… The recent passage of the Deregulation Bill which will permit public roads to be closed for motor sports events has energised the ongoing debate about rallying. Equally, the appointment last year of a new President for the Scottish Association of Car Clubs has energised the quarterly meetings of the association. The new Prez didn’t say much at his first meeting, said a little more at his second then opened up at the most recent. The trouble is, if the clubs, members and the rest of us don’t respond to his foot on the gas we’ll get left behind. He’ll disappear over the horizon leaving us to our own devices and we’ll be back where we started – on the road to nowhere. We all need to take a more active interest in our clubs and our sport.
John Cleland’s Open Letter to SACC Clubs and their Members:
Since my appointment as President of the Scottish Association of Car Clubs in September 2014 a lot has happened not all of it immediately obvious to an onlooker.
My stated aim was to help make Scottish motorsport, its clubs and all the officials a lot more joined up with a clear strategy for the future.
This means:
– Improving communication between all of the above.
– Sharing of best practice rather than re-inventing the wheel.
– Recruiting more Marshals and officials into motorsport.
– Introducing an Incentive scheme for marshals with “money can’t buy experiences” for marshals during 2015.
– Getting all marshals registered and trained with a plan going forward regardless of their current discipline.
– Making SACC more accountable for getting things done in Scottish Motorsport and supporting its members in whatever they need to get their jobs done.
This also coincided with the Motor Sport Safety Review findings by Scottish Government into how we go forward with Multi Venue Stage rallying in 2015 and beyond. A number of you attended the meeting where Rob Jones of the MSA, Jacqueline Campbell of the Scottish Government and also the Forestry Commission all made presentations and it was clear to me that we now have an opportunity to change for the better, some of what we have done for years.
This is not to say that we do not run great events in Scotland, but with 4 fatalities in the last few years we are now a lot more under the microscope than before and need to make some changes before they are forced upon us.
The last meeting of the SACC was the AGM just over a week ago and it turned out to be the most interesting meeting so far, with 28 of the 53 registered clubs in attendance. After the usual AGM general business that has to be done, I threw in a few of my more diplomatic comments to get some reaction and to save getting the defibrillator out !!!
The entire assembled group all took part in a debate style discussion for the next hour or so about what could be done and how we do it and who could do it best. It was great to see the passion in the room at last with lots of great suggestions from some people who had never previously spoken at a SACC meeting.
What we need now is for the other 25 member clubs to attend and join in the discussions around change. My plea now is that all 53 clubs in the Association attend the next SACC meeting on the 16th June regardless of distance and voice their views because if you don’t, you won’t get the support your club needs, because we have no idea what you want.
I have not had so much fun at a meeting for years and urge you all to attend, you never know you might enjoy it.
We are going to change the face of Motorsport in Scotland and its better you are all on board to help make the difference.
If you feel you want to have a chat with me please feel free to call me direct.
John Cleland, President SACC
**
Editorial – Widening the Debate:
The news that UK legislation to allow Public Roads to be closed for motor sports events has generated much excitement and debate, and also some notes of caution. Quite right.
Although the Bill has been passed and Royal Assent given there still remains the mechanics of how the Bill will be accessed and enabled i.e. individuals or car clubs won’t be able to request Road Closure Orders they will have to approach the relevant Local Authority who in turn will grant (or not) permission and invoke the act.
As in everything else these days, the “devil is in the detail” although we have been assured that the MSA will work with the Government to ensure that this procedure is straightforward to access and rational in operation. Which is only right and fair. For instance it would be unreasonable to request closure of a major ‘A’ road just to run a single venue rally, but similarly Councils and local Authorities must at least consider any reasonable application.
This will not provide an open charter to close roads as and when and where we like, this will be subject to very strict controls.
If anyone thinks this is now open season on staging multi venue closed road rallies. Forget it. It’s not just the rallyists who will seek to benefit from this. Hillclimbers, Sprinters, Time Triallists and even motor racers, not to mention our waxed canvas and leather clad brethren, the motor cyclists, will all be having a good look round their local area for suitable stretches of roads and venues.
In other words this news will generate a lot of interest from many interested parties. So we can expect a limit on the numbers and frequency of events, types of event and scale, plus locations and the timing of such events i.e. no clashes with other local events whether sporting or not, and that will include gala days and fetes, agricultural shows and pageants, certain public and school holidays, and all the rest.
Then there is the cost. No scale of charges has yet been determined so it would be quite easy for a local authority to grant permission, but then pitch the price/cost at such a level that the event would not be viable! Regardless of that, whatever charges will be set could well be more expensive than current Forestry rates and bring with it more restrictions and therefore more costs.
Then of course there is the ‘policing’ to consider. In light of recent events and current operational and manning requirements, this will not be a cheap and easy option.
There is however another threat to the future of the sport. Where will the man/womanpower come from to organise and manage these events?
We’re losing car clubs and members. The numbers of competition licence holders are down and not enough youngsters and newcomers are being attracted to the sport. Not only that, organisers are getting older and becoming fewer in number with many talented individuals put off by the increasing levels of regulation and growing bureaucracy, not to mention the rising costs of staging events and buying the personal kit and suitable machinery to get into the sport.
Whatever next, full roll cages and HANs devices for production car trials?
In other words, the basic structure is not as strong as it needs to be, that’s why car clubs need to push to get more members. They also need to get involved with, and support, their regional associations.
To this end, there is a need to support the endeavours of the new President and his desire to bring change for the betterment of the sport. Given all that faces rallying over the next 22 months, we won’t get any more chances.
**
If you’re not in it, you can’t influence it – so don’t criticise or complain if you don’t participate.
Ed.
**