During the election process of the Chelsea Supporters Trust the Board submit to the membership a number of issues which arose in the 2015/16 season and/or were raised in a review of the results of the June 2016 membership survey.
The background to a number of these issues, and details of progress in the past twelve months, can be found in the 2015/16 Chelsea Supporters Trust Annual Report.
The membership then vote on each motion and they become the stated policy of the board for the next 12 months and provide us with a mandate to work towards achieving these aims on behalf of the membership.
These are the motions which were all successfully passed in the recent CST elections.
Approval of 2015/16 Accounts and Use of Independent Examiner The Chelsea Supporters Trust accounts for the year ended 31/5/16 are approved. Provided revenue remains below £100,000 p.a., in line with accepted practise the Chelsea Supporters Trust Board should continue to appoint an independent examiner at the end of each financial year, rather than an auditor.
Chelsea Supporters Trust Affiliations
The Chelsea Supporters Trust should continue to affiliate to Supporters Direct and the Football Supporters Federation, work with these organisations as appropriate to further the interests of Chelsea supporters, and football supporters in general and take part in national and local campaigns as deemed appropriate.
Stamford Bridge Redevelopment
The Chelsea Supporters Trust Board notes with approval the continued clear desire of the club owner for Chelsea to remain at Stamford Bridge, and the work that has taken place towards achieving this. The CST board is mandated to continue to work with the appointed consultants, the club and other relevant stakeholders to help ensure supporter opinion is properly and openly taken into account with regard to issues such as facilities and ticket pricing as the process moves forward.
Future of Chelsea Pitch Owners
Regardless of the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge, the Chelsea Supporters Trust board believes that the retention of the CPO in its current role is an essential safeguard for Chelsea supporters with regard to the long-term future of Stamford Bridge. It is mandated to continue to work with the CPO board, and other appropriate bodies, towards fulfilling this aim.
Temporary Stadium
Regardless of when Chelsea move to a temporary stadium, to which location and for whatever duration, the Chelsea Supporters Trust board believes that such a move presents significant opportunities with regard to the implementation an attractive ticket pricing structure, including the opportunity to attract significant numbers of young supporters. Given this, it is mandated to press the club for such a structure to be implemented.
Atmosphere Concerns and Safe Standing
The Chelsea Supporters Trust board is mandated to continue to work with the club and other supporters groups looking to improve the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge, as appropriate. The results of the Safe Standing survey carried out among Chelsea supporters in 2014 indicated overwhelming support for Safe Standing. The Board is mandated to continue to campaign for standing sections to be introduced as part of the Stamford Bridge redevelopment and at other football stadia, as part of the wider national ‘Safe Standing’ campaign co-ordinated by the Football Supporters Federation.
Ticketing / Supporter Issues
The £30 cap on away Premier League tickets shows what can be done by concerted campaigning, especially in the light of the extra TV money received by Premier League clubs. The Chelsea Supporters Trust board is mandated to pursue the issue of fair ticket pricing and ticket allocation as well as matters including, but not limited to, rearranged fixtures, away fan travel and stewarding/policing, through whichever channels they deem appropriate. These channels include, but are not necessarily limited to, Chelsea FC, the 4 Premier League, the Football Association, relevant television companies, other Supporters Trusts, the Football Supporters Federation and Supporters Direct.
Kick-Off Times
The number of Premier League games rearranged to suit the television companies, and the short notice given for such rearrangements, causes both inconvenience and cost to matchgoing supporters. The Chelsea Supporters Trust board is mandated to work with other supporters trusts and appropriate bodies to push the TV companies and Premier League for more notice to be given for such rearrangements, for published deadlines to be strictly adhered to and, where appropriate for supporters to be compensated for the extra cost.
Membership of Safety Advisory Group
The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) is a statutory council-led committee set up under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975. The Chelsea SAG has representation from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, Metropolitan Police Service. British Transport Police, London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, London Ambulance Service, St John’s Ambulance Service, the Sports Ground Safety Authority and the club. It meets twice a year to discuss relevant issues with regard to Chelsea Football Club. After representations to the local council in late 2015, the Chelsea Supporters Trust now have the opportunity to review the SAG agenda, submit items for discussion and review the meeting minutes. The Chelsea Supporters Trust board believe that, though this is progress, there is no valid reason whatsoever why full membership should not be granted and are mandated to push for this.
Ticket Touting
The Chelsea Supporters Trust board is mandated to use its involvement with the Safety Advisory Group with a view to reducing the activities of ticket touts in the Fulham Broadway area before Chelsea home games and to participate in campaigns designed to achieve this. It is also mandated to work with organisations represented on the SAG to assist in educating potentially vulnerable groups in the perils of purchasing tickets in this way, or through using unofficial on-line ticketing organisations.
Stakeholder Engagement
The Chelsea Supporters Trust Board has made some progress since its inception in terms of building relationships with relevant stakeholders at a local and national level. The board is mandated to build on this work and to develop relevant effective working relationships with Chelsea FC, Hammersmith and Fulham Council, Andy Slaughter (MP for Hammersmith), Metropolitan Police Service, British Transport Police, Premier League, Football Association, relevant broadcasting organisations, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and other bodies as deemed appropriate. Where deemed to be more effective (e.g. with the Premier League, FA, broadcasting organisations and DCMS), these relationships are to be built working in conjunction with other supporters trusts or other appropriate organisations.
Football In The Community
The Chelsea Supporters Trust Board is mandated to participate in and support appropriate activities designed to promote football, Chelsea FC and its supporters in the community local 5 to Chelsea FC. This could, for example, take the form of charitable work or through supporting specific supporter based campaigns as they arise.
Club Heritage
Building on the Brompton Cemetery Chelsea Graves project, the Chelsea Supporters Trust Board is mandated to work with the club, club historian Rick Glanvill and other appropriate bodies/individuals to identify appropriate projects to reflect and enhance the club’s heritage.
CST Annual Membership Renewal date
To simplify administration and enable a more effective renewal process, the Chelsea Supporters Trust board recommends that there is a single annual renewal date for memberships. To implement this, the board recommends that the next renewal date for those whose memberships were current on 31 May 2016 is set to 1 June 2017 and annually thereafter. Those making automatic payments via Paypal can either continue payment on anniversary date of joining or adjust their payments to be made on 1 June.
Supporters Club Ticket Allocations
The Chelsea Supporters Trust board has had representations from supporters clubs in the UK and abroad with regard to the perceived unfairness of the ticket allocation by the club to different categories of supporters club. They are mandated to work with affiliates, and other supporters clubs, to identify a potential fairer solution and present it to the club
Agreed Purchase of Kingsmeadow from AFC Wimbledon
The Trust should liaise with Chelsea Football Club to ensure that an open and transparent dialogue is conducted with Kingstonian FC in preparation (and for the aftermath) of the agreed purchase of Kingsmeadow from AFC Wimbledon.
