Please find our latest update to supporters below, including key information on the AGM and season ticket refunds.
Please also see the request for comments on another important aspect of constitutional reform.
You can view all of our previous updates here.
AGM Query: eligibility to vote
In response to queries from several members we would like to clear up some confusion on voting rights.
Eligibility to vote in the forthcoming election.
For this, the election policy states –
9 Eligibility To Vote
9.1 Only those members who have been members of the Society at least 90 days prior to the closing date for nominations are eligible to vote in an election to the Society Board. Providing their membership is no more than
six weeks in arrears prior to the date of nomination.
Therefore any members who joined the Society after April 10th will be unable to vote in the election at this AGM.
For voting on resolutions, there is no ruling in either the Constitution or the Election Policy. For this year we are holding a virtual meeting with a third party hosting our voting.
As such we are implementing a cut-off date and that will be July 11th ,which is also the cut-off date for submitting resolutions.
Moving forward we will propose a solution to this anomaly as an addition to our election policy. Any Member feedback on this will be most welcome.
Kop redevelopment
Members will have seen the exciting news about the purchase of land to build the new Kop.
As this project progresses we will update members accordingly.
New bespoke 2020-21 home and away shirts available to order now
We were also delighted to launch the new 2020-21 home and away shirts this week. The new red home shirt and green away shirt were designed in collaboration with Spirit of 58’s Tim Williams.
For more details on the design of the shirts and to place your order online through the club shop, click here.
Season Ticket Refund Update
As Promised in last week’s update, progress has been made on the season ticket refund process. There will be two simple options:
– You agree to cancel the remaining five games and donate this to the UTST fundraising initiative that has been launched OR
– You agree to cancel the remaining five games and receive a refund for 5/23 of the price paid, by cheque.
Season ticket holders will receive an email (where we have a valid email address) or else a letter to home address.
Given the current circumstances facing the club with staff furloughed and no clear sight on when we will be able to re-open, we would be extremely grateful for any and all choices to donate this amount to our Unite To Save the Town appeal. We fully appreciate that the circumstances of individual season ticket holders will be different, however, and thank everyone who purchased a season ticket last year.
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM | Survey of members regarding sale of club policy
As part of the ongoing reform of the WST constitution, the Trust requests feedback on the current Gateway Process
As outlined in our weekly updates, we have a working party of board members and lay members currently working on improvements to the WST constitution. Our latest focus is on the Gateway Process and we would like to invite members to share their thoughts on this.
Please see the below information, outlining in more detail the current policy and, if you have thoughts, comments or feedback please email secretary@wst.org.uk.
UPDATE (23/06/2020) – THE SURVEY FOR THIS IS NOW LIVE. PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS HERE.
In the constitution, it states that the Wrexham Supporters Trust must maintain a majority shareholding in the club.
4.2 upholding the mutual ownership of the Club operating democratically, fairly and transparently
The Gateway Process reflects this and, as a result, we as a Board could not bring forward a proposal to sell beyond 49 percent of the club.
Gateway Process
First, on the Gateway Process. This has been set-up to ensure only serious offers are considered.
There is a fee involved, which has been discussed previously. This is not designed as a deterrent for serious bids. All takeovers/bids are subject to costs and fees – for example, the cost of holding an EGM alone could be up to £3,000.
In the event of the takeover process starting, even if a takeover is then not successful, somebody needs to foot these costs. It would be irresponsible for the Trust to lose money in this way and we would question whether any party not willing nor able to cover those costs has the means or intentions to properly invest in the Football Club.
Constitutional change
A change in the constitution requires a vote, and changes can only be passed if they are backed by a majority of 75 per cent.
To change the requirement that the Trust must maintain a majority of shareholding in the club would fall under this bracket.
Further to that, however, we have no idea what you as club owners would want in the event of a sale, which is why we are asking for comments.
Should the Trust be permitted by the membership to negotiate any sale of the club in future, we need to be able to negotiate with authority – and know what members would expect of such deals.
Clauses
By this we mean, are there sticking points that fans would insist are written into any contract regarding the sale of the club? For example, the name of the club, the club’s colours and crest, the club always playing in Wrexham and so on.
Other key issues could include who controls the lease and whether the Trust are contractually entitled to a veto or first refusal on any future sale of the Football Club.
There is also the matter of the value of the club and what would happen to any money received by the Trust if the Football Club should ever be sold.
Our aim is that anybody negotiating on our behalf would then have clear red lines around certain issues. These could even be listed on the website, as larger companies do, as a ‘notice to investors’.
This is a big issue and one which could have a big bearing on the Football Club in future. Please share all comments and feedback with secretary@wst.org.uk.
In the next few days you will be invited to fill in a survey on the WST website. It is really important that as many of you as possible engage in this process. From the feedback received we hope to form a resolution around this issue that reflects the wishes of our fanbase.
To make this absolutely clear any potential sale of the club requires a vote in favour of 75% of our membership. The responsibility lies with yourselves.
We would like to thank all supporters who have contributed to our requests for feedback on constitutional reform already. A number of important, interesting and constructive opinions have already been received relating to other parts of the constitutional reform.
Finally, to be clear, this is a request for feedback and constructive opinions and not a statement that the club is up for sale.
We receive enquiries from time to time about the Football Club, however Wrexham Supporters Trust remains committed to our ownership of Wrexham AFC. It is important that the Trust must reflect the desire and opinions of our members and we hope we can come out of this process with a framework that does so accurately.
