Half of the clubs in the Otago surf life-saving district remain dubious about Surf Life Saving New Zealand's proposal to centrally manage the nation's nine surf life-saving districts, after a consultation meeting at the Brighton Surf Life Saving clubrooms yesterday.
SLSNZ established Project Groundswell two years ago.
It proposed all surf life-saving districts work as one organisation to provide a consistent service to its members and the public.
It is aimed at making the organisation more efficient.
Project Groundswell proposed simplifying the organisational structure by replacing the middle layer of districts with an operational arm that would be managed centrally.
This would cut duplication of governance, services, compliance requirements, and decision-making which would free up members to focus on surf life-saving.
A consultation meeting was held at Brighton yesterday with representatives of the Otago district's six clubs and Surf Life Saving New Zealand organisational development manager Paul Veric to air concerns about the proposal.
After the meeting, the Otago district's six clubs - Brighton, St Kilda, St Clair, Warrington, Kaka Point (South Otago) and Oreti (Southland) - remained divided over the proposal.
Surf Life Saving Otago president Murray Wilson said Brighton, St Clair and Warrington were keen to adopt the proposal, but the others remained cautious.
The consultation meeting went into committee to discuss the clubs' concerns.
After the meeting, Surf Life Saving Otago board chairman Colin Weatherall said the major concern was the Otago clubs might not have fair and equal representation in the proposed restructuring.
"When it comes to voting on key issues of national significance, such as membership development, competition and event location and participation, representative opportunities, and availability and allocation of staff resources, they want to know that their vote counts."
Mr Weatherall said three steps for further consultation were agreed at the meeting, aimed at allaying the fears.
Club representatives would meet counterparts in Canterbury to discuss how they viewed the changes, what the benefits would be, and how clubs could work better under the plan.
"A number of Otago's clubs remain unconvinced about the long-term benefits or value of the proposal. We're working on that," he said.
Another meeting will be held later next month or early March to continue the clubs' consultation, and review the timeline for further steps that might be required, he said.
Mr Veric told the meeting that six of the nine districts nationally already supported the proposal.
