- NAME
The forum shall be called the “Everton Fans’ Forum”.
- MISSION
To provide an open, honest, transparent and independent dialogue with the Club and its supporters on all Club issues and supporters’ match day experience.
- OBJECTIVES
- To ensure the Everton Fans’ Forum remains representative of all Evertonians, well-governed and progressive.
- To test, comment and propose amendment as appropriate to existing, or proposed, Club policies on behalf of the Everton fan base.
- To generate, develop and activate ideas, working alongside various departments in the Club on specific fan-owned projects.
- To provide honest and candid feedback on Club issues.
- To be the gateway to the Club’s fan base, generating feedback through member networks.
- To drive an open agenda between its members, the fans and the Club to reflect key issues and priorities.
- To keep Everton supporters fully briefed on progress and actions via internal and external media channels.
- MEMBERSHIP
The Everton Fans’ Forum shall be representative of the Everton fan base and shall be no larger than 15 in number.
Supporter membership of the Forum shall represent a cross section of the Everton fan base over the age of 18-years-old; irrespective of gender, race, ethnic origin, creed, colour, social status, disability and sexual orientation.
Departing members of the forum may be invited to continue to participate in Everton’s ongoing fan engagement activities on match days and non-match days, working with project teams across the Club.
- SELECTION, TERM AND RECRUITMENT
On an annual basis the Everton Fans’ Forum, through a dedicated public relations campaign, shall present the aims and objectives of the forum to the fan base and issue an invitation to apply for membership. The application process will be organised, administered and conducted by the existing Everton Fans’ Forum.
Applicants will be invited to apply for membership through the submission of an application form providing insight into the skills, knowledge and abilities they can bring to the Forum. Forms will be assessed (without applicant’s names shown) by all Forum members, and a shortlist produced. Shortlisted candidates will then be interviewed by a panel of Forum members; the interview scores will determine which applicants go forward to the fan vote. Any supporter with a customer number will be eligible to vote and this voting process will be independently verified. The successful applicants will serve for a period of three years, commencing in June each year.
If any member of the Forum departs during their term, the Forum shall reserve the right to recruit a new member or continue without.
- OFFICERS
The officers of the Everton Fans’ Forum shall be:
- Chairperson
- Two posts of Vice Chair
The Forum will vote for all officers on an annual basis in May and will be adjudicated by a member of the forum who is not seeking election as an officer, or a representative of the Club. The Everton Fans’ Forum reserves the right to agree and vote on the appointment of additional officers as workloads require.
- MEETINGS
Members shall meet every month at a pre-arranged venue for a full meeting and 14 days-notice of meetings will be given to all members. (Club staff will be asked to attend when required, but not as official forum members.) Members are expected to attend 70% of meetings each calendar year; failure to attend the correct number of full meetings may result in members forfeiting their place on the forum. Additionally, non-attendance without appropriate reason, at three successive meetings will result in a member forfeiting their place on the Forum.
Members are also to participate in at least one project group. These take place less frequently than full meetings and from June 2023 until June 2024, the project groups will be:
- Everton for change (Environmental group)
- Retail
- Evertonians against Hate & Her Game Too
- International
- Stadium atmosphere
- Matchday experience
- New stadium
Additionally, members will be required to attend, and support events organised by the Football club as deemed appropriate.
Senior members of the Club’s Executive team will attend at least three meetings per year.
- VOTING RIGHTS
All members have the right to vote at all meetings on a ‘one member, one vote’ basis. The Chairperson shall have a casting vote in the event of a split vote.
- SUSPENSION OR EXPULSION
The Everton Fans’ Forum may suspend or expel any member whose conduct, in the opinion of the forum, renders the member unfit for membership. No member may be suspended or expelled without first being given the opportunity to make representations in writing or person to the forum.
- MINUTES AND COMMUNICATION
All full meetings shall be minuted and posted publicly on the official Club website (evertonfc.com) within three weeks of the meeting having taken place. Minutes are to be approved by the Everton Fans’ Forum before being released.
Minutes will not be produced from project group meetings. However, the project lead will provide an update at the next full meeting.
- COMPLAINTS
The Everton Fans’ Forum will listen to all complaints from forum members, treat them seriously and learn from them when appropriate. Complaints should be emailed to Chair@EvertonFansForum.com and may cover the behaviour of members or any action/lack of action by members affecting an individual or group. Anonymous complaints, or matters that have been previously investigated, will not be re-investigated.
The Everton Fans’ Forum Chair will acknowledge receipt of an emailed complaint within five working days and will aim to send a full reply within twenty working days of receipt. If this timeframe cannot be met, the Chair will tell the complainant why and inform of the proposed date when a full reply should be expected.
If a complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint, a request for an appeal is to be emailed to Chair@EvertonFansForum.com within five working days of the emailed outcome to the original grievance, stating the reason for the dissatisfaction. A mutually agreed forum member, independent of the original complaint, will act as an arbitrator and conduct the appeal; the arbitrator's decision will be binding and conclusive on all parties.
- REVIEW
Everton Football Club and Everton Fans’ Forum reserve the right to amend any of the Terms of Reference at their discretion; a formal review of the Terms of Reference will take place on an annual basis.
Last updated: September 2023.
