Chair’s Report to the Annual General Meeting
16th November 2023
Dear Member,
Introduction
I am pleased to be delivering this report to you for 2023. This report first reviews Broadheath Community Association activity prior to reviewing activity related to our main asset, Broadheath Community Hall.
In the past year, Broadheath Community Association (BCA) and Broadheath Community Hall
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(BCH) has continued to be managed by six Directors who:-
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●Meet once per month as a group to formally discuss standing items regarding each
- Director’s ongoing areas of responsibility
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●Manage ongoing issues related to BCA and BCH matters
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●Deal with operational matters between formal meetings via a WhatsApp group
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●Ensure a Hall open and closing rota is delivered to support one-off bookings
As for 2022, the main priorities for BCA Directors have been to focus on running BCH, However, and in particular, a backdrop to this year’s Annual Report is the increase in costs driven by inflation rates and the cost of living crisis. These have been felt by both users and directors of the Hall and the implications these have on our income and expenditure. Additionally, an untimely number of repairs and renewals have been required, although we do now have a resolution to the heating problem described in the 2022 report.
While consistently meeting the requirements within the BCA Articles of Association, it has been
difficult to plan more strategically against these and it is likely that for at least another year, BCA’s Directors will remain in operational mode (i.e. focussed on the running of BCH). It is hoped that with recruitment of additional Directors, plus a number of new volunteers, we can become more strategic in working for our community.
After the AGM for 2022, a new Director role for Community Engagement was introduced and appointed. This has given BCA scope for expansion to return to the type of work (outside of managing BCH) that we’ve envisaged as principal BCA objectives and that we enjoy. Later in this document, you’ll find a description of two more new roles we would like to see in the BCA Directorship.
Broadheath Community Association (BCA) Updates
BCA Events - past year
- 5th Anniversary Broadheath Community Hall.
Once again the Hall’s birthday celebration was a great success. There were bouncy castles, side shows, donkey rides, disco music, free ice creams and refreshments and a plentiful number of games and activities available both inside and outside the
Hall. Some two hundred people attended including the Mayor and Mayoress of Trafford and the feedback about the event was very positive.
Carol Concert
A second Carol Concert was organised in December 2022. Sale Salvation Army Band provided music for the concert and the Choir of Broadheath Primary School led the singing. I am pleased to report that we shall be hosting a third Carol Concert on the 7th December 2023. Sale Salvation Army Band and Broadheath Primary School Choir will again join us.
Current Additional Work
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●The Police and Community Group (PACT) have recently begun to use the hall for meetings with local residents.
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●The Gardening Group is once again meeting on the last Sunday of each month.
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●Broadheath Partnership Group has reformed and is reconstituted as a networking forum. BCA have representation.
In Progress / Planning
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●Carol concert - December 7th, Broadheath Community Hall.
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●A Food Share group is in the early stages of development which we have agreed initially, and in principle, to support.
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●We are also in discussion with a group of BCA residents who wish to provide a range of activities to support youth development, with possible use of BCH on alternate Sunday evenings.
BCA Leadership
Director Roles
Through the appointment of a Director with responsibility for Community Engagement, a Group User Group has been introduced. This is now scheduled to meet quarterly with a primary aim of ensuring group users are more familiar with BCA objectives and are networking with other users.
We are looking to appoint 2 additional Directors, one with responsibility for Estates Managements and one with responsibility for Compliance and Compliance Monitoring.
We believe these areas will support
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●BCA to expand in how it meet its objectives for our community
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●BCH to continue to offer an important resource and a means of strengthening ties with the local community
| Area: | Trustee with responsibility for Hall Maintenance and Contract Management |
|---|---|
| Backgrou nd |
BCA has grown and is responsible for the management of Broadheath Community Hall. It is therefore important to have a Director with a focus on responsibilities related to the running and maintenance of Broadheath Community Hall. This would require liaison with utility companies; cleaning companies; gardeners and other contractors across theyear whoprovide maintenance services for BCA. |
| Skills and Knowledg |
●Understanding of the need for oversight in relation to managing a buildingthat is open to thepublic. |
| e | ●Able to utilise email to liaise with relevant companies ●Must be a team player with an understanding of governance and the need for shared decision making. |
|---|---|
| Area: | Trusteewith responsibilityforCompliance |
| Backgrou nd |
BCA has grown and is responsible for the management of Broadheath Community Hall. It is therefore important to have a Director with a focus on compliance and compliance monitoring, related to BCA conduct and Broadheath Community Hall. This would require liaison with the Information Commissioner's Ofce and PPL PRS; compliance with electrical and fre testing procedures; ensuring policies are current and ensuring appropriate risk assessments are in place for events we hold across the year. We wish to share responsibilities more evenly across BCA Directors by appointing a Trustee to the Board with the relevant expertise to work smartly and efciently in developing an appropriate approach to compliance and compliance monitoring, including:- ●Creation and monitoring of risk assessments and related activities for BCA events ●Co-creation and subsequent monitoring of BCA policies ●Use of electronic documentation to record compliance |
| Skills and Knowledg e |
Good working knowledge of a range of related skills, potentially including :- ●Risk assessments / compliance monitoring ●In collaboration with designated Directors, able to review BCA policies ie safeguarding; complaints ●Able to use Google sheets (BCA utilise a Google workspace) |
Unfortunately, no interest has been generated in either of these roles, so these will remain open to recruitment after this AGM.
Broadheath Community Hall Update
Management and Maintenance
The BCA Director group continues to act as the BCH management group. This may change by AGM 2024 as we are currently looking for two additional director roles.
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●We continue to deploy the services of a local tradesman to take on the role of handyman as there are constant jobs to be undertaken in order to maintain the high standards of upkeep within the hall.
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●The meeting rooms and foyer have been decorated this year.
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●Last year I reported that an ongoing challenge had been the heating system. These problems have been present since the hall opened. We have taken advice from experienced consultants regarding this matter, and spent considerable monies addressing the problem. At the time of reporting, the problem seems to have been resolved.
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●On the external wall of BCH is the Broadheath community defibrillator. This ceased to be viable for use earlier this year and while not funded by BCA, it has been replaced with a new model and is being maintained.
Hall Usage - Operational Review
We continue to have long-term group users - Zumba, Kettles, Yoga, Danceworks Altrincham, Scouts, Beavers, Cubs and Slimming World in the evenings; during the day there is the Pre- school for 2 to 4 year old children, a Walking Group and a Friendship Group for the more mature, and 2 meditation groups at the weekends. Foot Respect, a healthcare provider continues to deliver a one to one foot care service during the day.
BCA has so far continued to maintain charges for regular group users at the reduced rate set in 2018 and continues to subsidise both the Walking Group and the Friendship Group who meet each week at BCH regarding their running costs.
A range of one-off weekend bookings continue to be made. These have included birthday parties, family get-togethers and other celebrations, such as events to celebrate Eid and Chinese New Year.
The Hall has also continued to be used as a polling station. This has brought in extra income and, at the same time, has reached members of the local community who may not have visited the Hall or known about the activities that take place. It has since been agreed that the Hall will be performing this function in May 2024.
Hall Usage - Strategic Planning
In 2022, directors set targets to assist in restarting activities post-Covid 19. For 2023, the decision was taken to continue to support long term group users financially:-
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●the Walking Group and Friendship Group have their usage costs fullysubsidised by BCA.
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●other long-term users (from prior to March 2020) have benefited from a slightly-reduced loyalty rate (not including those users on community rates) and all have had adjustments made to allow providers to successfully return to running their activities.
In addition, we set objectives for new or existing groups:-
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●we continue to offer a reduced community rate of hire subject to meeting eligibility criteria (that the group have objectives for supporting the community of Broadheath).
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●BCA have continued to offer support for community groups in their set-up phase so that signposting for advice and guidance can be offered and so that costs could potentially be subsidised. The group must have plans to create objectives for supporting the community of Broadheath. A copy of the support request form is available on request and by invitation.
Please note
In the coming year, we will need to review hire charges in the light of increasing operational costs such as cleaning, electricity and gas.
We would wish all our supporters best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
Thanks also to those who have actively supported the Directors as they fulfilled their individual
responsibilities and to those who provide activities/services for our community. Finally, and on our members behalf, I would like to say a special thanks to my Director
colleagues. They have worked tirelessly to provide quality management and maintenance of the Community Hall.
Kind Regards,
Ian Golding, Chair, BCA
| Bank balance brought forward to April 2022 (A) £69,296.93 |
Combination of one off and group bookings Summary of Activities Minus amount. Refund of hire fee already paid due to change of mind |
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| 5001 - BCA equipment & consumables £1,365.13 5002 - Event specific £2,707.77 6000 - Marketing £234.00 7200 - Electricity £1,347.76 7210 - Gas & Oil £1,844.60 7460 - Subsistence £11.59 7540 - Internet Charges £437.94 7605 - Corporate Licences/Fees £117.86 7615 - Safeguarding £35.00 7620 - Consultancy & Professional Fees £553.20 7630 - Business Insurance £1,965.88 7800 - Repairs and Renewals £6,634.42 7805 - Maintenance Services £1,765.29 7810 - Cleaning Services £9,441.30 7910 - Banking error - expense £ - 7913 - Refund to BCA £185.65 (D) (B)-(D) Total expenditure for this period £28,276.09 £ 67,973.34 Net surplus on 31st March 2023 -£ 1,323.59 Signed Signed Printed Name Mary Speake Printed Name Bank balance carried forward on 1-4-2023(C)-(D) |
Cleaning equipment; kitchen & bathroom cleaning comsumables; Carol concert; xmas gift; xmas meal; anniversay open day Web domain / hosting Pozitive electricity Crown gas Director's meeting off site BT - wifi Companies house Information commission annual fee Crown Fire Services - firechecks Methodist insurance Decorating; plumbing/gas (heating and boiler; front door repairs; back gate repairs; maintenance services/labour. Crown fire services - maintenance; landscaping Rentokil sanitary bins; window cleaning; cleaning contractor None noted Minus amount as these amounts as these items were refunded after initial outlay by BCA. Replacement kitchen worktop; refund for disabled toilet lamp; refund for software key (=loss) |
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| Ian Golding | ||
| Treasurer, BCA Position Position |
Chair, BCA |
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