Trust comments on accounts for 2018/19 year

[tGWB]

56 minutes ago, underdog said:

I am disappointed and can't explain why this and January notes were done this way. Especially, when Trust Chair acknowledge in June that Trust had internal stuff going on. So why hide it?

 

Members are usually contacted with all announcements, meeting note publications and events directly and to give a bit of value for money...some worth. I don't remember seeing anything since I left.

 

January meeting notes, state he was asked by a fellow Director on paid work, the fan complaint gave evidence and that there was a direct link and is why I asked him again in Feb. 

 

There was no declaration of the Trust rep company paying to join the Clubs 125 business club in December. 

can you join the dots up for us on this please 

[underdog]

Just now, tGWB said:

can you join the dots up for us on this please 

I am being blonde and thick sorry, what do you want me to clarify?

 

[tGWB]

1 hour ago, underdog said:

I am being blonde and thick sorry, what do you want me to clarify?

 

the fellow director on paid work comment 

 

read like a riddle 

[underdog]

1 hour ago, tGWB said:

the fellow director on paid work comment 

 

read like a riddle 

oh right. haha

 

Its documented in January notes he was asked about paid work which he said no. There was a window of opportunity here to declare the stuff on his own business website and clarity on why his company signed up for and paid to join the club's 125 business club on 23rd December. (confirmed on a clubs employee twitter feed congratulating the company joining).

 

It is only in light as part of the fan complaint submitted with this evidence that I again, asked in February about paid/unpaid work.

 

What is disappointing is I verbally told the rep several times about work done for the club, wether paid or unpaid, FSA view of it and what fans perception of it would be. His company website is work done from Aug 2019 to October 2019.

 

Now the balance for me is that he Trust rep and his compnay have done some free stuff on behalf of the Trust, the website being one. So why not promote this free work on your company website too?

 

Oh well

 

Feb meeting notes state I asked an he answered he was up to date with the current clubs financials. This proved to be incorrect as at the begining of March the Trust had it issue a statement with regards to the HMRC issued to the club on 30th Jan and the Trust rep NOT being aware. 

[tGWB]

3 hours ago, underdog said:

oh right. haha

 

Its documented in January notes he was asked about paid work which he said no. There was a window of opportunity here to declare the stuff on his own business website and clarity on why his company signed up for and paid to join the club's 125 business club on 23rd December. (confirmed on a clubs employee twitter feed congratulating the company joining).

 

It is only in light as part of the fan complaint submitted with this evidence that I again, asked in February about paid/unpaid work.

 

What is disappointing is I verbally told the rep several times about work done for the club, wether paid or unpaid, FSA view of it and what fans perception of it would be. His company website is work done from Aug 2019 to October 2019.

 

Now the balance for me is that he Trust rep and his compnay have done some free stuff on behalf of the Trust, the website being one. So why not promote this free work on your company website too?

 

Oh well

 

Feb meeting notes state I asked an he answered he was up to date with the current clubs financials. This proved to be incorrect as at the begining of March the Trust had it issue a statement with regards to the HMRC issued to the club on 30th Jan and the Trust rep NOT being aware. 

Appreciate the update 

[al_bro]

6 hours ago, underdog said:

I do hope a new balanced Trust board can be that critical friend and hold the club to account when needed and praise when its doing right. I am worried for its future.

Are you worried that 'The Trust' could be taken over by AL's stooges?

[webdarren78]

4 hours ago, underdog said:

oh right. haha

 

Ordinarily I wouldn't comment on these points, but I think that some of the people reading this would appreciate some of the context that goes with the points that you have raised and given that I have nothing to hide on this, I'm happy to go on record and explain some of the detail.

 

Quote

Its documented in January notes he was asked about paid work which he said no. There was a window of opportunity here to declare the stuff on his own business website and clarity on why his company signed up for and paid to join the club's 125 business club on 23rd December. (confirmed on a clubs employee twitter feed congratulating the company joining).

 

I disagree - there clearly was not a clear window of opportunity for this to be raised.  The open session over-ran, when the open part of the meeting had been concluded there was a further "open-session" for a complaint to be heard that the other visitors that were not allowed to attend - this was without reason or precedence and ate into what was a very busy meeting schedule to begin with.

 

Furthermore, in points 12i, 13a, 24a and 26 it is clear that the meeting was running behind and time was short.   Supplementary to this, it does not state in 12i that my update had to be drawn to a close specifically as I was told we had no time, they weren't simply deemed lower priorities and therefore dismissed.  There really wasn't a window of opportunity to move away from the agenda.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, Digitl Limited made a commercial decision to join a business networking club based in Oldham.  Until the January meeting no real manner of discussing conflicts of interests had been raised with me, and I saw no reason for this to be raised.

 

This has since been raised with the FSA who have said that Digitl (and by proxy myself) joining the business club who have stated that there is no conflict of interest with the club which was also found by the board of the Trust in the February meeting.

 

I would of course have a conflict to declare if that membership was at partial or complete discount or some other form of benefit.

 

Quote

 

It is only in light as part of the fan complaint submitted with this evidence that I again, asked in February about paid/unpaid work.

 

What is disappointing is I verbally told the rep several times about work done for the club, wether paid or unpaid, FSA view of it and what fans perception of it would be. His company website is work done from Aug 2019 to October 2019.

 

You may feel disappointed Tracy, but I refer you back to the comments above from the FSA and also the subsequent findings of the board in the February meeting.

 

Quote

 

Now the balance for me is that he Trust rep and his compnay have done some free stuff on behalf of the Trust, the website being one. So why not promote this free work on your company website too?

 

To be clear from Digitl, the supporters Trust does benefit from the following:

£150 website hosting and support updates
£2500 to the value of the new website
£300 per anum in website hosting

Digitl did produce a free website for Trust Oldham earlier than this that would have had a value of around £1,000.    This work is done without favour nor is it expected - it's there to help support the Trust as being a founder member I'm passionate about the cause and always have been.   No work has been cited from Trust Oldham on the Digitl website to this point as the new site simply has been live for a shorter period of time than new case studies have been added to our website.   In time Oldham Athletic will be removed from the list of work as newer work comes in and replaces it.   

The free work that Digitl did for the club will have amounted to a few hundred pounds and at no point was this kept a secret from anybody.

 

Quote

Oh well

 

Feb meeting notes state I asked an he answered he was up to date with the current clubs financials. This proved to be incorrect as at the begining of March the Trust had it issue a statement with regards to the HMRC issued to the club on 30th Jan and the Trust rep NOT being aware. 

 

[LightDN123]

The trust is a waste of time. People need to realise it. 

[underdog]

6 minutes ago, LightDN123 said:

The trust is a waste of time. People need to realise it. 

its not if you have the right people in the right roles......it just never has fully been able to get this balance right.

 

 

[underdog]

1 hour ago, al_bro said:

Are you worried that 'The Trust' could be taken over by AL's stooges?

Al's stooges? interesting and yes, there has to be a right balance and a willingness to listen to facts.

 

I tentatively know one new co-optee, I don't know the other new person. Nor enough of how they came forward before the SOS was sent out and its been unclear of what roles they are currently doing from the the Trust site.

 

I am alarmed that the July notes seem to indicate that two co-optees are being sent the trust bank mandate....they have not passed a members vote yet at the AGM. Whenever that is.

 

Then again so does the acting chair in order for her to continue in that role.

 

They are missing two key roles. Secretary and treasurer and have the minimum required number of directors registered at CH needed to run the business. even if the 3 co-optees get through a vote, there would only be 7 directors. 

 

So yes I am fairly alarmed for its future.

 

 

[wiseowl]

On 7/20/2020 at 6:32 PM, LightDN123 said:

The trust is a waste of time. People need to realise it. 

 

On 7/20/2020 at 6:39 PM, underdog said:

its not if you have the right people in the right roles......it just never has fully been able to get this balance right.

underdog -  do you realise that your answer to LightDN123 actually adds weight to what he said?

 

My own view - a considerable amount of time and energy expended by well-meaning volunteers - to achieve diddly squat over the years. Mind you, it has feathered the nest for certain people who have been involved in it.

[underdog]

12 hours ago, wiseowl said:

 

underdog -  do you realise that your answer to LightDN123 actually adds weight to what he said?

 

My own view - a considerable amount of time and energy expended by well-meaning volunteers - to achieve diddly squat over the years. Mind you, it has feathered the nest for certain people who have been involved in it.

Not really, i am acknowledging that sometimes needs must, round peg square holes.and it was certainly that from April 2019.

 

I am a good example of that analogy and why i was not strong enough as acting chair, not only to hold fellow directors to account but the club too. It needed an experienced chair consistently to drive it on...to be stable.

 

Andy B had an idea that Trust does what every other company should do, have job specs, advertise roles, interview and appoint. Appoint on skills/experience rather than a fan who has volunteers a couple of hours a week with soft skills

 

Having those people in those key roles with experience would give it teeth to hold a bigger organisation to account who do hire the right people on a  full time basis. Think David (Trust) V Goliath. (Club).  Think finances Philippa V Shahed, Think Trust Chair (leader) V Natalie/Al (Leader). Think Trust secretary V Club secretary.....

 

We have had two mainly absent role this year/season. Trust chair and secretary, with Vice chair occasionally not being available too. That causes instability.

 

It is advertising what roles it needs. I hope it does not recruit just to fill up on numbers to keep it ticking over. It needs strong people with thick skin to step up. The ACV renewal needs starting in the next four months, potentially with a view of the loss of little wembley to the club and community to consider...legal stuff on that , share holder rights (legal) with club, HR with regards to in house running, comms/media/PR, secretary, treasurer, Business development, FSA/EFL contact, event planner, membership (although I think one of the co-optees maybe doing this role until the AGM), 

 

We will have to see who is on the AGM voting form, do they fill the skills gaps, bring new skills in, I am interested to read their statements to support their vote before I vote.

 

There should also be an opportunity for members to put those tough questions to the Trust and ask how well it has performed. PTB survey adding weight to that, if they do not get  chance to sort one out themselves.

 

You also have to look at the horrible year it has had to deal with too, off the pitch that is. and what it has achieved with those limited resources. At one point I was thinking its de ja vue......we were at an exact same point of the Trust/club relationship with Al that we was with Corney,  and that was 3 years ago.....gone full circle, being on guard, when it was promised that it would be better working relationship.