The Trust Board have been working with the Football Supporters Association (FSA) to update our Society Rules in line with their new model rules. They have been revised to be more accessible, concise and written in plain English.
The FSA model, on which our proposed rules are based, contain all the requirements for registration and have been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) who are the registration body for Community Benefit Societies such as the Trust.
The rules are 99.9% complete with the only omission at the moment being a paragraph relating to electronic voting in respect of few members who do not have email addresses (see note below on Proxy Voting)
Even though there is a small omission at the moment we thought it important to give members an early view of the proposed rules which are to be put to the forthcoming AGM.
When the final para has been received from the FSA we will email the final version to members.
The essential content differences between our existing Society Rules and the proposed ones are
- We have a new Registered Office as we have a new firm of Accountants to certify our Accounts
- The existing rules permit a Board of 12 elected members which our existing Election Policy reduces to 9 elected plus 3 places available for co-option. The new FSA model rules advise a maximum of 10 elected places. We have taken the view that, as we have had problems in the past encouraging members to stand for election at 9 increasing it to the recommended 10 might be counter productive. We have discussed this with the FSA who are content with our rationale. It should be noted that 3 board members are standing down and, together with a vacancy, 4 seats on the board will be available for Election in the coming weeks.
- The rule regarding a maximum of 12 consecutive years board membership is now included in the rules rather than in the Election Policy
- The FSA have made changes to quora in respect of Special and General meetings and, in respect of rule changes, have amended them to reflect Society membership numbers
- A Trust position in respect of shareholding in the Club, sale of the Club and a single spend in excess of £5000 is now subject to extraordinary resolution
- The new rules are silent on Proxy Voting. The FSA take the view that electronic voting obviates the need for Proxies. They consider that the development of electronic engagement methods has nullified the need to appoint an individual to physically attend a meeting and cast a vote on behalf of a member. In respect of electronic voting the Trust Board has already been working with a provider of such a service with a view to its introduction in 2027 .We have a handful of members who cannot be contacted electronically so we have asked the FSA for the appropriate wording to include in the rules to ensure they are not disenfranchised.
The draft rules can be viewed via this link
https://www.ccfctrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/CCST-Draft-Society-Rules-2026.pdf
Subject to the addition of a para in respect of members without an email these will be the rules submitted to the AGM for approval.
Keith Morgan
ChairCardiff City Supporters Trust
