EGM INVITATION
Plans for the Twerton Park pitch
7.30pm – 9.00 pm Weds 25th April 2018
 
Dear Society Member
The Supporters’ Society invites all members to attend an EGM on Weds 25th April 2018 in the TR Hayes Lounge, Twerton Park BA2 1DB.

Purpose
This is a single-purpose Extraordinary General Meeting called to conduct a ballot to establish the members’ views on converting the Twerton Park pitch from grass to a “FIFA Quality Pro” surface.  Those attending will have the opportunity to discuss and debate the motion and then cast a vote via a secure ballot box on the evening.  Alternatively, it will be possible to vote either on-line or via a postal vote (details below).  It will NOT be possible to change the wording of the motion as the process for the postal vote and the on-line voting will have commenced.
 
Informed Decision
As a member of the Society you have a duty to make an informed decision on this important topic. Please take every opportunity to understand the implications of the decision.  The Club Board commissioned a Feasibility Study which was sent to you previously if you are not on-line.  Alternatively, the Feasibility Study, an FAQ document and supporter docs are to be found at this link.  Also, the Society hosted an Open Discussion on 22nd March.  The presentation and meeting summary are found at this link.  There are also numerous relevant documents available to read, on request, at Twerton Park.
 
The Motion
All members will be invited to vote “Yes” or “No” to the following motion:
“Bath City should immediately and provisionally pursue replacing the Twerton Park pitch with a "FIFA Quality Pro surface" subject to the conditions in the feasibility study being met. This would include a clear and sustainable plan to secure capital funding.”
 
Recommendations
Following the commissioning and publication of the Feasibility Study and having listened to all points of view, The Club Board recommend that you vote “yes” to the motion.
 
Voting
Each eligible Society member is entitled to one vote. The vote will be overseen by a neutral observer who will ensure it is conducted according to the Society’s constitution and s/he will report the results.  The aim is to announce the results no later than Friday 27th April. 
 
All members registered on the date of the EGM notification (11th April 2018) will be eligible to vote and can do so by one of the following three methods.
 
Voting Options:
You can vote using ONE of the following methods.
All votes must be received before midnight on 25th April 2018.

1. Postal Vote: 
Please send your name and address and the word "Yes" if you support the motion or "No" if you do not support the above motion.  Send your vote to: 
 
“Pitch Vote”
Bath City Supporter’s Society
Bath City Football Club
Twerton Park
BA2 1DB

2. Ballot
You are invited to attend the EGM at Twerton Park as per this invitation letter.
Please make yourself known to the returning officer who will provide you with a ballot slip.  Place it in the ballot box provided on the night.

3. On-line
The Society will be sending details to all members for whom we have e-mail addresses using the Helios tool on Sunday 22nd April.  If you have received this note via e-mail we propose to use this address.  It is the member’s responsibility to ensure we have the correct e-mail address.  The on-line voting instructions and the question will be embedded in the notification e-mail.
 
Regards
Michael Clayton
Chair, Bath City Supporters’ Society

An open meeting was held at Twerton Park on 22nd March to discuss the future and options for the Twerton Park pitch.  Approx 50 members attended the meeting in person and there were 30/40 people who listened in via Bath City Internet Radio  who kindly broadcast the meeting live and allowed listener interaction via their messaging service.

The evening was jointly hosted by Michael Clayton and Nick Blofeld, chair of the Supporters' Society and the Club Board respectively.  The discussion was conducted in a constructive and respectful manner with a wide range of views, questions and observations being expressed by all.

Below are copies of the presentation document - used to inform and give structure to the discussion - and a summary of the meeting which includes the questions and viewpoints raised.

​

Presentation - Provided context and structure for the discussion

Summary of the discussion
A link to the 

Here is a link to the Bath City Internet Radio recording.

​Dear Bath City Supporters' Society members

You are  cordially invited to attend an open meeting to discuss the future of the playing surface at Twerton Park.  We will need to make a decision in the near future about whether to retain a grass playing surface or replace it with an artificial surface (FIFA Quality Pro).

This is a chance for all to air the relative merits of each so that the members can make an informed decision when we take this to a vote at the subsequent EGM.  The date of the EGM is yet to be set and will be dependent of any outstanding matters arising from this discussion.

When;  7.30pm  Thursday 22nd March
Where:  Twerton Park, BA2 1DB

The Club Board commissioned a Feasibility Study on the subject which studied the issue extensively and reached the conclusion that we should convert the pitch to an artificial surface. This is therefore, the Board's recommendation (subject to the caveats contained within the Feasibility Study). You can view the Feasibility Study here along with documents referenced, a FAQ document and a document authored by two Society members which makes the case for grass. ​

PLEASE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THESE AHEAD OF THE MEETING TO ENSURE AN INFORMED DISCUSSION.

Further supporting documents are available at Twerton Park.

​The 2016 Interim General Meeting (IGM) of the Bath City Supporters Society will take place at 7pm on Monday 21 November, in Randall’s Bar at Twerton Park. 

Agenda

1. Apologies.

2. Minutes of the AGM on 23 June 2016

3. Election of Supporter Liaison Officer – voting

4. Community Ownership update

5. Convening of the Constitutional and Democracy Working Group

6. Election of Supporter Liaison Officer – result

7. AOB

Elections for Supporter Liaison Officer

We have received three nominations for the one vacancy available. Candidates' statements will follow in a separate post.

We will be offering a simple online voting system for those who wish to vote electronically. 

All members who have provided us with an email address will receive an email from “Helios Voting Administrator” – this will give you a code that will allow you to vote securely and privately. Please check your junk folder if you do not receive this today, and contact us if you have any further problems with online voting.

If you prefer to vote by postal ballot or by proxy please let us know at bathcitysocietycommittee@gmail.com. If we do not have your email address, you will receive an agenda, candidates' statements and postal ballot in the post.

And you can of course vote in person at the IGM itself.

Motions

We have not received any motions for debate.

WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS

First of all, a warm welcome to all of the new Society members who have joined as the result of buying community shares in the Big Bath City Bid. We are a members-driven organisation and we encourage you to fully participate in the Society's activities and help to build a stronger Bath City FC.

To learn more about the Society, its rules, activities and policies, please visit bathcitysociety.org or ask us a question at bathcitysocietycommittee@gmail.com.

INTERIM GENERAL MEETING: MONDAY 21 NOVEMBER

The Society will hold its interim general meeting at 7pm, Monday 21 November in Randall's.

​The meeting will cover:

• Election of a Supporter Liaison Officer (see below)
• Convening a democracy working group
• Any "Members' Votes" (non-binding motions) submitted to the Society Board

If you would like to submit a Members' Vote motion for debate, please download this form and submit it to bathcitysocietycommittee@gmail.com by Friday 4 November . Members' votes are non-binding (unlike AGM resolutions), but the Society Board is bound to consider and respond to any members' votes that pass. All members will be able to vote online.

The democracy working group's job is to develop a set of recommendations about how the Society can ensure that its workings, and those of the club, are democratic, transparent and accountable. If you would like to be involved or give input but cannot attend the meeting, please contact us at bathcitysocietycommittee@gmail.com.

SUPPORTER LIAISON OFFICER (SLO)

We are seeking nominations for a Supporter Liaison Officer (SLO). The SLO will sit on the board of Bath City FC and serve as an important link between the club and its fans on supporter issues.

CLICK HERE to read a full role description and CLICK HERE to download a nomination form.

The election will be held in accordance with the Society's election policy, which can be found here.

[NB the Society board has agreed to shorten the period during which nominations can be received, in order to be able to hold the general meeting in November.]

Candidates can nominate themselves and must provide a 200-400 word candidate statement. Please complete and submit your nomination form by Friday 4 November.

NEXT STEPS
​
We will send the final agenda and candidates' statements to all Society members in the week commencing Monday 7 November. Members will be able to vote in the election and for motions by postal ballot and online.

According to our Standing Order on Membership Subscriptions, your annual £5 membership subscription falls due on 31 May each year, with a final payment deadline of 31 August. (Note: this does not apply to members who pay a monthly standing order, from which the annual sub is automatically deducted).

However, we believe that it is highly probable that the Big Bath City Bid community share offer will reopen in the coming weeks. If successful, all community share owners would then receive one year's free membership of the Supporters Society. 

For this reason, the committee has agreed to defer collection of 2016 annual subs until after the community share offer has been completed.

To read the standing order and other policies of the Society, please visit http://www.bathcitysociety.org/constitution--policies.html

Separately, we would also like to take this opportunity to announce that Cheryl Bradley has been co-opted as an External Director of the Society committee. Cheryl has acted as Treasurer and Secretary of the Community Ownership Committee (aka the Big Bath City Bid), and has been appointed to the Society committee in anticipation of a successful relaunch of the Bid.