## **POUNDBURY VILLAGE HALL TRUST** ## **Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 14[th] June 2023 in the Brownsword Hall at 19.30pm** **Present** : 36 persons as recorded on the attendance sheets. The Chairman, John Pearson, welcomed everyone to the meeting. ## **1. Apologies for absence** Euan Felton, Ginny & Jonathan Farmiloe, Mark Fitton, Stewart Palmer and Sheila Master. ## **2. Minutes of the Meeting held on 22[nd] June 2022** These were agreed as a correct record. ## **3. Matters Arising** In Minute 8 the Management Committee were actioned to review the Quorum requirements for both general and committee meetings as the tendency towards lower attendance levels was in danger of making business unworkable. Having consulted and sought guidance from the Charity Commission the committee asked Peter Bryant, who raised the issue last year, to propose firstly that: ‘Clause 24.b be amended to show that a Quorum for any Annual, General or Special Meeting requires 10 attendees but not including Trustees to be present.’ Seconded - Ginny Felton. ## **Motion carried unanimously** . He proposed secondly that: ‘The Quorum for a Committee Meeting requires 1/3 of all Trustees + 1.’ Seconded – Philippa Thorniley. ## **Motion carried unanimously** . The Chairman thanked everyone for their understanding and support and advised that the Charity Commission would now be informed. ## **4. Chairman’s Report** The full, formal report has been on the Hall website and in the summer edition of the Poundbury magazine so the Chairman summarised this by saying that “it has been a good year for the Hall with high levels of bookings, in fact the highest for 10 years. Our faithful regulars are the backbone with a few new commercial users filling some gaps. Chris Platt, our Caretaker, is undoubtedly a fine asset which many village halls cannot afford for the setting up and putting away the furniture, cleaning the Hall and greeting each hirer – particularly the new ones. Wendy Gordon, our Bookings Officer, too, must take enormous credit for squeezing in and re-arranging sessions to make the most of the available time and answering the myriad questions of prospective hirers. To both Chris and Wendy, I am mightily grateful and give them praise and thanks. Of particular issue this year has been how to deal with the steep increases in energy prices and the running costs of the Hall. The trustees had carefully to balance necessary increases of hire charges against what we thought the hirers could afford. Added to this is the expenditure necessary to keep the Hall and Pummery Square in shape, clean and safe. This has inevitably resulted in a small shortfall of takings over spending – a little over £3,000 which would have been much higher if the funds collected over the years by the BEC (Brownsword Events Committee) had not paid for the reupholstery of the chairs and towards other capital expenses. Increasingly over the next few years we shall face challenges in the maintenance of the building and the Square without these contributions. We are progressing the provision of Broadband and Wi-Fi into the Hall to encourage more commercial hires seemingly a greater attraction now than before. We do have adequate reserves for the short term and for most contingencies and a conservative **Wish List of improvements and repairs** for the coming year. We face the future with confidence, under borne with a robust **Investment Portfolio** . What we sadly lack still, are younger people to come forward to add new blood to our trustees to whom I voice my gratitude for their willing and expert support and hard work. Sadly, in the past week or so, we have had a new cohort of ‘Banksies’ who feel they have to express themselves in puerile graffiti on the stonework and bench, which causes extra work and expense for the Hall and especially the caretaker. We have photos of the miscreants from the undercroft CCTV and are in touch with the PCSO, police and the Neighbourhood Watch Phase One.” ## **5. Treasurer’s Report** Debbie Fitton observed that this was the first full year’s figures not impacted by Covid 19 and, thanks to all the regulars returning, bookings were high. Analysis shows that 561 hirings generated some £29,000 and tracking this shows that 50% of the income is from regular events, run by professionals hiring the Hall to run classes, activities etc. charging attendees a fee from which to make a profit. The Trustees are mindful of these groups which are the most price sensitive when they consider a price review. The remainder of the Regular User group are the non-professionals such as The Pentecostal Church, Camera Club and Parents & Toddlers and includes Poundbury Ladies, Wineknows and Pot Luck Suppers. Children’s Parties are still the largest sub group of Private Charity income while Business Income, remaining the lowest amount, has seen a marked improvement; Business enquiries do fail sometimes as they often require whole days which we cannot accommodate. The Wish List mentioned by the Chairman drives the budget with the main cost item being Tree Pruning. The installation of CCTV has proved invaluable e.g. identifying the graffiti vandals, while we have recently had a thorough assessment of the Lift carried out by consultants. Their report has given a good indication of future costs and timings allowing us to plan more accurately for maintenance and prolonging its useful life. Utility costs have affected the Hall as with everyone else so higher costs of heat and light have to be taken into account. A new deal has been struck with EDF, back dated 3 months and to match Octopus and we will continue to shop around. We have discontinued the Alcohol Licence as we do not sell it, so a licence is not required. If needed we can apply for a TEN (temporary event notice) at only £20 per time. Also a strict eye is kept on the Performing Rights Society requirements ensuring that we only pay for music related events not all activities. BEC finally ceased to function at the end of 2022 having funded the reupholstering of the Hall chairs before paying over the final balance. Hire Charges had been subject to a small increase in line with inflation on January 1[st] 2023. Philippa Thorniley queried the basis on which BEC’s successor, Poundbury Entertainments, would pay for the Hall. DF explained that, as it is independent of the PVHT, charges will be as per normal. PT felt that Mancos should not have to pay business rates for use of the Hall and DF agreed to investigate this. ## **6. Election of Trustees** The Chairman was pleased that all Trustees had agreed to continue; Steve Souhami had come to the end of his 3 year term but was happy to be reelected for a further term. Proposed by Philippa Thorniley, Seconded by Ginny Felton. **Approved.** ## **7. Appointment of Auditor** DF confirmed that the accounts had been independently examined by Joanne McCourt, Finance Director and CEO of a Poundbury Business. David Leaper advised that the Brownsword Hall Charity, which leases the Hall to the Trust, is pursuing advice on future structuring but that, as all is looking quite well at present, this is on the back burner. DF proposed acceptance of Joanne McCourt and David Leaper seconded ## **Attendees voted unanimously to accept** . ## **8. Any Other Business** (i) Peter Bryant proposed a vote of thanks to Wendy Gordon for her successful endeavours in keeping the Hall busy. **All agreed.** (ii) Nigel Walker asked what action was being taken to remove the graffiti. Steve Souhami advised that a toxic chemical was being tested but may need a few applications with results depending on the markers used. NW felt that the mess should be covered up in the meantime. SJS said that the Belvedere and the Middlemarsh Temple were much worse. The CCTV had identified one of the culprits and the police were dealing with it. (iii) Peter Bryant asked about the electrics in the broken manhole in Pummery Square. SJS reassured him that all had been repaired with the electric junction boxes sealed inside. (iv) David Leaper offered a vote of thanks to all Trustees for their hard work and efforts in keeping the Hall going. **All agreed.** The Meeting closed at 20.11 ¥5¥ts.1£. ¥5¥ts.1£.