Guest Blog. Governance by Eloise

Governance

On the final day of supposed ‘consultation’ Eloise has the below written to the club as part of that process. Some really interesting and valid points well worth reading if you are out of the loop.

With reference to proposed governance changes at Lewes FC 2025, I’d like to add a few pertinent points for consideration.

– any changes about Board structure and decision making, and in particular any changes to the constitution must be put to the owners for a vote;

– the proposals seem to be set on creating a large bureacracy when the club has a good existing Board structure (although max elected and co-opted Director numbers are not being utilised) and can create sub committees of volunteers all headed up by one Board member or staff member; I am not sure why for a club the size of Lewes a second or third Board needs to be created. 

– large monetary investors should not be involved in decision making at the club

– hiring more people on the payroll with the current size of the club and the short to medium term financial sustainability of the club questionable, would be hiring people into uncertain roles; surely it is better to use volunteers until the club has the certainty it won’t simply be making people redundant if the plans don’t work

Investment proposal

– this plan will make owners who invest, more equal and important than others; even recent emails suggested that an owner who invests will be more ‘special’ and favoured and rewarded; it will create a two tier ownership model

– there should be safeguards to prevent anyone who invests more than an agreed sum (to be agreed by owners) from sitting on any decision making Boards – elected or appointed

– there should be a protection for players budget, men and women, that say 50% of any investment raised will be sacrosanct for playing budgets

– investment should not be spent on hiring any more permanent staff; this just misdirects funds into a bureacracy

– if Equality FC remains, same budget for both first teams, then the investment proposal should make a commitment to this remaining; unless owners vote otherwise

– this proposal should be ratified by owners in a vote; it is only NOT changing the fan ownership in name and on paper, in reality this proposal significantly changes the nature and ownership principles of Lews FC and should therefore be voted on