Chairman’s Report AGM 2021
This is my second report as Chairman of ETSR since I assumed the role in March 2020.
Covering the period from the last Chairman’s Report and AGM on 11th November 2020 until today's 2021 AGM, once again this is a report dominated by the impact of the Covid 19 Pandemic upon our Trust and activities at the Village Halls .
Covid-19 Pandemic
This time last year we were in the second national lockdown, anticipating a planned reopening of the halls on 2nd December 2020. Such optimism was to prove to be misplaced as no sooner had the halls been reopened then they were closed again on 5[th] December 2020 and the country prepared to "cancel Christmas".
You will recall from my report last year that the Trustees, faced earlier in 2020 with the collapse in income, had already focussed their attention upon containing and reducing costs and suspending all discretionary spending. We had already taken action to access support offered through the Government and the District Council and used the Job Retention Scheme to place Catherine Richards, our Administrator, on Furlough leave.
Having thus bolstered our year end July 2020 financial position, the Trustees were threatened with yet more crippling losses of earnings, despite continued access to these safety nets.
To counter this position, a process had been set in motion and ETSR submitted findings to the Parish Council (as Custodian Trustees and Guarantors for the Lease) with a request for financial support if the forecast erosion of funds was to prove accurate.
At the same time in December 2020, discussions opened with the Sussex Community's NHS Foundation Trust working in partnership with a number of GP practices (hereafter referred to as "NHS") with a view to establishing the village halls as a Covid Vaccination Centre. After many meetings and significant amounts of correspondence, agreement was reached in early January 2021 for the Parker Hall to be hired by the NHS for an initial period from 12th January to 14th May 2021. As most of you will know, this hire period was then extended through until 6[th] August, allowing the halls to play a major role in combating this dreadful disease.
ETSR wishes to formally thank the Parish Council for their support at the time that the request for contingency funding was made. Although this was never drawn upon, the addition to the Council's budget was finalised at a time when the halls were closed for normal use, the extent of the NHS hire period was not fully known and there was minimal visibility on if and when income from normal hiring activities would resume.
The Halls as a Vaccination Centre
Notwithstanding the financial impact of the NHS hiring of the halls, their use as a Vaccination Centre was an unqualified success. Thanks are due to many parties.
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The NHS front line staff, administrators and the huge number of volunteers were fantastic. Local residents worked together to overcome teething problems with the increased weight of traffic and parking, villagers provided driveway parking and cakes (!) and everyone connected with the school and Barn Owls pre-school did everything possible to make the venture such a success. This was particularly the case when an eleventh hour request to more than double the size of the effort was accommodated by use of the School/Ahrens hall to meet the request for additional vaccination space. None of this could have been achieved without the flexibility and support of all those concerned.
When the halls were eventually handed back to ETSR by the NHS in August/September 2021, they benefitted from a pre-negotiated deep clean and redecoration of all affected areas together with other remedial works carried out at no cost to ETSR. As part of the "package" we provided to the NHS we took the opportunity to carry out required improvements to our emergency lighting system, the costs of which have been apportioned over the financial years ending July 2021 and 2022.
Update on Lease
Against the background of a global pandemic the (final) completion of our lease seems somewhat insignificant. That said it has been the culmination of many years of hard work, not least by John Barnes, and it is pleasing to report that signed copies now reside with the Parish Clerk for safe keeping.
Financial Performance and Fund Raising
The Treasurer's Report covers our financial year from 1/8/2020 until 31/7/2021.
Once again it is impossible to escape the impact of the Covid situation. Income for the year was dominated by the NHS hiring and the receipt of various support grants. Similarly, we continued to take advantage of the Government's Furlough scheme throughout the year.
On the costs side, we incurred additional expenditure to support the NHS operation some of which has continued beyond the financial year end. Prudently, we refunded all pre-booking payments and deposits meaning that we ended the year with no contingent liabilities.
Post the July 2021 year end we have transferred surplus funds (£10,000) from our current account to our deposit account to help fund anticipated future longer term maintenance and buildings related expenditure.
With the exception of the splendidly supported Monthly Draw 100 Club, no additional fund raising was undertaken during the past year. In respect of the 100 Club, we thank all participants, and especially those members who demonstrate still further support by donating their prizes to ETSR. We are very grateful for this additional generosity.
Eleanor Knowles and Mary Barnes were due to host an Open Garden event in August, however the British summer intervened and the event had to be cancelled. We thank Eleanor and Mary for their kind offer and look forward to better weather next year.
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Forecast
Despite our significantly improved financial position, there is absolutely no room for complacency. Since the reopening of the halls in September 2021 our hiring income is significantly down on more normal times.
We thank those of our regular hiring groups for the loyalty they have demonstrated by returning to the halls at the earliest opportunity and we encourage all potential users to make the fullest use possible of the village halls, village square and practice room as we attempt to bounce back from these difficult times.
We remain acutely aware that we are required to make significant payments on a monthly basis to support our contracted commitments which largely reflect the nature of our shared premises structure with the school. These considerable costs include Site Management, cleaning, electricity, fuel, insurance, facilities testing and many more, together with the Trust's own administration costs.
The Trustees will do everything possible to restore the halls to a self-financing position and will actively look at new means of fund raising. On a broader note we are looking for increased involvement from the village in terms of use of the halls and through involvement with ETSR. We would like to increase our number of helpers and if possible our Trustee numbers. We would particularly like to attract people who have new ideas for how the halls can be used and who can bring fresh ideas to the table in terms of broadening our appeal. If nothing else, the vast number of people who attended the Vaccination Centre saw just how good our facilities are with many posting very supportive comments. We must aim to capitalise upon this goodwill.
Trustees, JMC and other thanks.
Neither ETSR nor the halls could function without the unstinting hard work and involvement of the Trustees: John Barnes, Paulette Barton, Joe Kilgallon, Nicky Menzies, Steve Millea and Nick Smith all of whom have committed to continue to serve for the coming year. I thank them all for their tremendous support and enthusiasm.
I would particularly like to single out Steve for his help in establishing the Vaccination Centre and for his excellent work in respect of determining and processing financial support we have received through third party grants.
In addition to six formal meetings held during the year there have been several conference calls and offsite meetings held to address the exceptional issues we have battled during this unprecedented year. I would like to thank each and every one of the Trustees for their terrific attendance and participation.
Likewise, we continue to work formally and informally on a most harmonious basis with the school both through the Joint Management Committee and regular ad hoc meetings. Our thanks go to Greg Coleman, Matthew Montebello, Annette Childs and behind the scenes to Gail and Steve Forward for all their help.
I make no apologies again for thanking the Head and his staff, together with the Barn Owls Pre-School team, Greg, Steve and Gail for their exceptional support on all matters relating to the successful establishment and operation of the Vaccination Centre operation.
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Throughout the use of the halls by the NHS, Catherine Baigent transferred her duties to an external operation to support the cleaning of the halls and we are pleased that she has rejoined us as our regular cleaner helping to provide a safe and secure environment for all of our user groups.
I would like to thank Catherine Richards our Administrator for her fantastic efforts throughout the year. It has not been an easy year for Catherine having to step aside during her periods of Furlough Leave before gradually returning to her normal full time activities. Once again Catherine has worked tremendously hard to help prepare for the reopening of the halls. Much work goes on behind the scenes to convert expressions of interest into actual bookings and this is often overlooked. On behalf of us all, Catherine, a very big thanks for your support and loyalty.
Finally, on a personal note, I offered to serve as Chairman for a fixed period to cover the AGMs through until November 2022. Whilst I am very happy to continue to be fully engaged as a Trustee thereafter, I do intend to stand down as Chairman after the next full year term and I would welcome the chance to work with any existing Trustees or new entrants to achieve this goal.
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