Blogs

 The CEMEX Community Fund enables and assists communities local to CEMEX quarry and landfill sites carry out project which improve or enhance their local community facilities and places of interest.

The CEMEX Community Fund offers grants of between £1,000 and £15,000 for projects that:

 The local co-ordinators for Neighbourhood Watch in west, north and east Dorset have been notified by the police of an increased risk of theft from central heating oil tanks in these areas. A gang seems to be at work and have targetted village halls in these areas as well as in Somerset. It is difficult to secure tanks to prevent this from happening but halls are recommended, if at all possible, to keep such tanks within locked compounds making access that much more diffiucult. 

 The Midsomer Norton's community centre, which somes under Community Action's area, has been requisitioned by the local PCT

 Rainwater charges lead to Scout lobby of parliament

 Penalties for late payments

You should be aware that charities (and that will include halls) which employ staff will fall within the new penalty regime which, for the first time, will penalise employers for the late payment of monthly PAYE and National Insurance Contribution payments, unless a time to pay arrangement has been agreed with HM Revenue & Customs. - Please be careful!

 There is a 'movement'  known as 'Extended Schools' and this is now being supported by governnment money as theExtended Schools Capital Fund which is being made available to primary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.  Any village halls that are very close (both physically and socially) to these schools and where the hall could be used for activities by the school (sports, activities, lunch club, etc), could access funding to make any necessary alterations that might be needed to host that finction.

 There’s a  Government White paper on informal adult learning which is making recommendations that publicly owned buildings to be made available free or at a low cost for learning – this may have implications for village halls’ ability to generate income in the future – but may equally be of little significance to them 

Here is an extract: 

 We understand that the proposed to the licensing regime will take effect from the end of July.

If a hall already holds a Premises Licence that includes the sale of alcohol then a fee of £23.00 should be submitted with the application for removal of the DPS (Designated Premises Supervisor) requirement.