Model Charter:

StadiumWatch have launched a model customer charter for the SMC to adopt to give them a sense of direction and purpose. "I challenged them to state their aims from the moment they were handed the stadium, but they haven't the faintest idea what their purpose is, and I blame the mayor for this", said Wroe.

"I spoke with Milnes on 15th December last year about the lack of a Customer Charter, and he promised me a written response within 7 days, but of course he hasn't bothered, maybe the mayor's size 12 boot print on his shiny backside will do the trick", speculated Wroe.

"The SMC has simply no idea what they are doing and why they are here, it is as if they simply can't believe their luck in being gifted a stadium by the council, then along comes £1m out of nowhere from sponsorship, so they went back into hibernation, job done they think.", he continued.

"We have presented the SMC with a model charter to give them a sense of purpose and to remind them that the stadium complex is a community asset, to be run in the interests of the Doncaster public, not in the interests of the SMC", said Wroe.

"With the help of Winter's well-aimed swipe, and the new model charter, we think we can get the SMC back on track", he continued. "Now they know what they have to do, and importantly, they now know who they have to do it for! "

Model Charter: PDF Version

You Don't Know What You're doing!

"You don't know what you're doing" is a familiar refrain heard at every football ground in the country, and aimed at the man in the middle, the man in black, the referee.

At the Keepmoat Stadium at the new Doncaster Lakeside Complex, it is a refrain directed at the men in grey, grey suits that is. The Stadium Management Committee, otherwise known as the SMC, (otherwise referred to by disaffected Doncaster Rovers fans, as "Screw More Cash"), hand-picked by Doncaster's Mayor, Martin Winter, and ineffectually led by Andrew Nicholl CEO, have systematically blundered from one debacle to another and have alienated thousands of Rovers fans in less than two months of being in charge of the KMS, as the stadium is known.

More: SW 200702 PR003: link 05/02/2007 PDF Version

Original "3 plus 1" SMC Model

The Cabinet meeting held on 29th October 2003 voted at item 3.7 of Decision 1, "To approve the establishment of a Stadium Management Company (SMC) comprising the three sporting clubs and the Council as outlined in the Stage 2 report (identified as Mechanism 5 in the report) DMBC Minutes: link.

StadiumWatch will be seeking information under the Freedom of Information Act as to why this decision was not implemented. In the end the DMBC saw fit to exclude the 3 sporting clubs, (Rovers, Lakers, and Belles), and opt for a rather secretive arrangement of a Limited Liability Partnership, between the DMBC and the Dearne Valley Leisure Trust (DVLT). The 3 clubs are currently completely excluded from the SMC Executive Board. The arrangements between the DMBC and the DVLT are completely secret. The DVLT may be acting ultra vires their charitable aims and their trust deed. This has been referred to the DVLT for their view. The Charity Commission have been advised of this possibility.

Some have suggested that the involvement of the DVLT is simply to facilitate the "partnership" aspect of the LLP, for which the DVLT will get an annual fee set initially at £5,000, and curiously for a "silent" arrangement, a voting seat on the SMC board.

It is a stated aim of StadiumWatch to have full and sole implementation of the 3 plus 1 model, and for the LLP, and the current executive board to be dispensed with.

Lakeside Sports Complex LLP

The SMC is the operational face of the Lakeside Sports Complex LLP. The LLP is registered at Companies House (under number OC315175) with two designated members, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council ("DMBC"), and Dearne Valley Leisure Trust ("DVLT").

Dearne Valley Leisure Trust:

The DVLT is both a registered charity (number 1093153), and a registered company (number 4291058), with a registered office in Doncaster.

Extracts from the DVLT accounts to 31st March 2006 state:

"the charitable company has a close relationship with Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council which owns the land and buildings from which the company's operations take place. The council provide the charitable company with essential core funding in support of its objects. The charitable company also benefits from the council providing the land and buildings rent free. The council also administers the charitable company's premises insurance as they are able to benefit the company by obtaining a better value policy"

"the group is financially dependent on the Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. The group would find it difficult to fulfil its objectives if this support was removed, even temporarily"

"The trust already has an agreement in place with Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council that will maintain the level of grant received over the next two years"

The grant from the DMBC in the latest accounts is disclosed as £190,240 (2005 £269,570).

The DMBC appoints a trustee to the board of the DVLT, currently Councillor Malcolm Jevons: link

Statutory Accounts to 31 March 2006: link

SOLID ARe We NO SmC