We have received a statement by Frank Courtney (Acting) Chairman of the Association and Trustee Michael Rowe.
We feel the membership might wish to read the statement.
Please click here for a PDF of the statement.
Comments are welcomed.
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Oh my god, this whole thing is just simply shocking. Why is Susan Kaufman still involved in this process? I thought Peter Chidzey had resigned, so why does he appear to be “chairing” this meeting? I wonder what the “old” Trustees think Frank Courtney has done for his conduct to be questioned. Clearly the Trustees are not going to resign and another EGM is the only way forward – for what its worth because will they then just ignore it? The whole thing is moving from the sublime to the ridiculous. I just can’t see what the “old” Trustees are thinking and why they don’t just walk away from all the hassle.
And all of that is before I even begin to commemt on the finance stuff….. £175,000 on a Mk.1 coach!!! Who in their right mind would authorise that?
Don Bishop
Former Trustee before all of this started!
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Remember who was MD of WSR Promotions until recently-SK!
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Indeed Peter, but I thought that SK had now resigned all posts so am surprised that she seems to be calling the shots here!
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Don – she is still the Company Secretary, although of course the Report recommended that the new Board appoint a new Secretary.
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It could be said that comments are unecessary, the statement speaks for itself. How these people can now be considered as suitable guardians of the future of our Association by anyone other than themselves is beyond me. Expenditure of almost £190000 on a Mark 1 coach worth no more than £30000 is ridiculous, what planet are these folks on? Just think how that money could have been spent on the heritage carriage restoration.
Whatever folks may think about the Reform Group, its personalities and its tactics, to my mind the release of this information by Frank and Michael shows tha their basic premise was and is correct, the 6 Trustees are totally unfit for office and must be replaced. However, I expect we will see more attempts to avoid the inevitble by the 6 before this saga is over, sadly.
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It is difficult to avoid the impression that there is something seriously wrong lurking in Brunel House – this whole matter has the smell of rotten apples about it. Just how low will the old Trustees sink to hang on to their posts?
Sadly I feel that they are “taking the WSRA to Hell in a hand-cart” – though it is probably one which has lost its wheel and they are paying a fortune to have it repaired sometime by 2020 🙂
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The key question must be how are membership who don’t what events unfold on the web going to have access to this information
It would seem important that they do.
Jeff Price
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Hitler in his bunker springs to mind before the inevitable end. I’d happily donate some money towards mailing every wsra member a printed copy of the report and subsequent relevant info, to ensure that everyone can see the ‘rebels’ had every right to be concerned about how the wsra is, and continues to be mismanaged. Any news on the Charity commission entering the fray?
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I am still concerned that I have spoken to several members who do not live local to the WSR and who do not know about any of this and certainly did not know about the Coombe report until I brought it to their attention.
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There continue to be worrying reports similar to this, despite the fact that ALL members should have received the Report by post or e-mail back in December. I do hope that everyone ‘spreads the word’ as far and as far as is possible.
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Point three is revealing: the WSRA will probably be in negative equity possibly by June 2016. Another issue the Membership will have to shoulder.
Nick
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One has to ask just what the current position is? Could it be that some of the assets such as the QB and 4561 etc are significantly undervalued in the books? The auditors should soon be reviewing the accounts to the end of the financial year.
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Overvalued of course! Brain fade!
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Just who is in charge at the WSRA now? There are strong implications that the organization has descended into some sort of chaotic headless chicken scenario. I very much hope that Frank and Mike will resist the temptation to walk away from it all, though I would not blame them if they did. As I see it they are essential to saving something from the wreckage that the WSRA has become.
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The answer is simple all withdraw their membership and FC start a new support group and leave the existing six trustees with the WRSA debts
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In the words of John McEnroe – “You can’t be serious!”
When picking up this post I was completely unprepared for the content of the Statement from FC and MR. Continuing in their insular and secretive ways the toxic six, along with their poisoned pilot, are behaving like spoilt brats. It is clearly apparent they are hell bent on scuppering the association: will they jump ship before oblivion occurs?
As others have commented the old trustees are totally unfit to be in the positions of office they hold and have effectively endorsed the findings of the Coombes Review.
The sale of the ‘4160’ shares tends suggest a means of attempting to replenish depleted Association finances and regarding ‘project expenditure’, how often have comments in the past been levelled about the way ‘Promotions’ operated?
And where are the Company Secretary’s management and administrative skills when no procedure or discipline is in place to have or maintain a central filing system?
The item concerning FC’s conduct has to be viewed in parallel to the incident concerning Ian Coleby last year, which was never explained to the membership. The statement issued by the WSRA Trustee’s on 15th December 2015 must also to be viewed with utter contempt.
In the interests of the membership the position of Frank C and Michael R does not look encouraging. Things are indeed dire, just like the presences of a malignant virus and one can only begin to speculate what other horrors lay in wait at WSRA HQ.
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As unbelievable as it may be, I think this is only the tip of the iceberg. There are plenty more revelations to come. The trustees know they are on the hook and as we have seen, will do anything to wriggle off it. The only way they can hope to control the damage is by staying which explains why they are holding on by their fingernails.
Perversely, the more they do to stay, the more evidence they create which will be of interest to the authorities.
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looking at other regulatory bodies, the companies they investigate only get a slap on the wrist mostly. Hopefully the charity commission has more teeth, but don’t hold your breath. I get the feeling they will be told don’t be so naughty in future, carry on,
Peter Ballard
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THANK YOU FC AND MR for your courage and dedication in seeking the truth from this obviously toxic scenario.
The audacity by which the six have hit the rest of us,
Looking in from the outside,what a disaster. But, why have the Charities Commission not intervened based on the fact that the six obviously are totally incapable of running the the now defunct WSRA, where by their gross misappropriation of funds, lack of document tractability, or financial accountability,and fundamental management skills flies in the face of any self respecting business or organisation,
In the old days the GWR used to encourage its work force to go to church.but I think this is beyond prayer, unless it’s to remove the six??.
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Have we any details on commercial contacts at renovations, say the thumper? Have costs been booked correctly or hidden on WSR projects. Needs a independent audit.
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Seven!
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AGAIN THANK YOU TO FC AND MR together with all others working so hard to save our association.
However at the risk of sounding flippant we do have a suitable lock up in Watchet!!!
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Am I blind or has the link to the Articles of Association been removed from the Association’s website? I thought they were accessed from the dropdown menu ‘About Us > Documents’.
With the revelations that have come to light through the Statement issued by FC and MR should the membership be concerned regarding article 3.2 of the WSRA Articles of Association?
3) Liability of Members – 3.2 Every member of the Association promises, in the event of the Association being wound up while he or she or it is a member or within one year after he or she or it ceases to be a member, to contribute such sum as may be demanded of him or her or it towards the debts and liabilities of the Association incurred before he or she or it ceases to be a member, and of the costs charges and expenses of winding up, and the adjustment of the rights of the contributories among themselves, such sum not exceeding one pound.
There would appear to be three parts to this:
i) towards the debts and liabilities incurred by the Association
ii) towards costs charges and expenses of winding up
iii) towards adjustment of the rights of the contributories among themselves
Does the ‘not exceeding one pound’ apply to all three parts in total or only the last one?
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I share deep concern and worry here that ” Peter has been robbed to pay Paul” and alas no doubt further disturbing revelations will come to light. A house of cards scenario were profit is alas utilised to cover substantial losses and unauthorised over expenditure. A competent auditor is urgently required to go through the accounts to determine assets and contingent liabilities. Thoughts please on a post card to Aruba Aruba!!!
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Interesting that the Articles of Association are again accessible on the Association website, they weren’t so when I submitted my earlier comment!
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