Minutes Of Open Meeting - 9th October 2008

Att: 26
 
Committee members present: Alan S, Rob U, Peter R, Phil C, Julia U, Martin R, Paul G, Andy K.
Apologies: Paul I, Alan J.
 
Finances, membership and book update – Finances currently stand at over £14,000 with £790.45 having been raised at the race night. There is still £90 to come from the players and Stroud Engineering which will raise the figure closer to £800. Membership is now 201 having picked up from about 140. There are 45 books left to sell at the current time.


Feedback from meeting with club – catering – The Trust has had a positive response from Caterman and 3-sided meeting between the club, the Trust and Caterman has been agreed. Former chairman Jonathan O’Byrne revealed that during his tenure he was never contacted by Richard Hughes despite making many efforts himself.
 
Disabled Facilities
– This was seen as the most realistic of possible ground improvements with £6k from the ‘Ground Centenary’ project ring fenced for the development of disabled facilities. Blyth’s facilities were paid for by a local engineering firm although given the current economic climate this possible avenue of funding may not be open at the moment. It was suggested that a proper location should be found for the facilities before the Trust should proceed any further.
 
Cover for popular side – Steve Wignall said that the floodlights would need to be replaced before any cover was erected on the popular side as they would prevent the structure from being properly completed. The idea of partial cover was thrown out by Charlie Clapham due to safety fears of over-crowding in bad weather under the covered area.
 
Floodlights
– The club spent £7k upgrading the floodlights in the summer. Football Foundation grants are now down to 20% from 50% with Clapham pushing to get them back up to 50%. The club can’t afford a total upgrade at this time although they have stated that they will need sorting in the next 3-4 years.
 
Youth & Res – It was suggested that the Trust seek ‘cast-iron certainties’ from the Chairman with regards to running a reserve team next season before committing to purchasing a mini-bus, especially in light of what happened last time. The prices of appropriate second hand vehicles range from £6k to around £15k and the club would pay for the insurance. Martin Robinson suggested that possible future projects such as this should be funded by purchasing shares in the club. £10k worth of shares for example would make Trust In Yellow the club’s third largest shareholder.
 
Coach Travel – Figures so far have been disappointing with £104 lost on the first 4 trips. Alan Scarisbrick however said that we are only within 2 people of breaking even and that this should be done over the course of the season if current form continues. Rob Urwin has come up with an idea of ‘the Harrogate Hundred’ in which subsidised coach travel of £5 will be offered. Travel will be free for those taking part in the sponsored walk to Burscough. It was agreed to take this proposal forward.
 
Heart Monitors
– There has been a fair amount of interest in the heart monitors but no firm offers have been made yet.
 
Events – A raffle by Alan Scarisbrick and Paul Glendenning at the recent Fag Ash Lil event raised £90. The R’n’B group Hexmen will be playing in the Grandstand Bar on New Years Eve.
 
Newsletters – From now on deadlines for items to go in the newsletter will be the week before the end of the month.
 
Club Marketing Proposal – A date is still to be confirmed for the meet the manager/chief executive evening but this will definitely be in the next month. The Trust is very unhappy at being let down by the management and the players on the race night. Only club captain James Connolly and new signing Steve Morrison bothered to show up.
 
Supporters Direct Conference – Martin Robinson will be Trust In Yellow’s representative at the Conference in London next Thursday. The Trust has still not received the £1,000 ‘setting up’ grant from Supporters Direct.
 
Flyer – The Goalden Lottery flyer has now been printed and should be distributed in the Midweek Visiter shortly. The trust has paid for the delivery of the flyers.
 
Next match sign – There is now a vacant next match sign with the one previously situated at the Shelbourne having been removed due to the completion of the new development. All ideas for the new positioning of the sign are welcomed.
 
NEXT OPEN MEETING – NOV 27TH

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