Notes from July's Trust Board meeting


NEWPORT COUNTY AFC SUPPORTERS’ TRUST BOARD MEETING

REDACTED NOTES FOR PUBLICATION

JULY 18, 2019, 5.30pm

MERLIN HOUSE, LANGSTONE BUSINESS PARK, NEWPORT

ATTENDEES: Gavin Foxall (Chair pending SJ arrival) (GF), Colin Faulkner (CF), Bob Herrin (BH), Kevin Ward (KW), Mark Crook (Part) (MC), Shaun Johnson (Part, Chair) (SJ), Nigel Stephenson (NS).

APOLOGIES: Peter Madigan (PM), Ryan Courtney (RC), Mike Everett (ME).

  1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING & MATTERS ARISING
    • The minutes of the Trust Board meeting held on June 13, 2019, were approved as an accurate record.
    • Any matters arising are within agenda items.

 

  1. FINANCE
    • NS reported that Management Accounts made up to the end of the financial year would be completed shortly.
    • NS gave an overview of the play-off financials as the approach adopted is different from normal league games.
    • NS confirmed the overall financial picture covering the current position and expected revenues.
    • Season ticket sales have reached 1,600.

 

  1. HEALTH & SAFETY
    • GF reported that we had now reached 91% of audit requirement, which was excellent news. Thanks to Stuart Dominy for his assistance.

 

  1. OPERATIONAL
    • GF updated the Board on a number of operational matters. These included:
    • Recruitment is operating to plan.
    • Playing kit all arrived on time, all checked and in order.
    • All club employees are now aware of process for agreeing contractual matters on behalf of the club.
    • New arrangements for first team coach travel and players’ food agreed following requests from the manager.
    • Training base is now fully functional. Those who contributed their time and expertise to the project to be invited to hospitality for first match of the season as a thank-you.

  

  1. TICKETS POLICY
    • GF presented on the ticket policy
    • Average number of tickets provided for first team last season to be ascertained and the output contribute to the policy for the forthcoming season. Full policy to be distributed to directors and agreed via email.

 

  1. ACADEMY
    • GF presented an Academy update.
    • New Academy Manager, Jorden Gibson, joined us on July 1.
    • Danny Elliott promoted to work with first team.
    • Recruitment has started for new Academy posts agreed in 2019/20 budget.

 

  1. EQUALITY & DIVERSITY
    • CF presented an update.
    • There were no equality and diversity incidents to report.
    • Awareness days and bucket collections for the 19/20 season to be signed off. The only other collections will be in reaction to an event.
    • British Transplant Games opening ceremony is on July 25 at Rodney Parade.
    • Awaiting confirmation of a date for the 2020 Memory Walk in partnership with Newport Live.
    • Disabled Supporters’ Association update: meeting to be held for new volunteers; fundraising to focus on defibrillator for Training Base and/or Bar Amber.
    • Improvement in Board diversity noted following election of KA to the Board.

 

  1. ELECTION
    • KW reported that as the number of candidates for the Trust Board elections had not exceeded the number of vacancies, no election was necessary and Kelly Anderson (KA), ME, GF, SJ and Paul Marks (PM) had been elected unopposed to the Board.
    • Communication had gone out via the Trust and Club websites and social media feeds, and via emails to Trust members.
    • The Board congratulated the re-elected and newly-elected Board members.
    • NS tasked with emailing KA and PM regarding the EFL Owners and Directors Test and registering them as directors with Companies House.
    • KW to email Rodney Parade as no area for voting was now needed at the Mansfield and Plymouth matches.

 

9. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

9.1 SJ to provide dates and venues for the quarterly fans’ forums and workshops promised at the recent open meeting.

9.2 Further improvements in the relationship with Rodney Parade were discussed and welcomed, including new branded dugouts and the establishment of a permanent memorial to Justin Edinburgh.

 

 

Meeting closed at 8.35pm

Next meeting: Thursday, August 15, at Merlin House, 5.30pm start.