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RECOMMENDATIONS ISSUED BY GOVERNANCE WORKING PARTY
Ian McGeechan - a member of the working party
The independent Working Party on Governance of Scottish Rugby have now issued their recommendations and presented these to the General Committee ahead of these being voted on by Clubs at a Special General Meeting on Sunday 10 April.
The Working Party of 10 comprised 2 representatives from each stakeholder group - Clubs, the Executive, the General Committee, Non- Executives and Independent Members.
The starting point for our recommendations was the ‘Heriot’s Amendment’ presented to the SGM in January and supported by the clubs.
The key recommendations of the Working Party include
- replacing the existing Executive Board with the establishment of one autonomous decision making Board – The Scottish Rugby Board. This Board will be given the authority to run the business of the SRU subject only to its accountability to the major stakeholders in the Scottish game – the Clubs
- the establishment of an elected Scottish Rugby Council to replace the General Committee, with an emphasis on a demonstrably ‘open’ election procedure - encouraging club nominations and targeting the best people for the task
THE SCOTTISH RUGBY BOARD
- The Scottish Rugby Board will be the body responsible for the executive management of the Union.
- The Scottish Rugby Board will be responsible for setting policy and
strategy both in respect of business affairs and as the governing body of the game of rugby in Scotland. The Board will set the strategic direction and define its annual and long term commercial and financial objectives and plans to achieve these. It will also ensure financial stewardship through financial strategy, planning and control.
- The Scottish Rugby Board will comprise four Executive Directors, four members of the Scottish Rugby Council and four Non Executive Directors. It is believed that this will secure participation, responsiveness, transparency and freedom of information. It will also provide the necessary checks and balances on rugby policy issues in particular, and address the existing division of powers that has led to considerable conflict.
- the Directors of the SRB will also be the Directors of SRU plc ( presently a separate group )
- the appointment of Non Executive Directors and Chairman of the SRB should be carried out with the assistance of a Nominations Committee which will contain an even balance of interested parties
- the tenure of office on the SRB for Non Executives and Council members would be limited to the potential of two terms of three years.
THE SCOTTISH RUGBY COUNCIL
- The Scottish Rugby Council will be the body responsible to the member clubs for reviewing the performance of the Scottish Rugby Board on behalf of various stakeholders in the game
- The Scottish Rugby Council will be responsible for advising the SRB on
matters of policy and strategy with particular regard to rugby. It will also be responsible for developing and fostering the game and in particular advancing the game by encouraging the playing and coaching of rugby. The Council will also be responsible for reviewing the Union’s relations and communications with clubs, schools, referees, international bodies and other unions.
- The Scottish Rugby Council will be comprised of three electoral divisions – League, District and General. Due regard will be given to geographic distribution, including the number of clubs in any area, as well as spheres of influence in the game
- the League division would comprise, one Premiership 1
Representative, one Premiership 2 & 3 representative and one National League representative.
- the District division would comprise representatives as follows – Borders 1, Edinburgh 2, Glasgow 2, Midlands 1, North 1.
- the General division would have four constituencies - Women’s Rugby, Referees, Players and Schools
- the tenure of office on the SRC would, like the SRB, be limited to the potential of two terms of three years.
- The offices of Junior and Senior Vice President will be abolished and the role of President will become much more ceremonial and ambassadorial and less administrative and executive.
The Working Party believes that their recommendations provide a structure and puts into place procedures that will ensure good and effective governance
- clearly defining lines of accountability
- providing for distinctive and separate spheres of functional responsibility
- clearly defining roles for different management components.
In their Recommendation Paper the Working Party also add that their governance proposal provides :
· Autonomy and discretion for the decision making body enabling it to effectively run the affairs of the SRU
· Accountability of the decision making body to stakeholders
· Participation so that all stakeholders are represented when decisions are taken
· Responsiveness of the decision making body to stakeholders
· Transparency about the information on which decisions have been based, the decisions themselves, and the way those decisions are implemented.
Issued by the Independent Working Party on Governance 3rd March 2005
Notes
The Working Party comprised:
Bill Dunlop – Independent - Chairman
George Blackie – Senior Vice President
Peter Brown – Non Executive
Archie Ferguson – Glasgow District Representative
David Johnston – Independent
Ian Mc Geechan – Director of Rugby
Fred Mc Leod –Interim Chief Executive
Jock Millican – Pemiership 1
Allan Munro – Non Executive
Charles Shaw – National Leagues
This release should be read in conjunction with the full Recommendation Paper which will be published on the SRU website on Thursday 3 March 2005.
STATEMENT FROM THE SRU GENERAL COMMITTEE
Having received the Report from the independent Working Party on Governance, under the chairmanship of Sheriff Bill Dunlop, the General Committee discussed its recommendations, which will now be distributed in full to the clubs for their consideration.
While in broad agreement with the majority of the Working Party’s Recommendations, the General Committee recognises that, following consultation with clubs, some Amendments might be tabled prior to the Special General Meeting on Sunday 10th April.
The General Committee thanked the members of the Working Party for their contribution towards improving Scottish Rugby.
GENERAL COMMITTEE MEMBER CENSURED
Ray Megson, the Referees’ Representative, has been censured by the Scottish Rugby Union General Committee following the leak of a confidential document.
Initially the matter was referred to the Scottish Rugby Referees’ Association which, having considered the matter and having heard Mr Megson’s version of events, gave Mr Megson its unanimous support.
The matter was therefore further considered by the General Committee, as a result of which, Mr Megson was severely censured.
This article was originally posted on 3-Mar-2005, 14:25 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Chris Maxwell on 5-Mar-2005, 20:40.
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