The British Mountaineering Council has announced four resignations from the BMC Board in an update which cites 'issues' and 'concerns' with specific matters and behaviours within the Board as reasons for the stand downs.

An update on the BMC website explains that 'stresses and strains' had developed during the COVID-19 lockdown period, despite the organisation cooperating to update its members on access issues and engaging with them via social media.

The article outlines the resignations as follows:

'The current BMC chair, Gareth Pierce, has recently indicated to the Board that he will not be seeking a second term from 2021 onwards and the Board has considered it best to commence the recruitment process for the next Chair.

One Council Nominated Director, Jon Punshon, has decided to step down because of issues that arose from specific matters he had been involved with.

Two independent directors, Matthew Bradbury and Amanda Parshall, made the decision to step down in the context of concerns about some behaviours within the Board.'

Actions have already been taken to assess these problems, according to the BMC article.'The Board is taking steps to review the issues that have led to these resignations, including addressing its internal ways of working to ensure it is operating and communicating as efficiently and effectively as it could be and strengthening the way it interfaces with staff, committees, volunteers and members,' the update reads.

The National Council has approved plans proposed by the Board and will appoint a new Council Nominated Director in due course. In the interim, the Board has coordinated with its Nominations Committee to fill the new vacancies. Three advisors will be invited to attend Board meetings and assist until the new directors are appointed.

Gareth Pierce, Chair of BMC Board of Directors is quoted in the update, adding: 'The BMC Board appreciates the contributions that staff and volunteers have made over a challenging period of time that extends from the start of the COVID-19 situation. We look forward to continuing to work to deliver the BMC's objectives. And, most importantly, we want to thank all our members for their continued support of the BMC through this challenging time.'

The Board has advertised for a temporary Interim Executive, whose role includes steering the BMC's business plan. A new position, Head of Operations and Development, will also be recruited shortly.