AGM 2021 NOTICE
Dear member,
This is advance notice that TUST’s AGM will be held on Thursday 25th November 2021 at 6.30pm at Torquay Athletic Rugby Football Club. For Exiles and others unable to attend in person we plan to provide for virtual attendance via Zoom and details of how to attend will be sent with the formal notice and agenda in due course.
If you wish to propose a motion for debate at the meeting please forward it together with the name of a member who seconds the proposal to tustsecretary@gmail.com or by post to 4 Church End Road, Kingskerswell, TQ12 5DS by Friday 5th November.
There are ten places on the TUST board. With four members’ terms of office continuing for a second year, there are up to six vacancies to be filled. Three current members have indicated their intention to stand but we welcome other nominations. Areas where the board are particularly keen to recruit include those with marketing experience, younger supporters and exiled fans. Candidates must be prepared to work collaboratively with the board and be willing to participate in our e-mail based discussions and attend regular meetings, virtually if necessary. If you are interested in joining a busy, professional team please see the Election Policy attached which gives details of eligibility and how to apply and complete the nomination form. You will require other members to propose and second your nomination and return the form to tustsecretary@gmail.com or the address shown above by Friday 5th November. In the event of there being more nominations than vacant seats an election will be held ahead of the AGM.
The formal agenda, accounts and other details will be sent to you at least 14 days before the AGM. The board would encourage you to attend the meeting and look forward to seeing as many members as possible on 25th November.
Yours faithfully
Rick Williams
Secretary
ELECTION POLICY
Introduction
This policy governs the conduct of elections and shall be made available on the TUST website for scrutiny. It may be changed from time to time by the Board or by the members requesting and approving such a resolution at a General Meeting under the Society’s Rules.
Election Control
1. The election process will be undertaken by the Secretary of TUST. Voting instructions and supplementary papers shall be sent to Full members. The count shall be conducted under a single majority system, with each voter having the ability to indicate support for as many candidates as there are places to be elected. They shall conduct their role in accordance with this policy.
2. Decisions made by the Secretary under this procedure may be appealed using the disputes procedure detailed in the Society’s Rules.
3. All candidates agree to abide by these rules and accept that by their nomination they shall be deemed to have accepted these rules and agreed to be bound by them.
Candidates
4. Candidates must not:
a) Be an employee of TUST;
b) Have been adjudged by the Board to have brought the Society into disrepute in the last 5 years;
c) Be currently declared bankrupt or compounded with their creditors;
d) Be subject to a disqualification order made under the Company Directors Disqualification Act;
e) Have been convicted of an indictable offence, subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1972;
f) Have been removed from membership of a recognised professional body and not reinstated.
Nomination
5. A notice of the election shall be sent to all Society members. This notice will also be placed on the TUST website. The notice will advise of the procedure for nomination, the closing date for nominations and the number of candidates to be elected in the poll and the eligibility criteria for candidates. It shall also include a copy of this policy for information.
6. Nominations shall be sent to the Secretary and must be received before or on the closing date advised in the notice of the election. Candidates must be proposed and seconded by members and shall submit a recent photograph of themselves and a statement with their nomination of at least 200 words and not more than 500 words. These statements shall be copied and included with ballot papers and shall be placed on the TUST website and such other media as appropriate. Candidates must not in their statements make threats, abusive, racist, sexist, or homophobic statements; if such statements are made, then the candidate shall be invited to make a new statement; if they refuse or time does not allow, the statement shall be edited by the Secretary as appropriate and notice shall be added to the statement to indicate that this has been done. Candidates also agree to indemnify TUST for any action resulting from the publication of their statement. Candidates who are currently Board members will have their attendance record and any participation in sub-committees included for members’ information.
7. The Board may investigate nominations to verify their validity. Any candidate submitting a fraudulent nomination shall be excluded from the election.
8. The receipt of a nomination shall be taken as certification that the candidate has met the relevant criteria. The Board may undertake enquiries to verify that the candidate has met the criteria. If a candidate is discovered to be ineligible under those criteria then the following action will be taken:
a) If the discovery of the ineligibility is before the closing date, the nomination is ruled invalid
b) If the discovery of the ineligibility is after the closing date but before the close of voting, the votes of the excluded candidate shall not be counted.
c) If the discovery of the ineligibility is after the close of voting and the individual has been successfully elected, then the person shall be removed from the Board of Supporters Direct.
d) Individuals involved in submitting a fraudulent nomination on behalf of a Member shall be reported to the respective member for them to take action and Supporters Direct reserve the right to declare such person as having brought the organisation into disrepute.
Campaigning
9. Statements in support of candidates, or which might lead voters to infer that endorsement had been given to a candidate or candidates, shall not be the responsibility of the Society, save that official TUST media may be used to publish the candidates’ statements.
10. TUST, as a corporate body, shall remain neutral during the election. Any comments made, regarding the candidates, by members of the Board not taking part in the election, as a candidate, shall be clearly stated as being in a purely personal capacity. Breach of these terms shall be deemed as a matter for the Board to consider as bringing the organisation into disrepute.
11. TUST will provide an opportunity for candidates to respond to questions submitted by members and responses will be circulated with ballot papers and published on the organisations website.
Voting
12. Voting instructions will be issued if the number of valid nominations at the closing date exceeds the number of positions to be elected. If the number of valid nominations is the same as or fewer than the number of positions, those candidates shall be deemed elected. In the event of the same number or fewer candidates than available positions advertised, an affirmative ballot will be held to confirm them in post at the Annual General Meeting.
13. The ballot will be prepared in order to enable both the secrecy and integrity of the ballot to be maintained.
14. A vote shall only be counted if it is cast by the advertised closing date and is accompanied by a declaration that the person casting the vote has the authority of their trust to do so.
15. TUST may make enquiries to verify that a ballot has been submitted properly. Anyone found to have participated in deception shall be deemed to have brought the Society into disrepute. If such a person is also a candidate, they shall be disqualified from the election as appropriate under the procedure 7.
16. Ballot papers shall be retained for 12 months after the close of voting.
BOARD MEMBER NOMINATION FORM
(If you require a Word version of this form to complete please e-mail: tustsecretary@gmail.com)
Full name of nominee..................................................................................................
Membership number (if known).................................................................................
Signature of nominee..................................................................................................
Full name of proposer.................................................................................................
Membership number (if known).................................................................................
Signature of proposer.................................................................................................
Full name of seconder.................................................................................................
Membership number (if known).................................................................................
Signature of seconder.................................................................................................
Nominations shall be sent to the Secretary and must be received before or on the closing date of 5th November 2021. Candidates must be proposed and seconded by members and shall submit a recent photograph of themselves and a statement with their nomination of at least 200 words and not more than 500 words. These statements shall be copied and included with ballot papers and shall be placed on the TUST website and such other media as appropriate. Candidates must not in their statements make threats, abusive, racist, sexist, or homophobic statements; if such statements are made, then the candidate shall be invited to make a new statement; if they refuse or time does not allow, the statement shall be edited by the Secretary as appropriate and notice shall be added to the statement to indicate that this has been done. Candidates also agree to indemnify TUST for any action resulting from the publication of their statement.
This form together with the supporting statement and photograph should be returned to the Secretary at tustsecretary@gmail.com or by post to 4 Church End Road, Kingskerswell, TQ12 5DS.