Members Committee Meeting

Minutes of the meeting held via Video Conference on 8 April 2021

1. Present – Asif Din ( up to item 4), Marina Dorward, Andrew Burn, Paul Warren, Iftkhar Ahmed, John Winspear, Jeremy Payne, Mike Williams (Chair) 2. In attendance – Mark McCafferty, Stuart Cain, Paul Farbrace, Alex Perkins, Georgia Bekyra.

3. Apologies – Asif Din had notified the Chair in advance that he would have to leave the meeting at 6pm. 4. The minutes of the meeting held on 17th December 2020 were approved as a correct record.

5. Matters arising: a. Heritage Issues – A paper from Tom Rawlings, who would chair the Heritage Group, had been circulated with the agenda. The Group would comprise Tom, Phil Britt (Museum Curator), representatives from Management, Commercial and WOCCA, and Marina Dorwood, Courtney Rowlands and Paul Warren from the Members Committee and Mike Williams as Board Sponsor. Tom would convene a meeting of the Group as soon as possible.

b. Stuart Cain gave an update on attendance at Edgbaston. Firstly, although the New Zealand Test match had not been accepted by Government as a Covid pilot event, there had been positive discussions with the Department for Digital Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to classify it as a “Validation Event”. Details of capacities etc were not yet known but the intention was to give priority to Warwickshire Members who had purchased tickets. This may however mean Members may have to be relocated from the Tom Dollery to other parts of the South Stand because of social distancing requirements.

c. The first County Championship game to which members would be admitted would be the game against Nottinghamshire starting on 27th May (assuming further restrictions were lifted on May 17th) with details of how Members can attend to be confirmed in due course. Attendance by Warwickshire Members at away fixtures after May 17th would be a matter for the home county. Arrangements for games after June 21st (again assuming all restrictions were lifted) had still to be determined, but some element of social distancing and possibly vaccine certification could be required.

d. In response to a question about attendance at Second XI games at Portland Road from 12 April (when outdoor hospitality and club cricket was permitted),

Stuart Cain has now clarified that because Second XI games are classed as professional sport spectator attendance would not be allowed.

6. Feedback from Board Meetings. a. Mike Williams reported on the Board meeting held on 11th February, which had been mainly devoted to a presentation from Paul Greetham about the Academy and Age Group Cricket, an update on Phase 2 of the Masterplan (where Winvic the Patrizia contractors were now on site) and the financial reforecast for FY21. Notwithstanding restrictions on the number attending, the introduction of the New Zealand Test had mean the revised profit forecast for FY21 was more or less in line with the pre covid forecast for FY21. There was still a good deal of uncertainty about the 2022 conference and banqueting business and a prudent approach was still required.

b. The Board meeting held on 18 March, which had originally been scheduled as a Board Development day, had reviewed plans to develop the Digital Strategy, Board Succession Planning, support for the establishment of a Test Match Venues Forum as a mechanism for all Category A grounds to engage with ECB, and further consideration of the Masterplan. The Board had agreed to set up a Masterplan Board Sub Committee and Iftikhar Ahmed had been nominated to represent the Members Committee on that Sub Committee. Iftikhar reported on the first meeting of the Sub Committee, which had been mainly concerned with detailed legal and financial issues. There would be further reports from the Sub Committee to the September Board meeting and the Board was expected to make final decisions about the next phase of the Masterplan at its February 2022 meeting.

7. Feedback from the Board Committees: a. Nominations Committee – in the context of reviewing the Club’s Board and Committee Succession Planning issues the Committee had endorsed the proposals from the Members Committee Working Party on Succession Planning (see minute no 8) and had also reviewed the requirements of the ECB County Governance Framework.

b. Remuneration Committee – Andrew Burn reported on business considered at the most recent Nominations Committee, which included the staff furlough and flexi furlough arrangements, cricketers contracts and bonus conditions and had requested further information on gender and ethnicity pay analysis.

c. Jeremy Payne reported on meetings of the Audit and Risk Committee on 8 February, which had amongst other things considered the Club’s Safeguarding arrangements and undertaken a “deep dive” into Health and Safety and Security, and 8 April, which had included a “deep dive” into Insurance, including IT and GDPR cover.

d. Cricket Audit Committee – Paul Farbrace provided a cricket update. He was very pleased with the way Mark Robinson had settled into his new role (citing Mark’s “when not if we win” positive philosophy), the squad’s pre-season preparation and was particularly praiseworthy of the quality of pitches for the practice matches. Ryan Sidebottom had picked up a slight injury but was planning to play club cricket on 11 April and George Furrer would be sidelined for about three weeks.

e. ’s arrival from South Africa had been delayed because of visa issues but had that day arrived from India and, subject to a successful quarantine period, would be available for selection for the Notts game at Trent Bridge beginning on April 15th. He had signed for three games with an option to extend if necessary.

f. In response to members questions Paul explained the background to Alex Thomson’s loan move to Durham, the keeping cover should Michael Burgess pick up a longer term injury (although he was confident that Vikai Kellie could deputise in the short term) and the availability of (who had been given some rest and recuperation time after the India tour) and would also be available for selection for the Notts game.

g. John Winspear, as the MC representative on the Cricket Audit Committee, was happy to endorse the “positive feel” that Paul had demonstrated and said the Cricket Audit Committee were now very clear about what needs to change.

8. Members Committee Succession Planning – Proposals from the Working Group, which had been endorsed by the Nominations Committee, were set out in a paper circulated with the agenda. There would be four vacancies to be filled at the 2022 AGM and, assuming that Jeremy Payne becomes Chair of the Committee and therefore sits on the Board, it would be necessary to identify Committee representatives to sit on the Audit and Risk and, as result of John Winspear’s retirement, from the Cricket Audit Committee. Expressions of Interest would be sought from Club Members in due course, with the aim of identifying potential candidates for consideration by the Nominations Committee by the end of September. It was hoped that it would not be necessary to approach suitably qualified and experienced non-members, but some targeted approaches to existing members may be required. Committee Members were asked to identify suitable individuals.

9. Members Committee Dashboard – Alex Perkins provided latest details of membership numbers. At 1 April 2021 there were 2,661 members (including 354 new members) compared to 3,420 at the same point in 2020. 1,472 members in 2020 had not yet renewed. As soon as there was more certainty about attendance at Edgbaston (hopefully by early May) they would be contacted and encouraged to re-join. It was not intended to offer any discounts on membership fees at this stage, but a decision will be made at the end of the season once we have more clarity.

10. The new RL50 shirt, which incorporates the names of Members who donated their subscriptions in 2020, had sold out and more had been ordered. The display showing Members who had donated was due to be installed. Members had been offered a 50% discount on Hundred tickets and some 3,500 members tickets had been sold for the four games at Edgbaston. This appeared to compare favourably with the number of members who regularly attended T20 games, with over three months to go until the competition begins.

11. In response to questions about extending and improving Member benefits, Alex hoped that arrangements could be agreed with appropriate sponsors and others to provide favourable terms for Members. Paul Warren asked about a recent club survey, which he thought was a Members’ survey. Alex Perkins clarified that it was in fact a general marketing survey and had been sent to Members and a wide range of Edgbaston customers. The results of the survey were still being evaluated.

12. In response to a question about the annual Members’ survey and when that might be repeated Stuart Cain informed the meeting that he was drawing up terms of reference for an external review of memberships, including Member benefits and that could include a Members’ survey. He would report further to the next meeting of the committee, whose terms of reference included the right to be consulted about members subscriptions and related matters.

13. Date of next meeting is scheduled for Thursday 8 July but may need to be deferred towards the end of July to accommodate the report back on the review of memberships referred to in minute 12.