AGM Minutes 2018
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MILNGAVIE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRUST (MCDT)
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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
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Wednesday 12th December 2018 at 7.00pm in Fraser Centre
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Company No. SC531385 Scottish Charity No. SC047523
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Present: Ruth Blakey, Wilson Blakey, Nigel Scott, Kenny Gray, Bob Garrow, Peter Crosbie, Fiona Crosbie, Tracey Allan-McIntyre, Douglas Cameron, Callum Christie, Eve Gilmore, Jim Goodall, Malcolm Hodgins, Sue Scott, Robert McCallum, Eric Gotts, Iain McAllister, Fay Pascoe, Ian Pascoe, Lon Edwards, Marj Partridge.
Apologies:- Heather Lindsay, Geoff Foord
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1. Minutes of previous AGM
(26th October 2017) and matters arising – approved Callum Christie, seconded Jim Goodall. No matters arising. The acting Chair commented that at the previous AGM, Nigel had offered to become the Independent Examiner for the accounts, and later became Treasurer.
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2. Chair's Report
Wilson (Vice Chair) referred to the Annual Report which had been distributed to the meeting and which described what had been achieved and what was ongoing. He also noted the following:
Changes to Directors since AGM
-Thanks to Former Directors – Lynn, Jim, Tracey, Willie, John, Callum – solid contributions and good judgement from all – in particular :-
John Edwards – sad loss to everyone – wisdom, experience, passion – MCDT had donated The John Edwards Trophy to Douglas Academy to be awarded annually for contribution to “choral music”
Callum Christie – chair noted his involvement as Chair from beginnings as MMM in 2013 to resignation earlier this year – dedication, energy, vision, contacts, drive – and paid tribute to his contribution – work, all as a volunteer, was outstanding. Callum was presented with a gift for all his contributions.
Co-opted as directors since the last AGM – Nigel, Fiona, Peter.
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Community Action Plan
* Based on extensive community consultation and adherence to resulting Community Action Plan priorities (distributed at meeting)
* Half Way through five year plan – current directors feel it appropriate to re-visit by going back to community and consulting again on what we have done and what we should do – take to next Board of Directors meeting
* Wilson commented on a few of these priorities, as described in the Annual Report:
* Milngavie Week – goes from strength to strength – over 50 events run by groups and volunteers – from Highland Games to BID’s Classic Car Show Notable also over £10,000 to their charities.
Fair of Clubs and Societies – 33 plus 5 in reserve; over 400 visited – signups/interest varied from 2 to “enormous” – EDLC Trust took a stall and were now replicating in Kirkintilloch in Jan. 2019
Lennox Park – derelict building which MCDT decided not to take lease on. Private bid for a café with public access to toilet which EDC officer as well as us regards as imperative ; playpark repairs and additional equipment underway with match funding; community orchard planted by volunteers; labyrinth (agreement with EDC for local group to design, lay and maintain an area set aside) ; community food growing project (current proposal for temporary raised beds and private allotments on part of football pitch which is unused, rest a sports area). Other challenges include – Car Parking; Vandalism – talking to EDC about proposals.
CE Centre Pond – swan nest island crowdfunded; picnic table for children sourced; first new planting completed – applications for funding declined by Flightpath Fund but undaunted - collaboration with MCDT; EDC; MCC; MiB; time out club; Mugdock Rangers; volunteers. Superb example of community groups working together.
Renewable Energy on River Allander – feasibility study with Dundee University. Further information available at this meeting.
Improve Communication and Membership - Show of hands where heard about AGM - Community Magazine (not local paper), Notice Boards, Facebook page, Website, Mailchimp, word of mouth, email system – the last one overwhelmingly biggest uptake.
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3. Secretary’s Report
Minutes of Board meetings, administration of dealings with Companies House, and Office of the Scottish Charity Register. Oversee membership of Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and Development Trust Association and liaison with variety of EDC’s groups.
Link established with Business Gateway – gave us time with expert lawyers for advice re GDPR – results in privacy policy – see website and advice to refresh membership regularly – which is what we intend doing with fresh consultation.
Other policies – Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy and Health and Safety policy. To be uploaded soon plus (hope to have summary redacted in line with GDPR minutes on website soon) Also hold Public Liability Insurance and have held a number of Public Entertainment Licences which are a joy to complete (not!).
This and holding meetings and printing papers costs money – we use free premises where possible but so does every other group! And to exist at all costs a considerable sum.
Many funders will not cover running costs – so proceeds of raffle tickets, programme adverts become important sources of income.
We are grateful for grants for specific items from MCC, EDAC, and more general funding from Waitrose Community Fund and Tesco Bags of Help. The Green Network funded the orchard. Crowdfunding gave the swans a new home – look at coin drops in supermarkets – children and animals win.
We failed to gain an award from Abellio for Milngavie Week 2018 despite help from EDVA, and due to dates of meetings changing, our M Week application to the Flightpath fund is now for 2019 and has been partially successful. We were delighted when our sales pitch to McCarthy and Stone was successful as it provided early security to fund events. The bigger Flightpath Fund for biodiversity at CE centre has not been successful and we will look elsewhere.
We had been encouraged by EDC to bid for Community Choices cash and officers felt we had an excellent chance of success, but were rejected with the reason given that the fund wanted to concentrate on deprivation – this is a big issue for us and means we have to be very specific about grant submissions.
We currently receive a grant from ED social work daycare to fund the food growing courses for young adults with additional needs.
Hope to develop our Mailchimp emails further to keep folk informed, and to enhance our online presence via the website and Facebook.
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4. Treasurer’s Report
Nigel explained the key pages of the financial report and accounts. Accounts adopted – proposed Douglas, seconded Fiona.
5. Consideration and Approval Re-election of Board Members
According to constitution proportion have to stand down. Lyn Cree had intimated that she would stand down at AGM. Heather was Associate Director and was willing to become Director – proposed Wilson, seconded Douglas. Wilson proposed the 3 co-opted Directors – Fiona, Peter and Nigel, seconded Eve, Bob and Ruth. There were no other nominations. Office bearers will be decided at next Board meeting.
6. A.O.C.B.
None.
Question from the floor regarding our position re Gavin’s Mill which appears in CAP. We are corporate partners and support their efforts. We have suggested they investigate the Talbot Crosbie Bequest in the hope of getting access to its capital.
Question from the floor about about the new Milngavie Umbrella Group – a group set up in late spring by EDC involving MCC, MCDT, MiB, BiD, Youth Centre to investigate the possibility of working collaboratively. No minutes of meetings so far. The Umbrella Group is working on its role and purpose including MCC suggesting at the last meeting that they might offer to take on management of the group. It will next meet in March 2019.
The acting chair thanked everyone for coming and Douglas proposed a vote of thanks to the MCDT office-bearers.
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