BOF Event Levy

At the beginning of 1999, BOF increased considerably the Event Levy - the amount of money payable by a club to BOF each time that it puts on an event. Since it was a % levy on takings, with clubs paying 33% on takings, after approved deductions, over Ł500, it affected Badge and National events more than Colour coded (for instance, CUOC and WAOC found themselves paying a total of Ł815 to BOF after the very modest (and cheap) Thetford Thrash double Badge Event last year). After howls of protest from numerous clubs who have actually been making a loss on Badge events, BOF Council has approved a change in the event levy from 1 May 2000 to a per capita one, explained below, which impinges more heavily on Colour coded than on the relatively expensive Badge and National events.

This letter to the Chairman was circulated to all EAOA clubs and Committee members by e-mail before the last Committee meeting, and Dick Towler has given his permission for it to be reproduced here. As you can see from the Chairman's Chat, our Chairman expressed NOR's concerns but, as often seems to be the case in my experience, found East Anglia to be in the minority. (Ed.)

Dear Tim,
Having discussed the BOF Event Levy again at its meeting last Wednesday, the Norwich O.C.'s Committee has asked me to raise at the forthcoming EAOA Committee meeting the following points and to attempt to persuade the EAOA Committee to mandate you to make these points to BOF Council at its next meeting.
1. Though welcoming the BOF management committee's decision to amend Council's earlier resolution, we remain concerned that the revised flat-rate levy, of Ł1.10/senior and 25p per junior, less a rebate of Ł50, may have a damaging effect on attendance at our colour-coded events, to the detriment of grass roots orienteering in East Anglia.
2. The following illustration, supplied by NOR, shows the impact of the latest proposal. Over the last 12 months, NOR has organised 9 colour-coded events. The average attendance at these events was 106 adults and 52 juniors, from whom NOR will have to collect, after next March, on behalf of BOF, Ł129.60, less Ł50, i.e. Ł79.60. At present, NOR would pay over only Ł33, so will have to find an extra Ł46.60, or 44p/senior, assuming no increase is made to junior entry fees. NOR will, presumably, decide to raise its senior entry fee by 50p, with the possibility of a further increase to fund the new EAOA capitation fees in future years. (NOTE Many EA clubs have decided to fund the new EAOA capitation fee with an increased membership fee, rather than from event levies - Ed.)
3. We would like BOF Council to be made aware of our concern about the way in which the decision to change the levy was taken. Any proposal to make a much smaller increase in the money collected from BOF members via membership fees has to be considered at the BOF AGM, after prior notification to all members. A decision to change the BOF Event Levy, potentially far more costly to the average BOF member, was taken by Council without any prior consultation of most BOF members at all. To take an obviously controversial fiscal decision without prior consultation, call it a proposal and then invite comments is, quite simply, an error of judgement. We hope that BOF Council will not make the same error again.
4. Finally, we would like the BOF Council to be aware that consideration has been given to bringing a motion to the next BOF AGM to require any future proposals to change the BOF Event Levy to be put to the BOF AGM. Such a motion might well be carried, bearing in mind the impact of the present change on the pockets of many orienteers, but would severely limit opportunities subsequently to change the Levy again, in the light of future experience. We have, therefore, decided not to arrange for such a motion to be put to the BOF AGM at this time.
Richard Towler (NOR)