Next Fans Meeting Saturday 3rd Feb

[+DoofersDad]

Many thanks for the feedback Robert.  It sounds as though granting of the planning permission would be a significant one off boost to the club, but refusal would be a disaster.  I wonder if the in-between scenario of an appeal against whatever the decision might be was discussed?  Appeals processes can be rather drawn out and this would leave the club needing to find further ways of keeping the current set-up going for what could be a fairly uncertain time frame.

It is positive that the Chairman was prepared to come to the meeting to talk about this.  It is also positive that  Scott Young has formally been appointed SLO and has expressed a willingness to engage with the Supporters Trust moving forward.  However, this is just a very small step in what will be a long journey.  We know and the club knows that the SLO should not be a Director of the club.  We also know there are a host of issues which the club should be dealing with and are not.  We need to see a massive change in attitude from the club in the way it relates to the fan base.  Coming along to a few meetings to update the fans on a few issues simply doesn't cut it.

The outcome of the planning application will be crucial is shaping the the strategy and priorities for the club for the next few years.  Regardless of which way the planning decision goes, the club should be looking to involve the fans in developing future plans.  The fans are the lifeblood of the club and if the club had engaged more constructively with them in the last several years, the club might not be in quite the precarious position it now finds itself in.  

[ICT Supporters Trust]

The Chairman said that, if the application is rejected, an appeal will be submitted.

However that process takes time and, even if the appeal is successful, the delay will cause the club significant cashflow issues as it cannot continue to sustain the level of losses that have been prevalent in recent years. This will have a serious negative impact as the club will not be able to support all current activities.

[STFU]

If the club is in that bad a state then it's no surprise that the chairman has put charges in place to make sure he gets paid back and has control of club assets ahead of any others who are owed money.

Wednesday's decision could conceivably trigger an insolvency event for the club.

[CaleyCanary]

That was my concern when I first read about the charges, albeit further down the line. A rejection of the application, however, could very well bring about that possibility sooner if we’re in such dire straits.

Worrying times ahead off the pitch if the decision goes against the application.

[Robert]

A reporter was at the meeting and has reported this in the Courier:

https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/sport/chairman-fears-caley-thistle-cant-carry-on-as-normal-withou-341334/

 

[+Fraz]

I wasn't at the meeting nor can I speak to the rest of it but the ICT girls football academy has absolutely no link to the battery project and is entirely self funded. 

Not sure why Mr Morrison would say that. 

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Energizer, Duracell or Panasonic??

[STFU]

8 hours ago, Fraz said:

I wasn't at the meeting nor can I speak to the rest of it but the ICT girls football academy has absolutely no link to the battery project and is entirely self funded. 

Not sure why Mr Morrison would say that. 

The Community Trust is also self funded.

With the club doing nothing directly in terms of fan or community engagement these days, and failed ventures that have cost local businesses more than they've provided, it would be impossible to show any socioeconomic benefit of their own.

[highlandexile]

8 hours ago, Fraz said:

I wasn't at the meeting nor can I speak to the rest of it but the ICT girls football academy has absolutely no link to the battery project and is entirely self funded. 

Not sure why Mr Morrison would say that. 

This is all to try and prove that the profits from the battery farm sale will have a socio-economic benefit for the city.

The document submitted by he new planning consultant is very reliant on claiming the funds will go towards a lot of projects particularity things run by the community trust.   There is also a lot about the funding of the new pitches which basically claims that none of these things can continue without this money.

All very odd as its always been claimed in the past that all these projects as self funded!

These extracts are directly from the document submitted to HC:

A significant proportion of the financial benefits accrued from the development will be managed through the ICTFC Community Development Trust. This is an established charitable Trust organisation that already provides significant benefits to the local community including funding community related initiatives; incorporating school visits to develop the importance of health and exercise, walking football, facilities to enable participation by disabled persons and school breakfast clubs. The community/charitable work is delivered by a combination of paid ATC staff, volunteers, supporters and members of the local community. The investment of time spent on community and charitable work is some 14,000 hours equivalent to 1,758 days or 352 person weeks. The Trust access funding through multiple sources which is challenging in the current financial climate and the stability of income over several years can help provide a stable platform to flourish and grow. For 2022-23 the Trust had an income of some £181,718 of which £165,000 was spent on community initiatives. The Trust delivered projects to the local community and in an educational setting equivalent to some 12, 000 hours or 80% of its annual activity. This is a considerable contribution to the area and will continue to expand and progress with the funding the BESS provides.

The proposed new Hub at the IRA will enable these initiatives to be expanded and developed and increases the community benefits to the local area. The new Hub will only be capable of delivery with the funding this proposal will deliver.

 

 

 

[Robert]

The Community Trust has issued an update on the Hub project. Within the article is this:

“We are busy identifying other sources of funding to ensure we can realise our goal of providing our city with a first class community asset.”

A link to the update:

https://www.icttrust.org.uk/community-hub/

[IBM]

30 minutes ago, Robert said:

The Community Trust has issued an update on the Hub project. Within the article is this:

“We are busy identifying other sources of funding to ensure we can realise our goal of providing our city with a first class community asset.”

A link to the update:

https://www.icttrust.org.uk/community-hub/

On reading that they have secured funding for the drainage but there is a lot more to do.  The whole plan sound great but they will still require a lot more money and there are very little public funds.

[Robert]

3 minutes ago, IBM said:

On reading that they have secured funding for the drainage but there is a lot more to do.  The whole plan sound great but they will still require a lot more money and there are very little public funds.

Which I assume is where the statement in the Battery Park Planning Application comes in, as referred to in HighlandExile’s post above. 

[CaleyTennis]

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands-islands/6293244/caley-thistle-to-score-from-loch-ness-hydro-deal/

 

Is this the to do with the battery storage thing or is this a different money spinner because I'm confused, especially as it's gone quiet ever since this article a few weeks ago ?

Edited February 6 by CaleyTennis

[wilsywilsy]

From the same BESS planning application: "As a community owned project, the development will directly contribute to the local Highland economy over its life."

The obvious inference from this statement is that a "community" entity owns the BESS project. And, this entity will reap the financial rewards via the profits it generates through its life. But, as has now been exposed, the club plan to cut and run from the project as soon as they get a whiff of a windfall that can plug their current self induced financial black hole. What other myths are in this planning application?

The narrative has been, and continues to be, incoherent. The much peddled socio-economic benefits used to justify industrial development on protected green belt land are clearly just a smoke screen for bailing out the clubs dire finances.

 

Edited February 7 by wilsywilsy

[Robert]

9 hours ago, CaleyTennis said:

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands-islands/6293244/caley-thistle-to-score-from-loch-ness-hydro-deal/

 

Is this the to do with the battery storage thing or is this a different money spinner because I'm confused, especially as it's gone quiet ever since this article a few weeks ago ?

No, this is a different scheme. The North Car Park will be used for a Park and Ride for construction staff when work starts on the Red John facility.

Its referred to in the “Scot Gardiner” thread as starting in 2026. 

[Robert]

The club has confirmed what they intimated at the last Supporters Trust Fans Meeting that Scott Young is now the Supporters Liaison Officer:

https://ictfc.com/scott-young-becomes-slo/

The Supporters Trust had been pushing the club hard to clarify the position surrounding the SLO, to assist in fans getting improved service from the club when raising concerns or questions.

Edited March 22 by Robert