East Williamston Community and Hall Association AGM: 6[th.] September, 2021
Trustees’ Report
Prepared on behalf of the Board of Trustees by Doug McIntosh, Chair
This report records a year like no other in the history of the Association.
I note that in the Trustees’ Report for 2020 it was recorded that the Association was enjoying its 20[th] year of service to the community. Plans were being made to celebrate this milestone in some suitable manner throughout the summer in conjunction with a celebration of the 75[th] anniversary of VE Day. However, all these plans had to be abandoned as the Covid 19 pandemic took hold of the world. As Wales went into the first of two lockdowns the Association closed and ‘mothballed’ the Community Hall and almost all Association activities were put on hold.
I would like to record my thanks to my fellow trustees for all of their hard work and dedication to the aims of the Association during this extremely difficult period in preserving the Association’s assets ready for the time that it could resume normal service to the community.
Whilst the Jubilee Park play area had to be closed on government orders the remainder of the park was kept open, maintained by volunteers during lockdown to provide an invaluable sanctuary for local residents in which they could find an escape from confinement and exercise outdoors in safety.
A small dedicated group of trustees carried out an extraordinarily thorough and professional job in ensuring compliance with all WAG requirements necessary for the safe re-opening of the hall to its patrons when permitted in late September and again in May.
Whilst it was impossible to hold physical meetings over most of this year the trustees still managed to meet regularly remotely [in accordance with clause 19(4)(a) of the constitution] to ensure that all Association business was properly conducted. I would thank my fellow trustees for their patience with what occasionally could prove to be a less than perfect medium for meetings.
During the year the Board received one resignation but welcomed one new member, maintaining the number of trustees at thirteen.
As the scope of the Association’s activity has broadened significantly over its life so, too the load placed upon the trustees increases. The Board continues to encourage anyone interested in joining this community centred charity to join it in what it hopes they would find to be an interesting and rewarding opportunity to bring their own ideas and experience to the Association.
The Association is constantly looking for ways to raise its on-line profile and a small group of trustees is currently examining a number of possible IT initiatives. The new web site currently being developed is attracting increasing attention and proving highly successful.
One development resulting from the recent conversion of the Association to a CIO is that its constitution now allows EW Community Council to put forward one of its members for cooption as an Association trustee. It is believed that this merging of interest could help forge a
closer, beneficial link to the Council which does, after all, share many of the Association’s aims and aspirations for the community of East Williamston. Whilst this option was not exercised last year it is hope that future councils may view it favourably.
Hall
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A Resource Efficiency Report was commissioned from Severn Wye Energy Agency which recommended the replacement of the ageing oil boiler with a ‘greener’ alternative such as an air source heat pump. A donation of £1,000 towards such a project was received from Community Energy Pembrokeshire. However, after much research and the receipt of tenders for such a scheme the trustees concluded that, regrettably it was neither financially viable nor suitable for the hall’s heating requirements.
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Subsequently affordable quotations were obtained for the straight replacement of existing oil boiler with a new generation low-NOX, high efficiency model. The installation of this will be completed within this reporting year along with various upgrades to the central heating and domestic gas system generally. It is anticipated that significant savings in energy costs should be generated.
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The Association reported last year that it had been the beneficiary of a 10kW PV (solar) system at no cost to itself through the auspices of Egni Coop. This has been working very efficiently throughout the year although of course the potential benefits to the Association could not be enjoyed during lengthy hall closures.
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Unfortunately regulatory changes require the replacement of the hall’s heating oil storage tank and the construction of a firewall around same. This work has been tendered and will be completed during September.
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It was reported last year that the Association intended installing a number of new community sign boards within East Williamston with one of these was to be sited outside the hall, dedicated to the memory of past trustee, the late Graham Doney, using funds generously donated by his friends and family. Funding for the purchase of all six new boards was sourced through the ‘Enhancing Pembrokeshire Fund’. The boards have now been installed and are in shared use by the Association and EWCC.
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The hall electrical system and the hall’s fire safety equipment have been inspected and new certificates issued.
I know that the Board would wish me to record its sincere appreciation of the dedication to the upkeep of the hall shown by Trustee and hall manager Gwyneth Beynon, particularly in consideration of the huge extra cleaning workload generated by Covid regulations.
- After a year during which the Association took almost no income from hall hire it can be reported that, at end of this year bookings are almost back to pre-Covid levels with a number of new hirers now patronising the hall.
Jubilee Park
- Jubilee Park continues to mature very successfully and has been subject of a huge amount of maintenance and a number of development projects through the efforts of the FOJP volunteers. It continues to be enjoyed widely by local residents, holiday-
makers and local schools and colleges. It has again been the recipient of the prestigious ‘GREEN FLAG AWARD’.
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A number of new ‘green welly trails’ have been opened up through the maturing woodland areas and are being enjoyed by the more intrepid walkers. There are plans to continue this expansion of access
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Disappointingly, EWCC has experienced difficulties with its planned upgrade of the play area equipment during the high demand summer period and we still await news of this scheme.
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On the down side dog fouling continues to be a problem. EWCC has posted a number signs throughout the park warning inconsiderate dog owners of the penalties for failure to clear dog fouling. It is considered that the problem peaks significantly during summer when holiday-maker numbers increase.
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Another problem generated by the increased footfall in the park is the inadequacy of car parking. This issue is being addressed by EWCC but it is unclear what possible practical solution there might be.
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PCC Pollution Control and NRW officers attended the park during this summer after reports of oil pollution in one of the drainage ditches. This was dealt with by those agencies and is regarded as a one-off incident.
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The development of Hainey Moor has been constrained by the availability of resources, both manpower and financial, and has had to take second place behind the more essential business of the Association. Nonetheless, we have managed to keep the top ‘public’ section managed and make a significant start on the path to link the Hainey Moor to the main park
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The Association is still considering the risk posed to its woodland by ash die-back disease. It will be continuing surveys on its park trees throughout the next growing season. A number of mature ash trees have, sadly had to be felled for safety reasons.
Again, the Board wishes to recognise the vital assistance of East Williamston Community Council which continues to make available an annual grant of £2,000 for the contracting out of maintenance activities which prove to be too onerous for the volunteer group.
Allotments
- It can again be reported that the community allotments continue to develop and flourish with only a small natural turnover in tenancy. There are currently no vacant plots. The allotments continued to provide a useful regular contribution to the Association funds during a period with little other income.
Finances
- It can be seen from the (separate) Hon. Treasurer’s Report that the Association finances, despite the challenges of Covid are in a relatively healthy position. To sustain this position it is recommended by the Board that, after disbursement of a number of large sums (boiler and oil tank), a contingency fund equating to approximately two years average running cost should be ‘ring fenced’ in the accounts. It would then be decided how any residual balance would be best used for the benefit of the community and a robust budget created and monitored to facilitate this.
In conclusion - The Association has, to some extent, become the victim of its own success. The rapid development of Jubilee Park, Community Allotments and Hall always threatens to outstrip its ability to manage them from existing volunteer resources. Additional active membership is still urgently needed – particularly from the younger end of the age profile!
As always, the Board thanks all of the Association’s many supporters, volunteers, and helpers for their keen interest and dedicated support through the year and hopes and trusts that it can be relied upon in the future.
Signed for and on behalf of East Williamston Community & Hall Association by:
Doug McIntosh
Chair, Board of Trustees - EWC&HA
Date:
East Williamston Community and Hall Association Trading 2020
| Outgoings | £ | |
|---|---|---|
| Honoraria and salaries | 2252 | |
| Utilities | 1090 | |
| Internet | 288 | |
| Licences and subscriptions | 210 | |
| Insurance | 863 | |
| Repairs | 415 | |
| Install Notice Boards | 610 | |
| PPE | 140 | |
| Tree felling | 620 | |
| Electrical inspection | 546 | |
| Total outgoings | 7034 | |
| Income | ||
| Hall income | 2384 | |
| Allotment income | 660 | |
| Allotment outgoings | -85 | |
| Other income | ||
| PCC Non domestic rate relief | 10000 | |
| PCC Enhancing Pembs | 6143 | |
| EWCC income from 2019 | 1710 | |
| CEP | 1000 | |
| Total income | 21812 | |
| Excess of income over | ||
| expenditure | 14778 | |
| Closing bank balance | 24341 |