I recently circulated this around the BCA council list. No harm in making it more widely available as it should answer your question and more.
Dear all
At our last meeting some discussion took place over where to hold the next AGM. There was a proposal to return to a central location but in the end it was decided to stick with revolving around the regions. Here is some information to help with future decisions which could also be used to form a news item as suggested by the secretary.
BCA was inaugurated at a special general meeting in 2004 at Alvechurch, located south of Birmingham in Worcestershire. All further AGMs were then held at this location until 2013 when it was decided to move the location around the country. These are the AGM locations from 2013 to date
2013 - Castleton, Peak District
2014 - Austwick, the Dales
2015 -Parkend, Forest of Dean
2016 - Hunters, Mendip
2017 - Castleton, Peak District
2018 - Parkend, Forest of Dean
2019 - Horton, the Dales
(2020 - Mendips)
I'd make the following points:
The Peak, Dales and Mendip have had a fair crack of the whip. Wales has clearly missed out. The Forest of Dean location was actually England and although close to South Wales and Mendip, Wales, particularly North Wales, would have a strong case for future AGMs.
I am presuming that although we talk about sharing the AGM around the regions we are unlikely to hold an AGM in Devon & Cornwall, Scotland or even Northern Ireland - or are we?
The argument for on-line voting is very strong giving an opportunity for a much wider selection of the membership to take part in the BCA decision making process. This does form part of the current BCA ballot but even if the two house element fails there is still a mandate from the 2018 AGM to introduce on-line voting. See the report by Will Burns on the matter.
It is worth noting that although these AGMs have taken place in the regions they are still essentially organised by BCA and not the regional councils. For example, the CNCC played no part in organising the recent AGM in the Dales.
I hope council find this useful.
Cheers
Tim