West Somerset Railway - Removal of the PLC Chairman and related matters

Well Richard why don't you ask the WSRplc what they are going to do as that will inform the WSRA as to what the forward direction of the railway will be.

The WSRA can then support the WSR

When you get an answer from the WSRplc as to their plan (or even plans) do let us all know.

How many days now until Christmas...................

Jeff

 

oooooh bitchy meow.

 

Agreed Jeff

However all the time WSSRT & WSRA remain as rolling stock owning charities there is a case to be made for a merger

It is hard enough finding one set of trustees let alone two bearing in mind the responsibilities involved

 

Hi Jeff

We are both equally capable of asking the plc what they are doing to do but for my part I am content to wait a while until they have their next Board Meeting whenever that might be.

I do hope then that the WSRA can Support rather Challenge the policies of the plc whatever they might be

I believe Christmas may come sooner than you think!

I hope that Yorkshireman having liked Jeff's post can support what I have written in principle?

 

Richard

Lots of people seem to be asking questions, plenty of them.

I note your comment Support rather Challenge the policies of the plc.

Are you getting confused between the WSRA seeking good governance within its partner organisations as most external funding bodies would require of bodies they support and seeing this as the WSRA challenging the WSRplc which you feel they have no right to do??

Surly the correct thing for the WSR support groups and the WSRplc to is to challenge what each seeks for the railway to ensure that the final actions are robust, needed and part of the whole railway plan.

Joined up thinking, collaborative working, all going in the same direction together. Simple.

It is right that each body challenges what other might do, it should lead to us to where we need to be, the much sought after One Railway.

Again , it is not rocket craft, its common sense.

Joined up thinking, good governance, forward as one with agreed plans.

Jeff

 

Perhaps we are seeing signs of one of the major stumbling blocks for the WSR here.
Would it be true to say that all those who post on here are supporters of the WSR in some form or another? Albeit that some will be to a greater or lesser extent or have more or less direct involvement?
If that is the case then if these supporters can't even agree to disagree in open debate on a public forum or accept reasoned arguments or suggestions from others (no matter how far away they live) what chance does the railway have of going forward in a coordinated and harmonised way with similar 'supporters' in positions on Boards or committees or groups across the railway?
The big questions are simple. Do you support the WSR as a whole? Does your group support the WSR as a whole? And I'm not just talking just about money, manpower or whatever..
Perhaps it's time some realised that the WSR as a whole is more important than personal opinions or agendas and that by actually trying to work together rather than 'points scoring' things might actually move forward for the benefit of all

 

Can I suggest that all posters on this thread and key players ie Trustees/Board members read or re-read The Coombes Report

http://www.wsr.org.uk/wsra-review-report.pdf

This is nearly 3 years ago. My suspicion is that removing the old Ex-6 WSRA Trustees resulted in the further reforms proposed by Robin Coombes being shelved, but Robin Coombes (in my view) correctly analysed the considerable dysfunctional set up of the WRSA and it's umbrella activities under yet more boards/Trustees of subsidiary organisations that conflicted with the WSR PLC.

It is well worth reading/re-reading in the light of this thread some nearly 3 years on. All the conflicts and problems Robin Coombes examined and identified have emerged, without being resolved.

It was not enough just to get rid of the Ex-6 Trustees; the Coombes Report should have been followed through in it's entirity - not just 'cherry picking' those bits of the Report that benefited a few certain individuals of the then 'Reform Group'.

Cheers,

Julian

 

I’m sure you don’t intend to, but your posts can come across as really unpleasant. Putting ‘Reform Group’ in inverted commas the way you have and speaking of ‘benefitting certain members’ is a case in point.

The resolution which became the Coombes process was my drafting and I am both very grateful to the Coombes team and loyal to their outcome. Indeed, I was re-reading the report at the weekend.

I would be assisted if you could explain your remarks above. The Reform Group (no inverted commas) ALL worked tirelessly to try to bring positive change to the WSRA and so the Railway and I cannot see that anyone received a ‘benefit’ in the way you imply unless considerable personal emotional cost is a benefit?

Curious.

Robin

 

Hi Robin,

I am sorry if my remarks came across as unpleasant to you.

Can I suggest it is up to the WSRA board via the Chairman or someone else to explain what progress has been made in implementing the totality of the Coombes Report recommendations? Is it the WSRA's board policy to follow through the Coombes Report in it's entirety?

With best wishes,

Julian

 

Thank you for saying so. I am, naturally, protective of those who worked so hard to rescue the WSRA.

I still don’t understand what you meant by ‘benefit’.

The then Trustees, under the WSRA Chairman before the present one produced a development plan than appeared to step away from Coombes in a number of respects.

As has been stated elsewhere, and IMHO, a Railway-wide integrated plan is needed, for all parts of the Railway to buy into, have a part to play, and play their part. It will be obvious that certain parts of the WSR family are not in a helpful state at the moment which makes that forward progress very difficult.

I look forward to the Railway being in a place where all resources, financial, human and otherwise, are used to the best advantage for our Railway. I look forward to helping the WSRA members play their part in that.

That’s why I became a WSRA Trustee.

Robin

 

Gone past 24 hours now since any comments. Must be a record.

 

Frankly it would be really good to see this thread & its voyeurs take a posting holiday until well after the forthcoming Autumn Steam Gala - an event which generally shows the WSR off at its best and for many marks the real end of the summer.

 

They could also take a holiday AT the ASG, as I will be.

 

I don't the silence will last very long but it is very good there is no decent at least for the moment!!

 

Everyone is waiting for the fan to be switched on again!

 

You sure nobody pulled the plug out?

 

A section 'D' notice?

 

Would have been longer if you hadn't "bumped" it....

 

Something must be happening, surely?

 

I was providing air cover for the WSR plc Board meeting at Bishops Lydeard today...

Robin