Carlisle United supporters' trust CUOSC facing questions amid confusion over new board member

CUOSC told members that Paul Halliday had been co-opted onto their board after being proposed, seconded and “unanimously” accepted at a meeting last Wednesday.

That information was included in their weekly briefing to members which was emailed on Sunday.

But after some fans asked why this information had not been shared at Thursday’s members meeting, CUOSC said Halliday was not yet a board member after all.

They went on to “apologise for confusion” caused by their initial comments.

But the trust have continued to face questions from supporters online, asking why the members’ briefing so clearly stated that Halliday had joined the board in the first place.

CUOSC would like to apologise for confusion caused in today's briefing regarding Paul. He is currently helping us with a view to being potentially coopted at a later date but at this stage doesn’t hold a board position. This is what the briefing should have read.

— CUOSC (@CUOSC) May 15, 2022

Some members of Unita Fortior, the recently-formed group aimed at increasing CUOSC membership, have been particularly critical of the trust’s communication on the matter.

The matter descended into controversy on Sunday when the weekly CUOSC briefing revealed minutes from a trust board meeting held last Wednesday.

It said: “Paul Halliday had expressed an interest in joining the board. His co-option was proposed by Nigel [Davidson] and seconded by Norman [Steel]. He was unanimously co-opted on to the board until the date of the 2022 AGM. Paul was offering to help improve our social media presence but had other areas in which he could contribute.”

On Thursday, the trust held a members’ meeting at Brunton Park and on Zoom – which the News & Star observed with CUOSC’s permission.

On that occasion, trust chair Frank Beattie introduced Halliday as someone who “volunteered at the last members’ meeting to come along and help us, and he’s doing precisely that this evening to help with the Zoom stuff and that sort of thing” – but made no mention of a board position.

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Fans then took to social media, in light of Sunday’s members’ briefing, to ask why the co-opting of a new board member had not been disclosed at that members’ meeting.

CUOSC then issued a statement on social media to say that Halliday had NOT been co-opted after all – and that their own board meeting minutes had been inaccurate.

“CUOSC would like to apologise for confusion caused in today's briefing regarding Paul,” their statement said.

“He is currently helping us with a view to being potentially co-opted at a later date but at this stage doesn’t hold a board position. This is what the briefing should have read.”

This drew further responses from supporters who asked how minutes from a board meeting could have been signed off containing such an obvious error.

The News & Star last night invited CUOSC to comment on the situation.

Meanwhile, also on Twitter, another trust board member Mark Middling said: “There was a vote in the meeting, very close to the discussion of Paul, but not regarding Paul's co-option. Paul was not at the meeting. The two things got confused. Honest mistake. Let's hope all this does not put Paul off.”

It has not been said what the actual vote concerned.

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