Nottinghamshire CCC General Committee Elections 2025

 

22/02

NO BALANCE?

The result of of the members' ballot will be now known to a select number. Among those will be the members of the Nominations Panel, tasked with balancing the skills needed to form an effective General Committee, but to also recruit to enable the club to adher to Sport England's balanced-board guidelines which could mean that with their sole nomination (this round) they might have to conjure-up three or four more females on to the GC - which is an impossibility but does mean that any male candidates taking the Nominations Panel route this year, as the current Chair has done previously, will not be considered. Obviously if the membership have actually voted in majorities for female candidates then the Nominations Panel's task would be far more complex... but we don't know the individuals taking that route apart from one "self-identifying" candidate ho has taken the duel route.

I do not believe that any of the existing General Committee have yet been requested to self-identify as being female just for 2025, in order to comply with Sport Englands' guidelines, but...

21/02

Technically votes should be received in the post at the auditors today but Saturday evening is the actual 48 hour deadline before the AGM, for this last year possibly.

Note the change to the constitution vote to bring forward the deadline in future years to 3 working days; all in these days of instant electronic communications. Perhaps Smith Cooper work from home on Fridays?

IF YOU HAVE YOUR BALLOT PAPERS STILL SITTING THERE, TODAY IS DEFINITELY YOUR LAST CHANCE TO GET IT POSTED IN TIME TO ARRIVE BY TOMORROW.

VOTE TODAY

SHOW THEM THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THE BEST INTERESTS OF NOTTS CCC

POST NOW

IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED YOUR BALLOT PAPERS PLEASE CONTACT THE CLUB IMMEDIATELY, CLOSING DATE FOR VOTES ARRIVAL AT THE AUDITORS  IS FRIDAY 21ST, SO GIVE THEM HELL BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY TOO LATE.

NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO GENERAL COMMITTEE ELECTION VOTES CAST ON THE DAY OF THE AGM

BY "THEM"I MEAN THOSE THAT WOULD USE A SMALL TURN OUT AS EVIDENCE OF MEMBER APATHY OR THAT MEMBERS ARE TOO STUPID TO UNDERSTAND AND WOULD FORCE THE AGENDA FOR DE-MUTUALISATION TO TURN NOTTS CCC FROM A MEMBERS OWNED CLUB TO A PLC OR BUSINESS FOR PROFIT.

SO PLEASE VOTE IF YOU CAN.

POSTAGE PAID

13/02

One candidate has some radical suggestions with regards to future elections - some folk aren't as free n easy with their personal data as you are Nick.

Can I suggest a Candidate Question Time kind of event which would prove usual and informative, unlike this year where most of the candidates fail to address significant issues in their worded statements.

Holding sitting Committee Members accountable is a little too radical - lol

Hi All,

 

Whether I get voted onto the committee or not, having been through the process, I would like to suggest some changes to how it is done in future years. I would welcome your views on my proposals to increase members participation and knowledge as well as candidates’ accountability.

 

1. There should be a ‘hustings’ event where those standing for election make a short statement (5 mins) and then are available for answering questions from the floor. This could be hybrid.
2. Candidates should be able to use the members email list held by NCCC to contact members directly (maybe just once to avoid overkill). Done via NCCC of course so that there is no access directly to members emails.
3. Candidates contact details to be made available to members so that members can ask questions of the candidates by email. At present there is no way for members to find out any information other than that on the 100-word statement.
4. Committee members should present an oral or written account of their actions during the previous season at the AGM including:
1. Record of meetings attended/missed
2. Details of NCCC matches attended.
3. Details of times they made themselves available to members during matches.

 

 

Best wishes,

 

Nick Evans

Feedback your reponses to nottsccmg@gmail.com

09/02

IF YOU HAVE YOUR BALLOT PAPERS STILL SITTING THERE, WHY HAVEN'T YOU VOTED YET?

VOTE TODAY

SHOW THEM THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THE BEST INTERESTS OF NOTTS CCC

POSTAGE IS FREE, JUST DO IT!

06/02

I think that it's widely expected that the three former players will stroll into the General Committee via the vote from members. That is the definition of support and loyalty to the club. The club is the players, more so than the environment where they play, and members will give their undying support to those players* - it's almost a given.

BUT WHAT'S BEST

With Peter Hacker stood down, one player on the GC would be necessary going forward from 2025. Two players on the GC would be a luxury. Three players out of twelve on the GC would be an overkill and totally unnecessary, in my personal view, and would amplify shortfalls of skills and attributes in other departments on the GC, perhaps creating problems for the governance of NCCC in the immediate future and weakening the case for membership owned and run status in the eyes of those with all the sway in domestic cricket.

Which of Mick Newell's former colleagues (in one shape or another) would be a best bet?

* most players but there might be the odd exception historically and currently (sadly).

03/02

Nottsview contributer says he's still waiting on a reply from question@ as requested by Pravda on the question of who or what sets the priorities of skills to be filled (when there are multiple deficiences within the GC) when the Nominations Panel propose a candidate. In other words, who gives the NP the skills and attributes needed [to be filled] from a candidate.

(09/02 - still witing)

29/01

USE YOUR VOTE WISELY

27/01

In the interest of fairness, Sarah Parkinson posted this on Facebook

Ballot papers landed this weekend and I think it’s a great sign that ten people are prepared to put themselves forward.

Just to add my voice to the mix. I’m not an ex cricketer, but I’ve been a fan since I was a girl. I particularly love the rhythm of test and county cricket.

As a member, Trent Bridge means so much to me. Whilst I may not have the cricketing qualifications or professional insight, I will have the enthusiasm and the commitment to represent the membership in the running of the Club.

Please don’t be put off by me being a lawyer. Putting my name forward is a simple desire on my part to help the Club progress.

Whoever you vote for, please use your vote!

24/01

For those eligible to actually cast a vote or three, I must urge you to read the candidates statements as posted to you with your voting sheets. If nothing else it will give some context to my comments below.

23/01

Well my 2025 Committee Nominations have finally arrived, but not before there'd been some electioneering online.


Members get to vote for up to three candidates each.


There are ten candidates, three of which are former players of our club which usually means that they will be the ones that get the members' votes, however we also have one existing committee member re-standing. We have three women candidates and we have three candidates that mention the members, the members' voices and their importance of membership in the future running of OUR club (in the brief comments sections of "Particulars of Candidates").


I had planned to transcribe all the candidates "comments" in the interest to fairness but ten candidates will take too long so I'll have to resort to paraphrasing and summarising alas.


Before I get to that, the letter also states that the Nominations Panel will recommend one individual to the General Committee also.


Which, if any of the ten candidates are taking the dual approach (elected or via the NP) is not stated but if Sue Storey is serious about serving on the General Committee again, then that will be her only chance of serving again in my opinion.


Sue Storey may have done a good job (or not) on the GC since 2022 when she got there via the NP route, but in her comments she professes to being "passionate about The Hundred, she also says that she's passionate about "T20 and red-ball traditions". If she can see a way forward with these conflicting passions then perhaps she is wasting her time in cricket all together and ought to be using her energies solving some of the greater incongruities of our world, perhaps starting with Israel and Gaza.


The three former players are Andy Afford, Usman Afzaal and Graeme Swann all former spin bowlers, so does the club really need any more "spin" than Pravda already throws down? Afford has "a passion for cricket and our club", Afzaal might have something useful to offer the club owing to his particular skillset and Swanny doesn't say much (in fact I searched my bundle of literature in vain for an extension sheet which doesn't exist as he bothers to say so little) but we know a lot about Mr Swann already, that he was living out of Dubai recently working in the media but we also now know that he got 10 GCSEs - is he taking the Mickey, is he committed to serving on the committee and so is he a serious candidate? None of the former players mention the members, however (perhaps taking their votes for granted?).


Being a former player of NCCC is usually enough to get you voted on to the General Committee but....


As members we might want to consider what we want from our new representatives on the General Committee. Do we want a voice that potentially might be in opposition to those that might be/are steering the club in a direction that we're not comfortable / happy with or perhaps we might want representation from former players that may or may not have opinions that conflict with Mr Newell and Mr Moores's way of doing things, which of late has been painfully unsuccessful for Nottinghamshire CCC?


The three candidates that mention the members are Nick Evans, Jess Maguire and Stuart Matthews.


Dr Nick Evans is Nottinghamshire's representative with the CCMG and in his comments he is obviously very member-centric and if elected it's likely that he would not be singing from the same song sheet as the CEO all of the time, for instance.


Jess Maguire; her comments are mostly about family and making the club more family friendly but "hopes to give members a voice" (if elected).


Stuart Matthews has tried to declare himself as the members' choice online and might be a thorn in the side of the status quo if elected and he has a problem with the free WiFi at Trent Bridge. Get a better SIM package Stuart would be my advice.


The other candidates are Steve Battlemuch, Sarah Parkinson and Richard Reed.


Councillor Steve Battlemuch, "Forest season card holder" says he wants what we all want but fails to mention the members who he would be representing if he got elected in his comments - would he be holding member surgeries on match days? 


Sarah Parkinson, a property lawyer and talks in her comments about making the committee more diverse, so not necessarily looking to voice the opinions of the members of whom she would be representing.


Richard Reed is another one that talks diversity in his comments but falls flat on his face when he confuses who he'd be representing on the General Committee. It's the members, not The Club you silly Richard.


As I have said through out, if this was an horse race, all the money would be on the three former players to win this election but...

If you start reading between the lines, the Nominations Panel will have one recommendation but if the CEO wants Sue Storey back in place but also would want Sarah Parkinson who talks the CEO's game as well, how is the CEO going engineer the election to suit her wants this year? How many disqualifications can her minions muster this year?

Yes I'm fully aware the the Nominations Panel is "independent" officially, however...

On the face of it, some intriguing candidates but there's ten of them. Where were you all last year or the year before that?

22/01

Still no election material in my "post bag"...

However,

Notts announced a pre-tax surplus in their accounts for year ending Oct 2024 of £0.64M in their eAnnual Report, published today.

In the said report one takeaway quote from our Chair, who increasingly appears NOT to represent the views of any member of the club that I have had any contact with.

Is this person delusional or do you share his opinion and it is I that is in need of a lie down in a darkened room?

21/01

Apparently there will be a vote this year, but if they count it remains to be another matter - refer to a previous manufactured fiasco under the current stewardship a couple years or so ago.

Nottsview had hoped to fairly share the candidates manifestos but yet again the posting of the material has been late.

One candidate has started the process on Facebook

Here's what he wrote verbatim.

Good Afternoon cricket lovers I want to introduce myself to you personally.

I am standing for election as a committee member of our great cricket club .

You will have your voting forms very soon so please use your vote wisely.

As a Nottingham man born 10 minutes from Trent Bridge as fully understand what Trent Bridge means to us all .

I promise either your votes I will work tirelessly for all members as it seems over recent years some forget it is a members club and not like Forest over the road an owners club .

Thank you for taking the time to read this and please feel free to contact me at any time

Stuart matthews