## **Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Mersham Village Hall Management Committee held on Monday, 7 April 2025 in The Coronation Hall at 19.15 hours** **Present:** Melanie Wells (Chair), Jane Fagg (Treasurer), Fred Ambler, Peter Hawkins, Leigh Lloyd, Keli Tomlin, David Wood, Pat Wood, Paul Bartlett, Jackie Stiles and Andrew Wells ## **Apologies for absence** Bridgitte Attwood **To approve the minutes of the AGM held on 8 April 2024** Minutes were approved and signed by Melanie Wells, Chair. ## **Matters Arising** None. ## **Chair’s Report** ## **Bookings – Regular Hirers: Mountbatten Hall** - MH continues to prove popular with badminton players. Badminton group from Hythe/Folkestone now play on regular basis, as well as other people on ad hoc basis. Rick continues to run coaching class for children on Sunday mornings and also coaches on weekdays. Short Mat Bowls now play on Tuesday mornings which has freed up Tuesday evenings for badminton. ## **Bookings – Regular Hirers: Coronation Hall** - April Jones (Baby Sensory) gave notice in October, advising their last day would be 6[th] November, as she has leased unit in Park Mall, Ashford. - Daytime: Bubble Baby Massage classes on Monday mornings and parent and baby dance classes on Tuesday mornings. Ellie who runs Tuesday morning classes is also considering running parent and toddler dance class on either Wednesday or Thursday mornings. Children’s performance class on Sunday mornings. - Evening: From Monday, 14[th] April Line Dancing Class; Zumba class on Tuesdays; from 23[rd] April Paul Ketley of Ashford Pantomime will run three classes, two children’s drama classes (ages 6 to 11 and 11 to 16) and musical theatre choir (ages 6 to 16); children’s dance class on Thursdays; and karate class on Fridays. ## **Non-Regular Hirers:** - Continue to get steady number of inquiries for children’s birthday parties, especially 1[st] birthdays and in March CH hired for small wedding reception. - FosterCare UK, Kent branch hire CH for first aid training days. - Ashford Electoral Services has hired CH on 1st May 2025 for Kent County Elections. ## **Policies/Risk Assessment:** - Policies and Risk Assessment have been reviewed. ## **Community Café:** - As no one came to Community Café on 1[st] October, agreed to stop running it. LL let people know via Friends of Mersham. ## **Maintenance:** ## **Coronation Hall:** - Neil Radford replaced light bulb in Gents and altered timing of light in Ladies so it now stays on for longer. - MW met with Tony Warman in February to draw up snagging list. During last week of February, Tony’s painter and decorator filled in cracks and touched up paintwork in lobby and toilets. He also filled in cracks in hall and repainted all walls with matching washable paint. - Free standing coat rack has been purchased, which is kept in store room. ## **Mountbatten Hall:** - Toilets have been refurbished. Neil Radford carried out agreed electrical works in Ladies and Disabled toilets during week commencing 8th July 2024. Following completion, John McClean filled holes where light/electrical switches were, repaired holes in ceiling of Ladies and touched up paintwork where required. - Refurbishment of toilets took place between 15th and 23rd July. Marcus and John of MGB Bathrooms carried out necessary plumbing work and replaced sanitary ware and Diamond Floorings replaced flooring in toilets and lobby area. Once works were completed on 23rd July, John touched up paintwork where new sanitary ware was installed. - Due to expense involved in refurbishing toilets, MW contacted Cllr Paul Bartlett requesting funds from his Ward Member Community Grant Scheme towards project. Paul kindly agreed to provide grant of £1,500 towards cost of sanitary ware. MW thanked Paul for his continued generous support in providing grant funding to help towards refurbishment costs, which is very much appreciated. - John McClean repointed roof tiles over kitchen and entrance porch where cement was loose/missing. Hopefully, this will stop water seeping through kitchen ceiling, which caused mould to grow. John has treated affected area on kitchen ceiling and has also painted kitchen ceiling and walls. He plans to repaint woodwork this week. - New lock was fitted to fire door at rear of stage by Ian Crisp, as old one didn’t lock. Replacement lock complies with fire regs and is much easier to open and also locks automatically on closing, unlike previous one. As fire doors in Desmond Draper Room and kitchen were often left unlocked by hirers, which is a security risk, committee agreed for these locks to be replaced. Ian Crisp replaced these locks and also fitted lock on Disabled toilet door. This was felt necessary, as following refurbishment of toilets, MW asked male hirers to once again use Gents but they continued to use Disabled toilet, leaving it in an unacceptable state. Ian also fitted metal plate to bottom of fire exit door on stage where some wood had rotted away to prevent mice from getting in. - On 7th November Lee Graham of Aylesford Fire Protection Ltd carried out annual fire extinguisher service and issued Certification of Compliance. - In January there was a loss of hot water flow. MW contacted Paul Godden of Flow Right Plumbers. Paul investigated and discovered thermostatic mixing valve was jammed due to lack of pressure. He was able to free up valve and restore hot water flow. Paul said if it happened again he would recommend installing an unvented water heater, which would solve problem. Verbal quote for installing unvented water heater £2,000. Not VAT registered. - Unfortunately, week or so later problem happened again. MW spoke with John of MGB Bathrooms, who said unvented hot water systems should only be installed by plumbers who hold a G3 Certificate. As John no longer holds a current G3 certificate, he would be unable to install an unvented water heater. John advised speaking with Building Regs Dept at ABC. - MW got written quote from Acorn Domestic Repairs Ltd, who are Gas Safe registered and hold required G3 Certificate. Cost £952.34 incl. VAT. - MW contacted Buildings Regs Dept at ABC and spoke with Mike. He confirmed we don’t require building regulations approval to install an unvented water heater but would have to have it installed by someone who holds a G3 Certificate, who would then self-certify the installation to ABC. He confirmed Acorn Domestic Repairs Ltd is an approved installer and Gas Safe registered. - With committee’s approval, MW accepted Acorn’s quote. Joe installed unvented water heater last Thursday and hot water flow has been restored. Today, Neil Radford connected water heater to mains electric supply. When doing so, Neil discovered small leak and MW contacted Acorn. Joe to come out tomorrow morning to fix leak. On 17[th] April, Gavin from Acorn will inspect installation and self-certify installation to ABC. ## **Car Park/Grounds:** - Tracey Block, on behalf of Paul, Village Caretaker, asked if some hedging around new car park could be removed and replanted along footpath at entrance to village, as there are areas in existing hedge which require infilling. MW spoke with Tony Warman who requested hedging not be removed until development completed and they were off site. Committee agreed to Tracey’s request. During past few weeks, Paul has removed some hedging and replanted it where agreed. - Walnut tree at entrance to both halls has been removed by Trees r us due to concerns over health and safety issues viz: dead branches falling on ground; children swinging on lower branches; and leaves falling on paths during Autumn, causing slip hazard as well as being walked/blown into halls. MW has since been advised by Paul, Village Caretaker, tree was infested with beetle, hence why branches were falling off, and it needed felling. - Following issue of inadequate lighting in car park being raised, MW spoke with Neil Radford regarding getting additional PIR lighting installed. Neil today installed new LED PIR flood light with sensor to corner of MH. - It has come to our attention people have realised bicycle chain doesn’t lock gate and have been undoing gate but not securing it by putting chain over post, thereby leaving gate swinging open. Mindful VH could be liable if gate swung open and damaged a vehicle or injured someone, which could also render our insurance null and void, we started putting padlock on gate. When MW went to VH on morning of Saturday, 19th October to unlock gate for hirer, she discovered lock had been damaged and wouldn’t unlock. MW called Ian Crisp, locksmith, who came out within half an hour and sawed lock off gate. Cost £40. Ian has since supplied replacement lock with keys. However, at present gate is being left open and secured to post to allow people to park there when collecting children from school. Gate is usually closed at weekends but has been left unlocked for time being. To be reviewed. Committee agreed to consider installing folding parking posts between permanent posts if necessary. ## **Broadband:**  Wi-Fi installation was unsuccessful. Contract taken out with BT on 7th May 2024 who arranged for Openreach to install full fibre. M J Quinn, on behalf of Openreach, completed internal work on 5th July. On 16th July Openreach connected external cable to underground junction in Blind Lane but MW was subsequently advised there was fault on line. Appointment made for Openreach to come out on 21[st] August to fix fault but they were a no show. Despite numerous phone calls to BT and promises made by them this would be resolved, it wasn’t and MW made formal complaint to BT. On 31st October, letter and return envelope received from BT requesting return of their equipment, which MW duly did. MW phoned BT to ascertain why they had requested we return their equipment and not fixed issue as promised, and was informed they had cancelled our account. At our January meeting, committee discussed need for Wi-Fi. As only one hirer had asked if we had Wi-Fi, it was agreed not to proceed for time being but to review again should need arise. However, committee agreed fault on line should be investigated by Openreach so Wi-Fi can be installed at a future date. ## **Security cameras:** - Following gate incident in car park and also as security measure, quotes were obtained from Ashford Security and Kevin Burton of Quality Vision to install security cameras. Committee agreed to accept Kevin Burton’s quote. However, due to security system requiring Wi-Fi, this has been put on hold until such time Wi-Fi is installed. ## **Other:** - MW thanked committee for their continued support over the past year, which she said was very much appreciated. MW also thanked JF and LL for the many hours they have given and contributions they have made to help make VH the successful venue it has become. ## **Questions from the Floor:** - Jackie Stiles mentioned acoustic concertina door wasn’t sound proof. It was agreed it isn’t satisfactory or what we were led to believe. MW said she raised this with Tony Warman, who arranged for company who supplied and installed door to come out and check level of sound proofing. Tony reported back to MW that having carried out sound proofing checks, company said door provided the correct level of sound proofing for that make/model of door. Given cost of door and that wooden doors wouldn’t provide any better level of sound proofing, it had been agreed door wouldn’t be replaced. - Jackie Stiles said locks on cubicle doors in MH Ladies toilets are either missing or don’t lock. MW will have new locks fitted. ## **Treasurer’s Report** Treasurer’s Report for the period 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024: On 1[st] January 2024 a balance of £32,563 was brought forward. Most of our income came from hire charges for use of the halls. Hire income £21,425 plus £480 for Election Services. Other income came from interest on our Savings Account £161, Grants towards Toilet Refurbishment £3,820 and final payment from Forest Homes for their electricity usage £613. Expenditure payments include: Insurance - £1,568 Business Rates - £149 Fire Safety checks - £117 Music Licence - £162 Water and Sewage charges - £517 Property maintenance and cleaning expenses - £24,219. This includes refurbishment of the Mountbatten Hall toilets at a cost of £13,692 The annual cost for electricity came to £4,656. Our Fixed Rate Tariff with EDF Energy finished on 31[st] December 2024. They advised that for 2025 we are on their best rate for small business use. We ended the year with a balance of £27,834. The Accounts are with Mr David James for auditing. Many thanks to him for doing this. A copy of the Accounts, together with his report and a copy of this AGM’s Minutes, will be submitted to the Charity Commission. So far this year our insurance premium has gone up to £1,607, water and sewage charges to £638 and our business rates to £449. We receive 80% mandatory rate relief but changes have been made to the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme introduced during Covid 19. Many thanks must go to Melanie who works very hard dealing with hirers for the halls and organising the repairs and refurbishments needed. Our balance at the Bank today:  Bank Account £14,335  Savings Account £15,605 Treasurer’s Report was accepted as a true record. ## **Election of Officers and Committee Members** Chair – Melanie Wells Proposed: Keli Tomlin Seconded: Fred Ambler Treasurer – Jane Fagg Proposed: Keli Tomlin Seconded: Fred Ambler Committee Members: Bridgitte Attwood* Keli Tomlin David Wood Pat Wood All carried from the floor. *Voted for in their absence. ## **A.O.B.** - LL thanked MW for all her hard work over the past year.  In view of number of regular hirers running classes in both halls, Andrew Wells suggested advertising classes available. Agreed this was a good idea. Classes will be advertised in The Villager and on our Facebook page. Regular hirers are encouraged to put posters advertising their classes on our notice boards, which some have done. ## **Next Meeting** The date of the next ordinary meeting will be arranged shortly. ## **Meeting Closed** There being no further business the meeting closed at 19.45 hours. Signed: Melanie Wells (Chair) ## **MOUNTBATTEN VILLLAGE HALL** |**STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT 01-01-2024 TO 31-12-2024**
**INCOME**
Balance brought forward
£ 32,563.10
Savings Account Interest
£ 161.77
Cheques Issued but not presented
£ -
Invoices Paid Late - Debtors 2023
£ 1,430.50
Hire of Hall:
Regular Hire - Invoice
£ 17,440.50
Other Hire - Invoice
£ 555.00
Other Hire - No Invoice
£ 3,430.05 £ 21,425.55
Other Receipts:
Grants
£ 3,820.80
Donatons
£ -
Electon Services
£ 480.00
Forest Homes - Electricity
£ 613.63
Miscellaneous
£ - £ 4,914.43
**£ 60,495.35**
**EXPENDITURE**
Admin:
Insurance
£ 1,568.06
Ashford Bor. Council Rates
£ 149.85
Fire Safety Check
£ 117.60
PPL/PRS Music Licence
£ 162.10
Website & Internet
£ 11.94
Postage/Other Admin
£ 40.01 £ 2,049.56
Utlites:
Electricity
£ 4,656.00
Water/ Sewage
£ 517.77 £ 5,173.77
Property Maintenance:
Electrical Work
£ 7,336.12
Toilets Refurbishment
£ 13,692.25
Paintng & Decoratng
£ 1,327.26
Locksmith
£ 501.00
Other Maintenance
£ 72.48 £ 22,929.11
Housekeeping: Cleaning Services
£ 982.50
Housekeeping Supplies
£ 307.97 £ 1,290.47
Other Expenditure:
Replacement Bins
£ 105.00
Garden Waste Fee
£ 60.00
Other
£ - £ 165.00
Cheques presented from previous year
£ -
Debtors 2024
£ 1,052.50
**ON HAND:**
Savings Account
£ 15,565.43
Balance at Bank
£ 12,090.30
Cash
£ 4.21
Cheques
£ 175.00 £ 27,834.94
**£ 60,495.35**|**STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT 01-01-2024 TO 31-12-2024**
**INCOME**
Balance brought forward
£ 32,563.10
Savings Account Interest
£ 161.77
Cheques Issued but not presented
£ -
Invoices Paid Late - Debtors 2023
£ 1,430.50
Hire of Hall:
Regular Hire - Invoice
£ 17,440.50
Other Hire - Invoice
£ 555.00
Other Hire - No Invoice
£ 3,430.05 £ 21,425.55
Other Receipts:
Grants
£ 3,820.80
Donatons
£ -
Electon Services
£ 480.00
Forest Homes - Electricity
£ 613.63
Miscellaneous
£ - £ 4,914.43
**£ 60,495.35**
**EXPENDITURE**
Admin:
Insurance
£ 1,568.06
Ashford Bor. Council Rates
£ 149.85
Fire Safety Check
£ 117.60
PPL/PRS Music Licence
£ 162.10
Website & Internet
£ 11.94
Postage/Other Admin
£ 40.01 £ 2,049.56
Utlites:
Electricity
£ 4,656.00
Water/ Sewage
£ 517.77 £ 5,173.77
Property Maintenance:
Electrical Work
£ 7,336.12
Toilets Refurbishment
£ 13,692.25
Paintng & Decoratng
£ 1,327.26
Locksmith
£ 501.00
Other Maintenance
£ 72.48 £ 22,929.11
Housekeeping: Cleaning Services
£ 982.50
Housekeeping Supplies
£ 307.97 £ 1,290.47
Other Expenditure:
Replacement Bins
£ 105.00
Garden Waste Fee
£ 60.00
Other
£ - £ 165.00
Cheques presented from previous year
£ -
Debtors 2024
£ 1,052.50
**ON HAND:**
Savings Account
£ 15,565.43
Balance at Bank
£ 12,090.30
Cash
£ 4.21
Cheques
£ 175.00 £ 27,834.94
**£ 60,495.35**|**STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT 01-01-2024 TO 31-12-2024**
**INCOME**
Balance brought forward
£ 32,563.10
Savings Account Interest
£ 161.77
Cheques Issued but not presented
£ -
Invoices Paid Late - Debtors 2023
£ 1,430.50
Hire of Hall:
Regular Hire - Invoice
£ 17,440.50
Other Hire - Invoice
£ 555.00
Other Hire - No Invoice
£ 3,430.05 £ 21,425.55
Other Receipts:
Grants
£ 3,820.80
Donatons
£ -
Electon Services
£ 480.00
Forest Homes - Electricity
£ 613.63
Miscellaneous
£ - £ 4,914.43
**£ 60,495.35**
**EXPENDITURE**
Admin:
Insurance
£ 1,568.06
Ashford Bor. Council Rates
£ 149.85
Fire Safety Check
£ 117.60
PPL/PRS Music Licence
£ 162.10
Website & Internet
£ 11.94
Postage/Other Admin
£ 40.01 £ 2,049.56
Utlites:
Electricity
£ 4,656.00
Water/ Sewage
£ 517.77 £ 5,173.77
Property Maintenance:
Electrical Work
£ 7,336.12
Toilets Refurbishment
£ 13,692.25
Paintng & Decoratng
£ 1,327.26
Locksmith
£ 501.00
Other Maintenance
£ 72.48 £ 22,929.11
Housekeeping: Cleaning Services
£ 982.50
Housekeeping Supplies
£ 307.97 £ 1,290.47
Other Expenditure:
Replacement Bins
£ 105.00
Garden Waste Fee
£ 60.00
Other
£ - £ 165.00
Cheques presented from previous year
£ -
Debtors 2024
£ 1,052.50
**ON HAND:**
Savings Account
£ 15,565.43
Balance at Bank
£ 12,090.30
Cash
£ 4.21
Cheques
£ 175.00 £ 27,834.94
**£ 60,495.35**| |---|---|---| ||£ 17,440.50
£ 555.00
£ 3,430.05|| ||£ 3,820.80
£ -
£ 480.00
£ 613.63
£ -|| ||£ 1,568.06
£ 149.85
£ 117.60
£ 162.10
£ 11.94
£ 40.01|| |||**£ 60,495.35**| |||




£ 2,049.56

£ 5,173.77




£ 22,929.11

£ 1,290.47


£ 165.00
£ -
£ 1,052.50



£ 27,834.94| ||£ 4,656.00
£ 517.77|| ||£ 7,336.12
£ 13,692.25
£ 1,327.26
£ 501.00
£ 72.48|| ||£ 982.50
£ 307.97|| ||£ 105.00
£ 60.00
£ -|| ||£ 15,565.43
£ 12,090.30
£ 4.21
£ 175.00|| |||| |||**£ 60,495.35**| Mountbatten Villa e Hall Income #nd Ex ndit￿￿ a¢tount for the ear endi 31 December 2024 2024 2023 COME Receipts from leitings Grants and donations Bank Interest £21,426 4.914 162 26.502 £ 15.804 9.016 124 24.944 EXPF.NDITURE Elettrie81 work Repai Toilet refurb P&inting & dtcorgting Locksmith Ncw tahl¢s. ¢h¥iTS, indows and doors Heating & Lighting Cleaner servi¢¢ InsuTance Hous¢ke¢ping suppli¢5 FiTe 8afetv Rates Walei rates Website Music Licence Sundries 7J36 72 13.693 lJ28 soi 349 8832 4.911 1.665 1.362 770 468 4.656 982 1,568 308 150 517 12 162 205 31608 238 73 DefJciVSurplu5 for the year {4.305) Moun¢bgtten Vill# t Hall Balan¢e Shett 115 at 31 Detember 2024 2024 2023 Mounibatten Hajl £63.784 £63,784 I￿￿Or5 1227 1.626 Banking & Cash 83ntander- eurrcni 12,090 savings alc 15,565 16.946 15,403 17 Cash in haj Represertied by.. Accumul8l¢d r￿ryeS at l Januarv 2024 97,776 102,081 Delicii for the peri￿] I have examined the books 8t￿ vouchers of ihe Mouniballen Village Hall confi]m thai th¢ for¢going accounts are in accordattce thcTCWith. 30 April 2024 David C James