NRA Journal - Summer 2003 - National Rifle Association

MATTERS OF FACT RELATING TO RECENT POLLComment from the Secretary GeneralWith the Poll now resolved, we can look ahead.However, there are a number of misunderstandingsthat endure on issues brought up at the time. So,before finally moving on, and to ensure that all do sofrom the same basis of understanding, the Trustees ofthe Association have asked that I set out the facts thatare germane to the issues surrounding the Poll.The 1890 Royal CharterThe Charter requires that the Association work withinthe Law and it makes void any rule that is “repugnantto the laws and statutes of our Realm”. Consequently,the Association must abide by current laws (such asThe Charities Acts and the Firearms Acts) rather thanthose in force in 1890.Elected members of Council have always been, andstill remain in the majority thus ensuring the primacyof the wish of the membership.The EstateOriginally, the War Office (now MoD) and the NRApurchased extensive acreage in the area nearBrookwood. Only later, by entering into the 1894Agreement (a sale and buy back), did the NRA releaseitself from the unmanageable debt that it hadaccumulated by that time. Under the agreement, theNRA made the ranges, which it had built, togetherwith manoeuvre rights over both camp and ranges,available to the Army. However, the Associationretained the freehold of the ‘Camp’ area(approximately 90 acres) and the use of the ranges anddanger area ‘in perpetuity’. The only condition to thisarrangement was that if the NRA ever wished to sellthe Camp, it had first to offer it back to the MoD for asum of £5,500. Thus, by the buy back option, the NRAFreehold of Bisley Camp has been encumbered since1894.In 2000, it became clear that the 1894 Agreement gaveinadequate security of tenure for the Lottery toadvance money for the new facilities then underconsideration. Council therefore negotiated a 125 yearlease with the MoD for the ranges and, at the sametime, the removal of the previous buy backarrangement in relation to the freehold of the Camp.The Association now has an unfettered freehold of theCamp site and a 125 year lease over the ranges. TheAssociation is liable to pay 10% of ‘relevant income’,to the MoD, out of rents from buildings erected andlet on land outside the freehold Camp area.The only freeholds disposed of in the last 30 yearscomprise those to the NSRA for its offices (since soldto the CPSA) and for the new Lord Roberts Range andland sold to the NSRA for an accommodation block.Long Siberia was closed, by the MoD, in 1972, forsafety reasons. However, the land has recently beenrented out to the benefit of the NRA. Cheylesmorehas been rebuilt. Clay target shooting does notcompromise activity on Short Siberia.The vast majority of the £2.5 million cost of the claytarget facility was paid for by the Lottery Fund,through Sport England. The NRA’s investment in thefacility is approximately £400,000.The Bank LoanWhilst the need for the NRA bank loan was partlyattributable to the cost of the clay range(approximately £400,000) and there was other netcapital expenditure, the larger part was due tooperating losses over several years includingoperating expenditure leading up to the Millenniumand Commonwealth Games.National Shooting Centre LimitedThe establishment of the National Shooting CentreLimited (NSC), as a trading company, was arequirement of the Charity Commissioners. It iswholly owned and controlled by the NRA. TheDirectors, a majority of who are NRA trustees, aregoverned by Company Law, which requires them toensure that the company trades solvently. The onlyassets transferred to NSC were the operating stocksand Melville and Shorts (on a sub-lease), at acommercial rent. These transactions enabled clay andpistol range building to be carried out (funded asexplained above).The latest audited accounts of NSC (to 30 September2002) show the NSC is expected to be able to serviceand repay its interest bearing loan on time.NSC does not control the NRA’s assets; it managesthem. All freehold property remains directly held andcontrolled by the NRA. Members rights of access, toBisley, are unaffected by the arrangement with NSC.The Clay Shooting Centre is a commercial venture andopen to the public (for the ultimate financial benefitof the NRA). There is subscription membership, whichprovides privileges, for those regular users who wantit.Officers of the AssociationThe previous Chairman, John de Havilland, gifted hishouse to the NRA and we subsequently sold it on aleasehold for the benefit of the Association for£235,000.The present Chairman, John Jackman, was elected, byCouncil, to join Council and appointed Chairman, inOctober 2001. He was neither introduced norproposed by his predecessor.The previous Chief Executive’s annual salary wassignificantly less than £100,000; the exact amount isconfidential.5