![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Poster: A snowHead
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Moved from the Interesting New about the Eurotest thread
I don’t agree with everything the board does and I have written to them regarding certain matters. OK in that case I was the only person whingeing about it but hey, that’s democracy. The proposals put forward are one viewpoint, there are always other that are equally credible so here's my tuppenny's worth; the credibility of which open to discussion
1) The Board produce a simple and transparent breakdown of the costs involved in staffing each Eurotest (number of staff, wages per opener / technical representative, expenses broken down by hotel, expenses, travel, etc.) which should be distributed to the members.
This would, by inference, mean that we (BASI) should have different charges for each Test. The production of a “price list” showing the different price for each test would, in itself, require more administration and so increase the costs overall. This proposal is self-defeating.
2) The Board take all available actions to minimise the cost to members of participating in the Eurotest, specifically:
(I assume that BASI already “take all available actions to minimise the costs”)
i) reviewing the policy of sending BASI openers and a technical delegate to tests
We send the number of people required and, again I assume, that this is what is required. The requirement being not just to meet the minimum standards of participation, but, more importantly, to maintain a level required by a national association representing 100’s of people trying to earn a living abroad and many, many more trying to work through the qualifications
ii) ensuring the BASI admin fee at tests where there is no BASI staffing requirements is reduced to a nominal office admin fee
Again, this would lead to a price list for different Tests.
iii) negotiating directly with the Austrian and German authorities to reduce the current 110 Euro and 130 Euro entry fees which are charged for each test over and above the BASI administrative fee
This is not possible as the two charges are not linked, in any way. An example would be that you ask the management of Alton Towers to reduce the entrance fee to those people who have paid more the travel to the attraction.
3) If following the outcome of resolution 2i) it is established that a certain level of BASI representation is required at some tests then the Board:
i) seek to minimise the staffing levels by sending the minimum number of openers and, if possible, no technical representative. The Board must seek members' support for any proposed staffing level above the minimum requirement
Definitely not. It would be ridiculous (and demeaning) to force the board to have to ask permission via a vote if they decide to send an extra person to an event.
ii) request of the relevant authority that all British entries are compacted into the smallest number of days possible to reduce the number of days that BASI staff are required on site
This is a non starter. Can you imagine the Italians or the French asking (for example) the Austrians if they would allow all the testees to run first so they the Italian and French association representatives could get home early.
4) The Eurotest administration fee be set transparently and at a level to cover the costs to the organisation according to the outcome of this project
Yep, fair enough.
5) The Board undertake that any future cost increases in the administration fee for Eurotest entry will require a resolution at the AGM
We appoint the board to “direct”. To hamstring them in this way would be acceptable only if we believed they were being profligate, I for one don’t.
They are a board of directors so let them direct.
If you don’t like what they are doing then replace them via the ballot.
Post-Script
I for one don’t mind paying for our wonderful representatives to have a warm cup of coffee whilst they are working. Everyone knows that in France the coffee costs more than it does in Italy so does this mean that the administration costs should be adjusted for this. But hang on, it costs more to get to Italy (being further away than France) so this should be taken into account when deciding upon the charges. It is common knowledge that French hotels have tiny little rooms that sleep up to 100 people, so the accommodation costs are/may be less than Austria (where the rooms are always palatial) , does this mean that the Austrian testees pay more than those trying for a pass in France. Etc. Etc. Etc. I am sure that someone at BASI will have worked out what the costs to the association will be (plus a margin for error) for the whole season’s tests. It seems sensible to just charge pro-rata rather than desperately scrabbling around try to define the individual costs per person.
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