Minutes of Members Liaison Group Meeting

Minutes of Members’ Liaison Group Meeting 31 March 2015

Present: Phil Garrard (Chair); Ian Blacklidge; Chris Coke; Stuart Cope; Rebecca Garrard; Andrew Gasson; Marcus Hook; Ann Millington-Jones (Minutes); Chris Payne; Nicola Randall.

Apologies for Absence: Robbie Beeston; Tricia Garrard; Mike Reeve.

Minutes of Meeting held on 15 September 2014: Agreed. Matters Arising: Where appropriate covered below.

Club Report: PG welcomed SC to the meeting and invited him to report on relevant Club matters.

SC suggested it should be possible for material provided on the website’s section for members to be widened to include items such as MLG Minutes if MLG forwarded them for inclusion.

Events: SC indicated that discussions had taken place during the closed season with Richard Gould (RG) for more, and more varied, 2015 events than previously. He ran through the events’ programme (list supplied). 9 April pre-season lunch has only a few places remaining. PG and AM-J suggested it would have been helpful to have stated that this was Press Day so the near-full squad would be at The Oval that day and therefore, as SC confirmed, it was possible more than just the 2 players being interviewed might pop in briefly to the Members’ lunch.

Given the success of Reigate and Guildford Roadshows another (free) event was now being publicised on 15 April at Streatham & Marlborough Cricket Club in South London with Richard Gould, Ali Brown and Gareth Batty although take-up thus far had been slow. AM-J said it would be helpful to include details of access by public transport particularly as it is not close to a Tube station.

28 April Cricket Society (free) event launching Stephen Chalke’s book on the ‘History of the County Championship’ was full and most of the tickets had been taken up for both the early June Members’ Breakfast Forum and early August OCS Terrace Lunchtime Forum.

SC detailed enhancements to 27-30 June Beer Festival (such as bigger area, tables, over 50 real ales and cider, weekend live music, garden games, pop-up refreshments, local brewery talks) with the Club hoping to treble last year’s attendance figures.

14 July quiz night was discussed as popularity for a quiz night when previously put on by the Supporters’ Club had gradually ebbed away until it was discontinued. Possibility of an MLG team (or two!) was raised and the importance stressed of making clear that individuals did not have to be pre-arranged into full teams when booking. Whilst a few Surrey cricket questions will be included, the quiz will also cover a much wider range of topics.

Details of pre-Ashes events (18 August event with a cricket author and 19 August Bedser Lunch) are still being finalised as well as 3 September evening with retired Surrey ‘Masters’.

22 September is at present booked for the end season awards but precise details of the format, venue and even the date will depend on Surrey on-field performances and whether silverware is won.

Team news: Sangakkara arrives at the weekend and Pietersen shortly. Another overseas’ player signing for T20 Blast is in the offing. Surrey Academy’s Sri Lanka tour has started well with 2 wins from 2 games.

Oval Development: Next phase will be redevelopment from end of OCS of current.May, and Lock Stands with a new two-tiered Stand also stretching further forward (enhancing capacity by 2000+) followed by redevelopment behind the Lock Stand (including the existing car park) to build improved match-day facilities as well as offices to enhance the Club’s non-cricket revenue stream and with underground parking facilities.

Membership: Up to 9,800 including 120 in the last week helped by the news of the KP signing and stimulated by the World Cup. Club hopes both to break the 10,000 barrier soon and also to increase sales of the new T20 membership.

With parents indicating the family stand priorities were seating cover and less rowdy spectators nearby than at present, the stand has been moved to a more suitable area. Greater emphasis is also being placed on junior membership with enhanced benefits included in the membership pack.

Salary Cap: SC indicated that Chairman RT and Chief Executive RG were pushing the ECB to seek agreement for Surrey to have an increased salary cap due to reasons such as more expensive cost of living in London and higher salaries having to be paid to attract quality players.

Any Other Business:

NR enquired whether both the Club non-playing staff, and staff employed by the Club’s contractors, were paid at least the Living wage and was assured by SC this is the case.

SC was asked for information on catering prices for the forthcoming season. He indicated around 10% average increase and offered to acquire and supply more information from the Catering Manager. AG mentioned that there were often long lunchtime queues for food on the 4th floor and hoped efforts would continue to explore whether any further improvements could be made. CC said his wife had had problems with her 2015 Membership application and the DD related thereto which had taken a considerable amount of her time and effort to get resolved. CP mentioned as well that DD membership renewals had been debited earlier than advised. More worryingly, he had been told by someone he knows that this person had had actual access to CP’s personal data. SC agreed this needed investigating.

With regard to the considerable number of problems experienced with purchases under members’ allocation for 2015 Test Match tickets, several examples were quoted by those present. SC indicated that Ticketmaster’s contract ends this year and possible alternatives are being explored. Only a few days ago Ticketmaster had despatched a totally erroneous email to most names on the ticketing database which had led to thousands of queries being made to the ticketing staff by puzzled individuals.

As MH pointed out, these sort of problems can lead to some members developing a perception, and expressing a concern, that, on occasions, the Club appear to put profitability above customer service.

IB was concerned whether, after the removal of hand pumps in the Ali Brown Bar, beer would now be stored and served properly in the Long Room. SC noted his concerns and said he would pass them on as appropriate. AM-J praised the early 2014 Wine Tasting the Club had held but often last season nothing other than the very poor quarter bottles were available at the Ali Brown Bar. She hoped this would not be the case in 2015.

SC noted AG’s worry that, as the supplied envelopes for returning ballot papers did not have any postcode, some ballot papers could be delayed and miss the deadline. AG also expressed surprise that the independent Electoral Reform Society was no longer involved with the Surrey General Committee elections. Whereas last year the number of candidates and available vacancies did not make this a big issue, this year’s 11 candidates meant a more complex exercise but no apparent external professional expertise. SC believed that cost was the main reason for the change.

IB asked SC regarding the Club’s position on possible changes being suggested - for example, the LVCC becoming a competition amongst franchises. SC indicated both RG and RT were against this believing it was important for Surrey to continue independently and successfully.

IB also said that, provided individuals were willing, it could be helpful for MLG member to have a short profile, photo and contact details on the Club’s website.

Club Staff: SC advised that Carole Turner would be retiring in May after more than 15 years’ service at the Club and PG expressed appreciation on behalf of the MLG.

Meeting: PG thanked AM-J for taking the Minutes and, in closing the meeting, suggested the next MLG meeting as early evening after close of play of 29 June (Day 3 of the LVCC Gloucester match).