Trust AGM Details

On Saturday 18th of October the Supporters' Trust held its Anual General Meeting (AGM) at the Thistle Hotel.  The meeting itself was attended by the full board of society and over 50 members of the Trust.  The AGM also hosted a question and answer session after the formal business of the meeting was concluded.  This year's AGM formalised the anual accounts of the Trust and also ratified the results of the Supporters' Trust recent elections. 

Following the AGM, the Trust is pleased to announce the following candidates election onto the Board of Society for the coming year.  The Board of Society would like to welcome Tony Badcock, Trevor Manley, Damien Mills, David Treharne and Roger Conway as elected Trustees.  We would also like to thank Alan Pearce for standing in this year's election.

As part of the AGM, the Trust was able to ratify its anual accounts (which can be viewed HERE).  The Supporters' Trust was also able to re-appoint Steven Bright as its auditor for the coming year.  Mr Bright is a practicing independent accountant who has been auditing the Trust accounts independently for the last few years and has provided a fantastic service to the Trust in recent years.  Trust Treasurer Nigel Banks said; "We are pleased to welcome Steve Bright as out auditor for this coming year".

At the cessation of the AGM, a question and answer session was held that gave members the opportunity to ask questions of the Trustees.  In this session, the following questions were raised:

1) Has the Trust considered the implications of officer liabilities and does the Trust have suitable insurance to cover this?

a) Trust Treasurer Nigel Banks commented; "Previously the Supporters' Trust has looked into the prospect of obtaining officer liabilities insurance to cover its Trustees and officers in the event of being sued for damages resulting from negligence.  Until recently it was believed that because of the low risk nature of the work officers of the Trust engage with, this was not necessary and was too expensive.  However recently, we have been offered a low cost insurance package from one of our members (Martin Sarle) and will be considering taking up this offer in the future.

2) With the current state of the Old Grandstand, could the Trustees update us on the current ground re-development situation.

a) Trust Commercial Sub Board Head Andy Cole said; "There are a lot of stakeholders involved in the whole process of ground re-development and currently, necessary talks are ongoing.  However in the current financial climate, progress is likely to be somewhat slow.  We would ask that Trust members have patience and be assured, when there is something that we are able to report, this will be made public".

3) With the recent acquisition of the new Dug Outs (purchased by the Supporters' Trust) disabled supporters' have had to be moved from their current location to both the Big Bank (where they get wet owing to a lack of roof) and to the away disabled fans section.  This will therefore force the away fans elsewhere.  While the club has refunded all disabled fans the cost of their season tickets, would it possibly consider moving the dug outs to the opposite side of the pitch or to the centre of the Flybe Stand?

a) Julian Tagg commented; "The club is conscious of the effect of these dug outs on it's disabled supporters'.  Unfortunately the acquisition of these dugouts was enforced on the club as a result of having to have a clear walkway in front of the Flybe Stand.  While effects of reduced visibility for disabled fans is unfortunate, every effort is being made to try and address the situation by the club.  It was certainly not the case that the club acted without thinking of the needs of its disabled supporters' in mind.   

please note that comments taken above are paraphrased and may not represent exact quotations from said individuals.