A growing clamour for greater cricket representation at the top saw the permitted number of former players increase from two to four, with 73 per cent of members voting in favour of the change.
Club legend David Lloyd was among those present at Old Trafford to see the vote pass.
However, the rule change, which refers to former employees rather than players, still leaves the club’s nominations committee in control of deciding who to put forward.
Lloyd, along with other former players, is reported to have lodged a complaint with the ECB over chief executive Daniel Gidney’s remarks dismissing the so-called rebels as “entitled older white men”.
Many former players and members fear for Lancashire’s future as a members’ club and are calling for greater cricket knowledge at board level.
They argue that currently only one member, John Abrahams, has the necessary experience, though Sir Clive Lloyd will add to that now he has been voted in as president.
The meeting got off to a stormy start when a member stood up and demanded it be abandoned immediately, but interim chair Dame Sarah Storey declined to allow him a microphone and repeatedly asked him to sit down.
Although a number of resolutions were tabled, Dame Storey indicated that most – aside from board member votes – concerned matters that will be addressed in a wide-ranging governance review, triggered after a special general meeting was abandoned several weeks ago.
“We have a wide-ranging review looking at the rules in their entirety, so we don’t recommend voting in favour of the resolutions,” she said.
The agm comes against a backdrop of considerable financial and political turbulence.
Lancashire has reported the strongest balance sheet in its history following a £29.2million windfall from the sale of a majority stake in its Hundred franchise, which helped cut the club’s debt by 40 per cent to just over £18m.
Total turnover for 2025 was £34.8m, with an operating profit of £1.5m before exceptional items.
However, independent sports analyst Paul Quinn warned last week that the club’s finances going forward remain precarious, with costs rising far faster than revenue.
Honorary treasurer Vic Stewart echoed those concerns at the agm, confirming cost pressures are building and that the Hundred windfall could not be used for wages.
She described the Hilton Hotel inside the ground as “the engine room of stability” and said cash would be allocated towards a refurbishment programme.
The club’s plan to crackdown on the number of special general meetings called by members failed as voters refused a resolution to increase the number of signatories required from 100 to 200.
