EAST HARLSEY VILLAGE HALL
MINUTES OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD ON
TUESDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 2024 AT 7.30 PM
Present: Syd Bailey, Paul Buckingham, Andrew Crowley, Hazel Dixon, Tina Fickling, Cheryl Hodgson, Richard Kime, Cat Lane, Bev Lax, Richard Martin, Barbara Moore, Paul Sanderson, Gill Selby, Leah Wilson and Judith Allan (Secretary)
Fourteen members of the public were also in attendance.
1 Apologies for absence
An apology for absence was received from Mike Smith and John Gilliland.
2 Minutes of last meeting
The Minutes of the last meeting held on 15 February 2023 were accepted as a permanent record by the meeting.
3 Matters arising
There were no matters arising.
4 Chairman’s Report
Syd Bailey presented his report for the preceding year.
As a committee, the three main responsibilities are to ensure that the Village Hall is financially secure and professionally operated to continue to maintain and improve the Hall’s facilities and to put on events to enhance our local community.
Overall, it was an active & productive year financially, which has allowed a number of projects to be completed and investigated. It was a less expensive year but still lots was achieved. The bar improvements which commenced last year have now been completed. If anyone would like to volunteer for bar duty please see Richard Martin. In the outside areas, the swings and slides have been painted and the picnic benches, which were donated by the Parish Council, now have a paved area. The grass area will be sorted in the next 3 weeks. Behind the scenes, the electrical supply has also been improved and is now robust.
Syd stated that any suggestions or feedback for future projects are welcomed. The committed are currently looking at the possibility of installing solar panels on the flat roof and installing 2 electrical charging points. This project is still at the very early stages of understanding the finances and impact. Once these are understood, the details will be shared with the village.
The monthly coffee and soup mornings have been well supported, the Socials less so. Feedback and any ideas for future events are most welcome. The quiz and safari supper nights were once again very popular. Wedding bookings remain good, which are a great use of the hall and very positive feedback is always received. The wedding bookings will remain
restricted to 6 per year due to the impact to the village, particularly with regard to noise, parking and requirement of volunteers.
Syd then thanked to the committee which has a good mix of skills and is working well. He also thanked the officers for their contribution, as well as Mike Smith and John Gilliland for running the bar and Richard Martin for organising the bar rotas.
Sarah Martin was thanked for organising the soup & coffee mornings which achieved between £1500 - £2000 in charity donations. Suggestions for charities to be supported by future events are always welcomed. Thanks was also given to those who make the cakes and soups and to those that have staffed the bar. Les and Hazel Dixon were also thanked for looking after the hall so well. And lastly thanks was given to all in the village for all of their support for the events.
5 Treasurer’s Report
Paul Buckingham presented the annual accounts to the meeting.
Total income was down £5151 largely due to the reduction in number of weddings in the year. This was a conscious decision by the Trustees to reduce disruption in the village. We are still in a comfortable position with total unrestricted funds of £28473. Building society interest increased due to rise in the bank base rate. The CCLA fund increased in market value by £3752 over the year partially offsetting the value decline in 2022. There has been a shortfall on dividends with an outstanding payment of £303 which, due to an error in a new software system at the management company, failed to arrive in our building society account. This has been raised with them and they are working on the problem, which has affected all their clients with building society accounts.
Income was down as previously mentioned. Bar takings were down £3,190 due to fewer weddings although the average take per wedding has risen from £1966 in 2022 to £2160 in 2023. Wedding hire of the hall was down by £1310 due to the reduction in number but was boosted by a number of deposits for events in 2024 and 2025. Fund raising was down by £873 - we didn’t have a plant stall this year. We did receive a grant of £1077 from the Parish Council for the purchase of picnic benches.
Expenditure was down by £6,754 due to a large reduction in Projects this year. The figure in 2022 was high due to the completion of the double glazing of all the hall windows. One project that did proceed was the extension of the paved area at the rear of the hall. Utilities were up by £2487 due to rental costs for the till system (£1440), inflation and increased heating usage. Repairs and Maintenance was up by £4040 due to repainting, tree removal, car park repairs, the upgrade to the main electric fuse box and consumer unit and a drain survey.
Paul thanked for Sharon Hardy for auditing the annual accounts.
There were no questions raised regarding the Treasurer’s Report.
6 Approval of auditor for 2024
Sharon Hardy was proposed as the auditor for the accounts in 2024 and this was approved by the meeting.
7 Elections of Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary
Syd Bailey was proposed by Richard Martin to be Chairman and seconded by by Marion Archer.
Paul Buckingham and Judith Allan gave 12 months’ notice at the last AGM for their intention to stand down as Treasurer and Secretary respectively. Syd Bailey thanked them both for their support and professionalism and presented them with gifts as a token of appreciation.
Tina Fickling was proposed by Syd Bailey to be Secretary and seconded by Cat Lane.
Bev Lax was proposed by Paul Buckingham to be Treasurer and seconded by Judith Allan.
Bookings will now be looked after as a separate role by Jan Anderson.
8 Election of Committee
Since the last AGM Cheryl Hodgson rejoined mid-term. Mike Smith is standing down as a Committee Member. Syd Bailey thanked Mike for his significant contribution across 30 years of attendance, 22 of which were as Chairman. The occasion will be marked at a later date. John Gilliland will take over as bar manager. This leaves a vacancy on the committee and Syd said that villagers can join at any time. All other members of the Committee wished to continue, so were all elected as Village Hall Committee members.
9 Any other business
There was no other business.
10 The next Committee Meeting will be held on Tuesday 19[th] March 2024.
EAsf HARLSEY VILLAGE HALL REGISTERED CHARITY No. 523345 FINANCIAL TRANSAcfioNS FOR YEAR ENDING 3111212023 2023 (£) 2022 (£) Opening Balan £18,410.72 27,562.67 -9,151.95 Income £32,294.35. £0.00 31,557.33 737.02 Trnnsfer from Building Society Trdn5fers from Petty Cash Expenditure Transfer to Petty Cash 0.00 £2,216.60. £40,839.40 9,234. -7,017.40 49,943.28 -9,103.88 £0.00 0.00 £II082.27_ 18AIO.72 -6,328.45 OrnIng Balance Account Interest £14,340.65 £13,059.65 1,281.CNJ £232.86. £916.09. £0.00 £61.57 171.29 Dividend from Endowment Fund £1,219.43 -303,34 Transfer to Bank Account £0.00 0.00 15,489.60 14,340.65 1,148.95 Opening Balan Income £1,285.42 £581.66 703.76 £8,797.29 £14,553.62 -5,756.33 Trdnsfer from Bank £O.(K) £0.00 0.00 Expenditure Transfers to Bank £6,964.98. £4,615.86 2,349.12 £2,216.60 £9,234.00 -7,017.40 £901.13 £1,285.42 -384.29 £28,473.00 £34,036.79 -£5,563.79 Original Investment [ Market Value at Year End £2503 £M,591.72 £40,839.00 £3,752.72 £44,591.72 £40,839.00 £3,752.72 Total Income 42.240.59 47,391.95 -5,151.36 Total Expenditure 47,804.38 54,559.14 -6.754.76 Prepared from Books and from Information Provided Date Slgnatures Audltor Honorary Treasurer ,1112A
EAsf HARLSEY VILLAGE HALL REGIsfERED CHARrrY No. 523345 srATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDrruRE FOR YEAR ENDING 3111212023 2023 (£) 2022 (£) Hall Hire 4,015.19 5,253.15 -1,237.96 , -1,310.001 -3,190.08 ', Weddings 7,200.00 8,510.00 Bar Receipts 20,605.82 23,795.90 Fund Raising 2,925.99 3,799.32 -873.33 Rent 4,201.15 4,201.15 Gratuities 383.63 243.43 140.20 1 Donations 227.00 68.00 159.00 1 Grants 1,077.30 0.00 1,077.30 Building Society Interest 232.86 61.57 Endowment Fund Dividend 916.09 1,219.43 -303.34 Rebates 455.56 240.00 £42,240.59 £47,391.95 ;, -£5,151.36 1 Utilities 5,588.15 3,100.62 2,487.53 Repairs and Maintenance 7,282.76 3,241.85 4,040.91 Projects Deposit Refunds 13,991.82 26,837.38 -12,845.56 678.00 692.00 -14.00 Bar Restocking Fund Raising Expenses 8,284.78 9,083.86 -799.08 1,862.53 1,251.77 610.76 Insuran 2,453.84 2,309.50 IH.34 Sundries 2,057.44 2,296.89 1,775.31 -239.45 Donations 1,262.00 -513.31 Remuneration, Payroll and Income Tax Bank Trdnsfer to Petty Cash 4,343.06 3,969.96 373.10 1 0.00 0.00 0.00 £47,804.38 £54,559.14 -£6.754.76 , -£5,563.79 -£7,167.19