Insider knowledge is not necessary, I believe, RHH to strongly suspect how advancement in the UB structure is controlled / achieved.someone else with a better knowledge than myself of exactly how you get 'in' would probably be better equipped to answer this but from what I understand there is a lot of cosying up done for a period of time, hob-knobbing the right people etc putting in your time in certain lower capacities etc then one is invited in.
I am sure there are many similar committee structures where progression is controlled by the longer serving members.
Lets first say however that it is likely that a large number of the Club Representatives have absolutely no desire to progress through the various levels of committees or officerships within UB.
Where a single clique with the numeric ability to control exists, then progression is readily controlled by that clique. Examples have existed, to my direct knowledge, where there have been two roughly equally sized cliques. Entry and progression is then controlled outside the committee structure and agreed beforehand. It is then known in advance of the formal meeting who will be proposed and elected in that particular year.
Either of these are difficult to break down as it requires a sizeable group of ‘true democrats’ to recognise and stand up against the clique(s). It is unlikely to happen in a committee based structure in any organisation. It is less likely in any organisation where the Ex-Presidents are there by right. My own thoughts are that only the immediate Past President should be there by entitlement in any organisation with a committee structure. It is always useful to be able to talk to someone who has just done the job but is still within the confines of committee confidentiality.
Here endeth the ……… by 'a democrat'.
