THE
RAWSON INSTITUTE
ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR TO 31ST DECEMBER 2006
(It is with deep
regret that the Management Committee has to record the death on
13th February 2007 of one of its Trustees, Mr D W E
Gardner. Mr Gardner, who had served as an Elected Member since
May 2004, made a highly valued contribution to the work of the
Charity and he will be sadly missed).
The Rawson
Institute, The Street, Bolney, West Sussex, RH17 5PG is a
Registered Charity
(No 305173)
regulated by a Scheme made by the Secretary of State for
Education and Science on 8th October 1964 under
Section 18 of the Charities Act 1960, as amended by a Scheme
made by the Charity Commissioners on 5th May 1995.
The property belonging to the Charity is held on its behalf by
the Official Custodian for Charities (Holding Trustee).
The object of the
Charity is the provision and maintenance of a village hall for
use by the inhabitants of Bolney and the neighbourhood. The aim
is to provide first class facilities at an affordable cost for
social, recreational and educational purposes, in particular for
those activities arranged by village organisations, and to
encourage new ventures of value to the community.
Responsibility for
the control and management of the Institute resides with the
Management Committee (Charity Trustees) which, at the end of the
year, comprised thirteen members. Details of the composition of
the Committee during the period
1st
January 2006 to 31st March 2007 are given at Annex A.
Seven meetings of the Committee were held during the year at
which the average attendance was nine members.
It should be noted
that four Representative Members who either resigned or, in the
case of the Parish Council representative, were withdrawn from
the Management Committee during 2004-2005 have still not been
replaced. The Committee does its best to encourage volunteers by
expressing its willingness to discuss the role and
responsibilities of a Trustee ahead of any appointment. In
addition, on appointment all new Trustees are provided with
background information including a copy of the governing
document, relevant Charity Commission publications, the previous
year’s Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities, the
minutes of the previous Committee meeting and the contact
details of fellow Trustees. Sadly, the situation seems to
reflect the widespread difficulty of recruiting volunteers when
a significant commitment of time and effort is required.
Day to day
responsibility for supervision of the premises and for dealing
with any immediate problems lies with the Secretary who consults
the Chairman, Treasurer and other members as necessary. The
Committee employs a resident Caretaker, Mrs T Bedwell, who is
also responsible for all booking and hiring arrangements. The
Committee wishes again to express its appreciation of the
excellent service given by Mrs Bedwell during the year and the
helpful and willing support provided by Mr Bedwell.
The Institute is a
subscribing member of Action in Rural Sussex (AirS) which
provides advice on statutory and regulatory matters affecting
village halls, together with general information on the support
which can be made available. Of particular note is the valuable
assistance provided by Mrs L Beaton, AirS Village Halls Policy
Adviser whenever difficulties arise or advice on particular
issues is needed. During 2006, AirS organised two workshops, the
first in July on funding opportunities for village halls and the
second in November on fire safety and environmental health
requirements. Representatives from the Management Committee
attended on both occasions and found the information and advice
provided extremely useful.
The Institute is
also a member of the Mid Sussex (South) Council for Voluntary
Service and an Associate Member of the National Village Halls
Forum.
A Premises Licence
is held authorising the provision of certain forms of regulated
entertainment (plays, music, dance). This Licence does not
include permission to sell alcohol for which an event organiser
must submit a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) to Mid Sussex
District Council (the Licensing Authority). During 2006, the
Institute has lived comfortably within the statutory prescribed
limits of 12 TENs and an aggregate of 15 days per calendar year.
However, it is recognised that, failing some relaxation in the
legislation, problems could arise in the future as a result of
increased activities and that a change of approach (ie including
the sale of alcohol within a Premises Licence) may become
necessary. The Institute also holds a licence granted by the
Performing Right Society for the public performance of copyright
music.
An inspecting
officer from the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service visited the
Institute in April and confirmed that the means of escape and
general fire safety arrangements were satisfactory.
With the prospect
of a new village hall (see below), every effort is of course
being made to limit expenditure on the maintenance of the
existing premises. Only such work as is deemed essential for the
premises to remain generally ‘fit for purpose’ and for H&S and
other statutory obligations to be met is being undertaken.
Unfortunately, however, the constantly recurring problem of roof
leakage again manifested itself on two occasions during 2006
resulting in total repair costs of just over £1600. Also, a
3-day breakdown of the heating system in February disrupted a
number of activities, especially the Under Fives
playgroup.
During 2006, the
demand for the use of the Institute’s facilities continued at a
high level. The Under Fives playgroup and the School of
Dance/Keep-Fit Classes remained major activities. Principal
users from amongst the various village organisations were the
Horticultural Society, the Women’s Institute (WI), the Youth
Club, the Bolney Players, the Brownies, the Local History
Society, the ‘Rendez-vous’ (senior citizen) Club and the Parish
Council. The Bolney Housing Association and the British Legion
also continued to meet in the hall on a regular basis.
In addition, there
was a wide range of other events organised by village and other
local organisations and by private individuals. These included
friendship suppers run by the Parochial Church Council (PCC) and
other local churches, a ‘Meet your MP’ open meeting organised by
the local Conservative Association, a WI Spring Lunch, a Quiz
Night organised by the PCC, theatre workshops, a photographic
club, a fashion evening and a Christmas fair organised by the
Under Fives, and several jumble sales. Private hirings included
a garden furniture sale, dog behaviour classes and several
children’s parties. The Doctor’s surgery continued to be held
twice per week.
Attention within
the Management Committee during 2006 has continued to be mainly
focussed on the aim of providing a new village hall. The
associated workload has been borne principally by the Project
Steering Sub Committee and a newly formed (July 2006)
Fundraising Sub Committee details of the composition of which
are at Annex A. In May 2006, at the invitation of the Management
Committee, the Parish Council appointed Councillor Mrs D Drake
to join the Project Steering Sub Committee as a Co-opted Member.
This appointment and the inauguration in November of regular
informal joint meetings between the Management Committee and the
Council are regarded as a welcome sign of an acceptance by the
Council of the need for a closer partnership with regard to the
provision of a new village hall, a need which has been
recognised for some considerable time by the Management
Committee. In November, the Committee decided to appoint Messrs
Griffith Smith, Solicitors to advise and act on its behalf as
necessary on legal matters associated with the new hall.
Following the grant
of outline planning permission on 25th August 2005
for a new village hall on the west side of Batchelor’s Field,
the Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) South Area Planning
Committee on 16th February 2006 also granted outline
planning permission for residential development on the existing
site. This permission requires the retention of the 1881
building including the cottage, so the view from The Street will
be virtually unchanged. The sale of the site forms an essential
part of the process of realising a new village hall as it will
generate a major portion of the capital funding required.
An Open Meeting,
chaired by District Councillor Mrs S Seward, was held on 14th
March to inform residents regarding progress and future plans.
The meeting, which was attended by over 120 residents,
demonstrated very convincingly the strong support for the
project within the village and provided a clear endorsement of
the actions being taken by the Management Committee. The
Committee decided therefore to move as rapidly as possible
towards obtaining detailed planning approval, seeking the
necessary funding and securing all the related legal agreements.
Two subsequent newsletters in April and December, delivered to
every home in the Parish, have been aimed at continuing to keep
residents informed regarding progress on all these matters.
Consultation with user groups has continued to take place as
necessary throughout the year.
Regrettably,
progress throughout the year was impeded by the application made
in early 2004 by the Rawson Institute Preservation Society, an
anti- new hall lobby group, for registration of Batchelor’s
Field as a Village Green. Consideration of the application by
West Sussex County Council (WSCC) Rights of Way Committee was
deferred, following advice from DEFRA, pending a House of Lords
decision on a similar case in Oxfordshire. With this decision
made known in June, it had been hoped that the Batchelor’s Field
application would be considered in September but the
Preservation Society’s subsequent request for a time extension
meant that the application was not brought before the Rights of
Way Committee until 10th November when it was
rejected. Although the Management Committee was convinced from
the outset that the basis for the application was unsound, some
authorities with whom negotiations and from whom decisions were
needed as part of project development (eg the Parish Council,
MSDC and the Charity Commission) were reluctant or unwilling to
proceed until the issue was formally resolved.
Despite this
difficulty, significant progress has been made in a number of
areas, the main achievements being:
·
Detailed planning and design
development by the team led by our architect, to the point of
readiness for a submission for Full Planning Approval, was
essentially complete by the end of the year. A key objective
from the outset has been to produce a cost and energy efficient
design combined with a traditional external appearance that will
ensure that the building blends well with its village setting.
There is no doubt that this has been satisfactorily achieved.
·
Detailed negotiations with MSDC
concerning a lease to build on Batchelor’s Field finally got
under way towards the end of the year following resolution of
the village green issue.
·
Productive discussions were
held throughout the year with the WSCC Children and Young
People’s Service regarding the location of a Sure Start
Children’s Centre within the new village hall. The proposal is
seen to be of considerable potential benefit to young children
and their parents living in Bolney and the surrounding area and
it will also bring a substantial capital contribution towards
construction costs.
·
A Fundraising Strategy for the
new village hall that set out the most promising fundraising
opportunities was agreed in January 2006 and a Business Plan
incorporating the Strategy was approved by the Management
Committee in May. The Business Plan will be updated at
appropriate stages in the project programme.
·
A Stage 1 application to the
Big Lottery Fund for a grant of £160,000 under its Community
Buildings programme was submitted in September and work
commenced on applications to various grant-making trusts. In
December, the Parish Council agreed to act as ‘third party
funder’ in respect of a proposed application to Viridor Credits
for a grant under the Landfill Tax Credits Scheme.
(Note: Unfortunately, we were notified by the
Big Lottery Fund in February 2007 that we would not be invited
to submit a Stage 2 application).
·
Detailed planning of various
local fundraising activities was also initiated in the autumn.
The target figure for donations from individuals, local
organisations and local businesses plus income from village
events was set at £45,000.
The Statement of
Financial Activities for the year ending 31st
December 2006 has been examined by our Honorary Auditor in his
role as Independent Examiner. The Statement and the Independent
Examiner’s report are attached. The names and addresses of the
Charity’s bankers and Independent Examiner are at Annex B. An
additional bank account was opened in June 2006 with the CAF
Bank Ltd for all income and expenditure relating to the new
hall.
The Management
Committee gratefully acknowledges the receipt in March 2006 of a
grant of £5000 from Awards for All as a contribution towards
architect fees and a grant of £500 in April from the WSCC Parish
Initiative Fund. The Committee also acknowledges with thanks
Society and personal donations received to date in support of
the village hall project.
Following the
revision in hire charges in October 2005 and October 2006,
rental income increased by 17.5%. The annual grant from Bolney
Parish Council increased from £1000 to £1250. After meeting
operating costs that were 11% higher than in 2005 and architects
fees not covered by restricted grants and donations a small
surplus of £454 remained.
The Management
Committee considers that unrestricted reserves of £12217 are
adequate to cover any unbudgeted expenditure related to the
present hall.
D W Robins, Chairman
24th April
2007
For and on behalf of
the Management Committee.
ANNEX A
RAWSON INSTITUTE
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
1ST
JANUARY 2006 – 31ST MARCH 2007
Elected Members
Mr D W Robins
(Chairman)
Mr J Scrivener
(Secretary)
Mr J A Higinbotham
(Treasurer)
Mr D W E Gardner
(deceased 13th February 2007)
Mr O P Gilroy
(until 12th June 2006)
Mr M R Shepherd
(from 13th June 2006)
Mr D H Williams
(until 9th April 2006)
Representative
Members
Bolney Cricket
Club - Mr J K Craven-Griffiths
Bolney Football
Club - Mr R J Blake
Bolney
Horticultural Society - Mrs A J Barlow
Bolney Parochial
Church Council - Mrs H M Cymerman (from 17th
January 2007)
Bolney
Players
- Mr A B Wadham
Bolney Under
Fives - Miss T M Gaston (until 9th
April 2006)
- Mrs J
Symes (from 10th April 2006)
Bolney Village
Society
- Mr C D Tonkinson
Bolney Women’s
Institute - Mrs D A M Gardner
Bolney Youth
Club - Mrs H F Mullany
Project Steering
Sub Committee
Mr D W Robins
(Chairman)
Mr J K
Craven-Griffiths
Mrs D Drake (Parish
Councillor, co-opted member, from 16th May 2006)
Mr D W E Gardner
(deceased 13th February 2007)
Mr J A Higinbotham
(co-opted member, from 5th March 2007)
Mr J Scrivener
(co-opted member)
Mr D H Williams
(Professional Adviser, co-opted member)
Fundraising Sub Committee (formed 30th May 2006)
Mr J K
Craven-Griffiths (Chairman)
Mrs A J Barlow
Mrs D A M Gardner
Mr J A Higinbotham
Mrs H F Mullany
Mr D W Robins
Mr A B Wadham
ANNEX B
Bankers
Alliance &
Leicester Commercial Bank plc, Bootle, Merseyside, G1R 0AA
CAF Bank Ltd, 25
Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ.
Independent
Examiner
Mr R A Green CPFA,
Rodings, Top Street, Bolney, West Sussex, RH17 5PP
Solicitors
Griffith Smith, 47
Old Steyne, Brighton, BN1 1NW.
Architect
DAAM, 16-24 Underwood
Street, London, N1 7JQ.
