Minute of AGM 16 May 2017

Kalewater Community Council

 

Minute of Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 16 May 2017

In the Village Institute, Morebattle

Present:  Community Councillors; Eric McNulty, Richard Pedersen, Dot Halliday, Caroline Lang, Michael Scott, Matilda Hall, Barbara Bell, Catherine Mabon, Tom Edgar.
SBC Cllr Simon Mountford.

Not present: Community Councillor Neil Thomson.

Public: 2

 

ACTION

1

Apologies

None received.

 

2

Minutes of Previous Annual General Meeting

The minutes of the previous annual general meeting of 17 May 2016 having been circulated, were passed as a true record of events.

Proposed: Cllr Mabon; Seconded: Cllr Bell.

SBC Cllr Mountford noted that he had not received the 2016 minutes. Secretary to ensure email distribution list is complete.

 

 

 

 

 

Secretary

3

 

Matters Arising

None.

 

4

 

Chair’s Report on Kalewater Community Council activity for 2016/17

As this is the final yearly summary I will be delivering I would like to thank all of the community councillors and office bearers past and present and also our local SBC councillors for their help and cooperation over the past few years. 

The annual Kelso Laddie/Jethart Callant visit took place in June which was a success as always, due to good planning and organising prior to and during the visit.

Morebattle in Bloom gained a second place in the 2016 Scottish Floral Gateway competition, following on from highly commended in the Champions competition the previous year. The competition is getting tougher each year so a lot of work is needed to keep up the previous high standards from planting, maintenance and watering rotas.

At the beginning of 2016 we were approached by the Temple Hall Hotel to look into the possibility of community ownership of the buildings and land.  We decided to setup a subgroup to take this forward. Eventually the subgroup converted to the Kalewater Community Company which organised a public meeting to make the community aware of the potential community buyout. There was a long delay in the setting up the company’s suitability for community buyout mainly due to changes in the Scottish Government 2016 Right To Buy legislation in May through June followed by 2 applications to Companies House, also due to changes in their application processes but the company was finally incorporated on 1st August 2016.  Meantime the Templehall accepted a private offer for the hotel only, which is now up and running successfully and the Kalewater Community Company have recently consulted the community on the possibility of purchasing the land as a community asset and suggested uses thereafter. A survey outcomes report will be made available shortly.

The planned Queens 90th birthday celebrations went ahead and was well attended. Many thanks to all who organised the day and subsequent planting of the trees.

Following on from the discussion last year regards the xmas lights, funding was sourced from the SBC Quality of Life fund and new lights were purchased.  A tree was gifted by a local grower and the village had a display to be proud of.

The continuous discussion regarding the village cemetery took yet another turn as after it was discovered that there is less space available than previously thought. Currently no lairs are available for new advanced purchase but are available for immediate use. The gravel path leading down from the church has been extended beyond the steps to allow better access.

Following requests from the community and discussion with the land owner and other interested parties a footpath will be constructed in the fields next to the road down Glendale between Pikings road end and the junction at Morebattle Tofts bridge as the road is now too hazardous for comfortable walking. Community councillor Hall is the go-to contact for this. 

There have been many other items that are not included here but it was another busy year.

Finally, after 16 years and missing only 3 meetings I am retiring from the community council and take pride in lots of good work done over all those years. I do have one major regret, when I look around and see local groups and community projects searching for funding, the loss of the potential £75,000 per annum coming into the community from the proposed wind farm at Whiton Edge which was rejected in favour of supposed damage to tourism and historic monuments and other external factors. I hope if an opportunity like that comes along again in the future it is seized for the benefit of the whole community.

Thank you.

Eric Mc Nulty
Retiring Chair
Kalewater Community Council

The meeting applauded and thanked retiring Chair Eric McNulty and presented him with a card.

 

5

Treasurer’s Report inc. approval of annual abstract of accounts

The Treasurer apologised for the lack of accounts and would table them at the next monthly meeting of the community council on 20 June 2017. The meeting agreed to the delay.

 

 

 

Treasurer

6

Elections, including Office Bearers

SBC Cllr Simon Mountford took over the chair and thanked the community councillors and the Chair for their work over the year.

 

 

 

Community Councillor Vacancies

With three councillors, Eric McNulty, Richard Pedersen and Dot Halliday standing down and one vacancy to fill there are 4 spaces on the community council. Everyone thanked the retiring councillors for their hard work over the years.

Three completed nomination forms were received from Caroline Lang (co-opted during 2016/17), Tamzin Thomas and Roderick Murray. No elections were required. The new councillors were welcomed to the council. Two vacancies remain on the community council.

Office Bearers

SBC Cllr Mountford thanked the previous office-bearers for their work during the past 12 months, noting the constructive and positive approach of Kalewater community councillors.

Office-Bearer Nominations

Chair: Barbara Bell; Proposed: Cllr Mabon, Seconded: Cllr Hall

Secretary: Michael Scott, Proposed: Cllr Hall, Seconded: Cllr Lang

Treasurer: Matilda Hall; Proposed: Cllr Scott, Seconded: Cllr McEwan

Vice-Chair: Roderick Murray; Proposed: Cllr Lang, Seconded: Cllr Scott

SBC Cllr Mountford passed the chairing of the meeting back to Cllr Bell.

Kalewater Community Council Members

Cllrs: Matilda Hall, Caroline Lang, Andrew McEwan, Cathy Mabon, Michael Scott, Tamzin Thomas, Barbara Bell, Roderick Murray, Neil Thomson and Tom Edgar.

 

7

Appointment of Auditors

Treasurer would approach Rennie Welch to act as auditors for the next 12 months.

 

 

Treasurer

8

Agreement to abide by Scottish Borders Council Code of Conduct for Community Councils

Kalewater Community Councillors agreed to abide by the SBC Code of Conduct.

 

9

 

AOB

No items. Meeting closed at 7.20pm

 

 

Signed:

Date:

 

  • Tuesday, 17 October 2017

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