TO ALL MEMBERS OF YATTON RFC

At the EGM in December 2015, the Management committee was authorised to “….investigate the feasibility and advisability of a potential sale of the club assets and a relocation to new premises at a new location.” Subsequently a Relocation sub-committee was formed and, following legal advice, sought to appoint suitable agents to act on the club’s behalf in this matter.

Groupwest, an independent company of chartered planning, development and valuation surveyors, was then appointed to investigate the revenue that could be raised by the sale of the club’s assets and to recommend a preferred bidder that the club could work with - both in terms of the sale of those assets and the provision of new facilities.

This has been a long and complicated business, but last month Groupwest recommended that the club recognise Strongvox Homes as the Preferred Bidder. Following a joint meeting of the Management committee and Relocation sub- committee with Strongvox, it was decided to accept the advice of Groupwest and recognise Strongvox as the Preferred Bidder.

The Management committee has also agreed to make representations to North Somerset Council to have the status of the club’s land amended to being “suitable for residential development” in the Yatton NeighbourhoodVillage Plan. The Strongvox proposal is that they should purchase the club’s assets for residential development and provide the club with its new (agreed) facilities at athe new (agreed) location. ( for the record, do you need to say where this is?)

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Recognising Strongvox as the Preferred Bidder does not mean that the sale has been agreed.

THIS CANNOT HAPPEN UNTIL THE MATTER HAS BEEN PUT BEFORE THE WHOLE VOTING MEMBERSHIP AT AN EGM.

What it does mean, however,is that there will be more detailed discussions between Strongvox, Groupwest and club representatives to reach a Heads of Terms agreement with both Strongvox and the representatives of the owner of the land where the new facilities would be located. It is at this point that the matter will be put before an EGM and no contract of any kind will be signed before being approved by the voting club membership at such a meeting. If it is the club’s decision to relocate, the matter will still be subject to planning applications both on the club and new sites. Unless planning approval is gained on agreed proposals for BOTH sites the project will not move forward.

In order to put these proposals in context, the Management committee has set up a Steering Group - heaaded by Club President, John Crew, and including Paul Griffin and John Chilcott - to prepare a report on the possible future of the club in 3, 5 and 10 years time. This will include a business plan covering that period and the group will draw on the experience and expertise of various club members and other friends of the club. It is intended that this report - including a recommendation as to whether the club should relocate or remain in its current location - will be put before an EGM as soon as is practical, but at the latest before the end of the season.

In the meantime, if a member would like to discuss the development of this report with any of the Steering Groupp , they would be very happy to have that discussion with you and listen to your views on the future of the club.

If you are reading this on the club’s website rather than in an email that has been sent to you directly, it means that you are not on the club’s membership list or that the contact details that are held for you are not up-to-date. Remember only FULLmembers of the club can vote and that o. Onlypaid-up Playing members, VPs, Freemen of the CClub and Life members are considered to be full members under the current rules of the cClub. Associate members are not entitled to vote. If you want to vote on the future of the clubYatton RFC at the EGM and you are not a member at present you need to join now. Please c(Contact Wayne Richardson (Players), John Chilcott (VPs) orJason Clarke / Julie Wiggins (Juniors) for details and membership forms.

Howard Davies – Chairman Yatton RFC…..)