STRACHUR MEMORIAL HALL COMMITTEE
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
29th OCTOBER 2019
1) Attendees:
Executive: Patrick Gibb (Chair), Evie Campbell (Booking Officer), Douglas McHugh (Treasurer), Sheena Dowse (Events), Alison Roy (Secretary)
Group Representatives: Ian Asher (Hub), Kate Paton (Piping Association), Anne Fiddes (Guild/Quilters), Bill Dickson (Flower Show), Annette McCracken (SWI), Drew Stewart (Newsletter), R. MacKenzie (Church), Cathy Montgomery (Smiddy), Teresa Hunt-Earle (Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop), Susan Gaffney (History Society), Jackie Scott-Mandeville (Country Dancing/SNP),
Other Persons: Les Earle, Fiona Campbell,
2) Apologies: Loraine Stewart, Ian Wilkie, Rita MacKellar, Anne and Douglas Currie
3) Minutes of the AGM 26th October 2018: The minutes were approved in January 2019.
4) Chair’s Welcome and Report: Patrick Gibb welcomed everyone to the meeting.
ln the year 2018/19, around 24 local community groups were regular users of the hall complex. The Community Council holds some of its meetings on the premises. There are also regular sessions run on a commercial basis by individuals providing classes in Yoga, etc. The hall was also let out for parties and funerals and for the European Parliament election. Activities catered for all age groups and abilities with no restrictions on the grounds of ethnicity, religion or politics, so long as safety was observed and there were no adverse effects on village residents. The hall had 975 bookings in the year-1/6/18 -30/06 19- slightly less than the 1022 in 2017/18. Total booked hours were 2424 compared to 2431 in 2017/18 and 2700 in 2016/17. ln last year's report we noted that the former toy library had been packed up to be stored in the hall, and this had allowed us to open up the use of the room formerly occupied by the toy library to other uses. It was agreed last summer to rent this room out to the local History Society. The History Society had formerly occupied an attic room in the hall but it had been decided about two years earlier that the attic room was not suitable for the society because it could present a fire hazard. The use of the former toy library by the History Society proved to be problematic because it was considered to cause a problem with the safeguarding arrangements of the Youth & Drama Group. This was resolved by agreeing that the History Society would not use the room for an hour and a quarter on Tuesday evenings when the Youth and Drama Group was in session.
The rejuvenation of the tennis court was completed in June 2018, at the end of the 2017/18 financial year. Grant funding had been received to pay for this but the final bill amounting to £7,894 wasn't received until July 2018 and thus is included in this (18/19) financial year, which explains the large deficit in the current year. With further fire-alarm maintenance costs and some minor roof and multicourt edging maintenance, the Fabric Fund will require to be increased next financial year. Cleaning and heating costs continue to be major recurring expense items in the General Fund.
Risk Management -The Committee has reviewed the possible risks to which the charity is exposed, and currently cannot identify any major risks which would require urgent attention. Our reserves have been reduced by the cost of the new oil-fired boiler, and although they are probably still adequate for any unforeseen emergency we would like to increase them again over the next few years. The building is structurally sound.
Fire alarms are tested weekly and further inspected regularly by an external contractor. Fire extinguishers are also tested regularly by an external contractor.
For the full report see “Strachur Memorial Hall Committee Financial Accounts.
5) Treasurer’s Report (Douglas McHugh): Thanks go to Heather Grier who has audited the financial accounts at no cost to the hall.
Heather made the observation on page 3 that there were unpaid invoices amounting to £295.
Some of this has now been paid. Please make sure all invoices are settled promptly and please write your invoice number on the back of the cheque. You can also pay by BACS.
The expenditure included finishing the multicourt as the grant for this refurbishment was received too late for last year’s accounts.
In essence the hall is in profit and is currently building up its reserves.
The 50/50 club was of great benefit to the hall and brings in an income of £2000 per year.
Thanks go to Teresa Hunt-Earle, the organiser, and to all the collectors.
For the full report see “Strachur Memorial Hall Committee Financial Accounts”.
This financial report was approved and will be sent to OSCR. (Full financial Accounts attached).
The committee is very appreciative of the amount of work that Douglas does in keeping the hall financial accounts in order and thanked him most sincerely for all his hard work.
6) Other Reports:
Booking Officer: As well as doing the bookings, the Booking Officer (Evie Campbell) also prepares the monthly invoices. Bookings have, in the main run smoothly and group representatives mainly use email to make them. This is the preferred method as it gives a paper trail. Since the electronic invoicing system has been introduced I’m pleased it is still working well. But please do check your invoice carefully as mistakes can, and occasionally, do occur.
A total of 1010 bookings from October 2018 – October 2019 compared with 1089 for the previous year. However, the hall remains a popular venue. Although most of the bookings are by local user groups there has been a concert, Hogmanay dance and The Mull Theatre.
Please remember to check your group is booked at the start of the year.
Again, can I say if you don’t hear from me confirming your booking, please get in touch with me again. I always acknowledge requests
7) Appointment of Office Bearers:
Les Earle volunteered to be the Chairman and Fiona Campbell the Secretary. Douglas McHugh and Evie Campbell are both willing to stand for another year. Robin MacKenzie proposed that the new volunteers and current office bearers be accepted. There being no application from the meeting for any other volunteers, the Executive Committee was subsequently appointed as below:
Chair: Les Earle
Vice Chair: Vacant
Treasurer: Douglas McHugh
Bookings Officer: Evie Campbell
Events Officer: Vacant
Secretary: Fiona Campbell