Welcome to Port William

1. APOLOGIES
None

2 & 3 PREVIOUS MINUTES — Hall booking cancellation policy – 50% charge in the event of cancellation. May be waived in special circumstances at Committee discretion. (Ts &Cs will state this.) — Community Council elections situation unknown at this stage (affects bookings if go ahead). — All documentation, including advisory signs to be displayed in hall, to include our logo and charity number in correct format.

5 TREASURER — Bank Account at end July £2094.92. — Council have advised library rent and cheque to cover loft insulation above main hall are both imminent. — Regular hall users pay us punctually, except for one group which are 2 months in arrears. — Issues re childrens’ badminton group charge have now been resolved and they have started their winter season’ — Masons have agreed to pay £19 per hour (main hall plus supper room fees) — Chair yoga restarting soon. — Bridge club. Discussion about which room, due amount of space required. — Playgroup now have a regular booking of meeting room 1. — Appropriate charge for Panto Co discussed and agreed.

6. CLEANING — Panto Co currently responsible for cleaning of hall until week commencing 24th September when volunteer rota resumes.

7. FUNDRAISING — Advisable to keep statistics on the demographic of hall users for use in funding applications etc. E.g. age groups. Discussion about how to get this information. Invoices could include a request for the number and ages of people who attended the group/event. Alternatively discuss at user group meetings and get user agreement to provide us with this information. — We also need to be clear on audience maximums. The diary we inherited states main hall 200 and supper room 50. Need to check Fire Certificate limits. — Bear in mind for larger events – may require chairs, which are available from the Community Association — Xmas Food Fair, now “Christmas Market” Friday 15th November. Arrangements under way. Actions: MC will email Committee actions/input required from them; KM will request Short Mat Bowling change that week’s booking. — Rural Fashion Show, with Community Shop, on 3rd in main hall. — Pearl McElrea will be asked to delay Casino/Poker Night to Feb/March. Action: PS to check our constitution about gambling! Fundraising actions: RW will produce list of known funders who we may target in future; MC will investigate Facebook Donate page and online shopping “just giving” facility (percentage of purchases go to chosen charity). — It is important to develop a strategy for fundraising – what we need, i.e. wish list, funders to target, when to target them etc. and to revise this on a regular basis.

D&G COUNCIL — As previously stated, loft insulation payment imminent. — Heating timer clocks – discussion about how to proceed. Conclusion – to get appropriate Council team to do the spec, compatible with Council policies and procedures, and get them to decide action thereafter. (If we proceed independently, they may reject our chosen contractor or charge a premium for use of a non council approved contractor.) Action: PS and DP will arrange to meet Stevie Wright here to progress. — Drains problem. We are advised will be attended to “within next 6 weeks”. We will raise issue of vinyl flooring at discussions re drain work. — External side door is in bad condition, attention required fairly soon.

9 SCIO — Rigorous requirements to follow. Includes new membership forms which all members have to sign; initially 3 (or 4) interim trustees who serve for 2 years, elected at General Meetings; all documentation has to have the digital signature of MhM and charity details in standard format; all members to receive 14 days notice of AGM, which will be held after a suitable gap after the financial year end to allow for auditing of accounts.

10 FIRST GENERAL MEETING AS A CHARITY — Members require min 2 weeks’ notice to nominate trustees in writing and to reply no less than 7 days prior to the meeting. — Agreed to hold our first General Meeting on Wednesday 6th November in the Supper Room. — Actions in preparation: membership forms to all individual and group/organisation members and forms for trustee nominations. — Objectives of meeting: Explain “Trustees” and ” Members”; where we are now – charity status etc.; explain Ts &Cs and give copy to every member; what we’ve achieved so far; our future plans and aspirations; their input and ideas. Allow questioning after each point rather than waiting until end. Important everyone feels they have a stake in meeting. It’s everyone’s hall.

11 AOCB — Council info on use and costs of current hall wheelie bins received. Agreed to use one grey ones for now. Can revisit. — Smoking dragon featured in panto – probably necessary to disconnect smoke alarm temporarily but should be checked with council. — Panto Co buying structure for their lighting etc. We can use. Its storage was discussed. — Grassy bank at rear of hall. Will require clearing. Suggestion from DP. — Sound insulation between supper room and main hall. DP has identified floor insulation material which can be cut to size and fitted in doorway. To proceed with this.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING TUESDAY 8th OCTOBER 7pm.