Monthly Archives: March 2012

March 26th 2012 minutes

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      SAVE OLD SCHOOL: 

      Group Meeting in the Rose & Crown, Ivinghoe, 

      26th March 2012 at 8.00pm

 

PRESENT:

Carol Tarrant

Martin McCormack

John Wallis

Les Laing

Karen Groome

Bob Corn

Margaret Holliday

Alex Wynne    APOLOGIES: Joley Brindle

      Liz Raba

Sylvia Simmonds

Jane Custance

Sue Nicholls

Mike Custance

Moira Heggarty

Carol welcomed everyone to the meeting which had been called to further discuss proposals in connection with the Old School Building in the centre of Ivinghoe, and its possible future for the community – noting that Sylvia cannot attend Monday meetings but is anxious to offer practical help, and that John will print off future minutes for delivery to Moira since she does not have email and finds meetings inaudible.

 

Previous Minutes: All approved.

 

Web Site: Martin reported that he had been working with Dave Nicholls – to whom he paid tribute for his hard work – in creating the website, although it is not yet active. Alex tabled a painting which Malcolm Simmonds had created – Bob will scan and send the electronic file to Martin; Carol handed a DVD and a CD which contained lots of photographs of the Old School, including the Initial Business Plan (2), and Plan Drawings of the existing building and of the proposed layout. Evidently Liz and Joley will be sending something to Martin also, in connection with the Theatre Group proposals.

 

Martin has compiled initial material – a Calendar of Events, Supporters Group,

Planned Activities, etc. – all is proposed in a ‘blog’ style to enable new entries to

be made easily – and he is proposing to go ‘live’ around Easter Time – the

meeting noted that the Annual Parish Meeting is on 18th April 2012, and it would

be good to have the web-site live by then. He  And Dave were thanked profusely.

 

Carol will ask Liz and Joley to put relevant information on the Facebook

and VillageSOS web-pages – she gave the relevant access codes (simply log-on to

facebook.com ‘Ivinghoe Old School’ page, or access   HYPERLINK “http://www.villagesos.org.uk” www.villagesos.org.uk site,

head to ‘Ivinghoe’ community, and use code ‘ivinghoe5O5,.’ (the O is a capital

‘o’ rather than a nought) if anyone wishes to add anything. Carol expressed her

anxiety that the Facebook page, the Village SOS site, and our new web-site were

coordinated in their content and equality used to show the Lottery group interest.

 

Business Model and Project Plan: Carol tabled Mike Custance’s Project Plan Chart, and Alistair Owens’ Business Model – this latter to be populated with more accurate figures where Alistair has made ‘assumptions’, when the figures are known. The group fully appreciated the work put in here too plus updates.

 

Business Plan: Carol presented a Business Plan format – copies for everyone present: she and Bob will prepare the ‘Executive Summary’ after the completed document has been prepared; they will also prepare statements for the ‘Objectives Overview’, ‘Our Enterprise’, and ‘Work Done to Date.

‘SWOT’ and ‘PEST’ analyses to be carried out at meeting on 2nd April 2012, alongside the Risk Analysis.

Jane and Mike Custance to be asked to prepare the statement for ‘Putting our Plan into Practice’ (notes attached).

Alistair Owens to be approached to finalise the ‘Finances’ element.

Bob to maintain an overview of the ‘Property and Premises’ elements of the Business Plan.

Risk Assessment to be pursued at our meeting on 2nd April 2012.

‘Team’ – could everyone put together a brief line as to their skills, professional background and expertise, for Carol to compile into a ‘list of strengths’ available to us, to give confidence of our capacity to BCC!

Bucks C.C. Corporate Planning needs to be referenced in the Business Plan – we will utilise the statements made in the Initial Business Plan (2).

Liz Raba and Joley Brindle to send over and help to complete ‘Model Documents’ which we are very grateful for their support in compiling.

John to pursue the Bank Account and Constitution and Legal Entity.

Alex and Sue to pursue fundraising.

Martin, Liz, Joley and Carol to work on the web-site content.

Carol, Alex and Sue to liaise with the local Parish and Village Magazines to continue publicity, the PPP needing copy for 15th April.

Everyone confirmed that they were happy with the shape of the Business Plan, and were keen to compile the draft within a month to shave off months from BCC deadline, we being impatient to gain our Lease.

 

Quiz Night and Open Meeting: Noted that Quiz and Skills Auction is to be 23rd

May 2012 in the Rose & Crown – Sue has printed tickets, and has sold twelve

already (45 is total), and has received pledges of Raffle Prizes and Skills; she will

arrange to have the tickets in the Rose & Crown for sale at £10 each after the

Easter break, to include food, and hopefully very numerous skills pledges.

 

Open Meeting is to be 25th May 2012, to be held in the Town Hall – 7.00pm till

9.00pm, and it is hoped to have the Old School available to view during the

afternoon – although nothing has been heard yet back from Bucks C.C. after

Carol’s emailed request last week; Councillor Avril Davies will attend both the

Old School open period, and the evening meeting. The Parish Councils of the

‘Beacon Villages’ will be invited to have representation – Ivinghoe, Slapton,

Cheddington, Marsworth, Edlesborough and Mentmore – also Brookmead School.

 

‘Locality’: Carol suggested that our Group should join ‘Locality’ on the advice of experts who mailed since the Conference as it would provide advantages – this in addition to our having already joined ‘Community Matters’; John will investigate further.

 

Annual Parish Meeting: Carol has been invited to make a five minute presentation at the Ivinghoe Annual Parish Meeting on 18th April 2012 – she asked if the Group Members could go along also to give support! The Meeting assembles for 7.00pm for informal discussion, the Meeting itself starting at 7.30pm.

 

Constitution: John handed copies of the drafted Constitution to members of the Group; Carol will send electronic copies of the document to the Steering Group by email – comments are requested by our next meeting on 2nd April 2012 at which it is intended to formally adopt the Constitution in double quick time!

 

John Wallis  will speak to Councillor Avril Davies to seek help with ‘seed-corn’

Funding.

 

Next Meeting: ‘Risk Assesment’ 2nd April 2012 at 8.00pm, Rose & Crown. Ivinghoe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quiz Night, Food and Auction of Promises on 23rd May

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Quiz Night, Food and Auction of Promises

Organised by SoS (Save the old school, Ivinghoe)

At last you can do something to help, and have fun at the same time! Help raise working capital Rose and Crown, Ivinghoe  Wednesday, 23rd May,  7.30pm (Food included)

Tickets available from Sue 661910, Bob and Carol, 662267 or from the pub.

£10 each Teams of 4 (5 at a push) SKILLS? May we auction your skills and services?

An hour’s ironing, 2 hours gardening, cookery lessons, CV or letter writing, portrait painting?

What could you offer to help us raise much needed funds?

Call us on the above numbers

SOS Campaign

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SOS campaign to save the Old School building on Ivinghoe Lawn for the use of the community. 

Carol and Bob Corn, with the rest of the team, have been beavering away to try to keep the old school (Ivinghoe Centre) for the benefit of our community. We can now announce that we have proceeded to Stage 2 of the Community Asset Transfer process. This is where the building moves from the County Council hands to a community run Charitable Trust.

We are currently producing the Business Plan in order to start negotiating the lease agreement with the County Council. We are also planning a web site and beginning to look for fund raising opportunities, as well as many other interesting projects for the Centre. Volunteers are helping the

group to produce the business case, media needs, history project and the necessary fund-raising; more are welcome now to form small sub -groups. We will eventually be inviting people to help in the final preparation of the building, and again when we are up and running to assist in the running of the many activities.

Bucks County Council has already spent a lot of money moving the Post Office and creating the shop premises across the road and seems reluctant to spend very much on the Old School.  They are however keen to support a viable plan for us to take it on.

We expect the county to put the building in good structural order and the community will need to form a Charitable Trust to run and maintain the building. There are several small businesses ready to hire the rooms and a café and I.T. hub are planned. It all looks very exciting and in future the building will be a useful and welcoming centre as it was in the past. With viable businesses renting the spaces

we expect that the old school will eventually be self-supporting. In order to apply for many of the Grants we are looking at, we have to prove that we have the backing of the local community and that we can raise funds ourselves, so we are looking for fund raising ideas. With so many voluntary jobs, generated by the BIG SOCIETY, there may be ways for some village fund raising projects to work together.

We are kicking off fund-raising in the village by organising our own Quiz Night and Auction of Promises in the Rose and Crown. The pub will generously provide food and space for 45 of us for a fun night out on 23rd May 7.00p.m! Tickets will be on sale via Sue 661910, or Bob and Carol 662267, or from the pub direct, at £10 each person who forms part of a team (max. size 5). May we auction your skills? We would like to offer an hour’s ironing, two hours gardening, CV or letter writing, a

painted portrait of a neighbour or something else more to your liking! What would you offer to help us raise much needed funds for SOS? Do let us know in advance so we can add you to offer to the publicity later on.

The processes involved in getting our old school back take time, but so far all is looking promising. There will be a need to expand the small team soon and form the Charitable Trust with the required officers of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, so all those who expressed an interest in keeping the school last summer, or who are inspired to be involved, please contact Carol and Bob again on 01296 662267, or thecorns@talk21.com   or come to a Monday meeting in the Rose and Crown. The pub will tell you when the next one will be.

There will be an open meeting in Ivinghoe Town Hall in May with a chance to look inside the Old School Building, do look at the flier that comes with this magazine, look in the Beacon or Pitstone Parish Post or check the village notice boards.

Alex Wynn and Sue Nicholls

March 12th 2012 minutes

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      SAVE OLD SCHOOL: 

      Group Meeting in the Rose & Crown, Ivinghoe, 

      12th March 2012 at 8.00pm

 

PRESENT:     Carol Tarrant

Liz Raba

Martin McCormack

John Wallis

Joley Brindle

Les Laing

Alex Wynne

Karen Groome

Sue Nicholls

Moira Heggarty

Bob Corn

    APOLOGIES: Margaret Holliday

Sylvia Simmonds

Jane Custance

Mike Custance

Carol welcomed everyone to the meeting which had been called to further discuss proposals in connection with the Old School Building in the centre of Ivinghoe, and its possible future for the community.

Previous Minutes: All approved.

Web Site: Martin reported that he had researched Domain Name availability – presenting a list to the meeting; after lively debate, three were shortlisted, and a show of hands vote selected ‘ivinghoeoldschool.com’.

Martin asked for content – Les will put together a short snappy history of the

building – Liz and Joley will assemble notes of what is now proposed, Alex will

contact Mrs. Lloyd-Evans to see if historical photographs are available – many

suggestions were put forward; Bob will send photographs of the existing interior

to Martin, Carol will send the questionnaire findings and anything else helpfull.

 

Liz and Joley: presented their (very well received) outline proposals – what they have done previously and their respective histories in Theatre, and projects carried out locally – Dacorum Youth Productions, Court Youth Theatre and The Learning Project. A suggestion of a very full and rich timetable was put forward, noting that until detailed consultations and research has taken place, it must be regarded as preliminary.

 

Liz and Joley will make contact with Hayley Wesley to form a link with the Café

proposals as soon as practicable; they also tabled their Fire Policy and Risk

Assessment Documents, as they are helping to form the seven ‘model documents’ required in our Part two task list.

 

Business Plan and Project Plan: Noted that Alistair Owens and Mike Custance have both been working on these aspects – Bob had had a conversation with Alistair before this meeting and had discussed Alistair’s Business Model – Alistair to send a copy to Bob shortly, and Mike sent a preliminary copy of his Project Plan to Carol after the meeting; Bob will get together with Alistair and Mike to bring things forward, we by now having received Alistair’s Business Model.

 

Lottery Application: Carol noted that the ‘BIG Lottery’ Application has been withdrawn – this solely due to the fact that we have not yet signed a lease with Bucks CC for the building; the guidance given by the Lottery Official is that our proposals are entirely in line with their thinking, and are supported – we should increase our bid for additional activities – but only when we have a lease!The Lottery advised we re-apply in the next imminent roll-out. Everyone felt that we should lodge our lease proposals as soon as we can – Liz and Joley noting that their ‘Small School’ aspects of the overall Theatre Proposals might be in jeopardy if things were delayed beyond September 2012.

 

Committee: After discussion, it was decided that we should forthwith elect a Committee so that our Constitution can be ratified, and a Bank Account opened:

 

Chair – Carol Tarrant – Proposed Alex, Seconded John – Carried

Treasurer – John Wallis – Proposed Les, Seconded Carol – Carried

Secretary – Bob Corn – Proposed Alex, Seconded Les – Carried

Committee Members – Alex Wynne (Funding); Martin McCormack to be invited (Media) – Jane Custance to be invited to become a Committee Member because of her specialist Council knowledge. All other interested folk to offer assistance as available.

 

Noted that the next meeting will confirm the Constitution, our approach to Charitable Trust status, and our Banking Arrangements and plan in the risk assessment timing and divide up the remaining 17 required BCC part 2 tasks.

 

Any Other Business:

Alex had prepared a draft article for inclusion in shortly to be published Parish Magazine, Carol has secured a double page in the forthcoming Beacon to combine script and photographs.

A Public Meeting will be held in May 2012 – Carol to contact County Councillor Avril Davies (who briefly joined our meeting), Jackie Wesley and Karen to set the date.

We need to plan our ‘Seed-Corn’ or ‘Pump-Priming’ funding – we should approach Councillor Davies and other Council officials for help; also, a Quiz Night is planned for 23rd May 2012 in the Rose & Crown to include a ‘Promises Auction’ and Alistair’s generous inclusion of food, and Joley might plan some form of ‘entertainment’! Alex and Sue to progress this.

 

Next Meeting: 26th March 2012 at 8.00pm, Rose & Crown, Ivinghoe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 7th 2012 Minutes

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Meeting 7th March 2012     11a.m. Judges lodging, Swan room 2                               Present;

Graham Winwright, David Exell, Jackie Wesley, Carol Tarrant, John Wallis, Alex Wynne and Bob Corn.

  • BCC promised Survey of the building? – BCC has commenced survey today 7th March – Condition survey only, with input from Bucks CC Structural Engineer. No full structural survey will be forthcoming as BCC does not do these. Noted that heating in a t least two of the rooms does not appear to work, and a suggestion was made that a drain camera inspection would be beneficial to check for cracks. BCC only really interested in Walls, foundations and roof structure – Bob mentioned future solar energy array of panels on South Facing Old School Roof, District/County Councillor Avril Davies very keen on idea. David Exell said Bucks CC not looking to invest in the building. Results of the ‘conditioned survey’ will be available to us after it has been prepared, as they might need to be built into the business case we make.

 

  • Timings/Lottery bid – and other funding bids – no one wants to take us on when we do not have a lease – often for at least five years. BIG Lottery has withdrawn our application, but suggests that we apply again when they roll out further grant schemes, even adding another ‘aspect’ of funding requirements. A new heating system, furniture and solar energy greening initiatives were lightly covered as our preferred options.

Graham suggested that we could use the phrase that we have been offered ‘first option’ on the lease,’ Decision in principle’ having already been achieved by being at stage two.

Timings however look so slow, even with our shortening of six months allowance, as sequence (6) slow. BCC suggests for speed, we draft Lease as well as Business Plan.

 

  • Our Projects future expected tenants are at the present reduced from three to two, the cookery school having pulled out to pursue their business in another form elsewhere. However our second tenant, the theatre school, has put together an extended timetable expressing their desire to hire as much of this second space as we feel is available, much of which will be to deliver community classes themselves. As a group we are conscious of the need to keep some room spare for ad-hoc occasional bookings for other community needs such as jumble sales, auctions, parties and meetings etc. The cookery school itself who wish to put on a food fare in the summer on the village lawn adjacent the Old School and wish to hire as and when this occurs also. We envisage that Sports events and other seasonal events and celebrations on the village lawn, will very likely wish some form of collaborative support from our building on occasion too. Bcc pleased we have reserve businesses awaiting inclusion. We had discussions on the shop ‘café’ threat and the emphasis on faster timings to reduce our risk of being pipped to the post.

 

  • CAT/Leasing – In response to question as to where the transfer aspect of Community Asset Transfer comes into this glorified leasing discussion, following advice from Locality at BIG Lottery Conference, we asked about the rent contributing to an eventual purchase of the building, by the community? David Exell said BCC does not do Mortgages. No valuations done on the building as yet, not a BCC thing.  Preferred option of Bucks CC as mentioned by Graham Winwright – Lease for the building with the ‘option to purchase’ included. We would then need to conduct our own survey prior to purchase. The building might be offered at ‘Valuation price’ Gavin Kinsman would be best contact for financial discussions, Rent, Mortgage and legal issues on Bucks policy. Our business plan should reflect rent free period proposals, contingency plans if businesses pull out, all manner of scenarios (risk assessment) . Business case needs to be put forward with as much detail as we can, as far as we are prepared to take it. BCC are prepared to discuss draft proposals to iron out creases.  Localities Act enables local communities to Lease or Purchase but at market value.  Jackie is to let us have a cabinet report re lease/purchase option.

 

  • Sample lease for us to see, as we are working in the dark? /no sample leases, all leases tailored to specific premises.

 

 

  • John’s Liability clause          Limited Liability
    The Liability of the Holding Trustees for the time being in respect of any breach by the (Name of the Organisation) of any of its obligations under this Lease is to be limited in amount to the realisable value of the assets of the (Name of the Organisation) that are for the time being vested in the Holding Trustees and nothing contained in this Lease entitles the Landlord to any right or remedy against the personal estate, property, effects of assets of any of the Holding Trustees or against any assets for the time being vested in the Holding Trustees that are not part of the Name of the Organisation.  – put this in as part of our proposed ‘Heads of Terms’ proposals.

 

 

  • Business Case Model – We are advised to check back with Mark Auterloney after we have drafted our ‘model lease’ in case anything now needs planning permission. After a ‘Fit for Purpose’ Survey – our responsibility will be the buildings fixtures and fitting and internal decoration. The drains and the basic kitchen will also need scrutiny and ‘fit for purpose refurbishment, we suggested. The business case must be one we can support which is attractive to the County. We can tackle this but not this and we look to County to do this instead, plus freehold idea as well. We should show where businesses have others in the wings as ‘reserves if needed’ too. We must prove the sustainability of it all, and make it attractive to BCC.

 

  • County sequence of events for CAT – Business case (draft better first, incorporating draft lease proposals): negotiations: BIG (Bucks Investment Group)would consider business case: Cabinet member report: ‘Call’ for scrutiny might cause a delay:  Drafting of the tailored final lease with length, break clauses and ‘options to buy’ written in. Obtaining Lease concludes sequence.
  • Martin Phillips is the Cabinet minister responsible for ’Community’.
  • Jackie Wesley to liaise re:  Ivinghoe Public meeting in May 2012.
  • Thanks to Graham Winwright for his open dealings with the SOS Community group .