Policies and procedures
Governance, Updates

BTS Communications Protocol

Preamble

Rather than limit communication between Bowls Tasmania South (BTS), its affiliated clubs and BTS-registered players, the purpose of the Bowls Tasmania South Communication Protocols Policy is to define the roles and responsibilities of the various parties in regard to communication within the Southern Tasmanian bowls community.

Definitions

Official communication within the BTS region is defined as written correspondence, on official letterhead with a signature block bearing the communicant’s name and official position (either of BTS or the affiliated club) and forwarded by Australia Post, or as an attachment to an email message.

An official communication may also be in the form of an email, which bears a signature block containing the name and official position of the communicant.

Registered players would not usually communicate with BTS using their club’s letterhead stationery, unless authorised to do so by their club’s executive.   Any communication from registered players to BTS, either via Australia Post or email, will bear a signature block containing their name, position and the club of which he/she is a member.

Verbal communications, either by telephone or face to face interaction, would not constitute an official communication unless confirmed by a subsequent written communication as defined above.

The Protocols

  • Official communications between BTS and its affiliated clubs, and vice versa, will normally occur secretary to secretary, but other office bearers, at BTS and club level, may communicate directly where their role on the BTS Board or at club level (i.e. Bowls Secretary, Match Committee Chair) requires such communication, and such direct communication is authorised by their respective boards. The use of official letterhead would indicate that such authorisation has been granted.
  • A copy of any communication forwarded on behalf of either BTS or an affiliated club, and any subsequent response, should be given to the relevant secretary for inclusion in the official correspondence of the organisation on behalf of which the communication was generated.
  • BTS-affiliated clubs should forward to BTS any matters of concern in regard to the Laws of the Game of Lawn Bowls, BTS and Bowls Tasmania (BTAS) Conditions of Play, for the consideration of the BTS Board in regard to any further action that should be taken on the matter.  BTS will convey its response, and the detail of any further action to be taken, to the club (or clubs) which initiated the matter/s.
  • Except where BTS-affiliated clubs are in direct engagement with BTAS (i.e. hosting a BTAS event) all communication between the Southern Tasmanian bowls region and BTAS is the responsibility of BTS. When individual BTS-affiliated clubs are required to communicate directly with BTAS a copy of that correspondence, and any previous or subsequent BTAS correspondence, should be forwarded to BTS for inclusion in BTS official correspondence.
  • BTS-registered players should confine their communications with BTS to responses to BTS correspondence from BTS addressed to them personally.   Such matters could include the need to respond to an allegation of an infringement of the Laws of the Game of Lawn Bowls, BTS Code of Conduct, or BTS Conditions of Play (i.e. smoking on the green, inappropriate use of a mobile phone).
  • BTS-registered players are entitled to communicate directly with BTS, and are strongly encouraged to do so, whenever they are concerned with the behaviour and/or conduct of any other BTS-registered player during any BTS-endorsed official event.
  • Whenever a BTS-registered player communicates with BTS, either in response to a BTS communication to him/her or when initiating BTS action as described above, a copy of such communication/s should also be forwarded to his/her club secretary for club records. Whenever BTS communicates directly to a BTS-registered player a copy of that correspondence will also be forwarded to the secretary of the player’s club.
  • Whenever a BTS-registered player has a concern in regard to any other matter in regard to the organisation of bowls in the Southern Tasmanian bowls region he/she should forward such concerns to the secretary of his/her club for consideration of his/her club board. If the club board believes the matter has merit the club board will forward it to BTS for further consideration and further action.
  • If such matters are forwarded directly to BTS, by the BTS-registered player, the BTS Secretary will forward it to the BTS-registered player’s club secretary for action by that club’s board. Such action will be taken by the BTS Secretary because it is not an authorised communication, nor is it a matter about which BTS-registered players are entitled to engage in with BTS.  Furthermore, it may be a matter already dealt with by the BTS-registered player’s club board.   By forwarding the matter on to the club secretary valuable time is saved but, also, an important matter may be resolved efficiently at club board level.

 

Approved by BTS Board 18 May 2020.

To be reviewed May 2025.