Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
Coventry City Supporters Forum
Agenda for Meeting on the 20th July 2023 @ 5.00pm (On Zoom)
1. Apologies for absence
Pat Raybould, Laura Smith, Michael Garlick, Alan Ludford
2. Approval of the minutes from the previous meeting
All agreed
3. Matters arising from the previous meeting not covered on today’s agenda
EDI – SG will pick this up during her agenda item
Train timetable changes – Was discussed at the SAG but CCFC and Arena are progressing this with the authorities to push for action to be taken
4. EDI (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion).
SG – Football leadership diversity code of practice – emphasis on gathering and publishing fan data as well as how recruitment takes place within the club. Particular emphasis on LGBTQ+ and disabled supporters. SD is looking for any supporters who are interested in having a role. Communications will follow to ask for supporters to get involved. Distribution to be done via Supporters Forum Group.
EDI Code of practice has a zero tolerance policy on match day with clear signposting of sanctions. Working very closely with the police
5. Safeguarding – Kirstie – safeguarding lead for club – Updated all the guidance – 2 safeguarding stewards on match days. Going through the new EFL guidance that she is working through and will report these changes
6. Safe Standing at the CBS Arena – consultation
DB announced a month ago that CCFC were looking at introducing safe standing at the arena. At the start of last season licensed standing was allowed within stadia in Great Britain. Looking at the area 13, 14, 15 and 16 in the upper sections as there have been issues with overcrowding and persistent standing.
At the point now where we are looking to facilitate this. In terms of construction there is a 6 month lead time. Looking at giving themselves a season to get this right. At a recent SAG meeting it was agreed to install this in May 2024.
Andrew Walster (City Council – Street scene and regulatory services) – person who signs safety certificate for the stadium. Working closely with club and arena and been working on the persistent standing issue in these areas. His personal opinion is that it would be expanded to other areas as and when needed.
Practically the seats will be there to be used but a rail will also be there
Martin Girvan (Deputy head of Inspectorate, Sports Ground Safety Authority) – talked about other grounds including locally at Wolves, Birmingham, and Aston Villa. Many fans don’t understand the challenges of why we are doing what we are doing. He explained there are circumstances with a relatively small force, in the upper 15 rows, would not take much force to collapse forward.
Not looking to stop people standing but stop people standing unsafely. As you come lower down the forces needed are higher, so the hazard is not as prevalent.
The risks are made up of the gradient of stand, age demographics and number of people standing in the area. Work with the club where the number of seats where people can stand incrementally means it’s not necessary to stand anywhere outside of this area.
Some people stand because they want to, others stand because they can’t see without standing.
DB said his initial thoughts are in blocks 13, 14, 15 and 16 from Row U upwards – 2200 seats in total. Other clubs are looking at installing safe standing in the away ends and this forms part of the published criteria. This doesn’t have to be straight away.
Steve Moloney – Who pays for the railings? CCFC are paying for the installation. Is an agreement required from Frasers to install safer standing? Yes and they’ve been supportive. It was initially identified by their stadium safety officers.
PG asked about how many seats would be lost moving seating to rail seating. Looks like CCFC might lose 50 or so out of 2200 seats initially being looked at.
MG – Capacity of stadia is based on the number of people that can get out of the stadium safely not necessarily number of seats in the stadium
Once the railed seats go in is that the seats will be sold as standing areas.
CH asked what were the next steps for CCFC on this issue? DB advised that they will be writing to every person who is currently a season ticket holder where the intention is railed seating to ask their thoughts.
[email protected] will be available for thoughts and questions
It was agreed that all Supporters Forum groups wouldshare the CCFC communication on Safe Standing issued with the minutes of the meeting and ask for supporters feedback using the above e-mail address.
7. Club up-date & responses from pre submitted questions from forum members
On separate sheet
8. Family Zone up-date
MH – Last year we had 749 indiviudal children attend the family zone area last season. Planning is ongoingfor2023-24. Several email conversations and meetings with Pat Raybould – significant plans will be shared once they are able to.
9. AOB
Jim Brown – Former players have a successful website with tens of thousands of visitors every month. Looking for a web master who would be interested in being a volunteer web master for the former players website. He will share a job spec for the person they are after.
Jim Brown – He runs the clubs archives – programme collection going back to the 1950’s. He’s looking for away programmes from 2005 years. If anyone has a they’d like to donate then please contact him
CH – Asked about how the club might refurbish and or maintain the bricks at the arena – DB – Confirmed that the club will look into how this can be done.
10. Proposed date of the next meeting:
DB to send out a date in due course.
Agenda for Meeting on the 20th July 2023 @ 5.00pm (On Zoom)
1. Apologies for absence
Pat Raybould, Laura Smith, Michael Garlick, Alan Ludford
2. Approval of the minutes from the previous meeting
All agreed
3. Matters arising from the previous meeting not covered on today’s agenda
EDI – SG will pick this up during her agenda item
Train timetable changes – Was discussed at the SAG but CCFC and Arena are progressing this with the authorities to push for action to be taken
4. EDI (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion).
SG – Football leadership diversity code of practice – emphasis on gathering and publishing fan data as well as how recruitment takes place within the club. Particular emphasis on LGBTQ+ and disabled supporters. SD is looking for any supporters who are interested in having a role. Communications will follow to ask for supporters to get involved. Distribution to be done via Supporters Forum Group.
EDI Code of practice has a zero tolerance policy on match day with clear signposting of sanctions. Working very closely with the police
5. Safeguarding – Kirstie – safeguarding lead for club – Updated all the guidance – 2 safeguarding stewards on match days. Going through the new EFL guidance that she is working through and will report these changes
6. Safe Standing at the CBS Arena – consultation
DB announced a month ago that CCFC were looking at introducing safe standing at the arena. At the start of last season licensed standing was allowed within stadia in Great Britain. Looking at the area 13, 14, 15 and 16 in the upper sections as there have been issues with overcrowding and persistent standing.
At the point now where we are looking to facilitate this. In terms of construction there is a 6 month lead time. Looking at giving themselves a season to get this right. At a recent SAG meeting it was agreed to install this in May 2024.
Andrew Walster (City Council – Street scene and regulatory services) – person who signs safety certificate for the stadium. Working closely with club and arena and been working on the persistent standing issue in these areas. His personal opinion is that it would be expanded to other areas as and when needed.
Practically the seats will be there to be used but a rail will also be there
Martin Girvan (Deputy head of Inspectorate, Sports Ground Safety Authority) – talked about other grounds including locally at Wolves, Birmingham, and Aston Villa. Many fans don’t understand the challenges of why we are doing what we are doing. He explained there are circumstances with a relatively small force, in the upper 15 rows, would not take much force to collapse forward.
Not looking to stop people standing but stop people standing unsafely. As you come lower down the forces needed are higher, so the hazard is not as prevalent.
The risks are made up of the gradient of stand, age demographics and number of people standing in the area. Work with the club where the number of seats where people can stand incrementally means it’s not necessary to stand anywhere outside of this area.
Some people stand because they want to, others stand because they can’t see without standing.
DB said his initial thoughts are in blocks 13, 14, 15 and 16 from Row U upwards – 2200 seats in total. Other clubs are looking at installing safe standing in the away ends and this forms part of the published criteria. This doesn’t have to be straight away.
Steve Moloney – Who pays for the railings? CCFC are paying for the installation. Is an agreement required from Frasers to install safer standing? Yes and they’ve been supportive. It was initially identified by their stadium safety officers.
PG asked about how many seats would be lost moving seating to rail seating. Looks like CCFC might lose 50 or so out of 2200 seats initially being looked at.
MG – Capacity of stadia is based on the number of people that can get out of the stadium safely not necessarily number of seats in the stadium
Once the railed seats go in is that the seats will be sold as standing areas.
CH asked what were the next steps for CCFC on this issue? DB advised that they will be writing to every person who is currently a season ticket holder where the intention is railed seating to ask their thoughts.
[email protected] will be available for thoughts and questions
It was agreed that all Supporters Forum groups wouldshare the CCFC communication on Safe Standing issued with the minutes of the meeting and ask for supporters feedback using the above e-mail address.
7. Club up-date & responses from pre submitted questions from forum members
On separate sheet
8. Family Zone up-date
MH – Last year we had 749 indiviudal children attend the family zone area last season. Planning is ongoingfor2023-24. Several email conversations and meetings with Pat Raybould – significant plans will be shared once they are able to.
9. AOB
Jim Brown – Former players have a successful website with tens of thousands of visitors every month. Looking for a web master who would be interested in being a volunteer web master for the former players website. He will share a job spec for the person they are after.
Jim Brown – He runs the clubs archives – programme collection going back to the 1950’s. He’s looking for away programmes from 2005 years. If anyone has a they’d like to donate then please contact him
CH – Asked about how the club might refurbish and or maintain the bricks at the arena – DB – Confirmed that the club will look into how this can be done.
10. Proposed date of the next meeting:
DB to send out a date in due course.
