Sep 2007 Board Meeting

Monday 3rd September 2007

PRESENT: Brian Lomax (BL –Chair), Philip French (PF -Chief Executive), Laura Knewstub (LK – Minute Secretary), Steve Powell, (SP – Joint Vice Chair), Yvonne Fletcher (YF – Joint Vice Chair), Joe Bourke (JB – Treasurer, Tony Taylor (TT), Sean Hamil (SH), Rob Bradley (RB), Kris Stewart (KS), Neil Le Milliere (NLM), Ian Todd (IT)

IN ATTENDANCE: Bob Booker (BB – Representative from the Football Foundation)

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Dave Boyle (Secretary)

Website and database – New website in production, to be launched by the Conference. Two organisations are being spoken to regarding a Trust membership database.

Co-op Bank - All Trusts with complaints had now been contacted directly by the bank.

Finance - JB has agreed to fulfil the role of Treasurer until the AGM, when the post will be advertised and SD will contact an agency that specialised in voluntary sector appointments. The audited accounts for the year to April 2007 were approved.

UEFA study: The project was going well,

Recruitment: An Admin Support Officer had started, and a new Research and Membership Officer will join by the end of the month.

Rugby League – positive meeting with the RFL to discuss SD’s work in the sport.

Membership Services – Board felt that a legal helpline would be useful to trusts and SD would look to agree this with a law firm.

SCOTTISH REPORT – Scottish Conference well attended and well-received. Attention focuses on securing renewal of funding and staff had already met officials from various football bodies.

AGM AND ELECTIONS - It was agreed that the Board would recommend to members at the AGM that the elected component be reduced to 9.

National Conference – Planning was going well and the keynote speaker was confirmed to be the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

MyFootballClub – concern that should this scheme fall down that it could have an effect on the Trust movement. PF met with representative from the site and stated SD does not endorse/support their scheme.

NEXT MEETING - Monday 3rd December 2007