The SMC has commenced its review of the responses received from the Members Survey. The responses were categorized and a count taken of the number of responses allocated to each category. The count and categories are:
- Rides – 27
- Inclusiveness – 11
- Miscellaneous – 11
- Disharmony – 9
- Governance – 9
- Commercialisation of Sport – 6
- Members – 6
As can be seen from the above numbers the big ticket item is rides. This category included the following types of comments:
- Need more rides and earlier inclusion of rides on the calendar to assist riders with their planning and training
- Spread rides across the whole of the state
- VERA should provide funding for rides
- Cost of running rides
- Lack of volunteers available for rides
- Lack of recognition for riders doing the shorter distance rides
- Too many short distance rides
- Members not volunteering their time at rides
- Rides are getting easier and are losing their challenge
- Remove the red tape involved in running rides
- Increase the level of support for ROs
- FB whinging about rides is seen as a real slap in the face for ROs when they have gone to a lot of effort to put on a ride
Throughout the responses received there was some evidence of a lack of understanding of rules and processes so the SMC will embark on trying to fill this knowledge gap with some regular articles posted to FB and the VERA website. Look out for the first one on how the Best Conditioned rules operate.
Work is continuing on actions that can be implemented to address the issues raised.