Minutes of a meeting of Sefton RUFC Board: Tuesday16th June 2015.
Venue: SeftonMain Bar (by the open doorway to the inviting Beer Garden)
Present: WFJ,RS (minutes), AC, ASt, Asp, PR (minutes).Apologies: DL, JF, GP
Matters Arising from the Previous Meeting(2nd June).
None were mentioned. [ASt] was happy to accept the previous minutes.
1. Matters Arising:
1a. Pitch 3 Post Replacement Invoice received from DP (£1660 incl VAT).
Note that the VAT will be reclaimed.
Action [RS]: Ask [DL] to post cheque.
2. Financial Matters
2a. Current Bank Balance and Recent Expenditure.
[RS]: Reported on the current bank balance. The Direct Debits are well down with Players stoping their Direct Debits over the Summer.
2b. Outstanding amount from last year’s Drainage Project invoices received: PSD: £1362.00 and Souters Sports: £3330.59 (both incl VAT).
[WJ]: These are still to come on the 20th June.
2c. United Utilities: Unexpected £370.18 DD taken on 12/06/2015.
[RS] not authorised to discuss with United Utilities.
Action [RS]: Ask [DL] to get United Utilities to acknowledge Sefton as a Company (and not an individual), and allow others to liaise with the Utility Company.
Action [RS]: To seek explanation for the £370.18.
2d. Other Business.
[WJ] In receipt of strange email from third party (?). This could be in relation to the £2k that Barclays are to contribute to Matty Thomas’ U12 Tour.
3. Financial Year End and AGM Preparation.
3a. Sage Accounts now with JH for preparation.
[RS]: to discuss with JH on 23rd June.
3b. Change of Directors / Roles.
Lancashire chasing Sefton for details for their Board / Directors details. They produce a document for all rugby clubs.
Action [RS]: To supply the names / roles with the assumption that the current proposals are accepted at the AGM.
3c. Notice in Club 28 days. Written notification in 14 days (email to all members).
Action [RS]: Notice to be put up this week.
[ASt]: Ensure inclusion regards the Ladies ratification of Captains.
Action [RS]: To ensure emails are sent to all with 14 days.
3d. [GP] Proposed Rule Changes.
Regarding Point 4. Non-voting Members:
It was accepted that there is an outstanding issue regards Membership and Voting Rights.
[RS] doesn’t think it is a pressing issue (and certainly not an issue for Sefton’s CASC Status).
[RS] point of note that Sefton’s Rules and Associations are based on the RFU’s CASC model and that they have been approved twice by the HMRC CASC Unit.
[RS] proposes we give ourselves 12 months to fully define Membership categories, and that we utilise the complete list of Sefton entities.
Action [RS]: to put forward a proposal within 12 months.
Summary.
Graham’s proposals were discussed at length but it was decided that the bottom line is that the Rules and Associations were to be interpreted at the prerogative of the board. Changes will be made but there was no need to act in haste.
Action [??]: To ensure all comments and recommendations are considered for presenting to 2016 AGM.
3e. Other Financial Matters.
[WJ] states that the FFC Direct Debit ‘Gift Aid’ statement is defective.
Action [WJ]: to seek advice from [GP].
4. Membership Strategy.
4a. Records and 4b. Payments.
Family Member Issue. A Child is a Junior Member but currently his parents and siblings are Family Members
Note that 1 Child Membership is £8 a month, with 2 or more children fixed at £11 a month.
[AC] Appointed Guardian could be a Family Member
[RS] Proposed that only one parent should be the Family Member.
[ASt] thinks that the GMS only contains Senior 1st Team players.
Once a player is RFU registered, he is automatically entered on GMS.
[PR] happy to utilise GMS as the base for Sefton entities, but unsure of GMS ‘Status’ flexibility (ie, only restricted to ‘Member’). [AC] believes GMS can be flexible.
[WJ] After lengthy discussion and because of several concerns regarding Club Membership – V.A.T. implications, New CASC regulations, and membership fees evasion – to name but a few.
The Board has decided to make “Membership” a top priority for the forthcoming year.
The following directors will take ‘ownership’ of the following issues:
[RS] Compliance
[PR] Data Management
[WFJ] Gift Aid and Direct Debit activity
[ASt] and [AC] Participation Recording and Overall Responsibility for Payment of
Membership Fees – by their respective sections.
The Board would welcome input/assistance from any member who feels they have a contribution.
5. Adult and Junior Section Rugby Reports.
[ASt] First Team 2015-2016 fixtures are now available on the RFU website.
[ASt] Recommends strict adherence to the No Pay, No Play rule in coming season.
[ASt] John Forster feels that the women’s team will begin training in mid August.
[Action ASt]: Email John Forster with regards the status of the proposed Women’s Veterinarian team. Need to encourage Sefton Membership. Thought must be given to the fact that, with 2 women’s teams, team selection may take the better players into one team.
[ASt] Wants to know which Sefton pitches will be available for Adult training and when can it start.
[AC] Feels that the Juniors are happy to stay training on the Cardinal Heenan.
[WJ] Both bottom pitches will be available for Seniors for training to officially start at the beginning of July. Training will continue to be on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
[AC] Bob Marnell has integrated the Under 16s and Under 17s. These players will also continue into the U17s and U18s. There is a 3 year plan which will ensure a smooth transition into the Senior teams.
[AC] U7s to U15s cannot play up a year.
[RS] Recommends [AC] to be the compliance ‘owner’ of Regulation 15.
[WJ] Enquires if paying a coach could be an option for the joint U16/17s.
[Action AC] To consider a proposal for a coach, perhaps seek advice from Kevin Greaves.
[ASt] Suggests perhaps one of the Senior players.
6. Other Urgent and Essential Items.
6a. Pitch Usage following [ASt] and Kevin Greaves Festival Initiative.
[WJ] We all need to be aware of extra activities on the pitches and not to overuse them. Ensure we avoid certain activities (eg. Aussie Rules).
6b. Relocation.
The meeting with ‘Historical England’ formerly “English Heritage” is scheduled for Friday 19 June 2015. Stuart Lever, [ASt] and [WJ] will attend.
6c. Summer Volunteer Works List / Strategy. Work for Contractors.
[WJ] Alan Webster is building a garden. Appears not much else happening.
Pete Merriman and Roy Webster working on a list from [RS], eg, painting, lane work, tiding up, etc.
[WJ] Stresses underutilisation of keen resources.
[RS] Clubhouse roof requires some work (coat of aluminium paint?). Water is gathering at the roof’s edge / ridge and there in now internal damage to the Snug’s ceiling.
[Action ??]: Perhaps seek advice from a flat roof contractor.
6d. Social Media Update.
[AC] discussed 4th June meeting at Blackburn Rugby Club, accompanied by Bobby Cook and Paddy Arnold. They took a sample of Stafford’s policy, who don’t mind Sefton adapting. Bobby Cook and Paddy Arnold are to open a formal Sefton Twitter account.
[Action AC]: To ensure Sefton’s social media policy is on the Sefton website.
6e. Club Dinner ‘feedback’
[WJ] Felt the Dinner was needed a bit more structure (eg, seating organisation, photographs).
[ASt] Would like the Dinner to be treated very specially (eg, formal dress, respecting formalities and tradition). Perhaps consider re-location.
[RS] Other places are expensive.
[Action ASt]: To get player feedback on what they’d want (a questionnaire even).
[Action RS]: To target a better guest speaker.
6f. Sale RFC Community Engagement
[WJ] Suggests [AC] takes this up, as Kevin Greaves feels it is beneficial.
[RS] Referred to an email regarding ‘HITZ’ programme (eg, disabled children initiative).
Kevin Greaves (after meeting) says that the Sale website contains further details.
6g. Stand Roof Project.
[WJ] Still no Perry Caine action. Still awaiting the fresh quote from Mark Bodger.
[Action WJ]: If no action from Perry by June end, instigate work by contractor
6h. Date of next meeting.
Tuesday 14/07/2015
AGM is the following Tuesday, 21/07/2015.
6i. Points to Note.
[RS] Former Captain Gary Walsh has received a high honour in the Fire Brigade (Queens Award?).
[ASt] Has produced a rather impressive “Sefton Sponsorship” leaflet. Cost will be £100 for 1000 leaflets.
[Action ASt]: to email the sample to [RS].
[AC] will be manning a tent at the Newsham Park Festival of Sport on Saturday, 20th June.