Conference has voted to keep president Ken Ball at the helm of the National Federation of Anglers for a little while longer yet.

Delegates awarded Ken, who has already run the show for 10 years, nearly 70 per cent of the vote. His rival for the post, Geoff Bibby, received 32 per cent of votes cast.

Ken will work alongside the NFA’s new, salaried chief executive for the next two years before retiring. Senior vice president David Kent was also voted back into the job.

It’s widely recognised that Ken has done a fine job in difficult circumstances over the last decade.

However, the plain truth is that the NFA is seen by many as an organisation which runs National matches and does little else, and it’s understood that the new chief exec is not afraid to ruffle a few feathers to make sure that this view is changed and the decline in membership is reversed.

We also understand that there are plans afoot to radically overhaul the five divisional Nationals system, perhaps with a return to smaller regional heats followed by an ‘All England’ final.

This would allow smaller clubs to take part on more local waters, and importantly, allow the use of some of the bigger commercial fisheries to stage the kind of showpiece events anglers, and sponsors, are looking for.

Newshound