Glassford Community Group held its annual general meeting (AGM) on March 2nd 2021. It was its first AGM since it was granted charitable status in June 2020 and was held as an online meeting due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The minutes are published below and if you would like to download a copy please click this link

Minutes of Annual General Meeting Tuesday March 2^nd at 7pm

The meeting was held online using Zoom

Attendees

Clare Miller (CM)

Morag Walker

Les Hoggan (LH)

Lisa Webb (LW)

James Newall (JN)

Sandra Kilby

David Kilby

Stevie Urquhart

Mark Shields

Jinty Crawford (JC)

Martin McManus

Introduction

James Newall as Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for their attendance.  He also thanked everyone for their support over the last year in delivering leaflets, collecting prescriptions, delivering meals and steak pies at Xmas, etc.

Minutes from previous AGM

The minutes from the previous AGM in 2019 were approved.

Summary of Last Year

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was not possible to hold any events or fundraisers in the village.  Over the course of the year the Community Group joined up with ‘Working together for Avondale’ (WTA) to provide coordinated community support, helping with shopping, prescription collection, free weekend Steayban vouchers, eyesight checks, etc.  The work was funded through WTA.  In early 2020 the Community Group funded additional Xmas lights for the village and in February it installed an information board on Covenanters at the graveyard.  It received funding from Kype Muir Community Fund for the Xmas lights and from the Micro Grant Scheme for the information board.  In early 2021 it was confirmed that the Community Group has been awarded funding from the Micro Grant Scheme as a contribution towards a new bench at the to of the Borlands.

Charitable Status

LH went through the process of achieving charitable status and confirmed this had been awarded in July 2020.  This enables the group to pursue funding that would otherwise not be available and also provided benefits in the event of a community asset transfer for the Village Hall.  The annual return including audited accounts is due annually in July. At present the trustees are James Newall, Les Hoggan and Lisa Webb. Other members of the Glassford Community Group can be added as trustees at any point.

Treasurers Report

LW took the meeting through the treasurers report.  The starting balance was £11200.06 and to date around £1000 in refunds for the Beer and Gin Festival have been paid out.  We will put another post on Facebook and put up posters around Glassford and Strathaven to remind people that the event is cancelled and asking for donations/refunds.  A cut-off date is to be agreed.  It was also agreed to put posters up around the village highlighting the cancellation for those not on social media and also on the notice board in Strathaven.

Income from 2021 calendars was £373.  The first raffle in December 2020 raised £930 and the second raffle raised £965.  There was a donation of £475 from McLeans Gin for sales of ‘The Glesart’ and a local resident donated £250.  The accounts are due to be audited at the end of March 2021.

Beer and Gin Festival

With the beer and gin festival for 2021 officially cancelled, planning starts for the 2022 Festival which is intended to be bigger and better. The Community Group will start to assess options and begin to pull together outline plans over the course of 2021.

Community Asset Transfer

LH outlined the current status of plans to complete and asset transfer of the Village Hall.  Discussions have continued with South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) and a formal note of interest was registered.  It was highlighted that Strathaven John Hastie Museum Trust had withdrawn its application for an asset transfer of the Ballgreen Hall, mainly due to its inability to raise funds because funders have diverted all resources to COVID-19 support.  Martin McManus (McM) confirmed this and advised that it was likely to be 2022 before funders reverted to normal practices in supporting community asset transfers.

Concerns were raised (JC and CM) about the potential for SLC to close the hall permanently and put it on the open market.  This was discussed and it was agreed to arrange an online meeting with Joanne Forbes and John McCafferty to discuss next steps and Community Group concerns about the viability of the hall for community use.  In the interim it was also agreed to assess options for an independent surveyor to evaluate the condition of the village hall and to request access for the community group.  It was also agreed to chase up the asbestos survey to inform future planning.  LH agreed to email SLC after the meeting and advise the Community Group of any response.

In addition, SLC has set aside £250,000 to support community groups interested in community asset transfers.  LH agreed to contact SLC to request details of how it could access this fund.  Glassford Community Group is in the final stages of an application to the Renewable Energy Fund for £4000 to support development of a business plan for the asset transfer. McM has provided the final supporting document which LH will forward to SLC and upload with the latest bank statement to complete the application.

Plans for the Year Ahead

In addition to planning for the 2022 Beer and Gin Festival it was agreed to look at options for an event later in the year ahead of Xmas. Glassford Community Group was also awarded a Micro Grant by Strathaven and Glassford Community Council as a contribution to replacing the bench at the top of the Borlands. There are also proposals to restore and reinstate the Conservation Area sign which is currently in storage.

AOCB

None

Date of next meeting

Tuesday April 13^th at 7pm.