IT is important every week to reflect on what is working well and what needs improving across all elements of the league.

Not an easy task, but a very important one.

Over the past few months, we have spent some time out talking to clubs about where they see the league and what we can do to improve.

The feedback is essential if we are to create the best football experience for our youth, ensuring we are taking the league to its highest level and it meets members' needs.

Our members have a major part to play in how their league should be run.

We want transparency, openness, honesty, constructive feedback and ideas on how we can take us to the next level.

We are also very keen to get clubs more involved with league decisions.

I’m really pleased with the feedback, but like any organisation, we know we can improve further.

We welcome members to attend club committee meetings, so if any club wishes to attend please give us a shout.

We’ve also spent more time with our partners in developing our relationships, and identifying initiatives and projects that we can partner on.

The positive meetings have involved the FA, county associations, Bolton Council, The Bolton News, University Of Bolton, Bolton Wanderers, Bolton Wanderers Community Trust, Bolton Futsal Club, AFC Masters, Matchwinner and Bolton FM.

There are so many opportunities and the future is exciting. Only this week, a sponsor has offered us packages on kits and footwear, and a Premier League football club to partner with us on raising player standards.

One initiative we embarked on in March was our change of calendar season, which is a three-year trial and has the full support of the FA and Lancashire FA.

The scheme is effectively the provision of a summer football programme for our younger, non-competitive age groups, from under-7s to u11s, running from March to October on primarily grass pitches.

We have learned many lessons in this first transition season, particularly in age group movement and consistency. There is no doubt it’s another successful format of football, playing on better pitches with no games postponed due to inclement weather.

A full review needs to take place, which we want to involve the FA, clubs, coaches and players in, but in the end it is the children who will determine its success or otherwise.

One area we are working very hard on is our zero tolerance policy on discipline, both on and off the field. The board and league committee will now be taking a more pro-active approach on all matters to put an end to a few incidents that have occurred recently, which, to be blunt, have no place in our league.

In serious allegations of indiscipline, the league will not hesitate in taking its own action against clubs, teams, coaches, players and parents, which at worst may include banning teams or individuals.

The action we take may be in addition to any action the Lancashire FA takes.

I sense a more serious approach to discipline by the county FAs and a stronger willingness to work closely with ourselves in ensuring the punishment fits the crime. It is much needed.

Thankfully, it is a minority, but one report is too many.

I’m pleased to report this strong message seems to be working its way around the league, and I’m delighted that some clubs (not all) involved in some of the incidents have taken their own decisive action internally.

We fully support this approach as it is a club's responsibility to ensure internal codes of conduct are applied and maintained and not left to the league or county FA to deal with.

In conclusion, there are a number of initiatives well advanced, including a new league structure, at board and committee level.

These include defining a long-term strategy for the league; a funded referee package aimed at attracting and retaining new referees; girls' football, including the very popular Wildcats project; a goalkeeping programme supported by the league; Winter Futsal; league sponsorship and the forming of a league youth council.

All of the initiatives were outlined at the inaugural BBDFL club secretary meeting on Monday, November 6.