THE BPA COUNCIL
AT YOUR SERVICE
Council stalwart John McArdle describes how he came to be involved with the BPA Council, and highlights the benefits – both for the industry, and his own personal development
DUTY I
f you were to line up the current BPA Council in the order of their first involvement with the organisation, I expect that you would find me very close to one end. Although I have only been honorary treasurer since 2010, my connection goes back much further than that – to 1996. At that time I was head of parking at Manchester City Council, and my election to Council was the result of efforts by a group of members in the north of the country, who felt that a perceived bias towards London and the south-east should be challenged. Oddly enough, this is a question that is still raised. Membership of Council is, of course, personal, with those elected bringing their skills and experience to represent the industry rather than their employer. I stayed on Council as I moved first to National Car Parks then to Transport for London.
These job moves took me back to London, which is contrary to the original objective, but I have always remained conscious of the need for Council to maintain a balance between the geographical regions, public and private sectors, and industry segments.
Changing the balance
Over the years the balance has changed, with the increase in on-street enforcement as opposed to car park operations, for instance, but we have managed to maintain broad representation without resorting to electoral colleges and complex voting systems. This is a tribute both to those who put themselves forward, and those members who participate
www.britishparking.co.uk calls
I have always remained conscious of the need
for Council to maintain a balance between the geographical regions
in the elections to select a Board that is representative of the industry. I use the word ‘Board’ advisedly, as those elected become directors of the Association and take on the legal responsibilities of a director. This leads to the key points of this article: why would someone wish to take on these responsibilities, and why should an organisation release a key member of staff for this purpose?
The first and most obvious reason for seeking election to Council is from a sense of duty. If the industry has been good to someone in terms of challenge and reward, he or she will often be inclined to ‘put something back’, to continue improvements that will also allow those following to thrive. It may be that an individual believes an aspect of the industry to be under-represented or neglected, or has a specific topic or policy that they wish to see pursued or given a higher profile.
Presenting a challenge
But there are also less altruistic reasons for taking up this role. The work of developing policy and strategy at a national level, and monitoring the operations of the BPA, can take a person out of their comfort zone and provide opportunities for personal development. Often, they will go back to their day job refreshed and invigorated by these challenges. It also presents an individual with opportunities for networking, for taking on responsibility, and for improving their personal standing. If anyone doubts the importance of this they should have a look at The Start-up of You by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha (Random House, £12.99).
For organisations, supporting a member of Council represents a tremendous opportunity to develop staff in areas that complement their core duties, making them stronger assets. They also benefit indirectly (although Council members are not elected as representatives of their employers) from involvement in shaping the future of the industry. The BPA Council deals directly with government in ways that aren’t available to individual companies. These are exciting times for the BPA, and I have written elsewhere on the challenges facing us in 2012/2013, but there is a wealth of talent within the membership. Harnessing this will enable us to face these challenges and take on more.
ABOUT the AUTHOR: John McArdle is honorary treasurer of the BPA
JULY 2012 37
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