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