Takeover Vote will be announced on 1st May

[John Very Little]

From the Mail site http://www.nwemail.co.uk/afc/news/barro ... -1.1131361
Barrow AFC takeover vote announcement set for May 1

BARROW AFC fans will discover whether club members have voted to approve Paul Casson’s takeover deal next week on Thursday, May 1.
The deadline for taking part in the postal vote expires on April 30, with a ‘significant’ number of members having already done so. But the club have issued a further appeal to members who have yet to exercise their democratic right to do so before the end-of-the-month deadline.

A statement issued by Barrow AFC’s board of directors, said: “The results of the voting will be announced via a statement to be published on the official website and passed to the normal media outlets on May 1, 2014.
“No updates on the numbers of votes received will be issued until that date.
“Once again the Directors would urge all members to return their votes before the deadline so that their views are known on this very important matter.”

Voting forms can be sent back in the following ways:
Posted or delivered to: JL Winder & Co, 125 Ramsden Square, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 1XA.
By Fax to: 01229 870595.
By e-mail to: Stephen@jlwinder.co.uk – subject ‘BAFC Voting’.

If any member has not yet received a voting pack, contact Stephen Leonard at JL Winder & Co on 01229 820390 or at the above e-mail address.

[Dalton Bluebird]

That sounds a bit poor. If we don't get 75% voting then it doesn't matter who voted what?

[Shaun]

No, the craic is (and has been said many times) that if it falls short-ish of the required 75% then there will another meeting and vote, at which, (I might add) I can add my yes vote too.

[Dalton Bluebird]

No, the craic is (and has been said many times) that if it falls short-ish of the required 75% then there will another meeting and vote, at which, (I might add) I can add my yes vote too.

Agreed, but why can't people be bothered to vote, don't they care?

If they don't care, why are they members in the first place?

[finbar17]

Are the votes being counted as they are recieved by the club or is there going to be one count after the closing date? Could give an outlook as to wether the target is going to be met or not beforehand.

[Steelworks End]

A "votes to date" count wouldn't be a good idea, even if it was possible, as it could put members off voting if they thought that, on the votes counted so far, the result was a foregone conclusion.

Every vote counts equally, whether cast as soon as the papers were sent out or just before the poll ends. People should make up their own minds, yay or nay. Reaching a decision based on what has appeared on this forum and elsewhere is a valid reason for voting for or against the proposal; voting with or against the majority of votes cast so far is not.

[John Very Little]

Are the votes being counted as they are recieved by the club or is there going to be one count after the closing date? Could give an outlook as to wether the target is going to be met or not beforehand.

The votes aren't being counted by the club, they are being counted by JL Winder's as they are independent as I think is necessary for a vote of this importance. The statement from JL Winder said that no update would be provided as to how the vote was going till the final result is announced - presumably so that the vote isn't be swayed one way or the other. The day after the vote closes isn't too long to wait for the result!!

I'd guess that Winder's may let Paul Casson and the club kow how the vote is going so it's not a complete surprise when its announced and plans can be made for the future without too much delay whatever the result turns out to be. There's gonna be a lot to do in a short space of time if its a positive vote - register new company and officials, announce the new board, get FA clearance for new directors, get shirts ordered for next season, work out playing budget for next seaon, organise friendlies etc.
There is also creditors to pay for the existing club and transfer the ground and football membership from the present members club to PC's new company amongst lots of other things that will need to be done before the start of next season.

[Alhosk]

get shirts ordered for next season.

Surely this has been done already?!

[LDBF]

get shirts ordered for next season.

Surely this has been done already?!

With short sleeves please

[boyliegladbach]

get shirts ordered for next season.

Surely this has been done already?!

No news on shirts but hopefully the players uniforms are ordered. USA USA

[xerxes]

Agreed, but why can't people be bothered to vote, don't they care?

If they don't care, why are they members in the first place?

Not voting doesn't necessarily mean they don't care. They may genuinely not know which option will eventually work out best (do any of us?). Also, since not voting is effectively a 'no' vote, then if they disagree with the takeover there is no need for them to vote.

However, I think there may well be quite a few who don't really care. I posted something to that effect when the vote was first announced, on the basis that there were probably a lot of people who signed up as members in that first rush of enthusiasm years ago, but who are really fair weather supporters. Their apathy in not voting is only matched by their apathy in never cancelling their membership.

[Nigel Bamford]

Are the votes being counted as they are recieved by the club or is there going to be one count after the closing date? Could give an outlook as to wether the target is going to be met or not beforehand.

The votes aren't being counted by the club, they are being counted by JL Winder's as they are independent as I think is necessary for a vote of this importance.

I wouldn't say JL Winder are entirely independent. They are the club's auditors and have categorically come out in support of the bid. They might also be, for all I know, auditors to St Andrew's Engineering Ltd who stand to receive repayment of the secured loan.

I'd guess that Winder's may let Paul Casson and the club kow how the vote is going so it's not a complete surprise when its announced and plans can be made for the future without too much delay whatever the result turns out to be.

For the sake of all parties I would have expected all votes to remain sealed then opened and counted in the presence of representatives of the club and Mr Casson. However, as votes could be sent as an open attachment to emails that gets blown out of the water. I assume, also, that Paul Casson is happy with how it's being done so anything I say is irrelevant.
Before anyone fires a broadside in my direction I am not questioning the professional integrity of Steve Leonard and/or JL Winder & Co nor am I critical of 'the vote'. I am, though, critical of the mechanics of the vote.

[Three Lie Ins]

75% of the total membership is a tall order in a postal vote. Say for example 9 out of 10 members respond, then a 84% yes response is required to secure 75% of the total membership. If 'only' 8 out of 10 reply then those voting yes must by 94% of all responses in order to achieve 75% of the total membership. Don't be surprised if this goes to a second EGM with a 'show of hands' were the threshold will be much lower, 75% of those that attend rather than 75% of the total membership.

[Steelworks End]

I wouldn't say JL Winder are entirely independent. They are the club's auditors and have categorically come out in support of the bid. They might also be, for all I know, auditors to St Andrew's Engineering Ltd who stand to receive repayment of the secured loan.

As the club's auditors, JL Winder have a professional duty of care to their client (Barrow AFC) and if, in their view, Paul Casson's bid is in the best interests of the owners - i.e. the members - then they are bound to recommend it. It is not surprising, therefore, that they have come out in support of the bid. In this respect, then no they are not independent, but they are required to act within the rules and standards of the accountancy profession.

If St. Andrew's Engineering are also clients of JL Winder (and I don't know, either way) then they also owe them a duty of care, and there is a potential conflict of interest. Clearly the partner dealing with the Barrow AFC account cannot also act for St. Andrew's, and there must be a Chinese Wall in place between that person and the partner dealing with St. Andrew's (or any other party connected with the club). This would prevent a flow of information between the two parties and allow the firm to act in the best interests of both.

[blue nige]

steve leonard only gave his personal view on the "proposal", anyway if the vote doesn`t go the right way and we need another vote i.e. a show of hands

then there can be no accusations of a "conflict of interest"


if people don`t want this to go through then just vote no but to start pointing the finger etc.(but i am just making a point -excuse!)really is there any need for any of this ?