Minutes of the fourth Committee Meeting
10.00 am 23rd February 2006 at the Village Hall, Morden
Present
West: Pat Pullen, Michael Stevenette
South & Purbeck: David Vevers, Mary Mathers
East:
DCA: Lois Rose
Apologies from Sue Chapman, Hazel Clifton, Tina Jackson, Jean Miller, Oscar Winsey
David welcomed Lois Rose to the meeting.
Matters arising (not covered elsewhere)
The minutes were reviewed, approved and signed with a deletion of the action on Mary to find out about Publicity boards.
DVHA Website
No recent action, Baird to continue to pursue.
Publicity Board
Baird showed details of Portable displays onto which DVHA information could be fixed for use at meetings. Lois said that DCA could probably assist with enlarging presentation material where required.
Chairman’s report
There have been no relevant meetings since the last Committee meeting
Secretary’s report
Baird said that he had been contacted by Bob Kempston of Winterbourne Whitechurch who have 50+ plastic chairs for sale at £1 a time, as they are getting new ones. His telephone is 01258 881217
Baird gave details of Consultation meetings of the S & E Dorset Patient & Public Involvement Forum in Verwood and Wimborne on local Health service provision, and invited participants to contact the organisers. Our interest in in the use of halls for ‘outreach clinics’.
Area Meeting Reports
Baird reported that he had helped run 3 Area meetings:
Central area had 6 people representing 4 halls
East, Poole & Bournemouth & Southeast had 2 people representing1 hall
North had 7 people representing 5 halls
He commented that it appeared the best run halls which were most interested in the Association, and which were able to make it to the meetings. In general, there were not any significant issues raised outside the projects already proposed. Cost saving on insurance and information on Access for funding were the most useful things we could provide. Notes from these meetings are attached.
Purbeck & South area will be having their meeting on 23rd March at Morden Hall at
Organisation, Regions & Membership
Definition of Roles
There has been some confusion (not least in the mind of your Secretary) on the relative roles of the various organisations operating in ‘our’ area:
Lois has produced an article to point out the purpose and differences between DCA & DVHA. (attached)
DCA gives professional guidance to Village Halls & Community Associations
DVHA is a self-help group providing grass-roots support to NVHF
NVHF campaigns for the interests of Village Halls at National level
Community Matters covers the same wider scope for Urban areas
I am sure there are better words to define this, and I would welcome your suggestions to refine the definitions, so we can publish clear guidelines to our members in the ‘Introduction to the DVHA’ leaflet.
Definition of Areas
We are still debating whether to have a separate South-East Area for
We need to formalise the outlines of the Areas, by reference to our original map.
Action: Sue to provide original map to Baird
Treasurer
We agreed to look for a suitable person to take this on. (Post meeting note: Pat Pullen suggested David McKinna of Portesham who has agreed to do it for one year only)
Subscriptions
Lois has raised DCA Affiliation fee by £2 this year to pay for
We discussed a Subscription of £5 to run from April to March ’07, probably to be collected by us, and a reduced rate for attending the AGM/Talks which made it better to be a member.
Mailing List
Currently Baird is maintaining the mailing List, and updating with email addresses as they become available.
Action: Please get e-mail addresses where possible & notify Baird
Lois can get more Poole & Bournemouth Hall details
Action: Lois to send to Baird
We have had one or two changes of Area requested, and these have been noted on the Mailing list.
Current Projects
NVHF – National Village Halls Forum
Lois said that people were still unaware of the good work that NVHF were doing, and had achieved over the Licencing laws. We agreed to give time to cover this at the AGM.
Lois will send Baird the most recent newsletter for information. This has already gone to paid up members.
Next meeting is the 2nd March – Mary Mather will report at our next meeting.
Lois would like to receive concerns for raising at NVHF Exec, and acknowledgment of successes. Please report direct. She is currently representing DCHA on the NVHF Executive Committee but would like a DVHA representative to take over.
Action: Consider who at next meeting
Village Venues Partnership
The next meeting is 1st March in
Connecting Dorset – IT Project
The aim is to have a PC in each village for use by Parish Council and Hall Committee for the distribution of central information, and internal communication. Jane at DCC is the person to contact on this.
Action: Lois to find out current status for next meeting
Group Insurance
Lois has been contacted by an Insurer, and will pass details to Baird (done).
Eon have helped NVHF with costs, and should be considered.
Action: Baird to contact the noted insurers.
Other joint buying
Michael suggested that some supermarket chains might be willing to give discounts for purchase of event catering needs, in return for promotion within DVHA.
Action: Michael to contact Tesco & Morrisons
Mobile Cinema
Michael reported that Thorncombe have financed their own projection equipment.
Could we go to ‘Awards for all’ for funding for similar equipment?
Action: Baird to write to Moviola .
Hall survey
Baird has received several responses (mainly from the West) and is starting to collate the results. Questionnaires should go to the remainder with the calling notice for the AGM.
Knowledge Database
Baird said he intended to store the information gathered in e-mails in a central database, where they could be searched by topic.
Rate Relief
Pat Pullen reported that most councils are continuing to give the 20% rate relief, but that some in
Hallmark Scheme
Lois would like to get this under way. She can set up a meeting with Somerset VHA if required, or ask for some of their materials.
The next step is then to get volunteer ‘Visitors’ from each area, and meet to work out the mechanics of visiting ‘out of area’. The best approach is a swap, where 2 visitors do each other’s areas.
The watchword is ‘Assessment’ – not ‘Judgement’. The Committee should then receive the report of the visit.
We could probably approach DCC or District Councils for assistance with costs of travel etc.
Any Other Business
Fire Risk Assessment
Lois said that the introduction of legislation has been delayed until October. We need to find out what the Act requires of the person doing the Assessment. Lois is trying to source lower cost training courses, and will try and get a speaker for our AGM.
Good practice for any Hall is “to be safe” by having an annual Audit & review, and to visit the actions required from the Audit from time to time.
Action: Lois to seek speaker for AGM
Funding
Lois has seen some grants for ‘consultation’ which might be useful for DVHA, and will look again for these.
The next ‘Big Lottery Fund’ distribution is in June.
As part of the ‘Grant Programme’ for the Big Lottery Fund, Lois wants feedback on what was difficult in making applications previously – e.g. cover for Small projects, simpler ‘jargon-busting’ application forms etc.
When going for a major grant, Lois recommends a 5-year Business Plan, with stages for Needs Analysis survey & results, Proposals & Consultation, etc.
Licencing
It appears that most halls have now got their arrangements in place, although some have not.
NVHF have done good work in lobbying for more relevant and ‘sensible’Licencing rules for halls.
Lois clarified that the TENS licences applied to up to 12 single events covering no more than 15 days. A Food Outlet is one serving food on 5 or more occasions in a 5 week period.
Panto Competition
The Annual Pantomime competition is in danger of dying out unless Lois can find someone to take it on. This judges the Pantos in each Village and awards “Gremmies” – a cross between Grammies and Emmas(!) to the best. There is currently £1300 in the kitty.
Should we promote this at the AGM
AGM
This proposed for Saturday 6th May. Post meeting note: David has said that this date is not convenient for some of the Committee, and has asked for 27th May and 3rd June to be considered.
Baird to investigate availability of Durweston Hall
We propose having a brief AGM to appoint officers for the next year, and discuss other matters etc. We can then have interesting speakers on topics of general and current interest:
- How to do a Risk Assessment
- Fire risk Assessment
- Hall Insurance
Lois offered to contact Martin Clifton, Chairman of the Wilts VHA, if required.
We will plan this in detail at the next Committee meeting.
Action: Lois to find speaker(s) on Fire Risk/Assessment
Next Meeting
Saturday 25th February at 10.00 am at the Martyrs Inn, Tolpuddle.
David Vevers thanked everyone for their participation at the meeting.
The meeting closed at
Secretary, Dorset Village Halls Association
Attachments:
Latest Mailing List – Please check that we have the right Area, and let Baird know any changes to this and other details
Report of recent Area meetings
Article on DCA & DVHA Roles by Lois Rose
Proposed Agenda for next Committee meeting & AGM