BEES UNITED 2007 AGM
To be held at 12 noon on Saturday 17 November 2007 at St Paul’s Parish Church, Brentford.
Notice is hereby given that the 7th Annual General Meeting of Brentford Football Community Society Limited will take place in St Paul's Parish Centre (behind Somerfields), St Paul's Road, Brentford TW8 0PN on Saturday 17th November 2007 at 12.00 p.m. for the following purposes:
1. Chairman’s Welcome and confirmation of 2006 minutes.
2. Chairman’s Report to members
As RESOLUTIONS
3. Finance Report and Adoption of the Society’s Accounts
4. Re appointment of Levy & Partners as Auditors
5. Amendments to Rules
To consider and if thought fit pass a resolution to change the Rules as follows:
5.1. To amend the current Clauses 53 and 61 as follows:
Current Clause 53
The Society Board is to have not less than 12 and not more than 15 members and will be made up as follows:
a. 8 members of the Society Board or such higher number as shall be required so that elected members of the Board are in a majority over co-opted members will be elected by the members in accordance with such arrangements as shall be determined by the Society Board.
b. Not less than 4 members will be co-opted by the Society Board in accordance with a Board Membership Policy when it will develop and adopt.
Proposed revised clause
The Society Board is to have not fewer than 6 and not more than 15 members and will be made up as follows:
a. No fewer than 6 members of the Society Board or such higher number as shall be required so that elected members of the Board are in a majority over co-opted members will be elected by the members in accordance with such arrangements as shall be determined by the Society Board. If the number of elected members falls below 9, the Society Board will make provision for an election to be held within 13 months at which sufficient vacancies will be offered for election so as to increase the number of elected members back to 9 members.
b. Additional members may be co-opted by the Society Board in accordance with a Board Membership Policy which it will develop and adopt.Current Clause 61
If at any time and for any reason after the first annual general meeting the number of members of the Society Board shall drop below 12 the remaining Society Board members may act but only for the purpose of filling vacancies or calling a general meeting.
Proposed revised clause
If at any time and for any reason after the first annual general meeting the number of members of the Society Board shall drop below 6 the remaining Society Board members may act but only for the purpose of filling vacancies or calling a general meeting.
5.2. To adopt the proposed changes to the remaining Rules as outlined in the version of the Rules entitled “Proposed Rule Changes November 2007” posted to this website and made available to members by post.
6. To amend the current policy regarding BU Director Appointments to the BFC Board which currently states:
Bees United Board members nominated to serve on the Brentford Football Club board shall serve in an un -remunerated non- executive capacity to Bees United Board members nominated to serve on the Brentford Football Club board shall serve in an un -remunerated capacity
7. To ratify, if the BU Board so decides, a decision to renominate Brian Burgess as a Bees United nominated Director on the Brentford Football Club (“BFC”) board at the forthcoming BFC AGM.
8. To ratify, if the BU Board so decides, a decision to renominate Joe Bourke as a Bees United nominated Director on the Brentford Football Club (“BFC”) board at the forthcoming BFC AGM.
As OTHER BUSINESS
9. To receive the results of the elections to the Board of the Society
10. To receive feedback from the 2007 Member’s Survey
11. Other
Following the formal AGM agenda, there will be a question and answer session allowing BU members to put questions to the BU Board.
Proxy Voting
We are conscious that some members might be unable to attend the meeting and so if you wish you may nominate in writing the name of a proxy to vote on your behalf at the meeting. The person need not be a member of the society. A proxy from is available for you to use. In most cases it is the Chairman of the Society that is nominated although you can nominate someone else. Please note that the form needs to be returned to the address given above at least 48 hours prior to the date of the AGM i.e. by 12 pm, 15th November 2007.
Bees United (“BU”) AGM 2007: Explanatory Notes
The following notes are intended to provide further information on certain AGM agenda items.
Agenda item 5.1 – Changes to the Rules regarding the number of Bees United Board members.
The purpose of the proposed rule changes is to provide additional flexibility, and in particular to ensure that if resignations of board members occur mid term that the board can continue to operate efficiently. Currently Rule 61 currently states that if the number of board members drops below 12, the Board can only act for the purposes of filling vacancies or calling a general meeting. The proposed amendment is based on changing this number to six.
The BU board believes that the principle of having nine elected members remains relevant taking into account the membership size and duties of the Board. Accordingly whilst proposed changes to the Current clause 53 allow for this number to reduce to six without triggering the need to immediately appoint new board members, the new Rule includes an obligation that the Trust will hold an election within 13 months and offer sufficient places at the election to increase the number of elected members to nine.
These changes have been approved by Supporter’s Direct.
Agenda item 5.2 – Other proposed changes to the Rules
The remaining changes proposed are in the Board’s opinion less fundamental than the changes outlined in Item 5.1. The remaining changes constitute a combination of:
- Updated Supporter’s Direct policy and best practice
- Minor omissions identified by the BU board
- Typographical corrections
Given the number and content of the changes the Board does not feel it is appropriate to seek individual approval for each change. However, details of all changes can be viewed on this website www.beesunited.org.uk/content/view/304/66/. Details of all the proposed changes will also be available at the AGM.
Agenda Item 6
At the 2005 AGM this policy on BU Director Appointments was agreed by the members. The Society board has recently debated the issue of whether BU appointed BFC directors are on occasions unwittingly undertaking executive as well as non executive duties. In addition the Society Board does not want to discourage anyone from volunteering in anyway that helps the Club. In order to clarify the situation it is proposed that the term “non-executive” be removed from the Clause. The non remunerated part of the policy will remain in force.
Agenda Items 7 & 8
Prior to the AGM of Brentford FC Ltd (BFC) to be held in late November 2007, the BU board will be asked to decide on two of its four nominees to the BFC board because at the BFC AGM both Joe Bourke and Brian Burgess (currently BU nominated directors on the BFC board) will retire by rotation.
Before making its decision, the BU board are asking for the views of BU members as to whether you would support the re-election of these two directors.