Your Questions & Comments Answered

12 August

Q1.         The One Bowls – One Vision Project has come out of left field and members weren’t consulted

A1.         The One Bowls – One Vision project is not a new initiative.  In fact it is implementation of the Vision, Mission and Strategic Plan for the sport which was adopted in 2002 without opposition. The plan is detailed on the inside cover of the Annual Report.  The idea then and now was for Centres and Clubs to adopt a Strategic Plan based on the Bowls NZ Model. Templates to assist this process were provided.

The RAC’s and Community Development Officers were to assist Clubs and Centres with implementation. It is fair to say that considerable progress has been made at the Club level by the Community Development Officers but at a Centre level, with a few exceptions, no progress has been made.

At the time of implementation it was agreed that a review of the implementation process would be undertaken sometime in the future. The review of Regional Advisory Committees was undertaken in 2006 and of the Centres in 2007. Chris Ineson of Driving Forces undertook both reviews and the findings were that the implementation programme was not proceeding as planned for a variety of reasons. There was no disagreement with the plan or strategic objectives, the reasons why progress had not been made were (a) a lack of resources at a Centre level and (b) the Regional Advisory Committees not having sufficient time, power or resource to enforce change.

Ineson recommended that the delivery model be revisited and the Bowls New Zealand Board agreed. A Taskforce was formed and Fay Freeman was engaged as a Consultant to carry out this task. The Taskforce worked diligently through 2008 and 2009. They communicated frequently with the bowls community through Workshops, Roadshows, the Bowls New Zealand website and Newsletters. In addition Regional Advisory Committee Members were briefed after each Taskforce Meeting.

The recommendations which will be considered at the 2009 Annual General Meeting are to achieve consistent implementation of the Bowls New Zealand Strategic Plan at all levels of our sport. This is what everyone agreed was essential in 2002. What is currently in place is not achieving that and, despite what we are being told by some detractors, the changes are essential if the sport is to grow.

If the Annual General makes the right decisions for the right reasons then the sport can get on with the job of assisting each other at all levels to achieve growth in participation, excellence in administration and governance, success at every level through coaching and proper preparation, growth in the numbers of technical officials who see a pathway to international participation and advice and education to our greens staff being delivered on a consistent basis throughout New Zealand. That’s what One Bowls: One Vision is all about.

 

Q2.         Not all those who responded with feedback from the roadshow supported change.  The only choices given were “do nothing, retrench and change”.  A vote for change was not support for the proposals.

A2.         There was absolutely overwhelming support for change based on factual evidence presented about the reducing number of traditional members and growth of casual participation.  Of course not all the proposals that were put forward were supported and the decisions made by the Board are a direct response to the feedback and have covered off the majority of the concerns. 

Q3.         The centres and clubs were not encouraged to meet and form their own views on the roadshow proposals.

A3.         On the contrary the centres and clubs were actively encouraged to meet and discuss the proposals and as a result of these discussions many of the responses were formulated.  This is evidenced by the 331 feedback forms received following the roadshow. 

 

Q4.         Members and clubs that openly expressed their views were attacked by Bowls New Zealand.

A4.         This is pure fabrication.   Members and clubs were actively encouraged to express their views and all of the views expressed were taken into account in arriving at decisions that have been formulated to go forward to the Annual General meeting. 

 

Q5.         How will we know if the One Bowls – One Vision project has been successful?

A5.         The success of the One Bowls – One Vision project will be measured as follows:

•             Strong and successful clubs and centres – one and off the green

•             More people playing bowls more often

•             Pathways so people can participate and progress from club to international level

•             Growth of the sport at all levels including more young people playing bowls

•             Increased media interest in the sport and a positive public profile

•             Enthusiastic volunteers embracing the opportunities to grow the sport

•             Leaving a legacy so that future generations can enjoy the game of bowls

 

Q6.         Capitation fees and centre levies have increased to the point where affiliation has become too expensive and strongly oppose any further increases.

A6.         Compared to most other sports the fees charged are very inexpensive.  Bowls NZ has trimmed $277,000 off its current operational budget but at $27 plus GST per person this is still extraordinarily good value.  Check out your local tennis or golf club and compare this with the fees charged by Bowls NZ and local centres. 

 

Q7.  Bowls Centres should not try in any way to influence grant funding decisions – we think this is intimidatory and an abuse of power

A7.  Local authorities and funders may approach a centre following receipt of an application from a club for a grant or request for renewal of a lease, wanting to know how sustainable a club is measured by clear evidence of strategic or operational planning, growth in the numbers of members and participants and the financial sustainability of the club. 

Local authorities and funders have publically expressed concern about the number of clubs and have stressed the need for the sport to show leadership and develop a plan to reduce the number of clubs over time to a more sustainable level.  The club rationalisation plan project is a direct response to this and also based on research undertaken since 1991 which clearly signaled there are too many clubs that are resistant to change and not growing membership and participation. 

Funders in particular have stressed support for one strategic direction for a sport with alignment from the bottom to the top (One Bowls – One Vision) providing quality leadership and a focus on increased participation.  They are no longer willing to “prop-up” clubs that are not sustainable; they will no longer subsidise membership fees; they will no longer fund operational costs that should be met through membership fees and other club activities. 

Funders will give priority to those clubs who have strategic and operational plans that will lead to sustainability including demonstrated growth in membership and participation so that more people of all ages and abilities are participating in sport more often. 

The impact of “Centres having no hand in influencing what support a trust or sponsor, or local body might decide to provide a bowling club” will likely have the effect of all those applications for funding being declined.  This is because if the sport is not demonstrating it has a plan to grow the membership, and is not achieving growth in participation and is not willing to provide evidence of this then other sports will be considered more deserving. 

Although advice might be sought neither the funders nor the local authorities are bound by any advice it requests or receives.  They make their decisions independently but may take into account the information provided and the evidence presented. 

 

Q8.         Bowls should be administered by two bodies – one for grassroots bowls and one for elite bowlers.

A8.         Bowls NZ is recognised by the government of New Zealand, through SPARC, as the parent body for the sport of bowls in New Zealand.  Recognition by the government of New Zealand provides access to funding and resources that would not be available under the suggested proposal for a two organisation structure. 

If Bowls went down the path of a two organisation structure it would be left out in the wilderness and would no longer qualify or attract funding support from the government, national funding bodies and sponsors.  Sport in New Zealand is structured along the lines of one national body for each sport.  The suggestion of a fractured rather than a united organisation is a sad indictment on those who advocate for such a structure with duplication of leadership and associated costs an inevitable outcome. 

 

Q9.         We have no interest in the high performance end of the sport and object to our capitation fees being used to fund this.

A9.         Capitation fees are not used to fund the high performance and Black Jacks programmes.  SPARC is the major investor in the sport of Bowls high performance programme because it believes that the sport is important for all New Zealanders and because we consistently perform well on the world stage.  SPARC expects World Championship medals and we have been very successful; it expects Commonwealth Games medals and we have been very successful.  Our talent identified development players are also performing with distinction and were successful in recent competitions in Australia.

 

Q10.       We don’t think Bowls NZ provides value for money services to its members.  

A10.       The capitation fees are used to support a range of programmes and services that have a direct benefit for all bowls players in New Zealand.  This includes investment in coaches, umpires, turf culture, MIB and other competitions.  It also includes investment in the One Bowls – One Vision project to get more people playing bowls more often and to provide pathways for people from club through to international level should they so choose. Community Development Officers work directly with clubs and have developed a set of best practice tools that can support clubs become strong and sustainable.  

 

Q11.       We are not against amalgamation of clubs but don’t want this forced on us. 

A11.       Bowls NZ has no intention of forcing clubs to amalgamate but research and feedback from our members strongly indicates that there are too many bowling clubs with a reducing number of members and no plans in place to improve the situation.  

The club rationalisation plan will focus on identifying those clubs that are strong and sustainable and have a focus on growing participation in competitive and non-competitive bowls programmes.  It will also identify where there are clubs in close proximity that are struggling to survive and support those clubs to make decisions about their ongoing viability.  This may lead to mergers but it will be up to the clubs to decide. 

 

Q12.       Rural clubs are different from urban clubs and for this reason we oppose rationalisation of clubs. 

A12.       We totally agree that rural clubs are different from urban clubs and the criteria for sustainability are very different.  We believe that rural clubs provide a service beyond that of a bowling club and in many instances is the social heart of a community.  There is no plan to encourage rural clubs to close down and in most cases there is no other club for them to merge with. 

 

Q13.       Bowls is a sport mainly for retirees – if we keep the sport fun, affordable and with less bureaucracy and not too much stress we can have a secure ongoing customer base. 

A13.       It is important that the sport is fun, affordable, with less bureaucracy and not too much stress.  However our current customer base is reducing as it inevitably must as our current members get older.  As guardians of our sport it is the responsibility of all of us to leave a legacy for future generations.  This means we have to attract new members into the sport so that more people are playing bowls more often (not just look after the needs of current members).  This includes getting younger people playing bowls and targeting the baby boomers aged 45 – 62 who are increasingly active as they grow older.  Casual participation is growing but this means bowls clubs are changing to offer new opportunities that are fun and affordable but played within shorter time frames and with no rules around the dress code. 

 

Q14.       We don’t believe adding another layer of administration is going to help our sport. 

A14.       There are no plans to add another layer of administration.  Three regional centres are planned to be set up within existing infrastructure in Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury. 

 

Q15.       Bowls is the only sport that is suitable for retired people. We are only interested in roll-ups and disc draw and don’t believe there is a need to provide anything else. 

A15.       Bowls is a sport for all ages and abilities.  There is a growing base of young people playing and enjoying the game.   From research in 2008 we know that 72% said the game of bowls is “played mainly by senior citizens and retired people but more younger people are taking it up” while 19% said it was “played by all age groups”.  Only 8% of respondents said the game of bowls was played by “senior citizens and retired people only”.  Nothing in the One Bowls One Vision Project alters clubs ability to provide for roll-ups and disc draws which will continue to be a cornerstone of the sport. 

 

Q16.       There needs to be a range of approaches to overcome the resistance throughout the bowling community, at both club and centre level – I cannot recall seeing anything. 

A16.       Bowls NZ has been very proactive in facilitating a number of responses designed specifically to overcome the resistance throughout the bowling community, at both club and centre level.  It has clearly articulated the challenges the sport is facing and the need for change, through Bowls Talk, the Bowls Magazine, Road Shows held throughout the country, and the National Club Conference held in September 2008.  It facilitated a further 30 meetings in Centre areas in February and March 2009 which reinforced the message that change is needed and outlining strategies for change. 

The response to these initiatives has been very positive with very significant support for change, acknowledgement of the issues the sport is facing and feedback that change is inevitable.  This is a quantum leap from denial that a problem exists, although we acknowledge that there are many who have not taken on board the messages that have been generated.

The Bowls New Zealand Board has also made a commitment to bold changes for the sport of Bowls with the aim of having more people playing bowls more often and ensuring the entry point to bowls – through the clubs – is a welcoming and positive experience.  

Creating change is a very slow process and requires constant reinforcement of the need for change and the consequences of not changing.  Board members, Bowls New Zealand staff and Task Force members must play a strong role in reinforcing this message on a consistent basis.  If you have other suggestions for how resistance can be overcome we would welcome your input. 

 

Q17.       Why is there a need to reduce the number of bowls clubs?

A17.       In summary many clubs are struggling to survive, especially in urban areas; traditional membership is reducing; opportunities for casual and social bowls are increasing; many clubs are not geared up to take advantage of this growth opportunity.

In an ideal world all 650+ clubs would raise the bar and be full to overflowing but in a market model (no matter if it is sport or business) people will gravitate to those clubs that are offering goods and services (competitions) of a high quality, on quality greens, in quality clubrooms, at times and in places and at prices that people will pay when they perceive they get value for money. 

Club Rationalisation Plans will identify where amalgamations or mergers should take place to strengthen the club structure.  All clubs will be included in the rationalisation plans and all clubs have the opportunity at any point of time of demonstrating sustainability.  If a club wants to attract funding and other support they will need to think seriously about how they can develop the capability and capacity to deliver valued services to the community they serve.

We cannot force clubs to merge or amalgamate.  What we can do is promote best practice and continue to invest time and resources into things we can lead through committed individuals.  Market forces will over time facilitate mergers and amalgamations or the closure of clubs while others will struggle on. 

 

Q18.       What role will centres other than regional centres play in future?

A18.       The remainder of the centres will continue to play an important role in organising local tournaments; inter-centre and inter-club matches and in selecting representative teams.

 

Q19.       How will we measure whether or not a centre is financially viable in a practical sense e.g. some are forever reliant on trust funding to send representative teams away, etc – where do we draw the line?

A19.       This needs further discussion.  A guideline might be reliance on 20% of funding with 80% self-funding and this might well be achievable with fewer, stronger, more sustainable clubs and centres. There might also need to be a paradigm shift in terms of expectations about representative team expenses being met by anyone other than the participants (user pays is common in many other sports).   

Centres and Clubs will need to determine how they source their funds in the future in an environment where access to grant funding is expected to be severely curtailed or even non-existent.  The financial discussion we need to have is how to make the best use of resources that are currently available to the sport of bowls. 

 

Q20.       Has the effect on existing members of a major upheaval been thought through?  What happens if these changes don’t work as it is hard to go back to a structure once it has been dismantled?

A20.       This is not a major upheaval of the sport, but just putting a structure in place that will help every club to get more people playing bowls more often.  The current structure isn’t working.  Membership is declining while casual participation is increasing.  There is an opportunity, if we act now, to take advantage of the interest in casual participation and ensure the sport remains strong and sustainable.  Change is always a risk, but the risk of not doing anything is, we believe, far greater.  We have taken our time and consulted widely so we can hopefully get it right.  The RAC structure, although not hugely successful, has set the stage for working regionally which is a step in the right direction. 

 

Q21.       Will the CDO’s and the national coach be based in the regional offices or will they be based in the field at present?

A21.       Both the CDO’s and national coaching coordinator will be based in the field where they are most accessible to the clubs and centres they work with.  Currently the high performance team is based in Christchurch, the Events Manager is based in Nelson, the national coaching coordinator is based in Palmerston North, while the CDO’s are based in Whangarei, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. 

 

Q22.       Will clubs be represented at the Bowls NZ AGM and is this to replace the existing RAC’s?

A22.       Clubs will not be represented at Bowls NZ Annual General Meeting.  The proposal is for regional centres to facilitate a process of selecting four delegates from within their wider regional area. Representation at the Annual General Meeting will be on a user-pays basis

 

Q23.       If a club does not wish to amalgamate and they have few numbers will they still be recognised or will they be told to amalgamate. 

A23.       Clubs will not be told to amalgamate and will continue to be recognised but may struggle to survive and are unlikely to attract grant funding if they are not providing competitions, facilities and events that meet the needs of their local community.

 

Q24.       There is talk about separating out governance and management in clubs.  What is meant by this and will sub-committees be needed?

A24.       Club Check (Club Plan) is already in place and has been embraced by some clubs. In the past there has not been a strong focus on the “business” of running a club, which essentially is a small business.  Clubs may continue to operate as they do now with a committee but will be encouraged to have a longer term focus.  The current short term focus is supported by the tendency in most clubs to appoint Presidents and Executives for a one year term.

 

Q25.       There is talk about professional staff in clubs, but some clubs struggle now to pay greenkeepers. 

A25.       This is why it is important that the focus be on building strong sustainable clubs.  In many clubs the greens have deteriorated and recruiting green keepers is difficult.  This is because membership is reducing and a clubs ability to pay a reasonable wage is proving difficult yet there continues to be a focus on charging low fees to participate in the sport.  This is not sustainable in the long term.

 

Q26.       Not everyone belonging to a bowls club pays a capitation fee.  We have heard that this is likely to change.  What effect will this have on our clubs?

A26.       Some clubs have granted playing rights to social members which is contrary to their own constitution and that of Bowls NZ.  All playing members are required to pay a membership fee.  Local Body Licensing Inspectors are currently taking a close look at clubs operating competitions for non-members. Before any Club can obtain a club license, the authorities must be satisfied that the predominant purpose for which the premises will be used is something other than the consumption of liquor. For bowling clubs that is playing the sport of bowls. There are also rules around serving alcohol to non members. The Bowls New Zealand Constitution sets out a process to manage the participation of non members and their use of the clubs premises but this requires a transparent process.  Clubs who don’t follow clear guidelines on this could be putting their licenses at risk.

Over time it is anticipated there will continue to be a decline in the number of registered members and an increase in the number of casual participants leading to fewer people contributing to the cost of running the sport unless action is taken.