Fulham Supporters’ Trust invites Board nominations
The Fulham Supporters’ Trust today invites our members to consider putting themselves forward for election to the Trust Board. In accordance with the Trust’s constitution and the existing rules, the current Board approved the election procedure during our April meeting and convened an Election Management Group, comprising of three long-standing Trust members and an independent scrutineer, to ensure that all the correct procedures are followed.
Following a series of successful meetings with Fulham Football Club and an unprecedented response to our last leaflet drop of the season before the win over Wigan Athletic in April, the Trust Board took the decision to delay our elections until the end of the season. Whilst our election process should have been completed by the end of the year, we have been hamstrung in recent seasons by a lack of Board members and wanted to give all the new members who joined in the second half of the season an opportunity to take part in the elections process.
At the Trust’s May Board meeting, it was agreed that all new members who had joined in the second half of the season would receive the final weeks of their 2012/2013 membership free and that the new 2012/2013 membership year would begin from July 1st (yesterday). In order to allow all new members to exercise their democratic right and elect the new Board, it was agreed that nominations for election would open on July 2nd (today).
At present, we have only four Directors on the Trust Board out of a maximum number of nine. Having more Directors on the Board will allow the Trust to continue to work closely with Fulham FC and represent the interests of Fulham fans. This is a crucial moment for the future of Fulham FC. Having returned to Craven Cottage in 2003, we are close to securing a permanent stay at our historic home as Hammersmith and Fulham’s Planning Applications Committee prepares to consider the Club’s proposals to renovate the Riverside Stand and increase the stadium’s capacity to 30,000 seats. Increasing the size of our Board, will allow the Trust to continue our other activities as well as considering expanding our remit. The Trust is the only democratic organisation currently representing Fulham fans and the power to shape what we do is in our hands.
Any potential Board Director must have been a member since July 1 2012. Trust Board Directors serve a two-year term and, as they were last re-elected in 2009, Gerry Claydon, Neil Springate and Dan Crawford must stand for election again. All three will be seeking renomination, whilst Colin Weeden was elected in 2011 to fill a vacancy and will not be required to stand until 2013. Any member seeking to be nominated to the Trust Board, must be proposed and seconded by existing members, and provide a short statement supporting their candidacy.
If you are interested in standing for the Board but aren’t sure what it would involve, then please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the current Trust Board. We would be more than willing to discuss the potential workload and are happy to flexible to accommodate those in employment or unemployment, people with families and young children, carers, anybody who has a disability or who has any other concerns that would require adjustments to be made. The Trust are particularly keen to have from potential Board members with a background in finance, law, communications, social media or social policy. Please email usand we will get back to you as soon as possible.
NOMINATIONS DOCUMENTS
Interested candidates can view or download the following documents:
- A letter from the Fulham Supporters’ Trust Secretary to members inviting applications
- A copy of the Fulham Supporters’ Trust election rules
- A copy of the nomination form for the Fulham Supporters’ Trust Board Elections
Since we are expecting significant disruption to the postal service due to the forthcoming Olympics and Paralympic Games and wouldn’t wish to discriminate against any of our many members who live overseas, candidates can email their nomination paperwork to the Election Management Group or post their completed paperwork to the Fulham Supporters’ Trust Election Management Group 2012, c/o 31 Oliver Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 4QF.
