficult to get someone with the same level of commitment and expertise...

Dave
 
fredthedog

fredthedog

New member
A very sad day for British caving. You've done massively valuable work, Bob. I wish it could have continued.
 
Wayland Smith

Wayland Smith

Active member
With all the work that Bob does, and has done in the past, for BCA I can not see his leaving being good for the future of BCA!
This very urgently needs an official statement and explanation from BCA.

Any attempt to hide or sweep this under the carpet this should be resisted by the membership!
 
royfellows

royfellows

Well-known member
Wayland Smith said:
With all the work that Bob does, and has done in the past, for BCA I can not see his leaving being good for the future of BCA!
This very urgently needs an official statement and explanation from BCA.

Any attempt to hide or sweep this under the carpet this should be resisted by the membership!
Click to expand...

I endorse this 100%.
The membership needs answers.
 
Mark Wright

Mark Wright

Active member
Bob Mehew said:
I have been discussing various matters with other members of the Executive and encountered escalating difficulties in undertaking my role as BCA?s Legal & Insurance Officer.  It has come to a head with a fundamental objection by two members to my issuing advice on one topic; something which I feel totally undermines the point of the role of the Legal & Insurance Officer.  I have therefore resigned from the positions of Legal & Insurance Officer and also Acting Child Protection Officer.  I will carry on supporting the Executive until after the ballot and if requested support specific tasks.  I am still considering my position as Rope Test Officer.
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This is very sad news indeed and I would plead with Bob to reconsider his decision to resign. I?m sure the positions haven?t been filled yet, they?ve just been added to the growing list of other vacant positions at BCA?s top table.

Throughout the CRoW debate Bob has provided the BCA membership with an exceptional service for which I am very grateful.

With the BCA being particularly bad at communicating with its members, if it wasn?t for Bob, through ukCaving, we probably wouldn?t know anything about what the BCA is up to.

I would recommend those remaining on the BCA Exec. use this forum to provide the membership with a detailed explanation as to why it has been allowed to happen.

Mark
 
Cookie

Cookie

New member
Mark Wright said:
With the BCA being particularly bad at communicating with its members, if it wasn?t for Bob, through ukCaving, we probably wouldn?t know anything about what the BCA is up to.

Mark
Click to expand...

I think the Newsletter Editor would be upset to hear you say that.
 
nickwilliams

nickwilliams

Well-known member
Before this gets out of hand, the story is actually simple. Bob prepared a paper on the dangers of carbon dioxide in caves and in particular how these may affect the activities of those who work in caves. The other members of the Executive, including myself, did not agree with some aspects of Bob?s paper, mainly because it was felt that the matter needed more consideration before making a public statement that could very possibly be used by HSE and others to beat the caving community with.

Bob felt unable to revise his approach to align with the views of the other members of the Executive and so he has resigned as Legal and Insurance Officer and the associated Child Protection Officer role.

As I understand it, he remains involved in BCA in other roles.

I am sure that Bob did not intend his post to UKCaving to become a source of intrigue. I suspect it was simply that Bob saw this as a way of ensuring that he would not be persuaded to reverse his decision.

Nick Williams
Acting Hon. Sec. BCA
 
royfellows

royfellows

Well-known member
I can see Nicks point. we have to be careful not to provide potentially hostile parties with ammunition that can then be used against us.

Lack of full information will always be the source of speculation and its a pity that this was not made clear from the start.

Still a big shame, we will all agree on that one.
 
droid

droid

Active member
In my experience (as a Science teacher, now retired) the HSE don't 'beat' organisations or individuals.

So who are the 'others' Nick?
 
Oceanrower

Oceanrower

Active member
AIUI the HSE is concerned solely with workplace situations.

AIAUI, the 'caving community' are (mostly amateurs doing it for fun.

Hopefully the two shall not meet...
 
fredthedog

fredthedog

New member
it was felt that the matter needed more consideration

Nick, please could you confirm that even in Bob's absence that BCA will continue to give this matter the consideration it needs and won't just sweep it under the carpet as a potential inconvenience. CO2 does pose potential hazards even for recreational cavers and increased awareness of risks can't be a bad thing. I know CSCC, for instance, has advice on CO2 on its website but as far as I know, there has been no work done on this by BCA.
 
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