27th February 2025 | Dalton Community Association Trustees Meeting

  Dalton Community Association (DCA)

Minutes of the Trustee meeting held 5.30pm 

Thursday 27 February 2025

1 Welcome. VR (Chair) opened the meeting and welcomed Trustees present along with introducing Beverley Louw and Barry Curley who she thanked for joining as Trustees.

Attendance: Val Robinson (VR) Chair, Barry Doughty (BD), Sue Johnson (SJ), John McGill (JM), Raymond Willock (RW), Brian Ryninks (BR) Treasurer, Steve Nott (SN), Dave Ward (DW), Ian Maddox (IM), Beverley Louw (BL), Barry Curley (BC)

2 Apologies:     Nick Perie (NP), 

3 Declaration of interests:

Raymond Willock – Fairtrade, 

4 Minutes of the Previous Meeting 

   The Minutes of the Meeting of 30 January 2025 that were circulated to Trustees prior to the meeting were approved by the Trustees as a true record.

5 Matters Arising not on the agenda – There were no issues arising that were not on the agenda. 

6 Financial Approval

BR had circulated the details of the February 2025 financial transactions prior to the meeting and reported that income banked for February was £660.60 for room hire.

The January and February petty cash payments totalled £148.91 for various items.

£5,311.24 was spent in February with just over 60% thereof being for the annual insurance renewal, a new printer for £345.49 and then lighting and fire alarm repairs of £259.94 and £964.81 respectively. No cheques were issued as all payments were by bank transfer from the new account.

7 Financial Report 

7.1 Monthly Management Accounts

BR had circulated the monthly management accounts for February 2025 to all Trustees prior to the meeting. These showed that there was an unrestricted funds deficit of £1,692 for January 2025, mainly due to a low level of income received, giving a 10-month cumulative unrestricted funds deficit of £9,905. This resulted in unrestricted funds reserves of £52,274 against the reserve policy requirement of £34,000.

As far as restricted funds are concerned, there was no movement of restricted funds for January 2025, giving a 10-month cumulative deficit of £5,795, leaving a total of unspent restricted funds of £1,163

BD asked after funds received for the electricity generated by the solar panels and VR reported that the latest quarterly claim from British Gas had just been lodged.

7.2 Insurance

BR confirmed that the cover that had been extended by a month had now been arranged for the coming year through a new broker from 6 February 2025.  

7.3 Budget

BR apologised for not presenting a draft budget yet but he would do so for the coming meeting.

Action – BR

7.4 Dormant Company Annual Accounts

BR had circulated the annual accounts for the dormant company for the year ended 31 January 2025 to all Trustees prior to the meeting that was approved. BR to submit the related annual returns.

      Action – BR

8 Vacancy – Centre Administrator/Manager

VR reported that following a meeting of her, BD, SJ and BR, an advert had been posted resulting in one application and one enquiry of interest that would also result in an application. VR had asked IM to repost the advert that showed an interview date of 17 March, that VR and SJ would conduct. SN asked about the issue of possibly extending the hours and VR replied that the role is an administrative one and so the current hours were sufficient for such. 

Action – VR/SJ

9 Proposals for Other Roles

It was agreed that a new role of Caretaker was not required at the present time.

10 Trustee Recruitment

VR reported that another person had enquired about volunteering who VR would meet soon.

Action – VR

11 Facility Users

VR reported bookings for:

11.1 The Hall had been made for Wargames at Easter on the Thursday and Friday, moving to the Kings Own room on the Sunday

11.2 A Council meeting on 9 September

11.3 A Council repeat in April of a recent full day planning session in the Hall

11.4 No children’s parties 

12 Maintenance of the Building

VR noted a busy last month of maintenance. This included Forrest using scaffolding in the Hall when changing the fire alarm wiring. SN had kindly cleaned the guttering this evening that now seems to be fine. He will look at the flat roof guttering once we have had some dry days in early Spring. IM noted that the east wing light switch issue was found to be mechanical and not electrical. VR reported that FTS had attended yesterday and diagnosed the issue with the fire alarm system.

VR reported receiving a call from Westmorland and Furness Council that wanted to inspect windows, heaters and lighting as they believed it to be a council building that would need to conform to council standards within 5 years. When VR responded that the building had been gifted to the DCA, she was told that it would revert to WFC if the DCA no longer existed.  SN noted that the building was registered to the DCA and so compliance was not required. A full day inspection had then been performed. BD added that the WFC had no right to perform an inspection it did not perform repairs to the building as it belongs to the DCA and the WFC only use certain parts of the building. Both SJ and BL suggested that the WFC can only advise the DCA whilst SJ added that if the DCA folded, the Trustees would decide where the assets went. BD suggested that the WFC be asked who approved the inspection and what was the basis for it saying that it was their building. DW thought that it may be due to the library. VR added that the council rent space under contracts and she would make an enquiry tomorrow. BC wondered if there was a caveat in the deed of transfer that our solicitors should have made us aware of, and that it may be due to council employees now using the DCA for meetings? VR would ask our solicitors Livingston’s and a fee of £500 was approved. 

Action – VR

13 Funding Applications

Billincoat Foundation – VR noted that following an application in November for funding to address anti-social behaviour, feedback had requested more information that was to be considered at a meeting today but that this had been cancelled. Further data regarding youth was needed that she would liaise with SJ on.

Action – VR/SJ

14 Anti-Social Behaviour

VR suggested that we revert to opening at 08h00 and closing at 17h00 that was approved. Last Thursday there were some young lads in the Centre who left without incident when she told them that the Centre was closing. BC had made some helpful suggestions that were being considered. 

15 Governance

Some testing had fallen behind but will be caught up on very soon. BD suggested that the next meeting agenda include the appointment of a new vice chair and VR noted that she had already planned to approach somebody.

Action – VR

16 Any Other Business

17.1 BD reported that he had been contacted by Baywinds and he continued to push for a copy contract.

Action – BD

17.2 BD noted a joint South Wales and Rotary event on 24 May at St James Church and whether the Trustees should request a grant from Rotary. VR replied that a request had already been made.

17.3   DW enquired after volunteers for the film club and VR replied that people were being approached.

Action – VR

17.4 SJ reported some good sessions with the youth at Capernwray on Friday and VR agreed to set up a meeting between SJ and BC.

Action – VR

17.5 IM enquired after the status of the sensory room and it was agreed that costs and grant funding had to be considered before this matter was taken up again.

17.6 A timetable for the lift project was enquired after and BD thought that this would be in the next 5 years with grant funding to hopefully come from something like the Big Lottery as it was such a large project.

17.7 BC and BL confirmed their agreement to join the DCA as Trustees.

VR thanked all for attending and for all that they do for the DCA.

17 Date and Time of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 27 March 2025 at 5.30pm at the Centre.

Meeting ended at 18h22