30 June - Devils Trust AGM

The AGM was held at The Black Swan Public House Pease Pottage on Tuesday 30 June 2009 at 7.30pm.

Apologies were accepted from various members and also two board members (messrs Townsend & Hall ). A quorum was in place as required by the model rules to ensure the AGM was legal.

A quorum was in place as required by the model rules to ensure the AGM was legal.

1. Chairman's Address
The statement was delivered by the Chairman and approved by the members.

Annual Address to members by the Trust Chairman

I welcome you all to the AGM. The Trust has seen a year of steady progress and we have much to be proud of. But before we start to look to the future we need to consider the lessons that the past has taught us.

This Spring the man who was once the owner and chairman of Crawley Town FC was sent to jail for serious financial irregularities including a period that covered the first 18 months of his tenure at the football club. During that time it was the Trust alone who highlighted the incompetence, deviousness and nastiness of his families regime. By our approach we gained the support and respect nationally of football fans and the football authorities. The town of Crawley was given the facts by us and offered a free choice whether to back the regime or not. The populace overwhelmingly voted with their feet.

But it was not always easy being part of the Trust during those times, we suffered abuse intimidation and ridicule, but that court decision has proven beyond any doubt that we were right, you were right and the town was right to back our approach. As chairman I thank all of you.

However being right does not always make you popular.

With new owners at the club our members asked us to cautiously engage with the new board. It has been a long slow and at times frustrating process. But we are now at a stage where we have a decent working relationship with them.

Basically the club have an inner and outer sanctum. The outer sanctum contains elements of the operating board, but also looks to include fans and others who can contribute in terms of fund-raising and mobilising the community. We have been in extensive dialogue with this section of the club executive covering such subjects as fun-days, legends match and promotional activities. It is still early days, but relations are constantly improving and we remain cautiously optimistic.

While we were developing this relationship we decided to concentrate our efforts on strengthening ties with other football groups, the media and delivering our major flagship project, the Community football schools scheme. The pilot scheme was an unqualified total success. We were overwhelmed by the level of enthusiasm and interest shown by all concerned and in particular the comments of the parents and the deputy head at our Xmas end of season tournament. They believed that we had developed something unique, that now needs to be offered to all schools in the area.

Based on the success of the pilot scheme we have now approached two funding bodies with grant applications, but times are hard and we can never be certain that funds will be forthcoming. Nontheless we have trialled, modelled and continue to operate an excellent scheme. We are rightly proud of last years accomplishment of taking an idea and making it exceed all expectations.

We were also asked to re-build relations with the Supporters Club. When they proposed funding the segregation barrier at the ground we offered to help them with a grant application (in the event they declined as they were constrained by time) and we have also approved a £500 donation towards the project.

We have also contributed to the community by small donations to a variety of local initiatives and sponsorship. We joined with the Trusts of Oxford and Manfield in putting pressure on the football authorities through correspondence and a petition, highlighting that the level of punishment they had imposed for breaches of the player registration process were extreme. In the event the clubs appeal recovered most of the points and while we cannot claim any specific credit for that achievement, we are still justly proud of the pressure that the joint-Trust initiative applied.

We are presently devising a scheme – negotiations with the club have been very positive and they welcome the idea - for the new season, which provides for two nominated persons per match, chosen by the community at large, to be the joint guests of ourselves and the football club at home games. We see this as a way of recognising and rewarding the work of volunteers, public servants and those deserving a break and at the same time helping the club to re-engage with the community of Crawley. This concept is absolutely in line with our community objectives and has a tangible benefit to a club that has tainted it’s image within the community in recent years.

And we were also asked at the last AGM to involve our own people more. It has not really been possible in the last year as it was a slow process of rebuilding relationships, but this year the board have agreed that we will have an open-meeting every quarter to encourage more ideas and input from you all, we are looking to replenish our funds through some creative schemes.

There are many unsung heroes at the Trust, such as David Morley and Phil Townshend who have both worked on the accounts, Ian our membership secretary and Peter our webmaster who both deserve a mention.

And I conclude by a few comments about changes within the Devils Trust board, We are to expand the board to seven members and I offer congratulations to Simon, Mervyn and Ian who have joined us, they will be happy to answer any of your questions about who they are and what they have to offer.

And it is perhaps a sign of changing times that Phil Agius and Jeff Thaddeus are not standing for re-election. They are two people who were never afraid to voice their opinions. They were prominent in standing up, not only to corrupt owners but also to those who blindly and ignorantly endorsed the actions of those owners. They both feel that with the changes so far at the football club and the prospect of even further changes, the Trust need board members with a fresh approach to take things forward. I thank them both for the contribution and enthusiasm they have given to the Trust cause.

And at the end of a year of consolidation and achievement I thank you all too and look forward to working more closely with you in the forthcoming months.

Mark Ogbourne The Devils Trust

2. Election of Officers
1. As required by the model rules of Supporters Direct, three members stood down from the board.
2. Phil Agius and Jeff Thaddeus declined to offer themselves for re-election, they were thanked by members for their efforts over the last three years.
3. The meeting welcomed new board members: Simon Hall, Mervyn Hamilton and Ian Townsend.
4. David Morley was duly re-elected to the board and will continue as Treasurer
5. Mr. Thaddeus was formally elected to fill the vacant role of Trust Secretary.

3. Accounts
Accounts were presented to the meeting by the treasurer - approved by the meeting - and then signed by the Chairman and Treasurer.

It is hereby resolved that subject to the provisions of section 4A of the 1968 Friendly and Industrial and Provident Societies Act, the members of the Society shall not require an audit for the accounts covering the current financial year ending on 31st December 2009 when they are presented to the next AGM held in 2010.

The members of the society agree that the Accounts for the financial year ending on and for which reports will be laid before the following AGM do not require a full audit provided that:

o The total income for that year does not exceed the threshold laid down by Supporters Direct for audit exemption (currently £25,000)
o An Independent Examination of those accounts is carried out in place of the full Audit
o The Independent Examination is carried out in line with the best practice of Supporters Direct as set out in the Guidance Notes.

o A report from the Independent Examiner is included within the Accounts and circulated to members.
The Society notes that
o The Independent Examination does not carry the same weight as a full Audit
o The members of the Trust instruct the Board to identify a suitably qualified practitioner to undertake the review
o The Board shall agree the appointment of the examiner and shall agree the terms of that appointment in writing
o Supporters Direct has no liability in respect of any Trust Accounts
o Supporters Direct will use the report of an Independent Examiner when considering your Trust's eligibility for membership as against criteria in its membership policy

4. Matters arising.
The change of Registered address was proposed & approved by members.

The name "The Devils Trust" was discussed and members views will be canvassed to see if they would prefer another name, the view was that the name was too closely associated with opposition to the Majeeds and may be seen as unsuitable to sponsorship and community projects. There are some costs involved in re-branding.

5. Soccer schools.
John Hooper presented a situation report of the scheme which has been an overwhelming success. Two grant applications had been submitted.

The Trust executive took on board criticism that the scheme had not been publicised beyond the Trust Newsletter.

6. Q & A
There was a lively discussion about the current regime at the club and the prospects moving forward. Engagement with the club had been slow, but a decent working relationship had now developed, there is still a certain degree of suspicion which needs to be addressed.

The question was asked when specifically the Majeeds left the club and who exactly own s the club shares?

Members welcomed that every quarter they will be invited to an open meeting.

Board Members in attendance: Mark Ogbourne, Colin Lowes, John Hooper, David Morley, Mervyn Hamilton

Members in attendance: Individuals were required to sign their names in a register upon arrival, this list will be made available for inspection by Supporters Direct, upon request .