KINGSTON VILLAGE HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Chairman’s report to the Annual Parish Meeting on 27 May2025
I think the hall is currently in good shape in terms of its condition, finances and lettings. I would like to express my thanks to Peter, our unofficial clerk of works, to Miki and her team of helpers for the Coffee Mornings and to Chris for keeping our accounts in good order and managing the bar. Sarah, our secretary, continues to manage lettings without a hitch and I would also like to thank Jill for regularly checking the condition of the hall between lettings.
Chris is also putting a lot of effort into finalising our CIO status. With the help of ACRE’s CIO consultant, Louise Beaton, the Charity Commission has registered the merger of KINGSTON VILLAGE HALL (274947) with KINGSTON VILLAGE HALL (1197094) on 21 January 2025. The CIO has also been registered with Barclay’s Bank and, finally, our new title to the Village Hall now has to be lodged with the Land Registry. All this takes time and effort and we are grateful to Chris for giving both.
As you are aware, a number of planned village events, not just those connected to the Village Hall, were cancelled this year mainly because of lack of support. Meanwhile, more casual, drop-in events such as pub evening, coffee morning and art and music nights continue to flourish. The Quiz and Chips was also a sell-out. Therefore, we need to look critically at our traditional main fundraising events, notably the BBQ and Christmas Fair, to examine how they might be refocused or replaced.
We have put a lot of effort this year into looking at potential savings in our running costs. In September we installed solar panels and batteries with the aid of a £9,300 South Cambs Zero Carbon Communities Grant. We are grateful to the Parish Council for contributing £500, while we put in another £500 from our own reserves. Once an agreement has been set up with our supplier to sell surplus to the grid (this is not a simple process), we should have enough to cover our daily standing charge, plus providing a small income. Cleaning costs had risen to a point where they were out of proportion to our letting income and Peter, after much searching, has found a local cleaner who will halve our costs. Finally, we have cancelled our film licence as there has been no use made of it, but we can still screen live events through our BBC licence.
In the small hall the position of the TV attracts reflections from the windows which makes daytime viewing difficult. We have now mounted the TV on a flexible arm so that it can be tilted or directed down the hall to maximise the number of viewers. With a summer of sport coming up, Keithand Jill will keep an eye on main events and notify the village through WhatsApp and email that they will be screened in the hall.
We do need a new generation of committee members (trustees) to begin to shadow the key posts of chair, secretary, treasurer and clerk of works. Apart from that of the treasurer, those posts are held by people of advanced years and this is not sustainable. Without these key posts filled the hall would have to close, as has happened elsewhere in the county.
We could do with more lettings and we should examine ways to advertise the hall more widely. We must also continue to impress on the village that we are a management, not a social committee. We need to get the message across that if people have a good idea for a club, such as Music Night and Table Tennis, we will provide support, and possibly some equipment. The installation of picture rail for art exhibitions is another good example. Another possibility is the creation of a social subcommittee to take on the planning and management of social events.
Finally, we must be mindful that we have had a considerable windfall income from South Cambs during lockdown. We have used this to invest in solar panels, screen and projector and fuel saving controls
for the boiler. From now one we must concentrate on getting returns from our investments and move to a position where our income from lettings and fund raising covers our outgoings. We must also conserve our capital reserves for planned and unforeseen maintenance in the coming decade when the public purse for grants may not be as generous as it has been.
KINGSTON VILLAGE HALL KiANAGEMENT COMkllTTEE Inc¢xn¢ ond Expenditure A¢¢ount- Ye•rto 31¥t De¢tmber 2024 IIO331 ExpendTe In¢om8 -126543 ECICty and Oil -1F3 76 Wator rtlè -1937.7T Hall rnainlenance -2579.25 Equiptnent -73108 Insurance 428 20 Pramise>Bar IIc8nca faeslch8ro6s .8E4.00 caning of Hall .259.05 Village chiren'5 Xmas pariy -166 93 Sundry expenses eg slabonery. kn hire 047 51 Pub strxk -885 22 Korote Hal Hire -180 48 othÈr HirÈ -1252 34 Quiz & Chips leAd bartaOSI -13() (KJ BBQ 1g8.00 1053.50 479.21 41 25 2670.43 12.00 257.03 330 00 1701 00 287 gE -744 03 Pub Iincludos tthotgnniB. 3nyc3sh rAidl -294 W Chrislmts fair -1392 19 other Incom8 (incl irtere51 cuffee mrningp -173.EO Blues evenings Iincl. tsar profrtsl -42 (M) Direct donations -12 23 Granis 32Y 83 11U42 98(h).00 585 -10462 98 Totsl oxp8ndlturo -16620.16 Total Incomo 14511.42 8003 Excesslldeficitl incorne over exynditure 008.73 23 #xctr8sof8wthtUffg -2459 TOW -14511.42 14511.42 BAlance Sheet 31gt December 2024 General Fund Net 09gets BaL4nce at Bank 5335 41 Current alc al 31st Dec 2024 3899 (M) Deposit alc at 31st Dec 2024 150CK) (X) sngs occounl Icambndge BS) 229 44 Cash In hand al 3151 Dec 2024 50 00 Pub cash fl081 at 3151 Dec 2024 24513.85 Current ¥c al Isl Jan 2024 Deposit Olc al 1st Jan 2024 Somngs account Icambndge BS) Cash in hand al 151 Jan 2024 Pub cash fl081 al 1st Jan 2024 Balance at 1¥t Jan 2024 5416.68 18(YJ OQ 15OCI) 00 22g.44 50.00 Add axcess of Incomo over 8xwnditur8 -2008.73 22505.12 Balance at 31st Dec 2024 22505.12 Notes The accounts are prePad on a elp1S and payTnenls basis ie they On refiecl rtems that hawe been reCead or paid for In the yèar Amounts due from th8 Parish Council. and from the Pansh Church in resp8cI of Hal rental, are not Included In Ihe above accounts as Ihey have not yel been recer¥ed Pub e4Ening expendrture Includ85 pub slock5 he al the year end for use In pub e4Enings in 2024. C.Reid (Hon Treasurer)