Roles and Responsibilities of the Lincoln City Supporters’ Society (“the Trust”) Supporter Director.
Supporter Director(s) are elected to serve on the Board of Directors of Lincoln City Football Club by means of a ballot of the eligible Trust members, or, under special circumstances outlined in the Trust Rules, may be appointed by the Trust Board.
1. The Trust expects the person(s) chosen by the members to serve on the Board of directors of the Football Club will:
(i) Be a paid up member of the Trust;
(ii) Be an elected member of the Trust board, nominated and directly elected by the members of the Trust in accordance with the electoral procedures adopted by the Trust;
(iii) Abide by the majority vote of the Trust board [or in certain cases, Trust membership] so far as their duties to the Club allow;
(iv) Submit to re-election/re-appointment every 2 years in accordance with the policy of the Trust;
(v) Not be obliged to disclose the following information to Club directors or officials without the express permission of the Trust board:
a The Trust’s financial position, including individual members’ contributions, assets, and levels of income.
b Matters deemed confidential by the Trust board.
(vi) If required to do so by the Trust, represent the Trust in association with the Club board in their dealings with football authorities, local and central government, and other organisations. (For example, the police, fire authority, Co-op or other sponsors, Supporters Direct etc).
(vii) Maintain high standards of personal behaviour and conduct.
2. Supporter Directors are required to:
(i) Abide by the Club’s memorandum and articles of association, and to any regulatory code adopted by the Club;
(ii) Abide by the responsibilities of directors as laid down in the relevant statues, and any regulatory code adopted by the Club;
(iii) Accept the majority vote of the Club board and work on a principle of collective responsibility, whereby all decisions of the Club board properly reached shall be deemed to be Club policy. As such, it is incumbent upon all directors to represent that policy faithfully both in respect of their duties and responsibilities within the Club and to external parties, unless the Club board vote to suspend operation of this policy in a particular matter;
(iv) Not disclose any confidential information to any other person without the prior authority of the Club board of directors;
(v) Devote sufficient time and attention to the Club to fulfil their duties as a director, including duties as Club duty director on arranged Home match days;
(vi) Attend meetings of the Club board, and not be absent without good reason;
(vii) Not receive remuneration from the Club except re-imbursement of reasonable expenses, including travelling expenses, while conducting business for the benefit of the Club, other than via an open and published remuneration policy operative at the Club or voluntarily agreed to by the current Board. If this is not found acceptable for specific reasonable expenses which are not offered by the Club, the situation is to be reported to the Trust secretary for debate at a Trust board meeting;
(viii) Represent the Club in their dealings with football authorities, local and central government;
(ix) Declare all personal or material interests where there may be a conflict of interests to the Club board. For the avoidance of doubt, a director’s interest shall be deemed to include interests of members of his/her family, or interests of those with whom a director has an existing interest, and the interests of the Trust;
(x) Not be subject to a bankruptcy order or have in place a composition with their creditors;
(xi) Not be subject to a disqualification order made under the Company Directors Disqualification Act, 1986;
(xii) Not have a conviction for an indictable offence (other than a spent conviction as defined by The Interpretation Act, 1978;
(xiii) Not, in the written opinion of a registered medical practitioner, be certified as being physically or mentally incapable of acting as a director and may remain so for more than three months;
(xiv) Not personally profit from a contract entered into by the Club;
3. The following are the provisions required by the Trust of the Club Board:
(i) To give adequate notice of all Board meetings and ensure that the Supporter Director is provided with sufficient information to enable him/her to participate on an equal footing with other directors.
(ii) To ensure that the Supporter Director is entitled to the benefit of any indemnity and/or directors liability insurance enjoyed by other directors through the club.
(iii) Not to unreasonably restrict the Supporter Director in reporting back to the Trust the deliberations and decisions of the board of directors, and the matters to be discussed at forthcoming meetings of the Club board. This will enable the Supporter Director to canvass the views of the Trust board, subject to the provisions outlined above that are incumbent on all directors.
If provisions (i), (ii) and (iii) are not met then the Supporter Director is to report the situation to the Trust Secretary for debate at a Trust board meeting.
(iv) Not to unreasonably reject the nominated Trust Supporter Director and to inform the Trust Secretary of any concerns that the Club Board may have in relation to the appropriatness, attendance or performance of the Trust Supporter Director.
4. Other Duties
(i) To attend Trust Board meetings and not be absent without good reason.
(ii) To attend Fans Forums arranged by the Trust.
(iii) To be available to meet fans on Home match days, except in circumstances where the Club’s duty director obligations take precedence. There may be occasions when the Supporter Director is expected to meet fans at away games where practicable
(iv) To be available to representatives of the media and provide a Trust input where appropriate into news stories.
(v) To be a member of at least one Trust committee.
(vi) In the event of a change of Supporter Director to mentor and support the person who is taking on this role.
