El Presidente Has Spoken - Things Are Happening

THE SHIT is about to hit the fan along BT Murrayfield's corridors of power. Because, President Ian Barr has revealed the identities of the members of his Standing Comittee on Governance, and there is at least one unexpected name on the list.

 

 

 Ian Barr - has named his governance review team

The group members are: President Barr, Independent Board Member Julia Bracewell, Gavin MacCall QC – who will be the independent Chairman of the committee, Council members Gordon Thomson, Hazel Swankie, Ken Knott, Bobby Frazer, Martin Offord, and, the surprising name – past President Rob Flockhart.

That Flockhart, who it has to be said, left office under something of a cloud, should be invited onto the group, demonstrates Ian Barr's determination to have all sections of the club game involved.

My understanding is that Flockhart, who stood for the vice-presidency then got the top job, on a platform of “standing-up for the clubs,” saw his worthy ambitions distorted somewhat by the machinations of at least one high-ranking member of The Junta. His return to active service from rugby's equivalent of God's Waiting Room – the ranks of the ex-presidents, offers Rob a chance to help put things right.

The group brings significant intellectual power to their task, with two advocates, in Messrs MacColl and Frazer and further lawyers in Flockhart and Julia Bracewell. Martin Offord brings years of expertise gained in the City of London's financial world and while there may be complaints from the South and West Regions about a lack of representation, there can be little doubt, the chosen team covers most of the bases within the game.

We can only surmise at what they might find and recommend, but, we hear they may look at the make-up of the main SRU Board. There is a belief in the Council that Chairman of the main board, the job currently being done by John Jeffrey, must be a truly-independent person.

There is also support for a cut in the number of paid executives currently on the main board. At present, CEO Martin Dodson, COO Dominic McKay, SRU Counsel Robert Howat and Finance Director Andrew Healy are on the main board. There is a feeling in the Council that at least two of that number might be two too many. There is also a growing clamour for either Performance Director Jim Mallinder or HR Director Shona Bell to replace one of the other executives on the board.

Further to this, some within, and even more without the Murrayfield big top, support the formation of a Professional Game Board, similar to that in existence in Wales. If the committee recommends setting-up such a board, likely members will be: Mallinder, National Coach Gregor Townsend, Edinburgh and Glasgow CEOs Douglas Struth and Nathan Bomphrys, and Stephen Gemmell and Sean Lineen. There are also suggestions at least one representative of the FOSROC Super6 franchises could be on this board, if it happens.

There is also, I understand, some support for removing the co-opted members of the Council, Ian Rankin, Gavin Hastings and John Jeffrey from that body. The reasoning behind this suggestion is – as originally envisaged by Sheriff Bill Dunlop, the Council was supposed to be the representative body for the Union's main stakeholders, the clubs. Rankin sits as the representative of Rugby Europe, Big Gav represents The British and Irish Lions and JJ represents The PRO14; you will not find any of these three organisations on the list of SRU clubs. The committee seems certain to spend time discussing this issue.

Messrs Rankin, Hastings and Jeffrey are SRU appointments, as such, the belief is, they have no place on an elected body such as the Council.

Obviously, we do not yet know under what time scale Ian Barr's group will operate, or exactly what the terms of reference will be, other than the fact – the President wants to be able to place their findings before the 2021 AGM. We have also heard talk of new criteria being introduced for potential Council members, with candidates for office being required to show certain skill sets and attributes before being allowed to stand.

I like what we are hearing about the group and its plans. I know Mr Barr does not want to waste any time in getting to grips with the problems facing Scottish Rugby. I also know, it will not simply be a review, new ideas and initiatives will emerge from the group's work. Buckle-up people, this could be quite a ride.

Ian Barr, announcing the setting-up of the committee, said: “As Clubs are aware, since assuming the role of President I have been committed to setting up a new group to review all aspects of Scottish Rugby’s governance,” added Barr. “The Scottish Rugby Council has now approved the membership and terms of reference of the Council’s new Standing Committee on Governance.

“The Committee will be tasked with making recommendations on a structure which is fit for purpose in the modern era and setting out clearly defined roles and responsibilities for all involved in the running of our game, in line with the Nolan principles of good governance.”

[I am indebted to my friend David Barnes of The Offside Line, for printing the following explanation of The Nolan Principles and saving me having to look them up and cut and paste]:

The Nolan Principles – which were set out by Lord Nolan in his 1995 as the ‘The Seven Principles of Public Life’ – consist of:

• Selflessness

• Integrity

• Objectivity

• Accountability

• Openness

• Honesty

• Leadership

“Governance can sound a bit abstract,” Barr continued. “But the governance of Scottish Rugby impacts on anyone and everyone involved in the game in Scotland so we must ensure there is a structure in place which allows all aspects of our organisation to operate effectively.

“Governance has been a contentious issue in the past, but we now have an opportunity, and a responsibility, to implement a governance model that will take Scottish rugby forward for the foreseeable future.

“What I committed to before I took up the position of President, was a fresh look at our governance, bearing in mind the challenges we face at all levels of the game, whether on the international stage or getting players out on the field for their local club.”