Would you like to play an active role in setting the strategic direction for our club, asks Dons Trust secretary Tom Brown? Could you hold the club’s executives to account on behalf of Trust members? Then read on …
“It’s satisfying to be part of the progress, and the story and the success of making a really great club even greater. You get a huge amount out of it, so I’d encourage people to stand.” Continuing Board member
As we all know, AFC Wimbledon is owned by its supporters, through the Dons Trust. The Dons Trust Board sets the strategic direction of the club, appoints the staff who deliver that strategy and ensures that they deliver it.
The Board has nine members, each elected for two years. This year, the terms of four of the members come to an end. The five members remaining in office until next year are Mark Davis, Jane Lonsdale, Cormac van der Hoeven, Roger Evans and Colin Dipple. It is now your opportunity to come on board.
While different skills may be an advantage in helping the Board deal with its various activities, no specific ability is required for Board membership. The only attributes a Board member must have are commitment, effort and the ability to work as part of a team. To assist new Board members, a joining pack and training opportunities will be available. If you are considering standing in the Board election, you will find it invaluable to discuss the role with an existing Board member, either in person at the Dons Trust kiosk in Jack Goodchild Way on a match day, or by email with the Dons Trust secretary at secretary@thedonstrust.org.
All full members of the Trust are entitled to vote in the election. All full members (with the exception of the football club’s executive officers) are entitled to stand for election to the Board.
The election process started on Saturday 15 September, after which the election documentation will be available on the Dons Trust website. Letters/emails will then be sent to members, formally announcing the opening of nominations. Nominations should be submitted electronically by 7.00 pm on Tuesday 2 October, the day of the home match against Bradford City. Campaigning will start as soon as the candidates’ manifestos are sent out, and voting forms will be distributed from around 3 November. Voting will close on 27 November, and the result will be announced at the Annual General Meeting of the Dons Trust in December.
Throughout the election process, candidates will be able to campaign, should they wish, via the Dons Trust Webjam and other social media sites. The Election Steering Group, which administers the election process on behalf of the Board, may host a formalised Twitter debate between candidates; those who are standing may also have the opportunity to be interviewed on an independent fans’ podcast.
If you wish to contribute to the club as a member of the Board, you must nominate yourself as a candidate for election, and:
- familiarise yourself with the 2018 Dons Trust election rules, which are available on the Trust website and will be included in the documentation;
- be a paid-up full member of Dons Trust on 30 September 2018;
- have two proposers, each of whom is also a paid-up full member of the Trust on 30 September 2018;
- in your own interest, provide a manifesto of not more than 800 words;
- provide also, if you wish, a manifesto summary of not more than 120 words, together with a reproduction-quality photograph, for use in a forthcoming matchday programme.
You cannot propose yourself, but, if you are standing for election, you may propose another candidate.
Supporters are reminded that to be entitled to vote in the election, they must be a paid-up full member of the Dons Trust on 30 September 2018. If you are not a member of the Trust but would like to take part in next year’s elections, then join the Trust.