“Following a meeting this morning of members of the BHB Board, which did not include the two RCA appointees at their own request, BHB Chairman Peter Savill issued the following statement:

“The BHB members were encouraged that racecourses have accepted the BHB proposal that all rights should be pooled. This now enables the BHB to further develop a more detailed business plan identifying the positive impact on each sector of the industry. We are confident that we will be able to demonstrate substantial financial benefits to the whole of Racing. It is intended that a full presentation will be made to the BHB Board on September 11.

“The BHB members agreed that this plan should be based around the Financial Plan which all sectors of the industry endorsed in 1998 and upon whose strategy group the RCA Chairman sat. Each sector of the industry, including the RCA, was asked to provide details of their requirements for the Financial Plan and we shall be writing immediately to all racing organisations to review those needs and urgently provide any supporting information that would justify any revision.

“The BHB members reviewed the details of the RCA structure for negotiation and distribution of the proposed funding plan for Racing in the post levy era and firmly rejected the proposal that the control of those negotiations should be vested in the RCA. The members also rejected the RCA proposal for the division of income as being inconsistent with the industry’s agreement to the funding requirements of the Financial Plan.
“The BHB members wish to thank Martin Broughton for his role in persuading the RCA to accept the concept of pooled rights and have authorised our Managing Director, Chris Reynolds to continue to discuss the issues of structure with RCA Chief Executive, Stephen Atkin.

“The Home Office have been kept closely in touch with developments over the past five months and I shall write to Mike O’Brien before the end of this week with a progress report”.
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