Elections and annual general meeting announced for West Ham United Supporters Trust

It’s time to elect half the board of the West Ham United Supporters’ Trust (WHUST).

AGM Details and Board Structure

Our Annual General Meeting and elections will be held, via Zoom, on Wednesday 25 February at 7pm. The meeting will include a review of the trust’s work, the approval of its accounts and the election of five board members.

Under our rules, we have a board of 10 and half must be elected each year. Each person serves two-year terms and then must retire but may seek re-election. Due to some resignations and other mid-term departures we elected two extra people last year. This meant we ended up with only three board members having completed their two years.

To correct this, we used a random number generator to select two additional board members to stand down and, if they choose, to seek re-election. In future, if there are board departures in under two years, we will hold by-elections until the end of the original term, ensuring there are always five places up for grabs each year.

Transparency and How to Stand for Election

For transparency, I am one of those seeking re-election. Anybody who was 16 or over and a member of WHUST before 21 January this year (when the AGM notice was sent out) can stand for a board position. You just need to be proposed and seconded by two members so get in touch if you need help finding a seconder.

There will also be an option to vote digitally before the meeting if you are unable to attend on the Wednesday evening. The elections are being run by an independent person – Neil Le Milliere, of the Exeter City Supporters Trust, who is also a member of the Football Supporters’ Association National Council.

Governance and Professional Standards

WHUST is the public name given to the Ironworks 1895 Supporters Society Limited, a Community Benefit Society registered with the Financial Conduct Authority under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014.

This means directors have to be fit and proper and not previously disqualified for standing as a director or who would be subject to being disqualified (if you had a conviction for fraud, for example, you could not stand). The trust also has its own board membership and conduct policy setting out the standards expected covering how we communicate and work with each other, the members and the public.

Get Involved with WHUST

If you feel there’s something you’d like WHUST to be tackling or you have the experience, skills and time to offer your help, please do consider standing for election. If you want to ask anything about standing or how the board runs, get in touch via info@whust.org.