SCOTTISH RUGBY UNION SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING – SUNDAY 10 APRIL
“THE BOROUGHMUIR AMENDMENT”

The Working Party on Governance have issued a warning to clubs in relation to the various amendments to its proposals to be debated on Sunday. We understand that Bill Dunlop, the Chairman of the Working Party has indicated that it was not the intention of the Working Party to criticise any specific proposed amendment. Rather was it intended to be a general caveat that clubs should take great care to ensure that any proposals followed the guidelines contained in the Good Governance Guide issued by UK Sport. It was not intended to convey any hostility by the Working Party to the amendment proposed by Boroughmuir and seconded by Dundee HSFP. It is important that all clubs take that message on board as they instruct their delegates on the way to vote this Sunday..
The Boroughmuir Amendment , which already has broad support,seeks to adjust the composition of the new 15-strong Scottish Rugby Council to reflect more evenly the 3 electoral divisions, namely the Clubs, the Districts and the Group described by the Working Party as “General”, namely Women, Schools, referees and the yet to be formed pro-Players’ Association.
The proposal of the Working Party would be that these groups have respectively 3, 7 and 4 representatives on the Council. Our particular concern relates to the District Division. If amendments from Hawick, for a second member from the Borders, and Irvine, for an Exiles’ member, are accepted, that number will go up to 9 and, with the addition of the President , we will have in effect the old General Committee, with bolt-on representatives from Premier1, Premier 2 and3, the National Leagues and the pro-Players.
Such an outcome is simply not acceptable to Scottish rugby.
Boroughmuir and Dundee have proposed that there be a representative of each of Premier1,2 and 3 Clubs and two from the National league Clubs. The District Division would also be 5, one each from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Borders, North and Midlands and the General Division and the President would also number five. In our view, such a change will create the necessary balance of power within the Council, rather than leaving one of the Divisions potentially totally dominant and recreating the General Committee by default.
It will be for the clubs on Sunday to consider the position of the Exiles, but we understand that Hawick will withdraw their amendment (for 2 Borders reps) if the Boroughmuir one is passed, as all Districts will then have equal representation on the Council.
We are issuing this statement to reassure clubs that our amendment is not at odds with the thinking of the Working Party, but rather, a refinement designed to reintroduce democracy into the governance of our great game.

GEORGE CLARK, Secretary, Boroughmuir RFC
Contact no 0131-247-1008 (work) 0131 447 2870(home)
e-mail: [email protected]

This article was originally posted on 7-Apr-2005, 14:54 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 7-Apr-2005, 15:03.