Ambiguos Insurance see's U7's games suspended in the NWC

[LordCharles]

Some serious bedtime reading!!!...........What is our sport coming too?

 

The Club Committees
North West 8s to 12s Rugby League Member Clubs - 6th July 2015

 

Dear Club,

I am writing on behalf of the RFL Community Board following its recent meeting on Wednesday 10th June, at which the non-acceptance of the new Primary Rugby League formats by the North West Counties 8s to 12s league was discussed. Following discussion, it was unanimously agreed that I would write to you to notify you that;

1) The Primary Rugby League Management Group’s focus will now turn to ensuring that the new formats of Primary Rugby League are properly embedded and to become a best practice forum to make this happen. As long as the North West Counties 8s to
12s league is not willing to accept the new formats, the agenda is unlikely to be relevant to your league and as such the league’s attendance will no longer be relevant.

2) As the Community Game Operational Rules dictate that the Primary Rugby League should be played in accordance with the Primary Rugby League rules (the new format was voted in by the Primary Rugby League management group in January of
this year and detailed in this year’s rule book) your league is in breach of the Operational Rules and as a result your participating teams may be playing without insurance cover.

3) The RFL will only be producing supporting material for the new formats of Primary Rugby League (eg. Primary Rugby League Handbook, Coach & Parent Workshops, Videos, etc)

4) The RFL will focus Primary Rugby League time and resources towards the Leagues and Clubs which are running the new format.

 

5) The RFL shall begin to explore alternative methods of delivering Primary Rugby League in line with the new format for clubs in the North West region.

6) Further sanctions may follow against the league should it remain non-compliant to the new Primary Rugby League formats.

We have re-iterated to the North West Counties 8s to 12s league that our ideal position is that the League accepts the new formats for the game and delivers Primary Rugby League in the region in partnership with the RFL and the other leagues operating around the country.

The RFL has offered to continue to support the League in achieving this.

A copy of this letter has been circulated to all clubs in the North West region, members of the Primary Rugby League Management Group for their information and a similar letter has been sent to the North West Counties 8s to 12s committee.

If you have any questions regarding the content of this letter, please do not hesitate to contact your local Club & Competition Manager in the first instance:

 John McMullen –john.mcmullen@rfl.uk.com – 07775 022 795 (Clubs in Greater Manchester)

 Marc Lovering – marc.lovering@rfl.uk.com – 07515 753 884 (Clubs in Lancashire, Merseyside & Cheshire)

Yours sincerely,

 

David Butler
Head Of Community Department Delivery

 

david.butler@rfl.uk.com
07595 520 174

 

CC: RFL Community Board
Yorkshire Junior League
Hull & District Youth League
West Cumbria Primary, Youth & Junior League
Barrow & District Primary, Youth and Junior League
London Youth, Junior & Primary League
NWC 13s to 15s
NWC Youth

 

 

From: Michael Doyle <nwc.chair@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Jul 7, 2015 at 10:52 AM
Subject: Re: Primary Rugby League
To: David Butler <David.Butler@rfl.uk.com>
Cc: G Aitken <g.aitken2@sky.com>

Dear David

 

Thank you for your correspondence regarding the outcome of discussions surrounding the subject of the Primary RL format at the Community Board meeting held on the 10th June.

 

Relative to the Community Board meeting on June 10th 2015, it would be appreciated if you could confirm that our Youth & Junior Community Board representative Charlie Bray was not in attendance at that meeting?

 

On initial review of your letter I find it disappointing that the outcome of all the discussions that have taken place in the various forums, particularly over the last 12 months, have seemingly disregarded all of the feedback, collated information, suggested compromise and the collective opinion of our member clubs and their volunteers in relation to this matter.

 

I also note that you have chosen to circulate this information to the League and its member clubs today, some 27 days after the community board meeting concluded and on the exact date of the League's scheduled monthly meeting, something I feel is more premeditated than it is coincidental.

 

Several elements contained within your letter do require immediate clarity from yourself as the officer who has delivered this communication on behalf of the sports national governing body. I have listed the areas concerned below and would request that in line with my swift response to your initial correspondence, you offer myself as Chair of the League the very same courtesy so that the information can be discussed with the member clubs at this evenings monthly meeting.

 

You state the member clubs whose teams participate within the NWC 7's-12's League "may be playing without insurance cover".

Given the gravity of your statement it is paramount that you clarify if the clubs are covered or not via insurance with immediate effect, failure to do so could potentially deem that you have, as the NGB, through lack of transparency surrounding vital policy that is required to be in place which provides a safe platform from which the sport is delivered, brought the game into disrepute within the NWC 7's-12's League.

 

You state that "the RFL shall begin to explore alternative methods of delivering Primary Rugby League in line with the new format for clubs in the North West region".

 

Will these alternative methods be within a calendar schedule that will directly conflict with the existing fixtures and format currently offered by the NWC 7's-12's League to its members that continues to deliver increased participation on a year on year basis within the region?

 

You state that "as long as the North West Counties 8s to 12s league is not willing to accept the new formats, the agenda is unlikely to be relevant to your league and as such the league’s attendance will no longer be relevant".

 

Should the league's attendance no longer be relevant, please outline the implications faced by the league and its member clubs should it be decided that a move away from the operational rules in their entirety is proposed as an appropriate course of action by the proprietors of the League, its member clubs.

 

I trust you find my request for this information to be forthcoming with immediate effect acceptable under the circumstances and I now look forward to your response in due course.

Yours in sport

 

Mike Doyle
Chairman
NWC Juniors U7's - U12's

 

From: David Butler <David.Butler@rfl.uk.com>
Date: Tue, Jul 7, 2015 at 12:16 PM
Subject: RE: Primary Rugby League
To: Michael Doyle <nwc.chair@gmail.com>
Cc: G Aitken <g.aitken2@sky.com>

Dear Mick,

 

Thanks for your quick response. I am co-ordinating a response with our Operations and Legal Department and will answers to your three questions over to you shortly.

All the best,

David

David Butler
Head Of Community Department Delivery
Phone  07595 520 174

 

 

 

From: Kelly Barrett <Kelly.Barrett@rfl.uk.com>
Date: 7 July 2015 13:42:04 BST
To: Michael Doyle <nwc.chair@gmail.com>
Cc: G Aitken <g.aitken2@sky.com>, David Butler <David.Butler@rfl.uk.com>
Subject: Primary Rugby League

 

SENT ON BEHALF OF DAVID BUTLER

Dear Mick,

 

Thank you for your swift response. I have collated the responses from our Operations and Legal Department to your three broad questions:


1)    Insurance

The response from the insurers is “There could certainly be problems in the event of a claim if the teams / clubs in question are playing outside the rules laid down by the governing body and they could find themselves uninsured.”

As matters stand today, the only age group that is affected is the under 7s as it is that age group that is non-complaint. However, you should note my point in answer to question 3.


2)    Exploration of alternative delivery methods

It is important to reiterate that the ideal position is that your league delivers the new format and that this is our ideal position.

At present no work has yet been undertaken to explore alternative methods. However should the League not become compliant, the RFL would begin to start work on this. Any activity would be scheduled at the best time to suit the player.


3)    Operating outside of the Operational Rules

Should your entire league decide to reject the Operational Rules it is likely that the insurers would view the entire competition as operating outside of the rules laid down by the governing body and as such all teams at all age groups would be operating without insurance.

With the competition no longer being governed by the RFL, coaches, players, volunteers and officials would no longer be safeguarded by the policies contained within the Operational Rules and the activity will no longer be recognised as Rugby League.

For clubs and the league itself, as unincorporated bodies, any legal claims that arise, for example from a player injury, may have to be settled by the club or the league (and its members) itself (rather than the insurers).

I hope that this answers your questions.

All the best,

David

Kelly Barrett
Head of Operations
Phone 0113 823 9170
Phone  0773 981 9750
* kelly.barrett@rfl.uk.com

 

 

Kelly

Thank you for your response on behalf of David Butler.

I am totally confused and seek clarity on the following ;

Whilst the Primary RL rules were discussed at the Primary group meeting in January 2015, as a League we have had assurances from the RFL as the sports NGB that the format we currently play, has until this juncture, been acceptable from an insurance perspective.

However based on the information you have now supplied that states “There could certainly be problems in the event of a claim if the teams / clubs in question are playing outside the rules laid down by the governing body and they could find themselves uninsured”, as a League it appears we may have been ill advised in the very first instance on the matter by yourselves as the NGB regarding the validity of the insurance policy?

My question would be, if my previous observations are not the case then how do we as a league along with our member clubs now find ourselves in such a precarious position as a direct result of your imminent enforcement of such policy, in line with supporting quotes from the insurers? Prior to David Butler's letter received today and the suggested enforcement of the new primary rules the insurance policy that was previously deemed valid by the RFL is no longer so, even though we have openly and with consent from yourselves as the NGB been operating outside of the agreed rules since the start of the season on March 1st 2015?

In essence it appears you are suggesting that the very same insurers who now say that “There could certainly be problems in the event of a claim if the teams / clubs in question are playing outside the rules laid down by the governing body and they could find themselves uninsured”  have previously either been happy to insure our member clubs under the proviso of our facilitation of RL within the NWC at U7's being acceptable to the RFL, or they have been unaware of the existing position and as such our member clubs and their members have been at risk due to the RFL's mismanagement of this entire situation.

I trust you can appreciate my severe concern and you will respond prior to 5.00pm today to clarify the existing position surrounding the current insurance policy.


Regards,

Mick D

[milly]

Ridiculous state of affairs. I thought the RFL were supposed to be increasing participation, not stopping 700+ junior players from playing because they want to change the rules. Once we lose these juniors we will not get them back as many already play football/ union/ basketball etc. The NGB are just about to kill the grassroots in the NW. Remember that when they get another funding cut.

[Defender1]

Unfortunately the RFL have got it wrong on many fronts, this could be another nail in the coffin of the game, I also think there could be other skeletons to come out of the cupboard if they do the RFL may have more egg on its face, I hope it makes the papers,

I may be wrong but think the RFL are arguing over

RFL. Maximum 5 a side

NWC maximum 7 a side

NWC want a slightly bigger playing area

RFL want kicking on the Last

Other leagues saw this as a hazard and did not want it

On the vote the NWC 8-12 had the most players

Other leagues had paid members voting, they were only going to side with the RFL

I think we should adopt the SUN and take over its problem page, we have enough to keep the pages full

[LordCharles]

The NWC juniors have increased participation massively over the last few years, so much so that 2015 could potentially see the recorded registrations for this season at the U7's age group break the 1,000 mark by the end of September.

 

This is a huge achievement and unbelievable success story created and delivered by countless volunteers which the NGB see as a step backwards and not forwards due to their blinkered view of an unproven format that the NWC and its thousands of  volunteers and members have unanimously rejected as a region on 3 separate occasions.

[Marauder]

Short memory, I remember you (Dave Butler) jumping on the bandwagon and condemning BARLA when a young player wasn't allowed to switch clubs in the Halifax/Huddersfield area, I'm also sure before you got your current role you also had a little whinge about players being redirected from your club to another by the service areas.

[milly]

The U7s has been the saviour of many clubs in the NW. It has made our club stronger from the bottom up. Killing it off will adversely affect the future of many clubs, as the later they start the harder it is to attract them and retain them. The RFL's stance seems to be one of no negotiation, it's our way or the highway. Well, despite the threats the clubs have still voted to stick to their guns. As coaches we are told to treat all children as individuals, they are not all the same and have different needs and skills. It seems that the RFL don't want to treat all clubs/ leagues as individuals, but want to square them all off to fit neatly into their box. NWC don't fit in the box so instead of making room they are throwing them away - very short sighted and dangerous for the future.

[LordCharles]

 http://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_18991-junior-clubs-warned-over-new-format-row.html?utm_medium=twitter

[Marauder]

Bowes ?