Some of you will be aware that there have, for some time, been discussions on how to 'consolidate' the activities of BCRA, NCA and the various regional councils. NCA is the national body, but does not allow individual cavers to join,
whereas BCRA - a specialist science body - behaves as a 'representative national Body' for cavers to join.

This bizarre situation - coupled with the lack of volunteers to fill these sometimes- duplicate posts and the fewer active
cavers that there seem to be - is driving the 'consolidation' discussions that are now underway.

Another more pressing reason for these discussions is that public liability insurance for cavers is suffering a bit of a shake-up, with premiums likely to rise considerably.

It makes sense for there to be one national scheme covering everyone than separate BCRA and NCA schemes. Much of this debate has been reported in Descent - see, for example, the Newsdesk column in issue 168 (Oct/Nov 2002).

BCRA Council - in support of this 'one stop shop' concept - has issued a statement that it hopes will help to move the process along. BCRA confirms that it is willing to drop its various 'national body' activities, which it has accumulated over the years, and to concentrate on being just a specialist science body. That may have an impact on BCRA membership, but it paves the way for a new national body to emerge.

A statement from Nick Williams, the BCRA chairman is on the first page in this section.