At an EGM on Monday 11 July, votes received were 97.7% in favour of the changes to BADA’s articles of association, designed to further modernise the near-100-year-old trade body.
The proposal to reduce the council from its current 19 seats to 12 was controversial, with several dealers last week telling ATG the idea was “undemocratic” and “London-centric”. One central London dealer, who asked not to be named, said: “We should not reduce the voice of members.”
Other changes being brought in include greater use of technology to enable members to vote electronically and to help council members based outside London take part in meetings.
However at the EGM on Monday, nearly 100% of votes were in support of the plans. Before the EGM, Marco Forgione, the BADA chief executive hired in 2015 to revamp the association, said the proposals were “most significant and necessary”.
After the EGM, Forgione told ATG: "I'm delighted the membership have embraced these changes and see the strategy we’re delivering is not only good for BADA, but is adding real value and benefits for BADA members.
"Today members took the view that now is the time for BADA to really embrace the opportunities that exist while reinforcing its tradition as the leading membership association. They understood that to achieve this we need to have a democratic, dynamic and progressive governance structure and agenda for change."
