Should the trust and/or the club be accountable?

[Coastergirl]

Hi,

I am sat here trying my hardest to not feel anxious about the general situation at hand; that yes we have a nice big lump sum but we've had that before and we still ended up in a mess. In doing so, I'm inevitably thinking "well they should have done that, they should have sorted x, y and z..." but I'm no business-whizz so really, what do I know?! On the other hand, as it is the people's aircraft, should we have a say in how it is run? We didn't have the chance to vote for who should run her, and if we don't have a say in how she is run - then really how is it the people's aircraft at all?

So, that led me to wonder - should the VOC and the Club be 'accountable' to the supporters? If so, to what degree and what depth?

I feel that we have been let down in recent years, and that the promises made have been broken time and time again. I would like answers for why that has happened and I am wondering if we are entitled or if it is just a case of "either support blindly, or don't support"?

I also feel that given the (in my opinion) gravity of the fact that it was promised that the begging bowl would not come out this year (to the degree it did last year) and it has, is reason enough for an official inquiry, preferably by way of a Question and Answer session.

Just as an example, I would like to know why the book we produced (Her Majestic Return) was supposed to be sold through Amazon and through the shops in the RAF museums, but still, a year later, isn't (as far as I know). There may be a good answer (I hope it is), or it might be being sorted as we speak. Please don't try to answer this question in this thread - I am just giving an example of what type of question I think we should be allowed to ask, and receive a reply to.

If small situations like this are left unquestioned, then major opportunities are being wasted and there is a very real risk of us being in the same situation in a few months time.

No one person, whether it be at TVOC, on a forum, in the club, on the committee or anywhere, can possibly remember all the things that were promised and not done, but each of us probably have specific bugbears that have wound us up over the last 2 years, that we could present during a Q&A.

The Q&A would have to be conducted by e-mail I imagine and possibly one or two people could be responsible for directing the question to the relevant head of department and then tracking it to ensure a reply has been published. All the questions and answers should then be presented in a special report (by e-mail) to go out to anyone who has expressed an interest in receiving it, and/or posted online.

If anyone is about to say "we don't have time to do that" then my answer is: "we don't have the money to NOT do it!".

Opinions?

CG

[Xplumberlives]

Yes!

[Spitfire]

If anyone is about to say "we don't have time to do that" then my answer is: "we don't have the money to NOT do it!".
Opinions?

CG

I was told - ad nauseam - by a boss I once had - to the excuse 'I didn't have time'

'That's bad time management - FIND the time'

[P.eames]

I would have thought that as they operate on a charitable basis and are funded mainly by charitable donations they would be accountable already! The fact this question is being posed is somewhat worrying!

It looks to me that from the waddington permit issue that they (the trust/operating company) do not like the idea of accountability......Any one seen my car keys?

[Hungry Haggis]

Funny you should ask that one CG I have been searching online for the book and the only places I can find it is on the vulcan shop and EBAY and in Waterstones online shop with a lead time of 2 - 3 weeks???.I must ask in our local branch when next in the town if they have it in stock .

Oh and on topic that one needs to be fired at the commitee .AS you say she Is held in trust for the nation so will sit on the fence and get splinters in me bum .

[Dee]

Not up to scratch with these sort of issues, but could these questions be put forward at the AGM?

[Gully]

VTTST is answerable to its trustees (and indirectly the HLF).

Club is answerable to its members.

If you want to pose questions, they need to be directed to the correct organisation! The Club Committee contacts are all on the website, including our email addresses, so email away - we'll do our best to answer you. Many people already do this: it's nothing revolutionary!

Aircraft was bought for the nation by HLF and the Trust operates it on their behalf. It's the People's Aircraft on two counts: firstly, it's owned by the British people, secondly, public donations form the majority of the Trust's funding.

And yes, I can answer the photobook question, but you've asked me not to in this thread! And it will be the same answer as it would have been six months ago...

Gully

[Sploosher]

Not up to scratch with these sort of issues, but could these questions be put forward at the AGM

yes, any idea yet where and when this is taking place............

[Dan4th]

The only trouble with the AGM is
that the answers tend to be of the
"I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON
THAT" Variety..........

And mostly they don't!

Danf.

[Phantom2]

The only trouble with the AGM is
that the answers tend to be of the
"I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON
THAT" Variety..........

And mostly they don't!

Danf.

Hi Danf
may i ask have you ever attended one of our AGMs?... because I personally think the above statement is a little sweeping..

I can assure you that if any membership question asked, that can't be answered on the day I do get back asap...

As for the Trust? the club has no authority over them..

[Dan4th]

Well, perhaps I should have held my water
on that one, largely due to the fact that
my knowledge of past AGMs is all second
hand at best.....

My statement isn't about questions concerning
facts, though. It's more about the broad issues
of Trust management, goals, objectives and
proceedures. In a very public project such as
this one, transparency is essential. I believe,
however, that this element has been somewhat
lacking from the Trust Management in the past
and continuing up until today.

This is my IMPRESSION gathered from 3,000 plus
miles away. I know this doesn't carry the weight
or rigor of direct knowledge or contact, but I
welcome any input on this subject.

I Really Do Think, though, that an attitude of:
"They Don't Need To Know That" has been the
rule in the past and continues to this day, perhaps
slightly abated, but pervasive none-the-less.

IMVHO

I would LOVE to be wrong about this.

Danf.

[Phantom2]

My statement isn't about questions concerning
facts, though. It's more about the broad issues
of Trust management, goals, objectives and
proceedures. In a very public project such as
this one, transparency is essential. I believe,
however, that this element has been somewhat
lacking from the Trust Management in the past
and continuing up until today.

This is my IMPRESSION gathered from 3,000 plus
miles away. I know this doesn't carry the weight
or rigor of direct knowledge or contact, but I
welcome any input on this subject.

I Really Do Think, though, that an attitude of:
"They Don't Need To Know That" has been the
rule in the past and continues to this day, perhaps
slightly abated, but pervasive none-the-less.


Danf.

Hi Danf

The thing you and everybody else is that the Club has no authority whatsoever over the attitudes of the Trust.. it's not for me , as an ex-employee with a confidentiallity agreement in place, to be critical of their attitudes and phyosiphy, that I will leave to you lot..

I just wish to reitterate? that the club committee are powerless with respect to the workings of the Trust..

[Old Rigger]

Phantom2, whilst I agree that is probably a true statement, it should not be that way when you consider that without the club and its membership the Trust would not be where they are today and if they are still not acknowledging this fact and listening/allowing the club to influence/assist with a lot of the decisions, then there is no hope for the future IMHO and we will stumble, as an holistic entity, from one fire fight to another.

[Dan4th]

I think it ought to be said that
The Club does possess the Power
of the Pursestrings!

This is something which they have
never to date exercised, and which
could provide some of the needed
changes if they were willing to use it.

"Give Us The Money!" could turn into
"Give Us The Money, PLEEZE...."

Just my thoughts here.

Danf.