Please find below the annual report from Trust chairman, Tim Hartley, which will be presented to next week's AGM, along with the minutes from the last AGM.Annual Report 2015 – 2016
The Cardiff City Supporters Trust Board agreed four aims for the season. Here we report on our progress.
Dialogue – To represent the views of members and ensure effectivedialogue between them and Cardiff City AFC.
The Trust has forged relationships with the club at every level. We have met and questioned the Chairman and the Chief Executive about the way the club is run, how it is financed and their plans for future investment.
We attended the club’s Extraordinary General meeting which was to confirm a new board of directors. The fact that it did not go ahead was a big disappointment as there are still questions over the club’s governance.
At the Supporter Liaison Officer’s meeting we discuss among other things,flags, stewarding, disabled facilities and pricing. Looking forward we will need to ensure that promises over the club’s finances are kept.
Participation and Representation – To increase supporter’s influence and campaign for supporter representation on the Club board.
The Trust has been part of Supporter Direct’s Championship club group which discusses common issues and campaigns. We have welcomed other trusts, including Brentford, Ipswich and Leeds to our office at home games.
We have gained the respect of the club and now have a continuing dialogue with them, be that over shirt colours, the club’s finances, disabled parking or the price of a pint.
The Trust attended a meeting of the club’s board of directors to tell them about our work. We will continue to represent the fans interests and to campaign for a supporter representative on the Cardiff City club board.
The club may not always like what we say but they understand that we have a right to be heard.
Community Activities – To strengthen the links and understanding between the club, its supporters and the community it serves.
The Trust has worked with community groups across south Wales to promote the club and cohesion. We have arranged visits to the stadium and football tournaments with minority groups and disadvantaged young people from Cardiff and the valleys.
Our own stories of going down the City are now online, recorded in the oral history project which you can hear on our website.
The Trust has organised social evenings for members: we met with the manager Russell Slade at the Stadium, held an event in Aberaman and went to Pontypridd to share memories with Cardiff legends Gary Bell, Bobby Woodruff and Leighton Phillips.
Connection – To work with stakeholders, opinion formers, other supporters’ bodies and organisations so that the Trust develops as a positive, inclusive and representative group.
Alongside Supporters Direct we have successfully lobbied Parliament, the National Assembly and the Welsh Government on a range of issues.
The Government and the football authorities are now making it easier for fans to take over failing club and the Leagues have endorsed the introduction of regular structured engagement between clubs and supporters. Clubs will be required to meet with a representative group of supporters at least twice a year.
The National Assembly debated safety at football grounds and voted in favour of a trial of safe standing. Fan pressure has led to a reduction of Premier League ticket prices. We now need to do the same for Championship supporters.
We have argued the case for Welsh football grounds to be offered the same protection as ‘assets of community value’ as those in England. We co-wrote a proposal for Supports Direct Cymru for the Welsh Government so that we can help build the trust movement in Wales and we await the appointment of a new minister who will decide if there is funding available.
It has been a privilege to have been Chair of your Supporters Trust for the last seven years. There are still challenges ahead - we need to increase membership and improve communication. But let’s not forget our amazing successes. Anyone going to the Cardiff City Stadium will see our fantastic Fred Keenor statue and the Memorial Garden. We have lobbied on behalf of all fans, on pricing, policing and travel arrangements, on football governance and for a better future for the game we love. And let’s not forget the campaign for the return to blue! Together we have ensured that the club cannot ignore the views of the supporters.
Bluebirds!
TIM HARTLEY
Chair, Cardiff City Supporters Trust
Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust Annual General Meeting
Thursday, May 21st, 2015 at Llandaff Institute
1. Registration (6.30 – 7pm)
(Apologies from Jeff Mansfield; Sian Branson)
Attending:-
Tim Hartley(Chairman);David Craig(Vice-Chairman 254);Keith Morgan 162;Phil Nifield;Jon Day;Brian Mertens 194;Geraint Jones 1556; John Young;David Young; Michael Brown; Robert Jeffrey; Colin Asbrey; Ron Williams 500;Sylvia Williams 1273; John Pascoe 1430; Clive Mann; Heather Mann 1249;John Jones; John Isaacson 1042; Keiron Jones; Phil Dolley 551; David Hunt;Jeffrey Bird 1466; Jeffrey Cleaton; Rhys Price; Dave Powell; Jason Perry(Honorary Member); Rob Phillips(Invited journalist).
2. Approval of minutes of AGM May 22nd 2014
The members attending approved the minutes.
3. Chair’s Welcome and Annual Report 2014-2015
Tim Hartley (Chair) welcomed everyone and thanked them for finding the time to attend the AGM. He explained that the Trust Board had identified 4 priorities for the year 2014 -2015. They were:-
Dialogue – To represent the views of members and ensure effective dialogue between them and Cardiff City AFC.
Participation and Representation – To increase supporters’ influence in general and campaign for supporter representation on the Club board.
Community Activities – To strengthen the links and understanding between the Club, its supporters and the community it serves.
Connection – To work with stakeholders, opinion formers, other supporters’ bodies and organisations so that the Trust develops as a positive, inclusive and representative group.
Under Dialogue Tim reported that the Trust had met the Club Chairman, Mehmet Dalman, the CEO and his team on many occasions. The return to playing in blue would not have happened unless there had been concerted pressure from the Trust working with other campaigning groups. The Clubdoes now appear to understand the importance of maintaining good relations with supporter groups.
The Trust has a good working relationship with the Club’s Supporter Liaison Officer, Adam Gilliatt. However, some of our questions ie conversion of debt to equity and the issue of the major shareholder’s ongoing commitment to the Club, remain unanswered.
At the meetings with the club we ask questions which were put to us by members and we give a full report of the discussions. The Annual Trust Survey was again answered by more than 1000 people this year. We have a strong online presence and produce a high quality fanzine twice a year.
The Chairman invited Board Member Jon Day, who organised the Survey, to provide additional information. Jon reported that 200 members had responded to the Survey and made these points:-
90% wanted there to be a supporter presence on the Club Board.
The respondents rated the Trust’s performance over the year as good.
85% wanted there to be a safe standing facility at the Stadium.
This is what had disappointed the respondents during the season:-
Poor matchday experience.
Lack of direction for the team.
The Club took the supporters for granted.
No clear direction for the Club.
The Chairman thanked Jon for the work he had put into making the survey a success
Under Participation the Chairman reported that:-
Mr Dalman appears to understand that the Trust is not a threat but a critical friend. However, translating that into formal fan representation on the Club Board will not be easy.
The Trust Board had considered buying more shares as suggested in the members’ survey but had decided that any shareholding would be small compared with that of the owner and therefore would not be the best use of Trust money.
A Trust representative attended a Club Board meeting last year but we are still awaiting another invitation to update the Club on our work.
Under Community the Chairman reported that:-
The Trust organised events with community groups and raised considerable funds for Ty Hafa, our chosen charity.
The Trust organised three major social events – a look back at City’s European adventures; the Jimmy Scoular years and an evening with Chris Coleman.
The Trust sponsored the LGBT Unity Cup; had a stand at the Grangetown Festival and organised a Community 5-a- side Tournament which saw 18 community and faith teams from across Cardiff competing.
The Trust is working with Cardiff Story Museum on an oral history project designed to collect fans’ memories of Cardiff City down the generations.
The Trust continued to campaign to get the Club to pay every staff member the living wage.
Under Connections the Chairman reported that:-
The Trust had lobbied parliament and the Welsh Government over changes to the way that football is run. In addition the Trust is working with Cardiff councillors to establish a football governance forum and to discuss the Club’s financial probity.
The Trust has met with other supporters’ trusts and invites every visiting club’s trust to the Trust office
The Chairman is a director of the Supporters Direct and has been involved in securing Welsh Government funding for a feasibility study for a SD Cymru Office.
The Trust works with the Football Supporters’ Federation and the City Supporters’ Club and with them has campaigned for cheaper away tickets and a trial of Safe Standing.
4. Report from Brian Mertens Trust Liaison Officer
Brian Mertens, Board Member, was invited to provide more detail about the work that he has been involved with. Brian reported that he had attended several Supporters Direct meetings and conferences at which discussion on football governance in general and owners making changes to a club’s historical identity without reference to fans featured. Brian also reported that he has had many meetings with Adam Gilliatt which were constructive. The Chairman thanked Brian for the work he had been doing to ensure that the Trust had a good relationship with the SLO and with other football club trusts.
5. Adoption of annual accounts
Keith Morgan, Board Member, was invited to provide a breakdown of the Trust’s income and expenditure as listed in the accounts. Keith reported that membership income was down slightly in the year. The Trust still made a small profit i.e. £3k because less was spent on events. A self-funding approach was undertaken by charging non-members for attending events and raffles were held at these events. Also, fewer events were undertaken in 2014 than in 2013. Most of the events cost in 2014 was therefore the cost incurred in sending delegates to Supporters Direct conferences and on courses.
The Accounts were approved and adopted.
6. Introduction to new Trust Board members
The Chairman reported to the meeting that there had been no need for a Board election. There were 7 vacancies for the nine-person Board which meant that 8 candidates were required to trigger an election.
Tim Hartley, David Craig, Keith Morgan and Brian Mertens had completed their 2-year term of office and had to stand down.(Jon Day and Phil Nifield still had one year of their term to run) Under the Trust Constitution all those standing down had the right to stand for election. All four chose to do so.
These in fact were the only candidates and were therefore re-elected. The Board for 2015-16 therefore comprises:-
Tim Hartley; David Craig; Keith Morgan; Phil Nifield; Jon Day; Brian Mertens.
The new chair and vice-chair will be chosen at the June Board meeting.
The Board’s 2 co-opted members, Jeff Mansfield and Sian Branson, decided not to continue with their roles on the Trust Board. The Chairman expressed his regret about this because the Board will miss the benefits of Jeff’s outstanding work as minutes secretary and Sian’s talent and enthusiasm as a campaigner.
He thanked them both for their contributions and wished them well.
Geraint Jones continues to work as Company Secretary.
7. Any emergency business
There was none.
8. Questions from the floor
Rather than questions, this part of the AGM consisted of members making suggestions as to how the Trust could improve. They were:-
Making an attempt in the coming season, in conjunction with the Club, to make it easier for Cardiff’s student population to attend matches.
Make use of the Match of the Day DVDs in Richard Shepherd’s possession going back to the Jimmy Scoular and John Toshack years to stage a Trust social evening.
Suggestion to help counter the claim that the Trust is too much Cardiff based came from member from Aberaman who is a pub landlord in the area. He offered to stage a Trust event designed to attract City fans from the area and to provide information about the Trust and to recruit members.
It was suggested that it would be worth trying to recruit Trust liaison officers in the Valleys area. Their role would be to disseminate information about the Trust, to suggest and help stage events and recruit members.
The Chairman thanked members for their many constructive suggestions which would be given due consideration by the Board.
The meeting was then closed.