IN his monthly column for the Hereford Times, the Herefordshire FA chief executive officer tells us how the county FA have been working towards a non-mandatory Governance Code:

IT has been another busy month for the Herefordshire FA (HFA) team, which consists of nine core and 13 additional members.

The HFA Board agreed a little while back to work towards compliance with the Football Association’s non-mandatory Governance Code.

The aim of the Code is to achieve best-practice governance and it really leads the way in terms of this area.

We have recently appointed two new independent board members, which brings the total of independent members up to 25 per cent.

Both are really strong appointments and I’m looking forward to seeing what they bring to our already vastly experienced board.

Safeguarding is of huge importance to us, with our aim being to ensure this area remains genuinely embedded across the whole organisation.

We are required to adhere to the FA’s Safeguarding Operating Standard, this being 100 separate measures across all of our work, and it was great to learn recently that we have again achieved compliance, following an external audit.

The timing of this confirmation has worked out well, with us currently putting together plans for the FA’s Safeguarding Weekend on 20/21 November, details of which we will be releasing shortly.

As reported previously, in line with a national trend, referee numbers are down against last year.

We have just announced another course on 8 and 12 December.

I would strongly encourage anyone with an interest in football to sign up, as refereeing is a fantastic way to get involved.

It is usually about this point of the article where I realise just how busy things are, as I haven’t even mentioned our exciting new three-year strategy, confirmed building redevelopment or a fantastic new main partner.

I’ll have to save those for another time.