2.1 SERVICE ON THE COMPETITIONS PANEL

2.1.1 ELIGIBILITY

Those eligible for election to the Panel are British Open Hang Gliding Series (BOS) or National Hang Gliding Championship (Nationals) officials or those pilots who have entered all meets in the current or most recent year’s BOS or have competed in the most recent hang gliding nationals.

2.1.2 ROTATION OF MEMBERS

In September each year 2 members of the Panel shall stand down and elections will be held for replacements. If insufficient panel members stand down voluntarily the members who have served the longest period since election will be considered to have stood down from the Panel. Any pilot wishing to be considered for a place on the Panel should put himself forward to the Chairman or Secretary by 1st September or at such other time as volunteers are called for; retiring panel members are eligible to stand for re-election.

2.1.3 VACANCIES

In the event of vacancies occurring for positions within the Panel other than at the end of a competition season the Chairman or Secretary will announce this and endeavour to find suitable people to cover the responsibilities at the earliest opportunity.

2.1.4 ELECTION OF MEMBERS

Notice of elections to the Panel must be given by the Chairman or Secretary on the competitions email list a minimum of 14 days in advance. Those eligible to vote are those pilots who have entered all meets in the current or the most recent Open Series or have competed in the most recent hang gliding national championship. Election votes may be cast in person or by email or by a combination of both depending upon the timing of the elections and the decision of the Panel. The Secretary shall prepare a list of those eligible to vote and record votes cast in order to avoid duplication. The candidates with the highest number of votes shall be elected to the vacant posts.

2.1.5 PANEL DECISIONS

It is anticipated that most panel decisions will be arrived at by consensus but when a vote is needed all elected panel members  shall have an equal vote on panel decisions. Except where stated elsewhere in these rules a simple majority is required to approve a decision; if there are equal numbers of votes for and against a proposal the Chairman shall cast the deciding vote.

2.1.6 QUORUM

Except where specified otherwise in these rules 60% of current panel members shall be present or consulted for panel decisions to be valid.

2.1.7 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

A possible conflict of interest is any situation in which a person’s judgments or decisions might be influenced by relations that person has with other persons or organisations that might be affected (positively or negatively) by those judgments or decisions. The conflict becomes real if the person fails to reveal the potential for conflict and then expresses an opinion or makes a decision in favour of, or against, the person or organisation concerned, or accepts any benefit from that person or organisation.
Conflicts of interest may arise as a result of direct personal relations, or indirectly, through the interests of a closely related third person (spouse, partner, dependent etc).
Any person to whom this applies must make full disclosure to the panel and should not take part in the discussion or decision making process for the relevant matter.
Additional rules concerning conflicts of interest in team selection may be found in the relevant section of these rules.