The Poplars /BJJFC - Putting the Record Straight
As a our readers will be aware, we have for many months been challenging and scrutinising the subject of “the under usage and the high cost of running the Poplars which produces an inequitable burden on the “silent majority” within our community. Regretfully the “BJJFC” has mistakenly taken this an attack on their organisation’s integrity - this could not be further from the truth
The concern for us at BJ Online and a great many others in our village is the under utilisation and high cost of running the Poplars which produces an inequitable burden on the “silent majority” within our community. Which we will continue to challenge and scrutinize until we consider the position has been redressed to the satisfaction of our “Silent Majority”
Therefore we will “clear the air”, hopefully to the satisfaction of the BJJFC, by including several recent relevant e mails which have passed between ourselves and the BJJFC.
However we will lead of with the following ( stated within the BJPC website)
“The BJPC Sports Ground Committee is responsible for the running and Finances of the Poplars Sports Ground on Station Road, Burton Joyce.
It controls the Maintenance, Ground Control, licensing and Club contracts. The SPC meets monthly to review activities, procedures and items arising from the hire of the Sports Grounds to our Clubs and other Sports related activities.”
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01 July 2009 - E mail from Paul Doherty to BJ Online Admin
Admin,
Just to correct your costings re Friday Night Football. The £300 paid for the 'summer pitch' is an additional cost brought in this summer, which is levied for one pitch, whether it is used or not. The Junior Football Club pays much more than this in total for Friday Night Football and indeed the total annual cost to us is well over £5000.
As for the 400 mums, dads and kids; the players are charged subs for training, which goes to pay for a host of expenses, such as equipment, footballs, kits, managers first aid, FA coaching and child protection courses, insurance, CRB checks, league fees etc etc.... The mums and dads spend money at the bar, for which the council get paid a percentage. I'm not sure what the percentage is as it isn't run by the football club, but I'm sure that any current or ex councillor will be aware of this. These 400 people are participating in active, healthy pursuits laid on for them by willing volunteers, which has the added benefit of keeping youngsters and teenagers away from the kind of disgraceful anti social behaviour that your website has also eluded to! Surely we should be welcoming and encouraging kids to play sports and keep out of mischief. I'm willing to bet that none of these recent acts of vandalism were caused by any member of any of the sports clubs.
Whilst writing, I read with interest your campaign for the 'silent majority' and of course agree with you in your summation that the elderly deserve to be respected and indeed represented in the community. You'll no doubt be pleased to hear that I attended the Poplars Management Committee meeting last night, where the Bowls club and Archery club were both represented by retired people and indeed the Cricket is also run by many people that come into that bracket. Infact I'm hardly a spring chicken representing Junior football!
Maybe you should give us a break. All these clubs are run for the benefit of the whole community by people who often work in the day and give to others in their spare time. Certainly the Junior Football Club pays a commercial rate for all its activities undertaken at The Poplars.
Regards, Paul Doherty
Response by BJ Online Admin to Paul Doherty
Hi Paul
Once again we MUST explain. we at BJ Online are NOT anti the Poplars and we are NOT anti BJ Junior Football ( and you can quote this any time, anywhere) and as far as we are concerned we are not aware of anyone else in BJ who is.
The problem is not what you pay or contribute ( this is your business and we respect it should always be the best you can negotiate). We are pleased and interested to learn of your side of the story, for no one else has volunteered it, not even BJPC Councillors.- they are satisfied with quoting estimated attendance figures for the attendance of Friday events, without any indication of their additional share of any income from Bar takings. As a result of this we will gladly ensure others in the community are now made aware of your organisations position .
What we are concerned with, is the cost of the running the Poplars It is a fact that the finances - income and expenditure costs of the POPLAR have been a problem for a good many years ( as far as we can determine after reading back thro virtually every BJPC published minute from 2000 onwards). the running costs have always been a clouded issue and not OPEN to general scrutiny. ( Yes the BJPC may say that all the info is in the annual accounts ), maybe so, but it is not in a form which readily attributes actual costs to the relevant source and which the general community can readily understand .
We will do better than give you a break !, with your permission, we will publish your letter ( verbatim) within the Forum section of the site. Plus we will give your cause regular publicity with information supplied by yourself or colleagues ( incl photographs) and add any events you stage within our "Whats on" Section.
I will be pleased and willing to meet you at any time to discuss both our positions - face to face
Brian (Admin)Response from Paul
Hi Brian,
I note your comments and am pleased to hear that you are not 'anti Poplars or anti BJJFC'.
What annoys me is that despite your assertions, the information being published on your site gives the impression that BJJFC is somehow getting away with paying only a peppercorn rent for its use of the Poplars facility. I personally know that there are approximately 15 to 20 coaches down there on a Friday evening, each giving up their time, each having spent 6 full days to obtain their FA qualifications, all for the benefit of the youth in the village and surrounding area. If they read the slant that you take with regard to Friday nights, it definitely gives the impression that their work is somehow detrimental to the village (certainly in financial terms) rather than a worthwhile positive. It feels like an attack on 'Friday Night Football', which is organised by BJJFC, when I read incorrect assumptions like 'each person attending contributes just 4p.' I guess that we are going to have to agree to differ if you don't accept this.
I would therefore like to take you up on your offer to print my letter/letters in their entirity and see where that takes us. At least it gives a different take on the issue of contributions and would be appreciated.
Regards,
Paul
01/07/09 Response again to Paul
Hi Paul
No problem will do - in fact rather than an addition in the Forum, we will present a full article covering all your points in Hot Gossip, gives us a couple of days to create . I am sure ( and hope) that the village does not see our comments as a slur on your organisation, will therefore try and put the record straight once and for all.
Surprised you do not take up our offers plus a "face to face"
Regards and continued success
Brian (Admin)
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