LANGHAM COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting
held on 24th May 2018

Present
Twelve people attended the AGM including four members of the public.

Apologies for Absence
Liz and Bob Schofield, Andrew Craig, James Puxley, Peter Dawson, Cheryl Williams, Shannon Barnes, Mark Kleingeld.

Alan Cadman, Chairman, welcomed everyone to his thirteenth AGM.

Minutes of the AGM held on 25th May 2017
The minutes had been circulated and there were no objections. David Winter proposed and Marlena Lipski seconded that the minutes be accepted as a true record of the meeting. The Chairman signed the minutes.

Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.

Managing Trustees’ Report
Alan said that 2017/18 had been quite a quiet year after the building work and changes to the LCC governing document the previous year. In part, the lack of major works was due to our diminished income as a result of reducing the Shop and Pre-School rents to help them out of financial difficulties. It was also because the Borough Council had had a change of staff, which had greatly delayed our plans for a new disabled toilet facility, and Essex County Council had only recently cleared the School Road drains, which had preventing refurbishment of the car park because it might have flooded.

The Hall has had new bookings from a young people’s theatre group, Little Stars, who are booked for the year, and the NHS Ipswich/Colchester Hospital Group who are holding meetings. Sue Armstrong pointed out that the latter may be short-term and that both pilates and Tae Kwondo have ceased. A rising number of caravan clubs are hiring the recreation ground and using the centre. Importantly, we continue to receive a high level of support from our regular hirers and Langham Ladies, which arose from the former WI, has a rewardingly high membership.

Alan referred to the balance sheet and written report by the Treasurer which had been circulated and which would be dealt with under the following item. As is always the case, much expenditure lies ahead.

He confirmed the membership of the Management Committee for the past year:


Alan Cadman Chairman
Liz Winter Secretary
Maureen Shouksmith Treasurer
Jutta Brawn Bowls Club
Denise Hobday Parochial Church Council
Elizabeth Schofield Parish Council
Daphne Bettle Bridge Club
Bob Schofield Recreation Ground
Melanie Everett Pre-School
James Puxley Scouts
Andrew Craig Community Shop
Marlena Lipski Patchwork Pals
Mark Kleingeld Tennis Club

Sue Armstrong Commercial and Marketing Manager employee
Cheryl Williams Caretaker employee


Treasurer’s Report
Maureen confirmed that our turnover of nearly £64,000 had been well under the VAT threshold which we had been concerned about breaching last year. This was partly because of loss of rent from the Shop and Pre-School. The total rent received of £840 was included in “local regular income”. Our annual profit was £11,317.63. The Pre-School had agreed to pay the full rent of £506 per month from September.

Our current account balance at the end of March was £9,448.44 with £39,050.72 in the saver account and £250.42 in petty cash. The large savings sum arose because planned work had been postponed, as explained in the Managing Trustees’ Report. £8,000 has been set aside for car park repairs in the coming year and a review of the 20-year maintenance plan has been begun by Sue Armstrong and the Finance Sub-Committee.

Average monthly income for 2017/18 was £5,000 gross. (We also await a tax refund from HMRC of around £1,000.) Our basic running costs averaged £2,570 a month. (The music licences do not appear in the figures, as these were not paid until after the end of the period and totalled £1,044.36.) Maintenance costs vary annually and averaged £790 per month. There would be a short Trustee meeting after the AGM to discuss spending on the hall floor which needs attention.

If the meeting accepted the accounts, Maureen would once again ask George Pearce to act as Independent Examiner, after which they would be lodged with the Charity Commission.
Denise Hobday proposed and Jutta Brawn seconded that the accounts be accepted and the meeting was unanimously in favour.

Maureen was thanked for her patient work in getting to grips with the complicated spreadsheet layout to produce such excellent accounts. Andrew Craig was also thanked for lending his help and support to Maureen when needed.

Election of Members
The Secretary informed the meeting that no nominations had been received for any elected position on the Management Committee. The current members were willing to continue. Marlena Lipski proposed and Jutta Brawn seconded that they be re-elected en bloc. Unanimous.

Chairman – Alan Cadman; Secretary – Liz Winter; Treasurer – Maureen Shouksmith.

Community Council Representatives
Daphne Bettle had filled the Bridge Club vacancy since October 2017. Melanie Everett retired from the Pre-School this week and they had appointed their new manager, Maria Bukovenczki, to act as their representative from July 2018. The secretary had written to all Clubs to ask who their appointed representative for 2018/19 will be. Liz Schofield had retired from the Parish Council due to continuing ill health. Bob Schofield was currently on holiday but had verbally confirmed that he would continue to represent the Recreation Ground.

The full list of representatives appointed by their organisations is as follows:

Peter Dawson Parish Council
Bob Schofield Recreation Ground (to be confirmed)
Daphne Bettle Bridge Club
Marlena Lipski Patchwork Pals
Denise Hobday Parochial Church Council
Mark Kleingeld Tennis Club
Andrew Craig Community Shop
Maria Bukovenczki Pre-School (from July 2018)
James Puxley Scouts
Jutta Brawn Bowls Club

The Langham Ladies had been running very successfully for nearly a year now and it was agreed that they should be invited to appoint a representative to the LCC Management Committee. This could be dealt with at the next Trustee Meeting in July.

Item 8
Liz Schofield has given invaluable help and advice to the LCC for many years, working tirelessly to keep the hall functioning through difficult times. She is an amazing fount of local knowledge and good sense. In the circumstances it would be a blow to lose her expertise and she had been asked whether she would be prepared to be co-opted onto the Management Committee. Happily, she has agreed.

The feeling of the meeting was that Liz Schofield was a great asset to the community of Langham and to the LCC in particular. Liz Winter proposed and Gill Woodman seconded that she be co-opted. Carried unanimously and with enthusiasm.

Sue Armstrong thanked all the Trustees for their support of herself and Cheryl over the past year. They reciprocated by thanking Sue and Cheryl for keeping the hall in good order and fully booked, often in trying circumstances.

Any Other Business

1. There was some discussion of the travellers, who had occupied part of the recreation ground for eight days, and their impact on our business. Owing to the imminent Bank Holiday, they would probably remain until 29th May when the bailiffs were due. We may have to consider more stringent security measures to keep them out. The Parish Council will upgrade their gate, where entry was gained, in the hope of preventing their return.

2. Alan said he was trying to revive the Fete Committee and restore the annual summer fete to the recreation ground. Denise said that the Scouts had booked the field for 6th July 2019 for their 60th anniversary and the Beavers’ 30th.

This concluded the business and the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 8.15pm.