Board Meeting online using Zoom
Wednesday 5th April 2023, 7:00pm
Minutes
PRESENT Board: Stuart Rogers SR (chair), Miles Hendy (vice-chair), Mike Adams MA (minutes), Marie Day MD, Jon Darch JD, Terry Hamlin TH, Shahan Miah SM, Members: Diane Rowland DR, Wendy Rowland WR. Supporters: David Hayward DH , Mark Newman MN, Jackie Pike JP, Matt Seaward MS, David Thomas DS. Bristol City: Pete Smith (PS), Jerry Tocknell JT (SLO). APOLOGIES Paul Hunt PH, James Nicholls JN, Neil Palmer NP, Rob Stephen RS, James Thomas, Dave Walker DW, Katrina Watts KW, Jon Watts JW, D-M Withers DMW.
1. Minutes & Matters Arising
Surveys – we would make an appeal for a helper with expertise [ACTION SM]
2. SLO
a) Running on pitch – youngsters have started a trend, which could cause a fine for the Club. b) Our fans at Swansea – abuse to staff led to non-opening of ticket office. c) Post-Reading at Temple Meads – a prearranged clash of fans had to be policed. d) Season Card sales – 8,000 already sold, 30/40% upon last season e) E34 – tensions still existing among the original fans and newcomers from S82 f) SCs 2023/24 – expected to be downloaded to smart phones (SPs). Arrangements for the approximately 1% without an SP are not yet known.
3. Guest speaker Pete Smith (Head of Change and Sustainability at Ashton Gate)
Bristol Sport’s ‘Project Whitebeam’ sustainability strategy to recognise and mitigate their impact on the environment and strive towards being carbon-neutral is important to explain. The Club is committed to 50% reduction of its carbon footprint by 2030 and to reach carbon-zero by 2040. The Club won a World Climate Action Award last November. The previous week it was announced that Bristol City had been ranked the Championship’s most environmentally sustainable club in the 2022 EFL Sport Positive League. Only Forest Green Rovers (with 10 years start) of the 72 EFL clubs scored a higher number of points. The Club’s efforts are also in its own self-interest for a number of reasons including: Feel-good factor for attracting and retaining staff Financial sense as cost of non-renewable items are set to increase steadily Attracting new sponsors Pete closed with this, “The club are benchmarking their carbon emissions this year but many clubs and venues report 80% of their total carbon footprint is supporter travel” AGREED if we can help with Project Whitebeam, BCSCT offers its support to the Club. [ACTION SR]
4. Hall of Fame
MA reported since our last meeting we had inducted two former players with hospitality and initial presentation in the Heineken Lounge followed by a second presentation by our President Marina Dolman pitchside at half-time. Chris Garland’s induction was celebrated by a family gathering and Corinne Yorston invited some friends spread far and wide hosted by SM. This leaves two more to be presented; Loren Dykes would prefer a less formal occasion and we hope to arrange Jacki Dziekanowski’s when he comes over for Marcus Stewart’s charity match post-season. AGREED to set a budget and other conditions for the next round of inductions. [ACTION MA]
5. BCWFC
Southampton coach cost £477; 15 seats were sold, of which two were no-shows. We had to pay the balance of £232 for unsold tickets. AGREED re: possible Birmingham coach to ask BCWFC to make a contribution before committing ourselves (a decision would have to be online) also to enquire whether the RHPC is of a standard to stage possible WSL matches and, if promotion is secured, whether a celebratory event is being considered. [ACTION SM]
6. End of Season Awards
Between meetings we had reached a compromise agreement with the Club (qv) over the awards to be made and to take a table at their end-of-season awards dinner on Thursday 4th Ma
7. Diamond & Gold Memberships
The main three current levels of membership are Red (£1 monthly), Gold (£2.50 pm) and Diamond (£5 pm). Both Gold and Diamond offer ‘exclusive members’ pre-match access to SC&T bar, subject to capacity limit, on a first come, one in one out basis.’ Diamond offers in addition ‘the knowledge that all funds over £2.50 per month enter the Share Fund.’ Ideas emerging on how we can offer more tangible advantages to Gold and Diamond membership included: Monthly draws, raffles eg seat at dinner above, regular offers from the Club eg signed items, VIP hospitality, voucher system, ground tours. AGREED to draw up a list of options on our next agenda [ACTION MA] together with two bulleted items below: · Associate membership has not yet been offered. It was felt this was best dealt with in conjunction with the Fan Led Review and included in a general start-of-season membership drive. · Expansion of Supporters Bar – we should renew this request with the development of the Sporting Quarter about to take place.
8. Fan Led Review
SR opined that we have reached the point where we need to make proposals. He will draw up a list in dialogue with Simon Orriss and circulate prior to and for discussion at, our next meeting [ACTION SR]
9. Finance
There was no formal report but some financial matters were discussed in the realisation that we had committed for funds than ever to various causes this season (approximate amounts): £10k to the AG8 celebrations |-£2.9k Fans for Future tickets, £2k Hall of Fame presentations |-£1k Senior Reds £1k Former Players Association | £600 End-of-Season Awards | £500 Coaches to Women’s away games Treasurer to be asked to provide a quick round of current balances for next meeting. [ACTION SR, JT] Fans for Future tickets to be reviewed online in advance of next meeting [ACTION SR including sharing with Community Trust & JD including circulation of current usage]
10. AOB
Section 82 meeting with CEO – took place last week with SR acting as honest broker.
Next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 3rd May 2023*
*The May meeting was subsequently cancelled due to the End of Season Awards taking place on Thursday May 4th. Next meeting rescheduled for Wednesday 7th June 2023