Welcome to the home of the Everton Football Club Fan Advisory Board (FAB). We are an independent body established with the goal of ensuring that Evertonians’ voices are heard at the highest levels in Everton Football Club.
Our focus is on long term strategic issues with the aim of ensuring that Everton’s Board and senior executives take into account the views of Evertonians when making decisions about the direction of the Club. This will include areas such as overall Club strategy, protecting our heritage, finance, governance, compliance and engagement.
We will also work to ensure that Everton’s Board and senior executives understand the views of Evertonians in their discussions at a national policy level with government, the Premier League, the Football Association and other national bodies.
Importantly, we will not replace the work already done at an operational level by the many existing representative and stakeholder groups such as the Everton Disabled Supporters’ Association (ESDA), the Everton Fans’ Forum, the Everton Supporters’ Club Committees (UK and International), the Everton Heritage Society, the Everton Women Supporters’ Club, the Club’s shareholders or members or groups associated to the Football Supporters’ Association.
We will undertake surveys to allow us to accurately reflect the views of Evertonians in our dealings with the Club Board and senior executives, in addition to drawing on insights from existing supporter groups and networks. We also commit to hosting an annual supporter conference to generate feedback on key issues and provide updates on progress.
Records of our quarterly discussions with the Club’s Board will be published, as well the monthly meetings of the FAB.
Throughout these Terms of Reference:
“Everton” is defined as referring to Everton Football Club Company Limited (EFC).
An “Evertonian” is defined as referring to a supporter who has a ‘live’ Supporter Number registered with Everton.
The Fan Advisory Board (FAB) is an independent body for in-depth consultation with the Club’s hierarchy, including members of the Club’s Board. Discussions will focus on long-term strategic issues.
Under this Terms of Reference, the FAB will operate independently to be consulted about. It is recognised that to fulfil the above, the FAB will also have to work within Everton’s Articles of Association.
The FAB will comprise of 11 members, each over the age of 18, who represent the diversity of the fanbase; none of whom may receive any payment, benefit or preferential treatment from EFC.
The FAB will meet independently, initially on a monthly basis; extending to quarterly once the FAB is fully established. All meeting minutes will be made available to the wider fanbase once approved at the subsequent FAB meeting...
Additionally, the FAB will meet with EFC, including at least one Board member, on at least a quarterly basis. For each meeting, a minimum of 20 working days’ notice will be given to all members...
All FAB members will be required to comply with a Code of Conduct to ensure behaviour is respectful at all meetings. The FAB may suspend or expel any member whose conduct renders them unfit ...
All FAB members have the right to vote at all meetings on a ‘one member, one vote’ basis. In the event of a split vote, the Chairperson will have the casting vote...
FAB members representing organisations with reserved positions are required to ensure regular dialogue is maintained with that organisation’s membership so that any issues...
The FAB will establish and agree a complaints procedure to be published separately from this Terms of Reference.
The officers of the FAB will be Chairperson, Vice-Chair and Secretary. They will be elected at a FAB meeting on an annual/seasonal basis and the management of this process will be adjudicated by a member of the FAB who is not seeking election as an officer.
Each member organisation holding a reserved position on the FAB will be responsible for identifying their chosen representative by means of a transparent and democratic process, which will be managed by the organisation itself. Each organisation will select a representative and a vice representative to ensure continuity of presence at meetings. These representatives are to be elected/re-elected on an annual basis.
Evertonians are able to apply providing they meet the eligibility criteria for the role. Applications will be followed by a shortlisting process carried out by a panel; after which an independently (from Everton Stakeholder Steering Group and EFC)-verified election will be held to identify the elected members.
The FAB will comprise of 11 members, each over the age of 18, who represent the diversity of the fanbase; none of whom may receive any payment, benefit or preferential treatment from EFC.
This policy sets out the process by which the Everton Football Club (EFC) Fan Advisory Board (FAB) should investigate complaints or charges that a member may, directly or indirectly, have breached the terms of the FAB
Code of Conduct that they have signed up to as a condition of their membership.
A potential policy breach may come to light through a number of sources including, but not limited to:
(a) An issue arising during the course of a meeting that cannot be resolved by immediate intervention of the Meeting Chair to the satisfaction of all parties;
(b) A complaint from an individual (who may or may not be a member of the FAB);
(c) A complaint made via EFC; or
(d) An anonymous whistle blower.
Reported breaches should be addressed through the escalating stages detailed below until resolved in accordance with this policy.
Informal consideration of evidence, and discussion, with directly affected persons, by the FAB secretary (unless they are the subject of the action, in which case a FAB member shall be appointed by majority vote of the FAB). At this stage, the matter can be resolved by:
(a) Determining that there is no case to answer; or
(b) Amicable resolution to the satisfaction of all parties.
At all times during the investigation the following rules and protocols will apply:
(a) All relevant documents and materials should be made available in advance to all parties.
(b) Cases may be conducted through written exchange of communication, but the respondent has the right to request face to face proceedings (including through remote audio or visual channels).
(c) Either party may present the evidence of witnesses to material facts of the case.
(d) Confidentiality should be maintained until final resolution. At the conclusion of proceedings, the panel will attempt to agree a joint statement if appropriate.
(e) No person with a direct connection to the accused or who is connected to material facts of the case can participate as part of a Disciplinary Committee.
(f) Any person who is involved with the initial informal consideration may not be involved in the Disciplinary Panel.
(g) The accused may request a person to attend proceedings alongside them as an observer.
Where a case is proven, sanctions should be applied that reflect the seriousness of the breach and any previous proven breaches of the relevant code by the accused person. Sanctions may include, but are not limited to one of more of the following:
(a) No action necessary;
(b) Mutually agreed resolution such as an acknowledgement or apology;
(c) Written warning/reprimand;
(d) Agreed corrective action by the accused member(s);
(e) Suspension from elected position on the FAB for a defined period;
(f) Termination of elected position on the FAB;
(g) Suspension of FAB membership for a defined period; or
(h) Expulsion from the FAB.
No member expelled from membership as a result of disciplinary action shall be re-admitted except by majority ruling of the FAB.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
The Fan Advisory Board (FAB) is an independent body for in-depth consultation with Everton’s hierarchy, including members of the Club’s Board of Directors.
The proposal for a FAB for Everton was developed after the Club asked the Everton Stakeholder Steering Group (ESSG) to look at how fans could best be represented at Board level, following the Government’s fan-led review of football’s future. This came in the wake of the failed attempt by 12 clubs to create a European Super League in April 2021. FAN-LED REVIEW
The ESSG sought and considered the views of Evertonians drawn from a wide range of sources, including email submissions to the Everton Fans’ Forum, a series of stakeholder workshops with fan group representatives, independent online forums, and the results of a survey undertaken by Everton Football Club.
The Club’s own survey identified that 91 per cent of respondents supported the creation of a committee or custodian group to help advise the Board on key fan-related matters.
Under the Terms of Reference , the FAB will operate independently and will be consulted on:
Yes, the officers of the Fan Advisory Board will be a Chairperson, Vice-Chair and Secretary. They will be elected at a FAB meeting on an annual/seasonal basis and the management of this process will be adjudicated by a member of the FAB who is not seeking election as an officer.
Yes, the officers of the Fan Advisory Board will be a Chairperson, Vice-Chair and Secretary. They will be elected at a FAB meeting on an annual/seasonal basis and the management of this process will be adjudicated by a member of the FAB who is not seeking election as an officer.
The FAB will meet independently without club representation, initially on a monthly basis, extending to quarterly once the FAB is fully established. All meeting minutes will be made available to the wider fanbase once approved at the subsequent FAB meeting.
Additionally, the FAB will meet with Everton Football Club executives on at least a quarterly basis, with guaranteed attendance of a representative from the Everton Board of Directors at all meetings. A public record outlining discussions at each meeting will be made available via Club and Fan Advisory Board channels.
The Club has also committed to discussing fan representation at Board meetings. The FAB will work with the Club to determine the best implementation process for this.
Welcome to the home of the recently established Everton Football Club Fan Advisory Board (FAB). We are an independent body established with the goal of ensuring that Evertonians’ voices are heard at the highest levels in Everton Football Club.
