Meeting Minutes:
Charities & Grants
| Meeting Date: | Monday 13 Nov 2023 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 19:30 |
| Councillors | Jon Aldridge, Angela Baker, Sarah Compton, Michael Gemmell Smith, Alan Layland, Nicola Martindale, Margot McArthur, Stuart McGregor, Vince Parker, Angela Read, Jeff Streets, Stephen Sumner, Bob Todd. |
| Committee: | Charities & Grants |
| Venue: | Rickards Hall. 72a High Street Edenbridge, TN8 5AR Kent |
| Notes: | |
| Summary: |
Agenda
Minutes
In the absence of the Town Clerk, the meeting Chairman proposed that Kathy Staff should act as Clerk for the meeting, and members
Resolved: that Kathy Staff should act as Clerk for the meeting.
Apologies were received, noted, and accepted from Cllrs Compton, Martindale, McArthur, and McGregor.
19:31 The Chairman closed the meeting.
A member of the public spoke in support of the grant application from the newly-formed Eden Twinning group, outlining its plans for future activities involving community groups, and confirming the group was in the process of opening a bank account and had an agreed constitution. The Council was thanked for the opportunity to speak.
The Chairman re-opened the meeting.
The members of the public declined an invitation to remain, and left the meeting at this point.
Resolved: to receive, adopt and sign the minutes of the meeting 28 November 2022.
Members noted the accounts recorded ‘nil’ return as all expenditure was managed through Council's I&E accounts, therefore 'nil' return. All activity was reported through the Open Spaces Committee as managed by the Council (sole managing trustee) and registered land owner.
Resolved: to confirm the annual return for charity no 302732 as 'nil'.
Resolved: to receive, adopt and sign the minutes of the meeting 28 November 2022.
Members noted the accounts recorded ‘nil’ return as all expenditure was managed through Council's I&E accounts, therefore 'nil' return. All activity was reported through the Open Spaces Committee as managed by the Council (sole managing trustee) and registered land owner.
Resolved: to confirm the annual return for the charity as 'nil'.
Resolved: to confirm the minutes of the meetings 28 November 2022 and 24 July 2023.
Members noted the end-of-year accounts 2022/23 and the Annual Report were not available due to a bank statement not received. This was currently being re requested. Once the year-end statements were received, these would be presented to December or January Council, in time for the Charities Commission deadline (31/01/24). Last year's year-end was £50,596.16; there had been no expenditure, just interest to add to this, and there were no other assets. No awards were made during that financial year. The Chairman of the Council, on behalf of the trustees, would sign the accounts as a true record of the Charity's financial position before submitting to the Charities Commission, and full Council would confirm the accounting statements.
An award was approved by the Trustees in July 2023, of £2,137.98 and this would be included in the report for current financial year 2023-24.
Cllrs Baker and Layland declared a non-pecuniary interest in Citizens Advice, being on the local branch Board. Cllr Layland also declared non-pecuniary interest in Edenbridge Voluntary Transport.
Members considered 13 applications, requests totalling £19,896 against available funding of £9,290. Each application was discussed in turn, with members able to make comments on which to support, and the potential benefits to the Edenbridge community. After some consideration and discussion, Members,
Resolved: to make awards of the total £9,290 funding available, allocated as follows:
1st Edenbridge Girl Guides £532.00
Edenbridge Amateur Dramatic Society £250.00
Hi Kent Hearing Aid Support Clinics £400.00
Marsh Green Pre-School £708.00
Edenbridge Rugby Football Club £2,500.00 (subject to receipt of a break-down of project costs, and to be confirmed at Finance Committee)
West Kent Mediation £900.00
Edenbridge Voluntary Transport £1,000.00
Bridges £500.00
Eden Christin Trust/ECT Youth Club £500.00
Edenbridge & Westerham Citizens Advice £2,000.00
Resolved: to invite Friends of Hever CofE Primary School, which had a very high percentage of Edenbridge children on its roll, to apply to the Norman Foundation for support (see item 6.2 above).
Resolved: not to support the Benefice of Penshurst, Fordcombe and the Chiddingtones.
Resolved: not to support Eden Twinning at this stage, but to request a copy of the group's constitution, and pending return of approx. £1,300 to the Town Council following closure of Edenbridge and District Twinning Association, to discuss again at the Finance Committee for recommendation to Council that any grant request might be considered using part of this return.
Resolved: to publicise the outcome of the grants awards through social media and the Town Council's website.