The Front Page

The Committee is proposing that a motion is presented at the AGM on 9th May, which will radically change the structure of the Club and the way that it is run.

The proposal entails the complete separation of the activities of the Club (diving, snorkelling etc) from the running of the premises (including the club's own pool).

The premises would continue to be operated by the limited company (currently called St Albans Sub-Aqua Club Ltd - but this name would have to be changed). It would be run by a committee, much as it is now, but with no involvement in diving, snorkelling or any other activity. It would be responsible for the bar and probably most social events.

The diving would be run by a non-incorporated club, which would be constituted in exactly the same way as any other branch of the BSAC. It would have its own Branch committee, responsible for its own affairs, but not involved at all in the running of the clubhouse. All members of this Branch would automatically be members of the Limited Company, and a proportion of their subs would be passed on to the Limited Company to pay for their use of the premises on a Wednesday evening.

This change would enable any other local club (sport, hobbies, recreational clubs etc) to join us in a similar way to the Sub-Aqua Club, and maybe to take one of currently vacant evenings. It is anticipated that Friday evenings would be open to all members as a social evening.

Why are we doing this?

Membership has been declining steadily for many years, and we are now at the point where we are no longer financially viable. The clubhouse is a huge overhead, and is only in use one night a week - sometimes two. If we can expand our membership base to include other sports and hobbies, making use of the premises for the other five or six nights a week, we might be able to arrest this decline.

Some members of the current committee have expressed concerns about their personal liability as directors of a company that is involved in a "dangerous sport". Separation of diving from premises would clarify the position.

Our current rules are at odds with the BSAC's own rules. We are a BSAC branch, yet we allow non-BSAC members to join us (and even serve on the committee). This is an anomaly which we really ought to correct.

How will this affect the ordinary member?

There will be two committees, two AGM's and the chance to vote at each.

If we do manage to attract another club(s), you would not be entitled to use the clubhouse on their own club evenings - as their members would not be entitled to use ours on a Wednesday night.

If we don't, then there would be very little change.

Note that, as a member of the Limited Company, a member's liability would continue to be limited to £10, but this would be in respect of the company running the premises only. The diving would be run by an unincorporated BSAC branch, and would not be able to offer similar financial protection to its members.

Further information

There will be further postings on this section of the forum to explain the proposal in more detail. Please feel free to ask any questions here.

There will be a presentation on Wednesday 4th April at 9pm at the Clubhouse, when members will again have the chance to ask questions.