DT Election 2003 - Questionnaire

Represent the interests of the DT members and through the skills I bring, to significantly contribute to the formulation of strategic direction and follow through implementation, ensure full transparency and accountability as well as providing a professional engineering component to the Board.

Assuming I am successfully elected then that would be up to the new DT board to decide. I bring a considerable amount of trust experience to the DT board and also bring my experience of being on the AFCW football club board.

I would be prepared to perform any role that benefited the Trust. I am currently on the Legal & Constitutional Group, I also feel there is a need for a DT Board responsible for undertaking social and performance audits of subsidiaries in order that we can learn from the past to ensure the future.

From the Trust's creation, I have always taken a strong interest in constitutional issues. There is a widely-recognised need to re-develop the constitution to reflect the various parts of the organisation, and having worked on this already would be well placed to help lead this process. I would act as an independent voice, representing the concerns of ordinary members. I would also be prepared to take on specific jobs as required, but these will depend on the needs of the Trust and the particular interests of the other board members.

In addition to ‘normal' board work I would like to continue to Chair the Legal and Constitutional working group and representing the Dons Trust as a member of the AFCW Ladies committee. I would also like to continue with DT match-day stand activities and be involved with further open meetings and surgeries, if implemented. I am also happy to continue as Club Secretary of the Ladies and undertake any other ad-hoc activities as the need arises and time allocation permits.

I would like to do something on the commercial side or FITC. Also, I feel I would be very good as player liaison for the Trust with past and present players.

I am standing to be a member of the board and do not plan to stand for any post other than member.

On a personal note I have experience with children and youth organisations and would have liked to be involved in the running of FITC but at present that is being run by a professional company. However I would be happy to do anything for the Trust and feel I have experience after managing and administrating two small businesses.

I want to encourage more member participation in the decisions made by the Trust Board and ensure that members' vote on key and major issues.

I am a good organiser and act as secretary to a number of Economics-related panels at work. In addition I have accounting experience, so I would be happy to be considered for either of the secretary or treasurer jobs.

I would also like to be given the opportunity to use the experience that I have gained working for a membership organisation to work on improving communication with the members. This would involve looking at ways to increase the amount of information given out to members by the Board and also coming up with initiatives to provide more opportunities for member input. I have included some of my ideas in my response to question 12.

Editor DT News Sheet, Special Events, Secretary.

I would form a link to AFCW

In terms of a specific role, I would like to complete the formation of the Community Football Scheme and the Youth Section. My manifesto talks about this a bit more.

I am also one of the 2 DT Board appointed non-executive directors of AFCW plc. I see this as a vital link between the strategic and the operational or, to put it another way, the DT and the club; and I am committed to making it work. I believe my input so far has been useful to both the executive directors and the DT Board. However, this role has not been clearly defined by the current DT board and I am very keen to see it formalised.

I want to expand the actual community related activities we carry out. Its all very well calling ourselves a community oriented organisation, we actually have to get out there and deliver those commitments.

I would also like to see the stadium become a resource for local people. I have been very impressed with the direction that has been taken at other clubs and I would love to be able to steer our stadium in the same direction; perhaps through the provision of facilities like drop-in centres, job clubs or IT suites.

Two specific actions I intend to follow up are:

•  Football Stadium Federation – body that tries to make sure clubs and local people can engage about issues such as parking and rowdy behaviour before they become entrenched problems.

•  Kingsmeadow Consultative Forum – organisation to facilitate the use of the Kingsmeadow site by local community and site leaseholders.

If you mean what position I would fill, that remains to be decided by the newly elected board if I am fortunate enough to gain a position on the DT board.

Any role offered to me:- Chairman, Communication Director, Football in the Community, Director of Football etc.

Until the board is elected it is very hard to tell. As a matchday volunteer I'd like to think that there would be some reporting back to the board from the ground up that is for sure. I'd certainly like to be involved in more commercial and financial aspects as this is more my background.

That would need to be discussed and agreed with the other members of the DT Board

Hopefully an advisory and influential role, particularly with regards to promotional activity, media and communications issues.

I have been treasurer since the start of the Dons Trust. I am also on the L & C Group and Vice-chair of AFCW Ladies team. As the elections are for members of the board, and not specific positions, it would be up to the new board to decide if I should continue.