I was present at the WRCA AGM where the £10 fee per class was introduced... it was a blanket £10 per class with no concessions for a second class or juniors. I argued strongly against the fee as it seriously penalised families with a number of children but was voted down. The subsequent AGM then introduced a reduction to £5 for juniors but the senior fee remained at £10 with no concession for a second class.
It was done partly because the intention was to hold only two regional meets, one West and one East and that they were self-financing, stand alone meets with a full set of trophies for each, paid for through the elevated race fees and organised for the meet by the host club. The only results of any import to be combined were for the electrics as they would be used to work out licences for Nationals. It was hoped that these two regionals would be prestige events with decent turn-outs and a big meet feel but that didn't happen.
Some sections of the WRCA stated that this was not enough and even started a rival summer series and effectively boycotted the two planned regionals... effectively rendering those two rounds little more than biggish club meets...!!!
Seeing as now the calendar boasts six rounds there is little justification for these elevated fees as the idea of stand alone trophy meets/regionals with the various trophies etc. has gone out the window.
As long as a club covers its running and meet set-up costs then that should be the criteria for setting the race fee. Charging full whack for a second class is profiteering to my mind, whereas 50% of the race fee for a second class is reasonable.
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