Trust Board Election. Questions for Mark Cordell

[007]

would you vote for or against the trust introducing the living wage and why?

 

[Mark Cordell]

would you vote for or against the trust introducing the living wage and why?

In principal 100% yes as I believe a transition to higher wages by all companies will help to stabilise the UK economy, especially in the current Brexit uncertainty. Whilst employers don't always see the benefit it can also help them as it will improve retention and as a direct result reduce training costs.


However it is never that easy, I worked in recruitment for five and a half years and have seen lots of employment issues and living wage discussions. I would need to see more information on the number of people it would effect, hours worked etc to make an informed decision. The reason is simple and in no way an indication on the way I would expect the club to act.

When some companies are forced to increase wages the automatic response is redundancies, so given the choice of 50 people securely employed on minimum wage or 25 out of work and 25 on living wage, my choice would be 50 people in work. This is obviously a made up scenario but hopefully demonstrates why more information would be needed.

 

[Andy Holloway]

Having read your, and the rest of the candidates 'Manifestos', i do not recognise you or have heard of you before so a question for you all;

Do you contribute in any way as a volunteer towards ECFC through what is generally known as 'getting your hands dirty'? By that i include Work Parties, clearing up post games, Grecian Goal, 19/31, in fact anything other than sitting on committees?

I ask all candidates this but, as i know Pete Martin and what he brings to the club, as a volunteer, i'm not requiring a reply from him but if he feels he should answer for fairness then that is up to him.

 

[Mark Cordell]

Having read your, and the rest of the candidates 'Manifestos', i do not recognise you or have heard of you before so a question for you all;

Do you contribute in any way as a volunteer towards ECFC through what is generally known as 'getting your hands dirty'? By that i include Work Parties, clearing up post games, Grecian Goal, 19/31, in fact anything other than sitting on committees?

I ask all candidates this but, as i know Pete Martin and what he brings to the club, as a volunteer, i'm not requiring a reply from him but if he feels he should answer for fairness then that is up to him.

Hi Andy,

Thanks for your question. I don't currently go to the work parties but this is as I have had pre-arranged plans for the most recent ones that have happened, it is on my radar and something that I am looking to become more active in.

After last years election I offered my services for any volunteering the trust may need, this based on conversations had included helping to host on match days or to help on the trust stand. Unfortunately I was never approached in the year following so did not help any further.

As a general background I am a season ticket holder and also pledged to the red or dead campaign when the trust took over. On a smaller scale I also encourage fans I know to meet at the ground prior to games to help keep more money in the club and also direct business events in the direction of the club when possible.

 

[Mark Cordell]

I just wanted to say a massive thanks to everyone who voted for me in the recent elections. As you will have seen I was the one to miss out and despite a very low turnout on voting it ended up being very close.

I also want to wish the successful candidates good luck in their positions on the board.

 

[Alistair20000]

Bad luck on missing out by a small margin.

There should be a vacancy for a further Trustee following Sean Devine’s departure. If the Trust Board seeks to co-opt you would you serve ?

 

[Mark Cordell]

Bad luck on missing out by a small margin.

There should be a vacancy for a further Trustee following Sean Devine’s departure. If the Trust Board seeks to co-opt you would you serve ?

I would were it an option as i think the voting was very close in the end, had the distance been further i would have said no. However to my knowledge an unsuccessful candidate cannot be coopted on to the board.

I have no confirmation of this but it is something i think i remember hearing last year.

 

[John William]

I would were it an option as i think the voting was very close in the end, had the distance been further i would have said no. However to my knowledge an unsuccessful candidate cannot be coopted on to the board.

I have no confirmation of this but it is something i think i remember hearing last year.

Nothing in the Rules to prevent it, though there are governance issues around it becoming the norm.

But some flexibility is appropriate: policies should serve the interests of the Trust, not determine them.

For the TB to decide (a) if they want / need to co-op anyone (b) what expertise they seek (c) who fits that bill and (d) if they are willing to serve.

If a previous candidate is the best choice, I for one would not wish to exclude them in favour of a less worthy candidate.

 

[Red Bill]

Hi Mark, just wanted to say bad luck for being the one not elected I'm sure you would have made a good trustee. Personally I think that if there are any co-options and you aren't it, that will represent a bad day for democracy.

Having read through the trust rules, election policy and Membership conduct policy today, I can't see anything that would prevent all 5 of you being elected following the late resignation of Sean Devine, and given how close the voting was I think this would be the right course of action. Had SD resigned earlier you would all have been elected unopposed after all.

I also can't see anything in the rules that prevents for want of a better word, a 'by-election', which would also provide an opportunity for you to become a trustee. Although this would of course mean the trust having to pay for a second election, so I can see why this may be discounted as an option.