POOR financial figures for 2005 and a glimpse into a possible future for their Canterbury headquarters will be top of the agenda for Kent County Cricket Club members at Monday's annual meeting at St Lawrence.

Club officials will no doubt expect a number of searching questions over the county’s record post-tax losses of almost £310,000, but will hope to deflect criticism by unveiling their ambitious plans for their 136-year-old ground.

Though 11 of the 18 first-class counties ended last season in the red, the size of Kent’s deficit – their first since 2001 – has already led to a statement by club chairman Carl Openshaw aimed at appeasing supporters.

In his letter to the members Mr Openshaw said that seriously adverse results from the club’s former contract caterers Aramark were chiefly responsible for the record losses, but above-budget expenditure on players’ salaries and coaching costs took overall pre-tax losses to £341,898.

Since January the club have taken catering responsibilities in-house and will hope to improve income with this summer’s Elton John concert.

According to chief executive Paul Millman these are the first steps into transforming the quaint but faded St Lawrence into a state of the art stadium that offers year round business income to help finance on-field cricket activities.

Mr Millman said: "We want to create a sustainable cricket club in Canterbury and these proposals are intended to do that."

Kent’s honorary treasurer Alister Dunning will undoubtedly face some of the most barbed questioning since he took over the role from Tony Levick after the 1998 campaign.

While chairman of cricket Graham Johnson and new skipper Rob Key will field queries on playing matters in the absence of director of cricket Graham Ford, who is at home in South Africa.

After cricketing matters have been debated, members will watch a presentation on club plans to sell off two pockets of St Lawrence land for housing. If the scheme receives planning consent, income from the land sales will help finance a new stand and hospitality boxes.

The club will also announce business plans for a new hotel and fitness centre at the ground and any progress in attracting a backer prepared to pay for ground naming rights.

Monday night’s meeting, which will be held in the Harris Room of the Colin Cowdrey Stand, starts at the earlier time of 7pm and a public exhibition of the scheme will be held at the ground on Thursday, March 16 from 2pm.