2023-2024
Planning application (N/2023/00354) made on 16 January 2023 was to demolish the current Village Hall and rebuild a new Village Hall on the current site. The planning application was finally approved on 13 March 2024.
On 14 March 2024, the Village Hall Trustees were briefed on a ‘fund raising plan’ which included a substantial request for funding from the Community Ownership Fund (COF) – one of the criteria for eligibility was to be a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).
The Village Hall Trustees held another Meeting on 11 April 2024 and agreed in principle to the establishment of a CIO subject to satisfactory agreements and answers to concerns expressed by some Trustees.
On 16 April 2024, the Village Hall Trustees held an ‘extraordinary’ meeting to hear and consider the answers to previously raised concerns and to decide on becoming a CIO. In addition to the requirement for a COF grant, other advantages of ‘incorporation’ include a limited liability for Trustees and the ability for the charity to hold Village Hall title in its own name. Whilst the charity itself will not benefit from limited liability; it will do so indirectly where the trustees would otherwise be unwilling to enter large contracts on its behalf because of the personal liability risk. Legal advice from Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) and Kevin Allard (a solicitor specialising in trusts) recommended the establishment of a CIO. The meeting endorsed the establishment of a Village Hall CIO, its structure, initial Trustees and constitution.
The inaugural meeting of the newly formed CIO (Registered with the Charity Commissioners on 2 May 2024) was held on 8 May 2024. It was created to incorporate the existing CMVH charity; the first trustees were chosen to lead on rebuilding a new Village Hall. The two charities will co-exist until the freehold title issues have been resolved, the asset transfer agreement executed, and the original charity Trustees resolve to close the old charity.
The Trustees approved the CIO Structure; confirmed the Officers and their Responsibilities as well as the appointment of members to the two Sub Committees. The CIO Board:
Steve Hunt: Chair, Trustee and Chair of the Rebuild Subgroup.
Nigel Fairley: Secretary, Trustee, Chair of the Small Grants Subgroup
Mark Lindsey: Treasurer, Trustee, Lead on Governance.
Sharon Hunt: Trustee, Community Fund Raising/Donations
Shirley Palmer: Trustee (Also Trustee of Current Village Hall Committee), Community Fund Raising/Donations
David Pike: Trustee, (Also Trustee of Current Village Hall Committee) Liaison link with the Current Village Hall Committee, Member of the Rebuild Subgroup, Environmental Sustainability Officer).
Ian Kirkpatrick: Advisor to the Board – Parish Councillor – Liaison and link with the Parish Council
Rebuild Sub-committee: Steve Hunt - Chair, Jeremy Smith, Simon Derrick, Sharon White, Paul Blower, David Pike.
Small Grants Sub-committee: Nigel Fairley – Chair, Ian Montacute , Yvonne Kirkpatrick, Mike Mumford, Alice Gatus.
The current Village Hall Committee continues to run the Village Hall and its events and maintains the safety of the building to users until such time as the rebuild starts on site. During the rebuild it will remain responsible for Village Hall activities in alternative locations.
Commenti