Page 10 - Yachter Autumn 2021

10 CLUB GUARDIANS
BILL WEST
Chair (Member since 1992; Guardian since 2017)
RICHARD HOUSE
(Member since 1989; Guardian since 2021)
ROBIN FUNNELL
(Member since 2004; Guardian since 2018)
ANGELA RICE
(Member since 2004; Guardian since 2021)
TONY KNIGHT
(Member since 2004; Guardian since 2021)
WHO ARE THE CLUB ‘GUARDIANS’ AND WHAT ARE THEY FOR?
In simple terms, as stated in the Club Rules (please check these out on the website if you feel like some light reading) the Guardians are appointed ‘to represent the interests of the Members as a whole’. Of course, this is what members of the Executive Committee and associated committees tirelessly endeavour to do.
However, for Guardians, this is more of an overarching, strategic role, akin to that of Trustees (whose roles they inherited some years ago), and with responsibility to support and monitor good governance. Guardians have no voting rights, but representatives attend Executive Committee meetings, offer suggestions and comments and flag up any concerns.
The Guardians today are also, for complex historical reasons (dating back
to the building of our first clubhouse in Above Bar in 1885) Directors of the (non- trading) RSYC Property Company and its wholly-owned (also non-trading) subsidiary
the RSYC Building Company, together with the Rear Commodore Facilities
(who is a voting member of the Executive Committee).These two companies and the trading company, RSYC Ltd., are of course all owned by you, the Club Members.
The formal basic requirement for appointment to the role is, according to the above-mentioned light reading, at least 10 years membership plus experience on Club committees. In practice, these minimum requirements are usually well exceeded.Your current Guardians have variously given many years’ service on Club committees at different stages in its development and have acquired
expertise and background knowledge of the many facets of the Club, its operations and activities.They are able to provide a degree of continuity to offset the fragmentation which can result from the inevitable turnover of the many volunteer members involved in the management of the Club.
Guardians are recommended for appointment by the Executive Committee but are actually elected by Club members at the AGM.They serve for a term of three years, which can be extended for a second term.As each steps down a new voice,with different experience and knowledge, joins the group.