ENGLISH LACROSSE ASSOCIATION
English Lacrosse Association Ltd. – Board Meeting Minutes 19th May 2016
ENGLISH LACROSSE ASSOCIATION Ltd. Minutes of a Board meeting held on Thursday 19th May at 10 Greycoat Place, Victoria, London SW1P 1SB at 2.00 pm. Present: Ron Balls (RB) Sallie Barker (SB) David Marsden (DM)
Sue Redfern (SR) Mark Coups (MC) Clare Stoot (CS) Mel Steel (MS) Polly McGivern (PMc) Hamish McInnes (HM) Sue Livock (SL)
John Timms, MLS, Project Manager WC2017, and Jim Quigley, Event Director WC2018, were present until the conclusion of the world event presentations. SR commented that the agenda had been drafted prior to sight of the minutes of the last meeting and this could have resulted in some misalignment. 1. Values Refresh The meeting was reminded of the values. 2. Recognition and celebration MC advised that Hough End had been used for the Manchester Challenge and thanked the staff and volunteers for their work in making the event successful. RB advised that Rick Summers had e-mailed thanked staff and volunteers for their work and offering constructive comments for WC2018. SB advised that Bella Kiddle should be recognised for all of her work on the WC2017 Finances. 3. Conflict of Interest Declarations None others declared at this time. At a later point in the meeting during the WC2018 presentation HM advised of his involvement with Manchester University sports structures. 4. Minutes of the previous meeting (17th March 2016) Agreed. 5. Matters Arising (not covered by agenda items) None 6. Finance (Q4 Accounts and Commentary, Cashflow) Papers agreed. DM advised that FARC was working well and offered his thanks to Neil Edgar for his quickly acquired understanding of the ELA. Group Registration – Director declarations to be discussed later in the meeting. 7. World Events – WC2017 (Women’s World Cup) Presentation by John Timms of MLS. (Presentation Pack to be copied out by MC / Denise McGlinchey). Points covered during the presentation included: Local Organising Committee (LOC) producing monthly reports Emin 19th May 2016
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English Lacrosse Association Ltd. – Board Meeting Minutes 19th May 2016
Risk Matrix - MLS use a different model and will consider converting to their standard format. Venue layout – ingress issues at SSP and the need to control security will dictate a need to consider how many fields to be “fenced in”. MLS recommendation will be 2 fields, LOC to review at end of May. Challenge with SSP will be to gain their full attention well in advance of the event. Budget development – excellent work by Bella in the financial reporting and reducing the risks. Key risks:
a) Team charges b) Ticketing charges Next steps identified in discussion: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Success Factors need to be established below the broad statements of “World Class Event / Financial surplus” Need to manage expectations Objectives / Goals need to be prepared and published. LOC to develop and present to the Board. 8. World Events – WC2018 (Men’s World Championship) Presentation by Jim Quigley of 77 Limited. (Presentation Pack to be copied out by MC / Denise McGlinchey). Noted that: Organisational structure document – items in black confirmed, red not yet Business Plan – items in yellow fixed and agreed LOC will have its initial meeting in July Broughton Park to be used for Officials (lunches and meeting rooms) Hough End – Plans being discussed to create a Regional FA Centre, meeting to review scheduled for May 23rd TV Considerations – meeting scheduled for 8th June Discussion covered the following points: Greater alignment of format and content of documents needed between the two events Legacy - needs to be defined Marketing / PR – different approaches between 2017 and 2018, synergy with 2017 to be leveraged. KPIs to be reviewed to align with 2017 and be shared with the Board HM queried Lottery Funding, MC advised that this was not expected but discussion underway with Sport England / UK Sport related to possible Legacy Funding. HM advised of the planned one hour shutdown of ITV channels on 3rd September to encourage the sport /fitness initiative “I am team GB” 9. Finance – VAT Group Registration Concerns raised over Board members being asked to provide details of other directorship involvement without clarity on why needed. Emin 19th May 2016
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English Lacrosse Association Ltd. – Board Meeting Minutes 19th May 2016
Noted that VAT Group Registration had been completed without this information. MC to clarify with Neil Edgar. 10. Board Modernisation MC introduced the paper that had been distributed focusing on the aspects related to Board composition and having an Independent Chair. PMc and MS had expected action and a momentum to change rather than a paper referring to change and continual iterations. Questions were also raised regarding reference to the need to change the Articles (RB advised that the Board appointed the Chair from within the Board) and also change the date of the AGM. The notification of the change did not also refer to timescales related to Report and Accounts preparation. HM noted that some NGBs had completely changed their structures and personnel. New governance requirements from SE were expected with the new funding cycle and change better controlled from within rather than imposed. Greater diversity needed. After discussion it was agreed that an Independent Chair be sought to be in place by 2017. Noted that there was a need to define the tasks for an incoming Chair and that to support the CEO key attributes would be Business Development / Commercial Acumen. Key priorities for the next 3 years needed to facilitate market testing. Agreed actions: Background work on changing the Board composition to be undertaken. Credible Skills Matrix to be established. PMc had forwarded a template to MC. To be distributed and Board members to complete by end of May. MC to prepare job specification, MS to finesse, copy out to Board. (spec. must be focused and clearly manageable to attract candidates, reference made to the Rounders’ advert). MC to consider the logistics, advert to be placed within the next 4 weeks and refer to interviews in the latter part of July) [interview Panel MC and MS, possibly involve a CEO from another sport and an independent, also applicant informal conversations with other Board members to establish “best fit”. Selection of a 2nd new Independent Director, with appropriate skills to chair FARC, to be progressed. Nominations Committee to be established Younger people to be sought for possible Board positions noting that clarity needed on what Board wants from nominees and that the Board Emin 19th May 2016
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English Lacrosse Association Ltd. – Board Meeting Minutes 19th May 2016
needs to be ready to accept an assist those inexperienced of Board. Conversations needed to ensure no duplication (too many nominees0 and management of expectations. 11. Revised Board meeting date The Board meeting planned for June 26th would go ahead with limited attendance in Warwick but with the start time changed to 11.00 am. The Business Plan, which would the basis of the funding submission to SE, would be the main focus of the meeting. Meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Chair at 17.10.
RB/ 20-05-2016 Future Meetings: June 26th (Warwick Hilton) now at 11.00am AGM and Board October 2nd (Warwick Hilton) August 2nd Audio call at 6.00pm (Q1 Management Accounts) November 10th December 6th (Lunch) 2017 February 24th May 19th AGM and Board October 1st November 9th December 7th (Lunch)
Distribution: Sue Redfern Clare Stoot Melanie Steel
Emin 19th May 2016
Ron Balls Hamish McInnes Sue Livock
David Marsden Mark Coups
Page 4
Sallie Barker Polly McGivern
ENGLISH LACROSSE ASSOCIATION Ltd. Minutes of a Board meeting held on Thursday 19th May at 10 Greycoat Place, Victoria, London SW1P 1SB at 2.00 pm. Present: Ron Balls (RB) Sallie Barker (SB) David Marsden (DM)
Sue Redfern (SR) Mark Coups (MC) Clare Stoot (CS) Mel Steel (MS) Polly McGivern (PMc) Hamish McInnes (HM) Sue Livock (SL)
John Timms, MLS, Project Manager WC2017, and Jim Quigley, Event Director WC2018, were present until the conclusion of the world event presentations. SR commented that the agenda had been drafted prior to sight of the minutes of the last meeting and this could have resulted in some misalignment. 1. Values Refresh The meeting was reminded of the values. 2. Recognition and celebration MC advised that Hough End had been used for the Manchester Challenge and thanked the staff and volunteers for their work in making the event successful. RB advised that Rick Summers had e-mailed thanked staff and volunteers for their work and offering constructive comments for WC2018. SB advised that Bella Kiddle should be recognised for all of her work on the WC2017 Finances. 3. Conflict of Interest Declarations None others declared at this time. At a later point in the meeting during the WC2018 presentation HM advised of his involvement with Manchester University sports structures. 4. Minutes of the previous meeting (17th March 2016) Agreed. 5. Matters Arising (not covered by agenda items) None 6. Finance (Q4 Accounts and Commentary, Cashflow) Papers agreed. DM advised that FARC was working well and offered his thanks to Neil Edgar for his quickly acquired understanding of the ELA. Group Registration – Director declarations to be discussed later in the meeting. 7. World Events – WC2017 (Women’s World Cup) Presentation by John Timms of MLS. (Presentation Pack to be copied out by MC / Denise McGlinchey). Points covered during the presentation included: Local Organising Committee (LOC) producing monthly reports Emin 19th May 2016
Page 1
English Lacrosse Association Ltd. – Board Meeting Minutes 19th May 2016
Risk Matrix - MLS use a different model and will consider converting to their standard format. Venue layout – ingress issues at SSP and the need to control security will dictate a need to consider how many fields to be “fenced in”. MLS recommendation will be 2 fields, LOC to review at end of May. Challenge with SSP will be to gain their full attention well in advance of the event. Budget development – excellent work by Bella in the financial reporting and reducing the risks. Key risks:
a) Team charges b) Ticketing charges Next steps identified in discussion: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Success Factors need to be established below the broad statements of “World Class Event / Financial surplus” Need to manage expectations Objectives / Goals need to be prepared and published. LOC to develop and present to the Board. 8. World Events – WC2018 (Men’s World Championship) Presentation by Jim Quigley of 77 Limited. (Presentation Pack to be copied out by MC / Denise McGlinchey). Noted that: Organisational structure document – items in black confirmed, red not yet Business Plan – items in yellow fixed and agreed LOC will have its initial meeting in July Broughton Park to be used for Officials (lunches and meeting rooms) Hough End – Plans being discussed to create a Regional FA Centre, meeting to review scheduled for May 23rd TV Considerations – meeting scheduled for 8th June Discussion covered the following points: Greater alignment of format and content of documents needed between the two events Legacy - needs to be defined Marketing / PR – different approaches between 2017 and 2018, synergy with 2017 to be leveraged. KPIs to be reviewed to align with 2017 and be shared with the Board HM queried Lottery Funding, MC advised that this was not expected but discussion underway with Sport England / UK Sport related to possible Legacy Funding. HM advised of the planned one hour shutdown of ITV channels on 3rd September to encourage the sport /fitness initiative “I am team GB” 9. Finance – VAT Group Registration Concerns raised over Board members being asked to provide details of other directorship involvement without clarity on why needed. Emin 19th May 2016
Page 2
English Lacrosse Association Ltd. – Board Meeting Minutes 19th May 2016
Noted that VAT Group Registration had been completed without this information. MC to clarify with Neil Edgar. 10. Board Modernisation MC introduced the paper that had been distributed focusing on the aspects related to Board composition and having an Independent Chair. PMc and MS had expected action and a momentum to change rather than a paper referring to change and continual iterations. Questions were also raised regarding reference to the need to change the Articles (RB advised that the Board appointed the Chair from within the Board) and also change the date of the AGM. The notification of the change did not also refer to timescales related to Report and Accounts preparation. HM noted that some NGBs had completely changed their structures and personnel. New governance requirements from SE were expected with the new funding cycle and change better controlled from within rather than imposed. Greater diversity needed. After discussion it was agreed that an Independent Chair be sought to be in place by 2017. Noted that there was a need to define the tasks for an incoming Chair and that to support the CEO key attributes would be Business Development / Commercial Acumen. Key priorities for the next 3 years needed to facilitate market testing. Agreed actions: Background work on changing the Board composition to be undertaken. Credible Skills Matrix to be established. PMc had forwarded a template to MC. To be distributed and Board members to complete by end of May. MC to prepare job specification, MS to finesse, copy out to Board. (spec. must be focused and clearly manageable to attract candidates, reference made to the Rounders’ advert). MC to consider the logistics, advert to be placed within the next 4 weeks and refer to interviews in the latter part of July) [interview Panel MC and MS, possibly involve a CEO from another sport and an independent, also applicant informal conversations with other Board members to establish “best fit”. Selection of a 2nd new Independent Director, with appropriate skills to chair FARC, to be progressed. Nominations Committee to be established Younger people to be sought for possible Board positions noting that clarity needed on what Board wants from nominees and that the Board Emin 19th May 2016
Page 3
English Lacrosse Association Ltd. – Board Meeting Minutes 19th May 2016
needs to be ready to accept an assist those inexperienced of Board. Conversations needed to ensure no duplication (too many nominees0 and management of expectations. 11. Revised Board meeting date The Board meeting planned for June 26th would go ahead with limited attendance in Warwick but with the start time changed to 11.00 am. The Business Plan, which would the basis of the funding submission to SE, would be the main focus of the meeting. Meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Chair at 17.10.
RB/ 20-05-2016 Future Meetings: June 26th (Warwick Hilton) now at 11.00am AGM and Board October 2nd (Warwick Hilton) August 2nd Audio call at 6.00pm (Q1 Management Accounts) November 10th December 6th (Lunch) 2017 February 24th May 19th AGM and Board October 1st November 9th December 7th (Lunch)
Distribution: Sue Redfern Clare Stoot Melanie Steel
Emin 19th May 2016
Ron Balls Hamish McInnes Sue Livock
David Marsden Mark Coups
Page 4
Sallie Barker Polly McGivern
