Minutes of OxVox meeting on Monday 2 June 2008
Present: Trevor Lambert, Neil Carter, Bob Scholes, Graham Hilsden, Simon Bradbury, Matthew Derbyshire, Graham Cripps and Chris Davis.
Apologies: Tim Rosser.
Minutes of last meeting: Tim Rosser’s name had been omitted from the Commercial sub-committee in error.
Club finances: The meeting kicked off with a discussion on finances following the release of the Club’s Report and Accounts for the year ending 30 June 2007. Most of the figures were unsurprising and, of course, the financial loss was likely to be as high or higher for the current year as well. The committee re-iterated its desire to see a Sales and Marketing Manager appointed as quickly as possible to re-open revenue streams which had apparently been ignored in recent months, and also for the Club’s Directors to keep a lid on certain types of expenditure which appeared to be rapidly increasing.
The Trust’s Chairman and Treasurer will be attending the Club’s AGM on 5 June on behalf of the Trust.
Matters arising: a) 2008/09 season ticket prices had been released which chiefly met our requests for lower junior prices, a continued opening of and a new range of prices for the North Stand and an encouragement for family groups to attend.
b) The Trust had taken up a season ticket cost query on behalf of one member. We were pleased to report that an agreement has been reached between the Club and our member.
c) The Rt Hon Andrew Smith, M P will try to attend our committee meeting on 8 September, Parliamentary business notwithstanding. (sec note: Andrew’s reply was late news and not available at the meeting.)
d) Agreement from the Club has been received for Trust publicity leaflets to be included with the postal despatch of season ticket books.
e) The e-newsletter will be sent to members w/e 13 June and will include a report of the Club AGM.
Corporate Partners: The proposals from the sub-committee were as follows:
£125 deal…the company logo, small editorial and contact details on new section of web-site, corporate membership of the Trust and an editorial in the e-newsletter.
£250 deal…the above plus publicity at Trust activities, company logo in publications, two additional editorials per annum in the e-newsletter plus a leaflet handout at members’ meetings.
A formal letter will be drafted to 6 companies who have expressed an interest in partnering the Trust but will not (yet) be posted. The Club was aware of the Trust’s plans and had asked for a short further period of time for it to formally appoint a S & M manager and for the incumbent to meet with the Trust to avoid a conflict of interest. Consequently, the Trust will use the next 4 weeks to poll members for their opinion about Corporate Partners and their views on how the money received should be used to benefit the Club.
Membership 500: In order to close in on our target, the following was agreed:
Trust Forum: The committee agreed that each must become a frequent user of the Trust’s forum in order to boost interest. Furthermore, we must ensure that questions are not left unanswered.
Fun Day on 5 July: A football-based game is to be considered alongside the Trust’s table. A Dean Whitehead OUFC shirt will be the first prize in a raffle.
Dates of next meetings: 7 July, 11 August and 8 September.
Any other business: The intention is to modify the web-site to allow donations to Youth Development or other aspects of OUFC as and when required.
Appropriate questions will be devised to ask at the AGM based upon comments made on the forums and notified to members.
Prices per person have been obtained for a golf day. This idea will be pursued and discussed more fully at the next meeting.
Chris Davis
Secretary
3 June 2008