AGM meeting minutes 19-10-22
Download the meeting minutes document here.
Held on : Wednesday 19 October 7:00pm
Held at : The Village Hub, Ivinghoe
Trustees Present : Lynne Caulfield (Chair)
Sandie Emmerson (Treasurer)
Simone LeBoff (Secretary, Events and Gardening)
Sylvia Smmonds (Gardening)
Attendees : 20 people
Welcome by LC with an introduction of the Trustees sitting at the table. LC explained that on the chair was an Agenda and a ‘time line’ sheet. Other documents were on the table for public view. She also invited the attendees to ask questions at any time.
Minutes of the Last AGM : Approved
Chair of Trustee Annual Report
(Attached) LC gave this report and stated that a copy will also be put on the website.
Trust Treasury Annual Report
(Attached) SE delivered the 2021-2022 financial report which had been approved and signed off in March 2022.
The report sparked much explanation and debate about why The Hub, as a charity and no longer with a café, paying business rates. SE explained that this was an issue that they were very much aware of and are addressing it. Karen Groom, Parish Counsellor, offered to help with the process, which was gratefully accepted.
There was a question of the need to secure extra cash over and above the £34,000 showed in the financial report. LC explained that the extra was very small but it was necessary to complete the works. LC also said that any rebate on the business rates would solve this problem. Further LC said that the Trustees have the confidence that the café will bring in enough revenue and will recover the reserves. It is all set out in the business plan.
There was a question on grants, have they been applied for and are they being applied for. LC explained that she had received some grants such as the one given out during Covid. Other grants had been applied for and for various reasons including naivety in the process and the fact that at the time, The Hub had too much money in its account, the applications were rejected. As for applying for grants now, it is a complicated learning curve that takes much time and energy, which LC mentioned that she worked full time had little of both. Bridget Knight, another Parish Counsellor, offered her help with the process
Further Questions and Discussions
There was question about the rumour that was circulating around the village that £5,000 was missing. LC quickly squashed this gossip and expanded that all was above the line and clear.
LC was questioned as to what the Trustees had been doing to increase the capabilities of the business to help the community. Using the layout of the building, LC explained our thinking starting with a redundant toilet that has been turned into a portal for the food bank run by Babs (who sent her thanks for all the donations. It was explained that the office with a privacy door would also be used for consultations with organisations such
as Citzen’s advice. Outside would be seating so that parents could sit, drink coffee and watch their children in the neighbouring playground. LC handed reports around which illustrated all of this.
Sandie also spoke about the initiative for ‘The Warm Project’ where people come in for a drink and a place to keep warm, perhaps being charged a £1.00. Both the WI and Church have been approached to help. Bridget Knight pointed out that Asda was giving grants for this type of enterprise. This will be looked into.
The timeline for completion query was raised where LC stated that the kitchen should be finished by Christmas with the new owner, whoever that will be, be moving in in Spring. LC pointed out that it has taken time because following the sourcing of the commercial kitchen equipment via auction, there is the installation, not to mention the extractor and not just a domestic model.
LC clarified that the other reason for the café taking time to open was the search for new owners. Originally it had been thought that it would be a community café, run by the community for the community. However, after extensive research looking at cafés run by volunteers was not viable in such a small village. It would require a list of volunteers far greater than our village could support. Thus, a professional café owner was sought to work in an exceptional commercial kitchen. More difficult than it sounds, even though it was observed by us locals that the original café was busy this was not borne out with official figures as the previous café owners did not make their accounts public.
All LC could be drawn on re a potential owner was that the Trustees are in negotiation.
A point was made about all the building’s renovation and improvements, praising Nigel for all his considerable hard work. A spontaneous applause erupted.
Simone and Sylvia were also thanked for all their hard work on the gardening front.
Further discussions were held on the subject of getting volunteers and keeping them. One suggestion was to approach gold D of E pupils as part of their yearlong community work. Plenty of ideas were bounded back and forth which will require further discussions. Simone spoke about the wish to hold events once a month starting with a wine and cheese pairing this Friday 21 October.
The meeting was finished with a glass of wine, nibbles and for those who wished, a tour of the building.
