BCC members revolt
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• The Bus and Coach Council has come under strong attack from 30 of its own members who claim that it is not providing value for money.
Representatives of the 30 dissidents met the BCC president's committee last week and warned that if changes in three areas were not made urgently many of them would quit the trade association.
Micheal Sedgely, managing director of Brighton and Hove Bus Company and spokesman for the group, said that changes were needed in the council's organisational objectives and subscriptions structure. The cost and value of the council's regional structure also came in for criticism.
The BCC has denied that a major coup was being mounted but does admit that changes are to take place. Director of public affairs Barry Hoye says: "The BCC has always kept its policies under review. The industry has changed dramatically in the last two years and the BCC has changed accordingly."
Nonetheless the dissidents maintain that not enough changes have been made. They have criticised the subscription structure as being unfair, saying that the £15.50 rate per vehicle on top of the flat company rate of £30 is too high.
Hoye says: "They have said what they don't want—but they have yet to say what they do want: however this is a democratic organisation and if there is a mood afoot we must address it." He hopes to formulate a programme of action for the next council meeting, to be held in June. It is believed that the company subscription will be increased and rates per vehicle dropped, No decision can be reached, however, until the annual general meeting in September unless an extraordinary meeting is held before.
Industry sources are sceptical about the power of the dissidents. Some doubt whether the actual number of dissatisfied BCC members is more than 15; in any case, the complaints have been registered and, says Sedgeley: "The meeting with the president's committee demonstrated the unanimity of exNBC companies that something should be done urgently.