Hunter member zones plan to overthrow NNSWF board

[early_to_the_match]

Headline in Newcastle Herald. -
"Member zones move to take over Northern NSW Football board"
"A struggle for control of football in the region has started after member zones sent a letter to Northern NSW Football calling for a special meeting to sack five of their six directors and replace them with their own nominations."
"The Herald was told the letter called for NNSWF to convene a meeting to table the motion to remove chair Helene O'Neill, deputy Bill Moncrieff and directors Mansell Laidler, Peter Dimovski and Sarah Gray but not remaining director, Mark Trenter.
It is understood the zones believed the directors, who are unpaid volunteers, were not acting in the best interests of football."

Can Eland get the boot as well?

[Goatscheese]

Headline in Newcastle Herald. -
"Member zones move to take over Northern NSW Football board"
"A struggle for control of football in the region has started after member zones sent a letter to Northern NSW Football calling for a special meeting to sack five of their six directors and replace them with their own nominations."
"The Herald was told the letter called for NNSWF to convene a meeting to table the motion to remove chair Helene O'Neill, deputy Bill Moncrieff and directors Mansell Laidler, Peter Dimovski and Sarah Gray but not remaining director, Mark Trenter.
It is understood the zones believed the directors, who are unpaid volunteers, were not acting in the best interests of football."

Can Eland get the boot as well?

This is about the zone football associations trying to protect their own turf, nothing about the best interests of football but about keeping their own directors and employees in a job because Northern want to take control of the associations.

[Premy]

This is about the zone football associations trying to protect their own turf, nothing about the best interests of football but about keeping their own directors and employees in a job because Northern want to take control of the associations.

Or maybe it's about the Zone Associations trying to protect ALL of their member Clubs and not just a selected 12 Clubs.

[Zonal Marking]

This is about the zone football associations trying to protect their own turf, nothing about the best interests of football but about keeping their own directors and employees in a job because Northern want to take control of the associations.

Yeah smells like another cash grab by Northern to me. No way would I trust that lot running community football.

[Hunter403]

on the other hand...less administrators, only one office to run. Should result in lower costs. Has a lot going for it

[travellingman]

on the other hand...less administrators, only one office to run. Should result in lower costs. Has a lot going for it

How do you work out less administrators?
NNSW have already employed extra staff to cover the roles already performed by the associations in expectation of them just steamrolling the associations out.
It is solely a cash grab by NNSW to get the assets of the associations not for the betterment of the game or streamlining processes.

[KITZ]

How do you work out less administrators?
NNSW have already employed extra staff to cover the roles already performed by the associations in expectation of them just steamrolling the associations out.
It is solely a cash grab by NNSW to get the assets of the associations not for the betterment of the game or streamlining processes.

This is not a directive by Northern, it is a directive out of the FA that has been coming for a long time. Queensland has just finished going through this process.

I believe a lot of money from NI folding went directly back to the clubs.

[Zonal Marking]

This is not a directive by Northern, it is a directive out of the FA that has been coming for a long time. Queensland has just finished going through this process.

I believe a lot of money from NI folding went directly back to the clubs.

I believe the article said NI was insolvent so no money to clubs. Under the NSW Fair Trading Model Constitution any surplus property of the Association has to be transferred to another organisation with similar objects and cannot be given back to the member clubs.

So I call BS on the quotes about NI in the Heralds article.

[boz-monaut]

moved this to it's own thread

[boz-monaut]

the email that has gone to all members

In response to media reports today, Northern NSW Football can confirm its three Hunter-based member zones have demanded a general meeting in an attempt to overthrow NNSWF’s board of directors.

Hunter Valley Football, Macquarie Football and Newcastle Football plan to seize power in response to the Future of Football Review Final Report and Recommendations developed by independent change consultant Sport Business Partners.

The recommendations, which were unanimously endorsed by NNSWF’s board, positions clubs as the agents of change by empowering local clubs to determine when they are ready for reform. Reform is not being imposed on the football community.

The plan to overthrow NNSWF’s independent board is unnecessary and robs clubs of the opportunity to guide reform which provides more tangible support to stakeholders throughout northern NSW.

The report was only released to member zones and standing committees on Monday 22 August. Members were given exclusive access for two weeks to provide a response. Instead, the Hunter member zones moved to demand a general meeting to overthrow five of NNSWF’s six directors the following day without clubs having seen the final report or its recommendations.

READ THE FUTURE OF FOOTBALL REVIEW FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The report identifies the constraints on the game’s future growth in northern NSW and provides a clear roadmap to address the issues through governance and administration reform over the next five to 10 years.

NNSWF is committed to investing in a reform plan that respects the current governance structure and positions clubs as the primary agents of change who determine the speed at which reform is embraced.

The boards of Football Far North Coast, North Coast Football and NNSWF – Northern Inland are not involved in the attempt to remove NNSWF’s board of directors. Football Mid North Coast is not a signatory to the demand, however two members of its board have been named as potential replacement directors.

Northern NSW Football’s reform plan

The independent review confirmed stakeholders at every level of our game reported a lack of resources and support for game development. Volunteers feel undervalued, under resourced, overburdened and disempowered.

In response to this, NNSWF has listened and will kick start a reform plan across the remainder of 2022 and beyond.

Key reform plan actions include:

• Proposed investment in 10 new staff located across northern NSW to support clubs, facilities, communication and coach and referee development
• Establishing Community Football Advisory Groups across northern NSW to ensure clubs are consulted directly regarding decisions that impact community football
• Establishing a Future of Football Working Group comprising of representatives from member zones, clubs and NNSWF’s board and executive
• Review and clarify the Talented Player Pathway and competitions including the impact of JDL on community football in the Greater Hunter
• Centralising the administration and appointments of referees in the Greater Hunter
• Prioritising fit-for-purpose player registration and competition management systems via Football Australia

The Hunter-based member zones are determined to halt reform and the provision of dedicated resources which would provide clubs and volunteers with additional support.

Governance and administration reform

The review recommends implementing a hybrid administration structure in the Hunter region and regional northern NSW in the next 18 to 24 months. This will align to NNSWF’s staff structure and significantly increase boots on the ground resources dedicated to tangibly assisting clubs, volunteers, coaches and referees to deliver the best possible football experience.

A hybrid model is an evolution of the current structure and would retain independent local governance, offices and local knowledge but all staff would be employed by one organisation to increase accountability and efficiency.

The report acknowledges a fully aligned governance and administration model is realistically five to 10 years down the track, with NNSWF to work together with key football community partners to achieve the reform recommendations.

NNSWF’s board accepts the independent report and its recommendations. However, the current governance structure will be maintained until the affiliated clubs of the respective six independent zones determine that a fully aligned structure is more appropriate and better placed to serve the needs of stakeholders.

New Future of Football Working Group

To facilitate change in an inclusive way, the reform plan will be guided by a new Future of Football Working Group made up of representatives from clubs, member zones and NNSWF’s board and executive.


This working group will provide opportunities for voices from across the football community to be heard and their interests considered as we strive to transform the structures that serve our game.

We have a once in a generation chance to make football even better throughout all of northern NSW. Together we can evolve our game, empower club voices and provide more support for grassroots football.

If you have any questions, please contact my team on (02) 4941 7200 or review@northernnswfootball.com.au

Yours sincerely

David Eland
Cheif Executive Officer

[MonkeyKplunk]

The planned move to dissolve the associations and give NNSWF total control will not result in lower fees. By their own admission the fees currently going to associations now will be collected by Northern.

The change will also negatively effect all community only clubs, as they will lose any link they currently have to help with running the club, coaching, skill development and basically everything.

In over a year of this process Northern still have not come up with a solid plan on how to replace those services lost by the vast majority of clubs across the region, including a few NL1 clubs.

The board and Eland have gotten too comfortable after not being challenged in the role to increase the quality of football services for the entire region

[boz-monaut]

the Herald article

https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/s...-board/?cs=305

A struggle for control of football in the region has started after member zones sent a letter to Northern NSW Football calling for a special meeting to sack five of their six directors and replace them with their own nominations.

The Newcastle Herald understands the NNSWF board received the letter last week, around the same time the federation released reform recommendations to the zones and premier competition standing committees.

The Herald was told the letter called for NNSWF to convene a meeting to table the motion to remove chair Helene O'Neill, deputy Bill Moncrieff and directors Mansell Laidler, Peter Dimovski and Sarah Gray but not remaining director, Mark Trenter. The zones nominated five replacements.

It is understood the zones believed the directors, who are unpaid volunteers, were not acting in the best interests of football.

The letter was believed to be signed by representatives from some, if not all of the six zones - Macquarie, Hunter Valley, Newcastle, Mid North Coast, North Coast and Far North Coast - that sit under NNSWF and administer grassroots competitions. Northern Inland is run by NNSWF after that zone body became insolvent last year.

...

the article continues but we can't just steal their content

[terry]

Lets state the facts.

What is NNSW not doing for local clubs?
We know NNSW are money grabbing leaches but what else?

[Aegon]

I’m all for it.

Remove a redundant layer of administration.

Dissolve the zones and massive waste of money in facilities and wages that delivers very very little.

This year has proven that the zones have too much power/control and too little ability.

[Goatscheese]

Yeah smells like another cash grab by Northern to me. No way would I trust that lot running community football.

They already get cash for it, we over pay because for some reason community football in Newcastle needs to have 3 CEOs, 3 Operations Coordinators, 3 Administrators, a board for each zone (where they get expenses paid for out of your rego), and then also an over arching interdistrict board (again expenses paid for).

No wonder the 3 zones are against it, to much of a cash cow for them.


We see in the Zone threads how terrible the decision making is to run the Zone leagues by all these people.

[Goatscheese]

In over a year of this process Northern still have not come up with a solid plan on how to replace those services lost by the vast majority of clubs across the region, including a few NL1 clubs.

The current plan is to consult with clubs and determine the best course of action as well as determine when and if clubs would like this to happen.

Seems that by wanting to consult with clubs and zones Northern have made a mistake. They should've just done what FQ did and forced it on everyone without consultation and without consulting with clubs on the best way forward.

As for your comment regarding Eland, he is supported by the Zones.

[travellingman]

The recommendations, which were unanimously endorsed by NNSWF’s board, positions clubs as the agents of change by empowering local clubs to determine when they are ready for reform. Reform is not being imposed on the football community.

My understanding is that NOT all directors voted for the recommendations.
The consultants provided NNSW with 3 options, and DE decided to apply option 3 of a full takeover.
Personally I hope the zones are successful and then sack DE.
The current model has been in place for over 50 years that I know of and has been a relatively successful model.

[travellingman]

The current plan is to consult with clubs and determine the best course of action as well as determine when and if clubs would like this to happen.

Seems that by wanting to consult with clubs and zones Northern have made a mistake. They should've just done what FQ did and forced it on everyone without consultation and without consulting with clubs on the best way forward.

As for your comment regarding Eland, he is supported by the Zones.

I don't know how you think the zones support DE.

[Goatscheese]

The recommendations, which were unanimously endorsed by NNSWF’s board, positions clubs as the agents of change by empowering local clubs to determine when they are ready for reform. Reform is not being imposed on the football community.

My understanding is that NOT all directors voted for the recommendations.
The consultants provided NNSW with 3 options, and DE decided to apply option 3 of a full takeover.
Personally I hope the zones are successful and then sack DE.
The current model has been in place for over 50 years that I know of and has been a relatively successful model.

How could it be unanimous and not all directors supported it?

The plan is to give the power over to the clubs for when they are ready for reform which is what you said. Maybe the zones are afraid that that clubs don't want to be under them

[KITZ]

Lets state the facts.

What is NNSW not doing for local clubs?
We know NNSW are money grabbing leaches but what else?

NNSW isn't responsible for local clubs at the moment, all those PAID employees in the zones are. If clubs are not getting service at the moment, then you have answered your own question about if they should exist.