FSF motions and election deadline approaches

Fans’ Parliament 2009 is fast approaching and so is the deadline for motions, elections and voting. Fans’ Parliament will this year take place in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne on Saturday, June 20th and is open to members and non-members alike. Sign up to our newsletter (see left) for further information.

Fans’ Parliament debates can cover a vast range of subjects, the only thing that they should have in common? Be relevant and important to the average football fan!

If you’re an FSF member or affiliate group and think something should be done, and want it accepted as FSF policy, you can propose a motion for debate at Fans’ Parliament 2009. Motions can express a point of view, perhaps saying that the football authorities or police, for example, should do something (or stop doing it!). They can also amend the rules by which the FSF operates.

Any motion proposed must be seconded by another member and then the debate can be opened, if you are having trouble finding someone to second the motion let Mike Williamson know and he’ll look into whether any other members have proposed something similar. The member who propsed the motion, and the person who seconded it, speak first and are follwed by any speakers against the idea. The FSF chair manages this before everyone present votes on whether the motion should or shouldn’t be passed.

Motions and resolutions must be sent to FSF secretary Mike Williamson. Your motion will be checked by the Fans’ Parliaments Agenda Committee, and if there are no questions which could be asked about it, your motion will be tabled for debate at Fans’ Parliament. The Agenda Committee acts to prioritise motions, ensure that identical ones aren’t submitted, and make sure that they’re relevant to the average fan. You might think it’s a disgrace that Wagon Wheels aren’t served at your stadium, but Fans’ Parliament isn’t the stage for that debate!

Motions must reach the secretary by May 9 th, 2009, at the latest. Motions CAN be submitted right up to the day of the Parliament, but only if they concern something urgent which happens after May 9 th, 2009.

This is to give the FSF time to organise all the practicals which go into a conference including sending motions round members so they can consider them in advance which is more likely to give an informed debate. If your motion is too late delegates can decide whether to debate on the day.

Read more on motion protocol with FSF president Ian Todd’s summary here.

FSF ELECTIONS – Stand for the FSF’s National Council

Any FSF member can stand to join the National Council but a word of warning – it will take up a lot of your time! However, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you’re making a real contribution to the football supporter’s lot.

The FSF National Council has around five meetings during the year at different places around the country, as well as ad hoc meeetings with football’s authorities and supporters’ groups. As a Council member you will work on football related topics of all kinds, although we always try and take into account which areas interest people and break these down into portfolio groups across a whole variety of football-related subjects.

The National Council has four national FSF officers. At present they are the chair, currently Malcolm Clarke, the deputy chair Jon Keen, treasurer Carroll Clark and secretary Mike Williamson. The officers are elected at Fans’ Parliament to serve for alternating two year terms, the chair and treasurer will be up in 2009.
 
Additionally, each of the six FSF Divisions elects a member who represents that division on the National Council. There are also National Council members co-opted who represent other football groups with whom we have a good relationship, such as the National Association of Disabled Supporters (NADS) and Supporters Direct. We are joined at meetings by our contracted staff who advise the National Council and work on behalf of the FSF.

And last but by no means least there are directly elected members. They are elected yearly (at Fans’ Parliament) and can stand repeatedly.

At Fans Parliament this year there will be elections for the chair/treasurer and for the directly elected National Council posts. To be able to stand for the officers’ posts you must have been an FSF member for at least one year.

To stand for election as one of the directly elected Council members you must have been an FSF individual member yourself or a member of a group which is an FSF Affiliated member for at least 3 months before the closing date for nominations (May 9th, 2009). An election nomination form can be obtained from the Mike Williamson ([email protected]), by post or e-mail.

You must be proposed and seconded by individual members of FSF or by officials of affiliated groups. Associate members cannot stand for election, nor can they nominate others who want to stand. The names of your proposer and seconder must be given to Mike Williamson by June 20 th 2009, or you cannot stand.

The nomination form also asks you to provide a brief personal summary, giving some background about yourself, what your involvment in football has been so far, and why you think you have something to offer. A copy of your form will be given to delegates at The Fans’ Parliament to help them in deciding who to vote for.

VOTING – They all count

Of course, only members of the FSF can vote at Fans’ Parliament. Voters are cast by individual FSF members who joined before the start of June 2009 (one vote per individual) and groups like supporters clubs, associations, and trusts who are affiliated FSF members (three votes per affiliate group). Associate member groups have one vote to use.

Any individual member unable to attend Fans’ Parliament 2009 is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote on their behalf. Anyone appointed as a proxy must themselves be an individual member entitled to vote. The secretary must be notified, using the appropriate form, not less than 7 days before the Fans’ Parliament. Any member appointed as a proxy can hold the proxies for no more than two individual members unable to attend, in addition to their own individual vote. The form used to appoint a proxy can be obtained from Mike Williamson.

If the FSF respresentative of a member group (affiliate or associate) cannot attend the Fans’ Parliament they should notify the FSF secretary in advance the name of any substitute official that they wish to send. Such substitutes should not just turn up unannounced on the day.

If you have any queries please email [email protected]