Minutes of 14th Board Meeting

Date: 21 January 2007, 7.30pm

Venue: Ground Floor Meeting Room, Falsgrave Community Centre

1. Present: Board

Richard Adamson (RA) in part

John Clarke (JC)

Ben Courtney (BC)

Wendy Danby (WD)

James Hunter (JH)

Chris Rooke (CR) in part

Andy Troughton (AT)

Sandra Troughton (ST)

President John Fawcett (JF)

Apologies:

Anthony Brown (AB)

Simon Cope (SC)

2. Confirmation of club name and crest vote. Points appeal result

The Trust membership voted in favour of keeping the club name and club badge. SC is to take responsibility for registering the crest. The club lost its appeal against the 6 point deduction and fine.

3. Minutes of the last meeting

3.1 Spectator Behaviour Policy

BC to complete by the end of week commencing 21/1/08, and circulate to Board.

3.2 Directors’ roles

BC confirmed that all Directors were happy with their roles. ST raised issue regarding the recent Pontefract home game with Christmas promotions. ST had concern that not all Board members were available to contribute to the promotional side of the match nor be available at half time to meet visiting officials. BC pointed out that for better planning for promotional activities is required in order that such activities to not take more Board members’ time. Volunteer sheets to be utilised more frequently and Board members to be reminded of their responsibilities at matches.

3.3 Code of Conduct

SC aims to have document circulated to Board by end of week commencing 21/1/08.

3.4 Supporters Club representation at Board meetings

SC has contacted the Supporters Club by email and a decision as to how to proceed is with the Supporters Club committee.

3.5 Sportsman’s Dinner

AB will co-ordinate the organisation as he has experience with similar events in the past and extensive contacts in the game. AB advises that the best date for the event will be a Thursday in September/October. JH is currently assisting in researching hotels. AT has also offered to assist. JF would like to be involved with the organisation. AB to contact JF.

4. Regular items

4.1 Manager and team issues

JC is hoping for a rearrangement of the Tadcaster (Saturday) and Borrowash (Tuesday night) games. There are significant issues for the club and supporters to travel to Borrowash during the week and it is hoped that some agreement can be made to switch the two matches so that the match with Borrowash can be played on a Saturday. The Fixtures Secretary at NCEL is happy with this, as are Borrowash. The club is awaiting agreement from Tadcaster.

JC reported that there was no bill from the coach company for the recent cancellation at short notice for the Borrowash game.

Board members were reminded to cascade crucial information to other Board members as soon as possible.

4.2 Ground latest

SC and BC meeting Scott McCabe at Sheffield United on 5 February. ST and AT stressed the need for clarification on matters, particularly regarding sponsors as plans need to be put in place for next season.

4.3 Finances

ST presented profit and loss, balance sheets and chart of accounts. The information gave a very clear breakdown of the club’s expenditure and areas of income. ST thanked by all of the Board for producing all of the documentation. Winn & Co confirmed that Trust membership subscriptions and donations were exempt when calculating if the club had reached the VAT threshold of £64000. Once reached, it was also confirmed that VAT is not charged retrospectively and only has to be paid from the month after the threshold is passed.

Year end due 31 March 2008. ST to contact Winn & Co for auditing purposes.

4.4 Supporters Club queries

None. Discussions regarding representation at Board level ongoing as discussed.

5. Co-option to the Board

Further to discussions amongst the Board regarding candidates for co-option, the Board highlighted areas where it may be deficient. Agreed areas were:

• Legal
• Accountancy

BC also highlighted areas that are recommended by Supporters Direct and that are highlighted in the Society Rules. Co-option is aimed primarily at filling areas where the Board may be deficient but also to provide representation for other groups in the community, these include representatives of:

• The young
• Disabled supporters
• Local business
• Any supporters group or groups of the Club
• The Sports Council and any community schemes run in association with the Club

With this in mind, BC proposed that a representative of the young and the sporting community should be invited to join the Board as a co-opted member and this was unanimously agreed by those present. BC to ask appropriate candidates.

JF volunteered to contact Mr. C.M. Thorpe of Thorpe & Co., solicitors, to ask him if he would be interested in joining the board.

6. Business Plan

The Trust needs a business plan to give the Board a sense of direction and to measure progress against. It was proposed that objectives should be proposed by each Board member for their respective areas. This way, the Board has an idea of where it would like to be in a given time period (12 months for instance) and that progress can be assessed.

Board members will propose objectives and these will go into a formal business plan.

7. Sport Relief

SC had raised this as an agenda item and in his absence was discussed. The Board would like the club to take part in a Sport Relief event. WD to investigate when and where the nearest “Sport Relief Mile” is. Also to look into Walk For Life event.

8. Fundraising

JH put forward portfolio of fundraising ideas:

• End of season review booklet Reviewing every match and player. 44 pages of A4. JH looking at acquiring sponsorship
• Supporters game To take place before the final match of the season, £20 per player with 2 squads of 20. JC expressed concern regarding the state of the pitch prior to what could be an important match. CR proposed that a reserve pitch around Bridlington be booked in case of bad weather leading up to 26 April. JH to speak to Peter Smurthwaite regarding advice as to how well the pitch would stand up to 2 matches.
• Merchandise selling AT and BC are dealing with this
• Club telephone contact Agreed to use the current Trust telephone contact 07842 151116. This can be rotated between Board members if required.

9. York match issues (NRSC semi final)

JH and JC concerns over stewarding and suspected we would need extra. BC and CR didn’t consider there would be a problem using our current stewarding levels. However, it was agreed that if there were indications nearer the fixture that there may be a large York City support coming or that there may be some kind of trouble being organised, further measures would be implemented.

The Board are to seek business’ sponsorship of this match. AT has proposed a way in which treatment of sponsors can be improved. Swapping round the home and away directors’ boxes in order to look after the sponsors in the box behind glass. This would be for during the game and sponsors could then be escorted to a reserved table in the lounge at half time. AT also proposed giving sponsors a framed programme of the day.

10. Date of next meeting

RA requested slight amendments to dates of meetings circulated by BC to Board members. No objection, BC to amend and recirculate

Falsgrave Community Centre, 18 February 2008, 7.30pm.

11. Any Other Business

Complaints over Scarborough-Bridlington bus route. JF to take control of ensuring that the next bus (Emley match) goes the correct way and does not miss out Crossgates. For matches after that another bus user will take on the responsibility. BC to make Jonathan Wood aware that this is happening.

JH to remind Martin Dowey to nominate a Man of the Match. However, for the next game, JC will ask the visiting league officials to do it.

AT, WD and AB to look at kits for the 2008-9 season.

Bucket collection for Worsbrough Bridge suggested after our visit to their ground. Their clubhouse was under 15ft of water and all new equipment had to be purchased. The Board voted 6-2 in favour of collection at the next game.