A petition to increase Trust control of the club

[davidjenkin]

Why not? If you cannot spend the time, effort or money then why should you have a say over someone who does? 'Yeah but I go to loads of away games' isn't really enough, is it? What else do you contribute, other than your voice and presence on some far flung terrace?

Because running a non-democratic, non-inclusive and generally insular model is at odds with a trust-run infrastructure

 

[davidjenkin]

I understand perfectly well that some people work and/or live too far away to play as active a part in the club as they would although it strikes me that there is an awful lot of criticism aimed at those who are able to and trying to help out. If more time was spent supporting what those who are elected are trying to do then I'm sure the club would be better. Do you really think those elected do not have the best interests of the club at heart?

I did not say that other supporters had no right in voicing an opinion although inevitably it will be difficult as I suspect everyone one of these other supporters has a different idea about how the club should move forward and it would be chaos if the club listened to all of them.

Imagine the mess we'd be in if we all wore Russell and Lewis teeshirts and supported 'what they were trying to do'. Its the fact that as a trust run club we have a right to ask questions about things that don't seem to be happening, about things that aren't being put in the public sector for whatever reason, and to dispel any worrying myths that are circulating, that makes our club special

 

[RaeUK]

Why not? If you cannot spend the time, effort or money then why should you have a say over someone who does? 'Yeah but I go to loads of away games' isn't really enough, is it? What else do you contribute, other than your voice and presence on some far flung terrace?

Am I right in thinking you mean non-trust members? In which case I'd sort of agree. Or are you including trust members? In which case I would disagree...

 

[davidjenkin]

David we all are the Trust as well as the BOS, therefore does the inertia of the BOS preclude anyone from starting an initiative? It hasn't stopped the 1931 or Max initiatives. Personally I don't think there is the appetite at the moment for trying to squeeze money out of you, me or anyone at the moment. I'm not having a go but waiting for others to pull their finger out is a recipe for .....well nothing really If you want something to happen perhaps we should all just get on with it ourselves.

I totally agree with you mate, but like I say - so many fans would like to help run the club (I would love it) but simply do not have the time - not won't find it, cannot find it. Its great what the 1931 fund has done, and Max is doing superb, I honestly believe that the BOS are avid fans and good guys, but surely there should be some movement from the BOS to say "the trust coffers are low, let's stick on an event, let's bring back the bucket, lets properly release the new shirt with players photographs and a BBQ, let's run our own bottle bar behind the bank etc etc".

By standing for election to the BOS they have made that commitment to say they have sufficient time to dedicate to the role. Northants Red has done brilliantly with Hants Red to try and raise the profile of buy.at, but the elected board should be well on top of anything that will bring money into the club

 

[dommers]

Imagine the mess we'd be in if we all wore Russell and Lewis teeshirts and supported 'what they were trying to do'.

Just because people do not have time to start petition or criticise on her does not mean they support everything that happens. I for example have too much else going on to be able to help out and to be honest if I would be subject to continual complaints about what I was trying to do to help then I doubt I would want to get involved. I know others feel the same which is a shame.

Any supporter of any club has the right to ask questions. What you want is them to be acted on, which is what the trust have been elected to do. I may be being naive but I cannot believe they are not acting in the clubs best interests and trying to raise funds, increase attendance, develop the ground, work with the community etc,

 

[12345]

I will start by declaring an interest. I have applied to be Trust Chief Executive and the BoS have replied that the executive structure of the Supporters Trust is currently under review but I will be contacted in due course. Interestingly it was also under under review in August 2010 when someone else enquired about the role so I cannot assume that the review will end anytime soon.

I would suggest that the Trust needs one person who can be held to account by the Supporters and easily removed from office if they are not effective. The role requires someone with time and expertise but should be unpaid, as should all Trust roles.

The focus of the petition should call for the early appointment of a Trust Chief Executive. However I would not support calling for an EGM unless the BoS refused to hold an open meeting to discuss the appointment. Such a meeting would undoubtedly be called as the BoS consists of intelligent and caring Supporters who would see no benefit in wasting funds on an EGM.

In an ideal world the CE would be responsible for reporting on both the Trust and the Club on a monthly basis, being as open as possible but having respect for highly sensitive issues. The CE would however have to subsequently justify witholding information and would be removed from office if their judgement was shown to be incorrect.

Having one person to hold to account for communication and governence would be very much in the interest of Supporters. The job should be widely advertised and the best candidates interviewed by a panel, perhaps consisting of the Trust Chairman, the Club Chairman and five Supporters elected because of suitable expertise.

Meanwhile of course the scope of the role would need to be clearly defined.

Jim Enright (ex BoS Secretary)

 

[hern]

Given that the post was "under review" in August 2010 when Pete Martin expressed interest and remains so in January 2012, some 17 months later, plus the fact it is not mentioned in any forward planning document or recent Minute that I have been able to find... it cannot therefore be under review.

Maybe someone can advise when it was last raised in BoS and whether the job decription and person spec has been updated in recent years given general progress and the passage of time. The long time advert on the trust site does not indicate there are clear criteria for the post and neither Jim nor Pete seem to be saying they received anything of that nature.

It cant be made up on the day of interview, and the role changes for senior BOS officers would be substantial should a CE be appointed.

I suspect there is an understandable hesitance in giving an executive officer the necessary power and freedom to lead the opertional side, and contribute to strategic planning - and in a voluntary agency it is a job with immense chaleges. However, it is an issue that needs resolution, probably before much else.

Terry P

 

[Mackster]

I agree, the petition needs to be for a Chief Executive of the Trust with the following remit.

Someone that can set clear sustainable objectives that can be achieved in a realistic timeframe and be fully accountable to the membership.

Someone with entrepreneurial spirit that can remove the inertia that afflicts the BoS and rejuvenate an apathetic membership

Someone that is strong enough to call the club to account in all areas of corporate governance.

Someone that is an outsider, free from the personality clashes, nepotism & cronyism that seems to hold The Trust back.

 

[Martin Lawrence]

There will be a formal paper presented to the next Board of Society meeting regarding the structure of the Board and its executive positions. This review was undertaken by the Trust Ownership and Membership Working group.

If anybody has any further queries please feel free to email [email protected].

 

[12345]

It might move things forward if Supporters contributed their ideas on what the role should be. It should not take long to build up a job description.
Jim Enright