Trust AGM 2018

[Gary Edward Nelson]

I withdrew my motion, but have been invited to the meeting on 12th November to discuss ways forward, mainly to do with costings - and hopefully not a refusal to look at the more contentious parts of what I think ought to be reviewed.

Fully behind you on this Dave. Whilst the cost is obviously an important point, but the principle is vital to any management system. One way to reduce costs may be for a full set of procedures, objectives, targets and trustee/staff roles to be defined by the "Governance" team and this to be audited internally. Without clear direction and a set of 'rules' it is difficult to measure success or otherwise. Though this might not be quite finished yet, some auditing could start and then the audit programme and audit schedule could be continually improved and the management system matures (or is finished).

Reporting should be part of these ground rules as you told us the results of the last audit were not properly communicated, let alone acted upon.

Internal auditors could be appointed from within the membership of the Trust as skills will be out there, or in house as long as the internal auditor is looking at a department they don't work in themselves.

Looking at how we do things needn't be done by someone with full impartiality. BUT... With a proper structure in place and internal checks and balances being undertaken the role of an external auditor would be easier to scope out (and cheaper?) as this would be a matter of auditing the auditor. An external audit with full impartiality goes without saying.

MORE IMPORTANTLY -> THOSE IN CHARGE DON'T HIDE BEHIND COST AND PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT IS AUDITED. Perhaps a risk based approach needs adopting where the elements that have greatest risk to the business are audited fully and more frequently?

 

[andrew p long]

That's one hell of a profit that the Club made last year!

Shock horror! League Two club makes profit of two and a quarter of a million pounds

(that was the figure, wasn’t it?)

 

[John William]

Shock horror! League Two club makes profit of two and a quarter of a million pounds

(that was the figure, wasn’t it?)

No, nearly £3M (£2.949M assuming I wrote the figure down correctly). But I suspect it's likely to be a one-of, unless / until Watkins or Ampadu get a big money transfer.

 

[Red Nose]

Sorry there's been so little comment on this event. Given the stultifying nature of AGM's I thought this one went well, and moved forward several issues that confront us as a Trust owned Club. Thought the Chair's speech was much more positive (and coherent) than some that he's given over the last five years, and though he's obviously exercised by the constraints that Trust ownership brings he seemed much more at ease with what's going on - and also gave hints that he doesn't see this role lasting much into the foreseeable future. Glad that the current Secretary has resigned. Promises made about several long standing issues like shares and the nature of the rules - with some long needed definitions about what certain phrases and words mean within the context of the current set-up. I withdrew my motion, but have been invited to the meeting on 12th November to discuss ways forward, mainly to do with costings - and hopefully not a refusal to look at the more contentious parts of what I think ought to be reviewed. Oh, yes and we had AOB. I'd hope that someone else will feel free to write about the initial findings of the fans survey, though my own take on it remains that if you ask questions using a lickert scale of 1-5 you'll get the woolly outcome and generalisations that were presented at the meeting. Lots more teasing out of information to do on the results. On the other hand the response rate was impressive. Er that's my take on it. Any other views?

Good to hear Dave.

I'd be keen to hear thoughts of anyone else who was there.

How are the survey results going to be disseminated further?

I note a few references to Club accounts. Are these available to view anywhere?

 

[John William]

Good to hear Dave.

I'd be keen to hear thoughts of anyone else who was there.

How are the survey results going to be disseminated further?

I note a few references to Club accounts. Are these available to view anywhere?

DT has pretty much got is sussed.

The Survey results are going to be presented to both Club and Trust Boards, once the analysis has been completed - this was very much a first cut.

Club accounts, I assume as before the slides used (which are just the summary pages but contain the key data) will be circulated with the Minutes in due course. There was no 5 year forward look this year, which was a shame as I found this very interesting, maybe the work isn't completed yet, but we can ask for this to be added - I see no reason why it shouldn't as the precedent is set.

IIRC more detailed accounts were published last year but only for a week, which seemed pretty pointless to me.

 

[malcolms]

No, nearly £3M (£2.949M assuming I wrote the figure down correctly). But I suspect it's likely to be a one-of, unless / until Watkins or Ampadu get a big money transfer.

Pre or post tax?

 

[John William]

Pre or post tax?

Pre-tax I assume. It was however said that the Corporation Tax payable for FY 2017/18 will be recovered in later years assuming there are losses.

 

[malcolms]

Pre-tax I assume. It was however said that the Corporation Tax payable for FY 2017/18 will be recovered in later years assuming there are losses.

So 30% of the 3 million will be going to the Government... You don't want to makes losses just to reclaim previously paid Corporation tax...

 

[fred binneys head]

I imagine we will have significant tax losses brought forward from previous years, plus corporation tax is only 19% malcs - not been 30% for many years!

 

[Colesman Ballz]

So 30% of the 3 million will be going to the Government... You don't want to makes losses just to reclaim previously paid Corporation tax...

Ok I'll bite ! What a crass comment, given the Club's abysmal financial performance during the period of your tenure in office, I see absolutely no point in heeding your thoughts on the matter !