Effectively the Association s board of directors, RYA Council meets in London four times a year. Meetings are regularly chaired by the Association s President, HRH The Princess Royal, who is an active sailor with a close personal interest in the RYA s affairs. The President is elected annually at the Association s Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Princess Royal having been re-elected each year since 1987.
Membership of RYA Council is based on a number of criteria. Some members are ex officio , meaning that they have a seat on Council by virtue of other responsibilities they hold within the Association (such as chairmanship of a departmental or regional committee). Others are directly elected by the membership or by the RYA s affiliated clubs. Scope also exists within the RYA s constitution for Council to have up to six supernumerary members co-opted to represent specific interests such as disabled sailing and further corresponding members who are invited to sit on Council by virtue of particular experience or expertise but who are not permitted to vote.
The period that a member may serve continuously on RYA Council is limited. This is to ensure that Council can draw on an element of fresh blood as well as long-standing experience. Ordinary members may serve continuously for a maximum of three years. Ex Officio members sit in accordance with their respective committee s terms of reference generally for a maximum continuous period of five years.
RYA Council members elect the Chairman and Deputy Chairman. The Association s Honorary Treasurer is elected by members at the AGM.
RYA Council s primary responsibility is to agree and oversee the implementation of broad RYA strategy and specific Association-wide policy. Its workings are reported formally to members in the Association s Annual Report and Accounts, although issues on which its policy decisions have an immediate impact are covered as they arise on the RYA website and in RYA Magazine.
RYA Council Membership 2007/8
Elected by the AGM
HRH The Princess Royal, KG, KT, GCVO, QSO (President)
Michael Wigley (Honorary Treasurer)
Ex Officio
Richard Langford (Chairman)
Tom Blackburn (Deputy Chairman)
Chris Atkins
Fiona Barron
Dick Batt
Stacey Clark
David Darbyshire
Owain Franks
Phil Stacey
Supernumerary
Ian Harris (Windsurfing)
Geoff Holt (Disabled Sailing)
Elected by the Personal Members
Paul Bew
Nick Bown
Peter Burry
Malcolm Burwood
Terry Corner RD*
David Darbyshire
John Friend
Harold Ingleson
Tony Lockett
Den Reed
Blake Shaw
Bruce Weir
Ex-Officio Regional Chairmen
Stanton Adair - Northern Ireland
Peter Bartlett - South West
Chris Basten - Wales
Peter Crooks - Yorkshire & Humberside
Chris Edwards - Eastern
Hugh Henderson - Scotland
Bob Holmes - West Midlands
Paul King - Southern
Rod Little - East Midlands
Tony Rowe - South East
Michael Shefras - Thames Valley
David Wheldon - North East
Dave Williamson - North West
Corresponding Members
George Clark, Mike Evans, Edward Ramsden MBE, Brian Southcott
Honorary Member Appointed by the Council
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh KG KT OM