WSRA Trustee Election Hustings

Hi Robin, thank you for your early reply and I must agree that you certainly have given the most comprehensive answer to date. It would be unfair of me to award you the prize yet as we need to give the other possible candidates time to answer.
Peter Chidzey must have an opinion so perhaps he would care to state his views.
This is the election husting thread so come on you none communicating Trustees and potential Trustees lets hear from you.

Perhaps we are beginning to see those that should be Trustees and those that should definitely not be Trustees. I am getting very close to knowing where my votes will go.

 

I feel that until the books are examined nobody can state what they would do. I think speaking for myself that first the chairman and the editor should be 2 different people and that up until the recent past there was no payment to the editor and I personally feel that is the position that the WSRA needs to get back to. Is it value for money ? I don't know as I dont have any experience in the print industry. Ask Me the cost of a stick of RAM memory and I will be able to tell you but printing I dont know!. The WSRA is going to have to look to the future when the stone trains stop and as a business the trustees need to be looking to that time now. In my opinion they should have been looking at the situation of the stone train income finishing for a long time. Is SK worth the money again we have to look at the future and not just look at her but everyone on the WSRA payroll you cannot have a situation where your outgoings are more than your income. The free trip need to be looked at as well but if income decreases but until the 4 trustees are privy to the financial information I would say that nobody can make an informed decision. It take leadership to take decisions like these and Brian Crudge, Dave Randles, Mike Rowe & Jeff Price have the business experience to do this. Not one has been made bankrupt in any business dealings in the past Between them they have the right skills to put the WSRA on the way to being a integral part of the best heritage line in the country the West Somerset Railway

Rodders

sorry nothing came up as i pressed the post button by mistake

 

It may be beneficial to ascertain magazine costs of similar organisations, including payment for word setting and page design, and whether their editors receive a small honorarium.The number printed is immaterial, the primary cost is in design, processing to plate and setting up the presses. An extra 1000 is possibly another 15 minutes of press time with a four colour set up.The other unknown for incoming trustees will be examining the records of agreements between WSRA and other parties.They have a complex task ahead needing considerable commercial and industrial management experience,available within the WSRAMAG group.

 

Thank you Rodders for another reply on behalf of the WSRAMAG and thank you Tiffer for supporting that.
So we have a comprehensive answer from Robin as she has thought about this in detail,
Two scoped answers on behalf of the WSRAMAG who have a sound consultation document,
We have Steve's answer which has studiously avoided the question.
Now where are the others, 6 out of 11 is pretty poor really. Robin could you possibly contact Magda and reply on her behalf?
Peter Chidzey reads this forum and perhaps he would like to answer on behalf of the Trustees or collect up some statements from his colleagues?
There is a distinct danger that the voters will see the WSRA Trustee's lack of response as the likelihood that they will give us more of the same; secrets, non-replies to emails, confidentiality excuses. Maybe they do not realise that the Members of the WSRA should be guiding their direction. Faol back in hunting mode

 

Thank you,Faol, for raising membership communication with WSRA . This has been raised by others elsewhere, but did not expect to experience similar problems.I e mailed the WSRA manager eight days ago,outlining the problems and potential solutions in the forthcoming election of new trustees in seemly and restrained procedures. My letter was not confrontational, and said the decision would be theirs to implement. If through their inaction, there are problems, then it could be said, it was foreseen, they were informed, it was preventable. I also asked for proxy guidance. So far, I have not received a reply, or acknowledgement. If this were one of my suppliers in another life, I would be placing my orders elsewhere. I am slow to anger, but WSRA must remember not only are members customers,but indirectly their employer, in both cases members deserve better treatment.

 

Rodders post ~#442 - It take leadership to take decisions like these and Brian Crudge, Dave Randles, Mike Rowe & Jeff Price have the business experience to do this. Not one has been made bankrupt in any business dealings in the past

49010 says - A proud boast indeed, and I've never murdered anyone, (to the best of my knowledge of course....)

 

Well said '49010' !

I would also like it to be known that I have never been bankrupt in any of my business dealings, murdered anyone (knowingly), or started even the smallest war between sovereign nations.

I have a track record of tackling difficult issues successfully - professional, personal and Railway, over many many years.

Kind regards

Robin White

P.S. Ken (or 'Faol') I don't think it is appropriate for me to be contacting Magda. It us a matter for her whether she engages with this (or any other) Forum. But as you know, she volunteers at the WSRA office on Bishops Lydeard Station, and I'm sure would speak to anyone who called by.

P.P.S.

I see that we appear to have a change of 'policy' from WSRAMAG in that Mike Rowe / 'Mainsail 907' has surfaced again here and Jeff P is posting again on the WSR internal Forum. Is this Forum now thought to be useful, or is that a reaction to some folks here expressing a view about the disconnect between 'lofty detachment' and 'openness being key'. I think we should be told.

Meanwhile, I plod along as usual........

 

Tiffer
Your comments regarding call a POLL (an accurate counting of Votes cast) at the forthcoming WSRA AGM would seem the fairest way forward for all concerned.

Your advice is 100% sound, the WSRAMAG team are happy to back your call and I ask other WSRA members join in this call for a POLL at the forthcoming WSRA AGM now so that it can be presented to the WSRA on Monday morning.

A minimum of 5 WSRA members are required to call for a POLL

Please will those wishing to back this call post accordingly here, you can then be contacted to add your details the members call to the WSRA.

Should members wish to contact the WSARMAG by direct e mail on this matter, please go to our web site http://wsramag.com/ our details are shown on the about us page.

Vote for a New future for the WSRA - Vote Crudge, Price, Randles and Rowe

Regards Jeff Price

 

To return to the Journal (sorry, it's so hard to keep up with the thread) some comments from a now ex WSRA member.

I ended my membership last year after 12 years, for two reasons, one being the discovery that much of my subs were absorbed in producing the magazine. It's very impressive and an interesting read, when I had time. But I didn't join to get a glossy mag. I didn't need all the pictures or general articles - plenty of those elsewhere if I wanted. Some of the news was more interesting than the rest, ditto the letters page. And given I buy a couple of the monthly mags, some news was just not news any more!

But most of all I didn't need it on paper - an electronic version would have been better for me and cheaper for the WSRA. Which would have meant more of my subs going where I though they were going - to the railway. I'm not advocating the end of the paper version which I'm sure many would prefer but the option would have been nice (and I'm not a 20 something geek, I'm a 50 something who wishes his smart phone had come with a smart user)!.

It was interesting that some candidates took the value for money question as referring to value to the Association, others to the members. It's perhaps symptomatic of the times that no one seemed to mention value (or cost) to the railway as a whole. I suspect there are a number of different groups of railway supporters (working and armchair) who want quite different levels of information, different qualities of presentation and different delivery methods.

The plc produces an online newsletter which would have suited me fine. But the few I've seen (thanks google) seem to duplicate to an extent the Journal content. I appreciate the staff probably want/need different content to the armchair benefactor but there would seem to be some scope for efficiency savings by having one lot of news collection and one design effort, not two, even if the staff then only got pages 1-15 and the members pages 10-25.

That of course would require two organisations working together and sad to say, whilst I have some faint hopes that change may come at the Association, I still see no sign the plc feels any responsibility for its own part (whatever it was) in the current situation (though this is based purely on 12 months reading of the WSR unofficial forum and the two threads here). I look forward to seeing some report of action from the plc in the national railway press to counter earlier leaks/releases. After all, there can't be many plc's who leave potential investors sat for 18 months with the impression they are at odds with their own supporters group (and a significant shareholder)!

 

If messaging via this forum or contacting Jeff by email to add yourname to the poll call please add your membership number. Thanks all. it can be done by issuing a modified proxy form on coloured paper on arrival, and use of a ballot box.

 

I have given a lot of thought to what the difficulties are. To say that they are personal is a superficially attractive analysis - plainly when there are difficulties, the expression of them is a difficulty between the individuals that make up the WSR plc 'management' and the WSRA 'management'.

However, the relationship hasn't really worked since I was WSRA Chairman and Chris Austin was WSR plc Chairman. Since then we have had three different Chairmen (and numerous Trustee / Director) changes on both sides.

I have to conclude that the problem is structural, not personal. The WSRA has, in my view, a serious choice to make shortly. Is it. To return to its roots as the Railway's supporters' association that it was when I joined, or is it to become a 'real' educational charity.

Why did it work when CA and I were Chairmen? He and I had a real commitment to working together and took care that perceived or predicted areas of conflict / inter working were discussed at a high level between the organisations before we sailed into choppy waters. We did also have a common vision for the Railway.

For whatever reason, the participants since have not been able to replicate that, and we must conclude that a structural solution is needed to ensure that the relationship is repaired for the long term, whoever comes after us.

Plainly, I believe that I have some useful skills and a useful position of not being fundamentally 'anti' the WSRA as several of the. '4's recent history leads many to think they are. But this is equally plainly a time for the judgment of Solomon and I will work with anyone who is prepared to swallow their pride and move forward for the good of 'our' Railway.

Here endeth the early morning sermon (composed in the accommodation coach at Swanage where I am afternoon turn in the box!)

Kind regards

Robin White

 

Morning Robin and Everyone Else,
Fully understand and accept your reasons for not wishing to contact Magda, thought you might be in touch following your last recommendation of her. My apologies. I will pop out to BL and see if she has anything to add but suspect KS will advise her of the call.
Good to see Jeff Price back in print and Michael Rowe thank you gentlemen I am sure WSRAMAG's intention to have 1 speaker was well founded but would you vote for Nick Clegg if David Cameron spoke for him?
We still have not heard from any existing Trustees and I strongly suspect we are not going to so lets have a little think about who we have got:
Peter Chidzey, standing for re-election for another term, was a co-opted candidate at the behest of David Williams, professes to be an IT and education expert. Once asked if a suitable number of CALs had been ordered for new server and didn't know what was being talked about, basic CALs are all the licensing requirements for software.
Dick Holland, standing for re-election for another term, was a co-opted candidate at the behest of David Williams, volunteers as a Guard and is well known as an ex mainline railway rolling stock technician, professes to be an expert on everything. Once stated publicly that he could write the rules for the WSR on 2 sides of A4. Strange statement of naivety from someone 'in charge' of a train.
Bruce Robertson, standing for re-election for another term, was a co-opted candidate at the behest of David Williams, volunteers as a Guard and comes from, I believe, a civil service (background). No comments on Bruce because I have had little dealings with him.
Again only a belief but these 3 and David Williams are associated by a club of sorts that is involved with bus spotting.
Finally the new man Chris Walters, I've never heard of him. Is he a bus spotter I wonder.
And finally for your breakfast delectation I am all for polls as they are just about beyond fiddling. As you may know I was voted in as a Trustee at the 2012 AGM by vote, as I wasn't a bus spotter I was not co-opted. Initially Susan Kaufman announced I wasn't elected but after calls for a count I was elected. So I will willingly back any call for poll, the name is Kenneth James Davidge and my WSRA number is 12300. Long ago lost my number 7 as I failed to renew for several years when I lived in Stafford.
Faol in fishing mode

 

Sadly this is absolutely typical of the existing WSRA management. David Williams uses the same tactics. From this I can only assume that it is official WSRA policy not to communicate with the hoi polloi as the Ancient Greeks said. Up in Tike land we call it mushroom management.

 

Do you see yourself as the natural chairperson should you get elected and David Williams were to go?

Rodders

 

eeek Robin for Chairwoman, I didn't think of that but we could do worse if we can stop her buying locos, lol

 

Thank you Ken for your assent. Later today will go to BL and see if I can get another three/four there. Doubtless Jeff is also on the case. All that is needed is a revised proxy form on coloured paper, handed to valid members on entry, and a ballot box. The count must be monitored/scrutinized. We do not want a reenactment of the 2011 Poets Society EGM (google it!!) Your explanation of the cooptions is eye opening.

 

I see that we appear to have a change of 'policy' from WSRAMAG in that Mike Rowe / 'Mainsail 907' has surfaced again here and Jeff P is posting again on the WSR internal Forum. Is this Forum now thought to be useful, or is that a reaction to some folks here expressing a view about the disconnect between 'lofty detachment' and 'openness being key'. I think we should be told.........[/QUOTE]

Frank is somewhat tied up ensuring everything at the second Thomas Weekend runs smoothly.

As explained previously we are four (Crudge, Price, Randles, Rowe) who working together, if elected as Trustees, believe we offer the best hope, probably the only, to bring much needed change to the WSRA.

Michael Rowe

 

I would say that to call the 4 WSRAMAG candidates anti WSRA is not correct. The WSRAMAG had the foresite to see the mess that the WSRA are in and do something about it. It is the WSRAMAG who spotted the date for the nominations to be in for trustees when Robin and Steve E were waxing lyrical about how the WSRA was being run. Now these and other Johnnie come lately s are up in arms about the management of the WSRA and accusing the 4 WSRAMAG candidates of being anti WSRA.
Without them and others I am proud to say including myself you would have been looking at a WSRA AGM with the 4 sitting candidates being returned unopposed and another 12 months of same old same old. The WSRAMAG candidates care passionately about the WSRA and have proved it by spending countless hours working towards change to bring the trustees back into line with what the you the membership wants an organisation working with not in competition with the PLC. Vote Crudge,Price,Rowe &Randles for truly committed trustees of the WSRA.

Rodders

 

I am happy to add my name to the call for a Poll.

Robin Fisher
WSRA Life Member
I will e-mail my membership number to Jeff later, I can't remember it!

 

Ken, that's kind of you to say. To answer Rodney 's question, if elected, I will be delighted to serve the WSRA in whatever capacity my fellow Trustees think sensible. As one or two folk on here point out, we will need to seek a period of consensus, and those who have adopted extreme views may find that a difficult position in which appear convincing. The appearance of fairness may b very important during a period of reconciliation.

Rodney, you will not do your group any favours if you do not deal with the perception of a significant part of the WSR constituency that those who have created and now run 'FoWSR', which includes Mike Rowe and Brian Crudge at. 'Anti- WSRA. That perception may be wrong, but it is out there. My post referred to the perception.

In addition, you must base your posts in fact. I do not recall ever 'waxing lyrical' about the running of the WSRA. Indeed, I have always commented adversely on a lack of communication. We have a legitimate difference of opinion. You will need to accommodate those with differing opinions if you are to build consensus.

Furthermore, I would be really rather careful in attacking Steve Edge with such bile. It does the impression of the group for which we are told you are a spokesman no good at all. Steve's work for the Railway over many years, via his own website, and those of the other WSR organisations he assists with websites, gas been of great importance in the digital age.

Perhaps you should try to take a leaf out of '49010's book and try a little humour. It is very much more attractive, however serious the subject matter.

Kind regards

Robin White