Does it really matter, Treebs? The important thing is in-depth research on the Dons Trust has been conducted by an independent third party.

Oi- 100% agree. We debated this long and hard but that is now what’s happening. The aims (‘bigger picture’) consultation is under way - albeit early days - and is a big project imho. Governance follows. If our aims are to sell to a rich playboy, for eg, then there would be little point looking at a governance model in which the DTB exist. Presumably. Imho.

Commissioned in response to an approach to us or commissioned by us? An example, perhaps, of where meeting minutes, although honest, don't always offer a full explanation.

It shouldn't do any harm as long as it doesn't become too much of a focus. Once you have a 'base' proposal or document, discussion can easily centre around how to improve that base as opposed to what is really wanted or needed, which might be a very different approach.

'A group of Imperial College MBA students had been commissioned, as their dissertation project, to do a Governance Review for the club, and it would be presented at the 15 July DTB'. Obviously you'd need the relevant permissions, but I'd be keen to see it available as a PDF.

... so long as it's just an input, not a conclusion.

If it was free (was it?) and offered to us rather than commissioned (was it?), it seems to me like something that can't do any harm.

It all seems a little the wrong way round with this report. We should get our aims for the next few years sorted and then find a suitable governance model that fits the aims. The 'manifesto' is an excellent input to the work on aims but I hope the DTB don't allow it to be more than an input at this stage. The debate should be about what we want rather than which bits of the manifesto are liked or disliked. Also we must avoid the idea that if you don't share certain core views you 'don't belong'.

This report thing is intriguing. Is it within the power of the Trust board to release it? You'd think so. But what other stakeholders might be involved? The students themselves, of course – are they unable to release it to the public for some reason until a later stage? Who is funding their studies? Are they sponsored? If so, maybe they're planning some sort of official 'launch' of the conclusion of all their studies at a later date. Even something as simple as a report (and it wasn't 'commissioned' by the Trust, was it? more offered to them) might have more stakeholders than you first realise.

The link would have made more sense of that? Eh. D’oh! [Link]

RK - here you go. It is only for DT members And you do need to register. Some stuff does go up there first, especially if it’s a member asking a particular question on there, before being put on the DT OS or wherever. I’m not sure it’s *that* exciting, but some peeps seem to use it quite regularly. Must admit I’m awful at keeping up with it, and get a miserable 1/10, but you will find some of my smarter colleagues on there being much more prolific

Socially distanced hot-tub parties, Spit. We live in a Village of about 20 people and 500 cattle. But for every person the law seems to be you have to own at least one of those gassy paddling pool things and have a drink problem :)

X-rated, 93rd? Not since the ‘The Wombelles Do Dulwich’ pics were taken down.

TF excellent powerful message ... full agree ...but fellow Womble, greater impact would be to shove that message through the only Window that the Chairman of the DT Board and Axis looks through and that is his own beloved ProBoards window ...

Morning Wombles ...woke up to see Doobs being corralled -- yee ha ..on the Dons Trust Pro Boards you can corrall a nice herd... of DT Board members and they are agitating to talk to you ..it's not a perfect Free Board but much better than Jam Pot ..Link is on Dons Trust ws and register .Warning ..X rated stuff on there ...

Doobs, does everyone have access to ProBoards? I've never used it, maybe a link here to the DT site would be more helpful?

Dobbs what do you get up to on friday nights when Luke's in the local village pub?😂.

Transparency builds trust and debate grows backing for the direction in which the club moves. Conversely, behind closed doors reports & audits, etc furthers distrust and pushes the already shameful divide between club and fans even wider. We should never have reached this point but we need some heavy plant crossing signs if we’re going to bring things back around especially given current pandemic effects. Transparency is everything. Be a champion for fan owned clubs at every single touchpoint. At the moment we’ve become more of a warning sign. Financial mismanagement, communication blackouts, spins and downright bombshells before partial sell offs.

ah crossover. yeah i think i agree with you. i imagine would need a bit of redaction and a bit of summarising (for those millenials, like TF :) but i don't see whymuch of it couldnt or shouldnt be shared to stimulate debate.

the other thing i would say is that the DTB are due to have another meeting to follow up on the report, this month. I can certainly ask whether a summary, perhaps, could be shared somewhere - maybe ProBoards, rather than on the DT OS. The one thing I can guarantee is that the report won't be acted upon without the fans being involved first.

Interesting, thanks. Can’t see why a DT-commissioned third party report couldn’t be made available to DT members (redacted, if necessary).

ignore the extra 'we would or' in all that

i'm not sure whether there is a reason why we would or wouldn't share some details. but, equally, i don't want to get it wrong and it was quite complex (ie not as simple as keep this board and that one) but iirc we spoke about a two-board structure. but, again, not as simple as that ( there was also an audit comittee - whatever that is) and it was as much about reporting structures being less flat, which i would totally agree with fwiw

Would be good to see at least a summary of what the students came up with. And would be better if someone with say journalism experience could get the report from the students directly rather than having it with the currently trustily-challenged club filter applied.

Thanks, Doobs. Sorry to be a dullard at this time of the weekend but do you recall if Imperial said anything about our organisational structure, ie DTB/FCB/PLC?