Minute of Annual General Meeting 19 May 2015

Kalewater Community Council

Minute of Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 19 May 2015

In the Village Institute, Morebattle

Present:  Community Councillors; Eric McNulty, Andrew McEwan, Richard Pedersen, Michael Scott, Matilda Hall, Barbara Bell, Catherine Mabon, Neil Thomson.
SBC Cllr Simon Mountford.

Public: Nil

ACTION

1

Apologies

Community Councillors George Aitchison, Dot Halliday, Tom Edgar.

SBC Cllr Alec Nicol

2

Minutes of Previous Annual General Meeting

The minutes of the previous annual general meeting of 20 May 2014 having been circulated, were passed as a true record of events.

Proposed: Cllr McEwan; Seconded: Cllr Hall.

3

a

Matters Arising

Letter of Thanks

Completed.

4

Chair’s Report on Community Council activity since last AGM

Welcome everyone to the conclusion of another successful community council year.

This last year from the community council prospect has been slightly different from recent years due to a large decrease in external requests and consultations coming our way. The main reason for this being the future uncertainties around the outcome of the Scottish Independence Referendum in October 2014.

In May 2014 when the new Community Council year began we lost two experienced councillors but it was to our advantage that we were able to co-opt three potential councillors during the summer of 2014 and it is hoped they will join us on a fulltime basis.

The first main event as always was the annual Kelso Laddie/ Jethart Callant visit on June 22nd which went to plan as councillors along with volunteers from the community pulling together a welcome to the visitors from the both towns which is always appreciated on the day.

Following the annual village inspection in late July Morebattle in Bloom came first in the Wee Village competition. Yet again this is due to the hard work and dedication of all those involved. In 2015 we will be entered into the Champions competition which is different challenge but one we will take on all the same.

The Resilience committee setup in 2013 – 2014 now has all the equipment to deal with extreme weather emergency’s but an exercise to test the system needs to be carried out followed by an action plan to take this project to the next stage.

Following on from the successful fund raising activates towards the purchase and installation of what was initially a single Defibrillator we have managed through the efforts of a dedicated group of councillors to acquire four along with the additional funding required for sustainable installations. The Morebattle and Hownam machines have already been installed and the Cessford and Linton installations are in progress.

In the early part of 2015 we discussed and have now put in motion the setting up of a Morebattle Archive which will bring together items of local importance from the past, current and eventually the  future which will be housed in the village institute.

Finally from a personal prospective, the role of chair of this community council is made easier by the willingness of all councillors to take up the challenges highlighted here along with all the others put in front of us and deliver results on most if not all which is a credit to you all.

Eric Mc Nulty
Chair
Kalewater Community Council

5

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

The Treasurer tabled the official audited Accounts for 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015 and a statement of receipts and payments for the same period. Copies of the papers were circulated amongst the councillors.

Cllr Thomson queried the playing field account (£510.74). The Chair noted that it had lain fallow since Vattenfall’s failed wind farm planning application.

Agreed to amalgamate the Book account and the Playing Field account into a single Special Projects account.

The Community Council’s main source of income came from the annual population-based grant from Scottish Borders Council.

Approval of the Annual Abstract of Accounts

The community council approved the abstract of accounts.

The community council expressed its gratitude to auditors Rennie Welch.

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, the extent of which is not always appreciated in the community.

Community Councillor Vacancies

With one councillor, Andrew McEwan reaching the end of his 4-year tenure and three co-opted members from 2014/15; Barbara Bell, Tom Edgar and Neil Thomson plus one remaining vacancy there were a total of 5 vacancies available to fill.

Five completed nomination forms were received for Andrew McEwan, Barbara Bell, Tom Edgar, Neil Thomson and Patricia Mileham. No elections were required. All 12 positions on the community council are now filled.

Kalewater Community Council Members

Cllrs: Matilda Hall, Eric McNulty, Andrew McEwan, Cathy Mabon, Michael Scott, Dot Halliday, George Aitchison, Barbara Bell, Patricia Mileham, Neil Thomson, Richard Pedersen and Tom Edgar.

Office Bearers

SBC Cllr Mountford thanked the previous office-bearers for their work during the past 12 months and asked for nominations.

Chair: Eric McNulty; Proposed: Cllr Pedersen, Seconded: Cllr Mabon

Secretary: Michael Scott, Proposed: Cllr Thomson, Seconded: Cllr Bell

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

Vice-Chair: Dot Halliday; Proposed: Cllr Bell, Seconded: Cllr McEwan

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

7

Appointment of Auditors

Rennie Welch were appointed as auditors for the next 12 months.

Agreed to send a letter of thanks to Rennie Welch for the prompt and efficient production of audited accounts.

Secretary

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

a

AOB

Cllr Bell asked why the community council did not receive the accounts from SBC of the Walter Leitch Bequest which was to help pupils going into further education and was set up when the village Institute was the school. The current Institute receives an annual sum of £1000 from the bequest.

SBC Cllr Mountford was unaware of the bequest but with more information would approach SBC’s Chief Financial Officer.

Cllr Bell

SBC Cllr Mountford

Signed:

Date: