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Investment Proposal - Trust ballot

i8cornwall

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Jul 2, 2006
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You are Dale Vince and trying to sneak in thru the back door, I've spotted you and claim my £5!

Seriously though good points and one would have thought these will be being looked at, particularly bearing in mind Chaz's borehole! We could even look to turn the grass cuttings into bio gas as promoted by one Mr Vince. although how much gas would be created is another matter!
Solar panels where actually brought up in a recent Grecian Groups meeting.

I can't quite remember the full reasons behind them being a non starter so if anyone else on here was at said meetings please correct or add more info but it was somthing along the lines of the cost of putting them in and everything else associated with them out weighed the saving made from having them.
 

Bittners a Legend

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Mar 24, 2005
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As Al has suggested, the risk may be more around the financial robustness of the preferred contractor so care should be taken to ensure the contracts contain appropriate performance bonds. For sure, the contractor’s balance sheet is remarkably skinny and the year-end debtors (at £1000k) suggests their turnover is modest so this is a very sizeable contract for them. In my view, it is unfortunate that a ‘community club’ could not find a local contractor to perform the work.

From the projections, it would appear to be affordable although I have some concerns around future wages (which are projected to decrease over the stathe next few years), as previously noted by Matt Phillips. If the figures are right, they deserve an explanation. If they are wrong, it calls into question the accuracy of everything else!

For me, the bigger issue is whether most/all of the stated objectives can be obtained without having to spend as much as £2.2m. To an extent, that is dependent upon your thoughts regarding the academy. Some may argue its reputation already attracts the local talent; others might believe far superior facilities are needed. Relative to turnover, this is huge expenditure at an uncertain time and I am not sure a simple ‘yes/no’ on a single proposal is the right approach. The more prudent amongst us might see value in doing a two stage project.
This is similar to the post I came on here to make.

I support the proposal and think it is a sensible use of funds in principle. What we can't make a judgement on, and perhaps that is fair enough, is whether or not everything included in that £2.2m spend is necessary.

I think the comments from Edward and others on the choice of contractor matters. It would be helpful to have more information on the tender process and how the decision was reached to select a preferred provider. It might be the club have done extensive due diligence and none of us need to worry. It also might be the case that they've chosen whoever said they would do it cheapest. For me it is the biggest risk.

The cash flow of the business worries me less because I do think we have plenty (and that diversification of assets is important in de-risking) of assets that may be sold for very decent money in the future and I suspect that is the reason for the other wise strange static wage situation. I think we operate on an agreed minimum budget and that is adjusted upwards each year based on received and expected transfer income.

PS I think it is massively to the Trust's credit that they have communicated in the manner they have - even if the deadlines feel a bit tight. Increased cost of resource through delay is clearly a massive risk though.
 

SEA Grecian

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I know that with Covid the C&F is still closed to non essential visitors but maybe Scott and his gang could do a video of the facilities to be posted on the Cub Website to just show how antiquated things are out there.
There is some good footage here from inside the facilities - I doubt much has changed in the years since it was shot.
 

Super Ronnie Jepson

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Jan 18, 2005
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Tiverton
Cost, maintenance and efficiency. Solar water heating is nice when it works, but the amount of downtime and pump maintenance makes it not worth the hassle. Pumps are still notorious for breaking down unfortunately, even in 2021.
An air / ground source heat pump would probably do the job better.
 

Martin Lawrence

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Apr 6, 2005
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Whipton
I believe we would also require an indoor pitch, amongst other things.

I also wonder if Martin's response has more to do with a belief that achieving Category Two status is actually an expensive waste of time? The more I read about it, the more I believe it's unnecessary.
The problem with going for Category 2 status is that there is a significant ongoing revenue cost to maintaining it. The last time I was involved with the Club / Trust it was believed that the extra cost was north of £300k per year. It is possible that this has now increased further since then. When you consider this along side the capital costs required, it is a very expensive endeavour. Whilst it provides certain advantages to the Club, I would question the value of it, particularly given we are not seeing many young players (under 16) leaving us under EPPP and our Adacemy is already highly regarded and producing quality players for the first team and beyond.

Upgrading the training ground will undoubtedly tick off a few of the pre-requisites needed so that may help, but in reality, I cannot see us being in a position to go for (and maintain) category two academy status for a long time if ever.
 

Andy_H

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Aug 1, 2010
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There is some good footage here from inside the facilities - I doubt much has changed in the years since it was shot.
Yes it's OK but, i'm sure a more detailed video showing the pitfalls of the main building, as well as the portacabins, would be well worth the effort and show just how dilapidated the old St Luke's Pavilion really is. The late John Lee spent many hours doing repairs and just trying to keep things usable.
 

i8cornwall

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Yes it's OK but, i'm sure a more detailed video showing the pitfalls of the main building, as well as the portacabins, would be well worth the effort and show just how dilapidated the old St Luke's Pavilion really is. The late John Lee spent many hours doing repairs and just trying to keep things usable.
I can see what you're saying but with the January transfer window drawing ever closer Is it really a wise idea to be showing any potential new signings and rival clubs how bad things might be up there?
 

Andy_H

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But when is a 'good time'?

After January we'll be waiting until the season end and potential new signings for the season 22/23, then it'll be the Jan '23 transfer window and so on and so forth.
Showing them what it's like at C&F now and the plans for what it's going to be like, would be a truly positive sign of a club going forward and 'you'd want to join'.
 

DB9

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Most if not all clubs try to sell any potential player their club, Showing them around the C&F is part of that and showing a player we want these new, Exciting plans is surely a good thing and not only players but parents of possible Academy players, They will want to know their children are in safe hands and with hopefuly the most modern facilities a club our size has to offer and that could be the difference to a young lad signing or not, I think other clubs have looked at our youth set up and want a piece of it too and we have shown investing in youth is so important, We can't stay still or we could be overtaken by others.

One thing I'd love is when its all done and finished an open day there for the fans, Just to look around, meet a few of the team and staff and TBH look where the money has been spent.
 

i8cornwall

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But when is a 'good time'?

After January we'll be waiting until the season end and potential new signings for the season 22/23, then it'll be the Jan '23 transfer window and so on and so forth.
Showing them what it's like at C&F now and the plans for what it's going to be like, would be a truly positive sign of a club going forward and 'you'd want to join'.
I don't think there is a good time but then I'm not quite sure what the whole point of the video would be?

From what ive read on here and from others I've spoken to the plans have been received positively along with the recommendation from those in power at SJP, even someone such as myself welcome's these plans and understands the need for development and this coming from someone who would happily see the club spend 2.2 million on players given the chance!
 
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