Review of how the Bees United (BU) board should relate to the Brentford Football Club (BFC) board and its nominated directors on the BFC board.
Following our last update, the Review Team have now developed a questionnaire which all BU members are invited to complete. For reasons of speed we have decided to produce this only for Internet use at present. We realise that this will preclude some members from completing the survey but, our objective at this stage is to get a quick cross-section of supporters’ views. From the information we get we will make recommendations to the BU board. Once they have considered these, we expect proposals to then be formally put to all of the BU membership.
Below is the background to why this review is taking place now and the link to the questionnaire. If this review is to be successful, we need as many people as possible completing this survey, so please take the few minutes needed to complete it. We have already received many comments that have been sent to us by email and we will continue to welcome your comments in addition to your completed questionnaires.
Please note that the closing date for the questionnaire is 18 March 2005.
John, Joe and Jon
Background
In February 2002, Bees United entered into an option agreement with Ron Noades’ company, Altonwood, and John McGlashan, the then Chairman of Bees United, was appointed as a director of BFC. John was subsequently engaged as an employee to assist the then managing director, Gary Hargraves, with his duties.
Upon becoming an employee of the club, John relinquished the chair of Bees United, but with the approval of the BU board, continued as a board member and officer of Bees United. John was subsequently re-elected to the trust board by BU members, while both a director and employee of BFC.
In March 2003, Bees United entered into a new two year option agreement with Altonwood. Pursuant to the terms of a separate loan agreement, and a resolution of members, nominated two further members of the BU board, Stephen Callen and Andrew Wainwright, to the BFC board.
As part of informal arrangements to ensure that BU nominees on the BFC board could exercise effective executive control, both John McGlashan and the finance director, Stephen Callen, joined a three man executive committee with Gary Hargraves.
The managing director left after a couple of months and a commercial manager was recruited to deal with Sales and marketing responsibilities, with other duties being undertaken principally by John McGlashan.
In March 2004, following 12 months of unpaid service, the finance director, Stephen Callen, was offered a part-time paid position by the BFC board to continue with the services he was providing to the club. Stephen continued as a board member and treasurer of Bees United with the sanction of the BU board and was subsequently re-elected to the board of Bees United while both a director and employee of BFC.
During the course of 2004, BU held direct elections for the nomination of a fourth director to the BFC board, culminating in the appointment of Graham Hall to the football club board.
Policy documents were formulated to manage communications with the BFC board, which include consultation guidelines, a Code of Conduct for directors and a conflict of interest policy. These documents are available as follows:
Guidelines
Code of Conduct
Conflict of Interest
The BU board has further committed to undertake a consultation with members on corporate governance structures this summer, following the completion of discussions with Altonwood, on arrangements going forward into next season.
As a consequence of recent concerns, arising over problems surrounding the 5th round cup-tie with Southampton, the review has now been brought forward.
We are asking members to respond to the following questions. It is intended that the questionnaire reflect the current situation which BU finds itself in its relationship with the BFC board. The questions are not exhaustive and members are free to submit comments on other aspects pertinent to the review.
The questionnaire can be found here