BURTON MEMORIAL HALL
CHAIR’S REPORT TO THE AGM to year end 31st March 2022
The year 2021/2022 saw the hall able to reopen on the 12[th] April 2021 after the Covid lockdown period ended for community buildings, although we had to retain all safety measures such as extra cleaning materials, hand sanitiser, attendance logs, social distancing and one-way systems after reopening, until the removal of all Covid restrictions on 24[th] February 2022. The ongoing risk of Covid meant that two of our planned activities -i.e. one of the Christmas Bingo Nights and the Burns Night Ceilidh - had to be cancelled due to lack of helpers or ticket sales. This has, understandably, had an impact on room hire income, but we benefitted from further support grants from government which helped to make up the shortfall.
Apart from the AGM, the management committee continued to meet monthly via Zoom until July, our face-to-face meetings recommenced in August, and we welcomed Nicola Stephens onto the management committee at last year’s AGM. Some hirers were initially reluctant to return to face-to-face meetings, but numbers increased as the year progressed, with most groups having returned by the year end. We ran 3 successful Christmas bingo nights in November and December, the Christmas Market in November, and a pop-up used book sale and the fashion show in March 2022. The twice monthly library book drop restarted when the library service agreed to them going ahead once more, along with the monthly library coffee mornings.
In August 2021 we had both the main front doors replaced with double-glazed uPVC units which have helped retain heat and increased security in the building. In October 2021 we had a whole building condition and energy survey undertaken, which has given us a 5- year plan for necessary remedial work. We have installed a large notice board on the external wall by the north end entrance to save posters being stuck onto the doors and windows, and we are grateful to those groups who generously donated towards the cost of buying this. Also in October we gratefully received a generous donation from the Burton Onion Show to purchase additional tables for the hall. The annual safety check on the gas boilers took place in June 2021, PAT testing of electrical appliances was undertaken in January 2022, and the fire extinguisher annual service was done in February 2022.
The ongoing problem of the heating failing to come on was finally identified as being caused by a leak in the north end store room behind one of the table cabinets. On removing the cabinet to access the pipes we found that the carpet was sodden and the water had lifted the tiles below it. The tiles tested positive for asbestos, so the room had to be emptied and closed whilst the tiles were removed, to be followed by screeding of the floor and the fitting of replacement floor covering – work that was ongoing at the end of this financial year. The majority of the cost of the work was covered by our insurance policy.
In February 2022 we identified a problem with the main hall floor, which had excessive movement and needs remedial work to its underside. This will be progressed in the next financial year.
The refurbishment of the Reception Room kitchen was delayed due to this other work needing doing, but is intended to happen in the coming financial year.
One of the ongoing problems we face is that of unauthorised parking by residents who use the car park as public parking. Despite numerous requests for them to cease doing so there remains several persistent offenders. In September 2021 we installed large signs stating that it is a Private Car Park, and we have been seeking legal advice as to how to proceed against these people.
Administratively it has been a busy year, as the Policy Review Working Group set up in 2020-2021 continued and completed its work on our policies and procedures, all of which will be reviewed on a periodic basis by the management committee. The review of the Constitution remains to be done. The Building Survey Working Group has reviewed the building condition and energy survey done in 2021 and has identified items which require priority attention and which we intend to deal with within the coming year.
The management committee remains committed to providing a safe venue for all hirers, and have retained some of the anti-Covid measures such as anti-viral wipes and hand sanitiser, after restrictions ended. One of the strangest safety items that I have had to deal with during the year was the government survey on tackling terrorism and the measures being proposed by government to keep community buildings safe, some of the proposals being simply unworkable in small rural community buildings such as ours.
I would like to thank my fellow committee members for all of their help, advice and support for me in my role as Chair throughout the last year; also thank you to Helen Dawson for managing the bookings; to our cleaning staff who keep the hall clean and tidy; to Raegan Preston who manages the accounts and keeps a close eye on what we spend; to Jane Orr who runs the 200 Club which adds welcome funds to the kitty; and to the volunteers who come along and help at the events we hold.
Thanks are also due to Gill and Akis at The Village Store for all their support of our activities; to Burton News for allowing us magazine space to keep the village updated; to Joan Barkley for covering us in her weekly columns in the Westmorland Gazette and Lancaster Guardian; and to those generous people who have given donations to hall funds throughout the year. I’d also like to thank Action with Communities in Cumbria and Cumbria CVS for all their advice and support about hall matters, via regular Zoom meetings or by email/phone, whenever it has been needed.
Report prepared by Anne Nichols, Chair 2021-2022
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl mérnbérs of WI4L On accounts for the year endèd Charity no (if any) Soloi Set out on pages l(LZ I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above Charity I'the Trust"} for the year ended f i os Tr2Z. Responsibilities and A5 the charity trustees of th8 Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 I'the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5llbl of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters have come to my attention lolher than that disclosed below ') in connection with the examination which gives me cause lo believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination lo which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not 8ppIy. Si9ned: Date: £6 Name: Relevant professional qualificatlonls) or body lif any): Address: KNJorr 14 L>tlAgS6T T Ibr }L(L,A IER October 2018
Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern Isee CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wlshes to disclose. IER October 2018