New beginnings - 25% Truth, 80% Bollocks

[Power to people]

Anyone post the whole article as it is behind the paywall

[joeydubya]

Police and ambulance services have informed the Swindon Advertiser that they have outstanding invoices and were paid late by Swindon Town last season.

Responding to Freedom of Information requests, Wiltshire Police and the South West Ambulance Service Trust [SWAST] have revealed that the club were repeatedly late with payments during last season.

When asked about these late payments, CEO Anthony Hall explained: “We have been late with payments, we acknowledge that and have had to lean on our suppliers this season as it has been difficult.

“We have a payment plan worked out with Wiltshire Police to make these repayments which we have been sticking to.

“Bringing in processes has been one of the big things we have been working on, as we feel it is one of the key things we need to do as we continue to work through legacy issues at the club.

“It is very much a work-in-progress which is happening and being implemented for this coming season and financial year.”

In a request received on May 29, information from SWAST displayed that for their services, Swindon had been sent five invoices to be paid within 30 days of the invoice with a sixth invoice yet to be sent, with their per-match services costing £447 + VAT for a Commander and £400 + VAT for Specialist Paramedic upon request if the club had no crowd Doctor.

Of those invoices sent between August 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024, three of the invoices had been paid in full at the time of the request, but two had not been paid and were 84 and 40 days overdue for payment at that time.

In addition to those outstanding payments, the three invoices that had been paid were 26, 26, and 18 days late respectively when paid.

After an update was requested about whether those payments remained outstanding following the reception of the request to Wiltshire Police in July, SWAST revealed on July 22 that those two invoices had since been paid but were 95 and 59 days late respectively and the sixth invoice for the season is currently 22 days overdue.

Responding to a Freedom of Information request sent on May 27, Wiltshire Police responded on July 19, and they revealed that invoices are raised ahead of matches that require policing for the value that is set out by the NPCC National Policing Guidelines.

During the same time period of August 1, 2023, until May 31, 2024, the request revealed that two invoices were raised during that time frame with both being received outside of the agreed period and an unspecified number were outstanding.

Swindon were previously handed a fine and a one-window transfer fee restriction with a second window suspended in January for having more than 30 days in late payments to HMRC and another club and TrustSTFC have said stadium rent payments were repeatedly paid late last season, however, these late payments would not trigger the suspended second window as laid out in the EFL charge

[Boydy]

Cheers JoeyDubya.


Anyone know if it's possible the police and/or ambulance services could refuse to provide support due to non-payment of arrears?

[Batch]

After an update was requested about whether those payments remained outstanding following the reception of the request to Wiltshire Police in July, SWAST revealed on July 22 that those two invoices had since been paid but were 95 and 59 days late respectively and the sixth invoice for the season is currently 22 days overdue.

We are talking what, 4K tops owed per invoice? I get money/cash flow is tight but surely that's a critical bill and in the grand scheme not that high.

There was also the rumour the security company threatened to down tools for similar reasons at one point, but I thought owner "dolph" was all friendly with some of the people a the club so maybe not true.

I guess at this stage what counts is whether we have changed and are on top of it now.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

Time for another WTF?!?! e-mail from the Trust? The last one(s) seemed to have some effect...

[Bob's Orange]

We are talking what, 4K tops owed per invoice? I get money/cash flow is tight but surely that's a critical bill and in the grand scheme not that high.

There was also the rumour the security company threatened to down tools for similar reasons at one point, but I thought owner "dolph" was all friendly with some of the people a the club so maybe not true.

I guess at this stage what counts is whether we have changed and are on top of it now.

It's OK, Anthony Hall has added 'pay bills on time' into his company filofax. Useful as a woollen fire helmet that guy.

[Nemo]

Like, I want to see us have a competitive budget and team as much as the next STFC fan, but what the fuck are we doing buying more players if we haven't got the cashflow to pay the emergency services?

[Ƭ̵̬̊: The Artist Formerly Known as CWIG]

I fucking hate this regime and the fact they've taken being comfortable with supporting the club away from me.

Oh to be a willfully ignorant happy clapper willing to just ignore the constant stream of bullshit that comes from the club like this.

[fuzzy]

Am I the only one who doesn't have a problem with this e mail request?

I may be reading it wrong but, it sounds to me like they are trying to find someone within our number with the right background who is willing to act as a volunteer responder to things like medical emergencies in the stands?

[Nemo]

Am I the only one who doesn't have a problem with this e mail request?

I may be reading it wrong but, it sounds to me like they are trying to find someone within our number with the right background who is willing to act as a volunteer responder to things like medical emergencies in the stands?

Alone, it would just be a bit weird. In the context of them not paying the ambulance bills from last year (joeydubya's post above) it looks awful. "We didn't pay the professionals, can anyone do this to lend us a hand?"

[Bob's Orange]

It's also a paid role and not volunteer, as confirmed by Sam M on X

[RobertT]

Specifics always bring things into focus I suppose, but the accounts the club produced all but screamed we are not paying creditors, or paying them late when we do.  The short term creditors grew by a significant amount, and that was before the last year is reported to us.

I'd imagine the club felt the emergency services were a soft target - they'd have to keep turning up for the public good.  There was one of the crisis teams up North who ended-up with the Police refusing to service them a couple of years back, something to keep in mind Mr Hall.

Those pesky legacy issues must include never managing to have a bank account I presume?  Can't see how any issue from over three years ago would have anything to do with paying an invoice from the Ambulance service raised this year.  Just more strategic incompetence, or maybe I give them too much credit and it's only incompetence.  It's one of the two, neither says much about them.

[RobertT]

Just out of curiosity, while discussing the juxtaposition of a club buying players against the backdrop of not paying for critical emergency services, has the club presented it's comprehensive vision and master plan for the CG redevelopment to the JV Board yet?  Was due this month.

[Bob's Orange]

This looks like it might be a bit of pre-season amusement.

https://x.com/STFCCEO/status/1816459460094632445?t=vocgMlCrrrOX1ID_C2qkEQ&s=19

[Legends-Lounge]

This looks like it might be a bit of pre-season amusement.

https://x.com/STFCCEO/status/1816459460094632445?t=vocgMlCrrrOX1ID_C2qkEQ&s=19

🤣🤣