YBDSA AGM January 2023 Report - YDSA Chairman, Tim Barker

Published: 21 February 2023

Firstly, I would like to thank the members for voting me on to the committee again this year and for the committee to have voted me in as their Chair. It is a great honour and I look forward to serving the association over the next year. 

We recently had our first committee meeting and our initial focus has been on membership. Membership levels and membership revenue have been steadily falling for a number of years and we need to reverse the situation. This is a complex task which needs a step-by-step approach and will take some time to fully implement. As a result, we have started with the affiliate applicants and membership, and the committee are already in the process of assessing some applicants. So, we hope to have some new members joining the association shortly.  

Along with the membership situation we are also looking to enhance the Inland Waterways Group (IWG) and revitalise the Large Yacht Group (LYG) so that members who specialise in these areas of surveying have this highlighted in their membership matrix. It is important however that members wishing to be included within these groups provide proof of competency. The committee are looking into ways of doing this.  

In addition, to the above we are still working on the community forum platform, environmental issues, marketing, and other revenue streams.     

Competency 

Proof of competency and regulation is something that is being forced upon us all; particularly by the MCA, insurance companies and marina operators.  

As an association we need to be ahead of the game. So, the general committee and CA committee are working hard to organise training events, refresher courses, and put in place competency tests. The committee are acutely aware that change is not always well received by the membership, but is something we will need to gradually implement if the association is to grow and prosper.  

We would like to stress that the association is here to support its membership and not be the police authority. We therefore need the membership to reflect on their own areas of competency and come forward for help where they think their knowledge is lacking. The association will then try to provide the support and training for those individuals so they can continue to do their business.  

 

Tim Barker, YDSA Chairman

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