COMMUNITY DIRECTORS MEETING – 10th July 2023

COMMUNITY DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES – Monday 10^th July 2023 

Knoydart Community Hall, 6pm 

Attending:  Lachie Robinson, Davie Newton, Sam Gardener, Jo Firminger, Corinna Calder 

Also Attending: Craig Dunn, Reagan Nunn, Drew McNaughton, Finlay Greig 

Attending via Zoom: Stephanie Harris, Jacqui Wallace, Ben and Jenny Ruddle, Sara Donaldson, Andrew Baldrey, John Cocker 

Apologies: None 

  

Declarations of Interest: Sam for Clachan Dhu, Jo and Corinna for natural burial ground. Davie for Rangers Shed refurbishment. 

  

Minutes of Previous Meetings inc. single item agenda meetings 

June Board Meeting minutes- Approved 

  

Matters arising 

Actions from Last Meeting. 

• (1) Expanding Rural housing burden scheme-parked 
• (2) Community Garden Fencing- Sam 
• (9) (17) (18) (20) (21) Housing- In progress- Single Item agenda combined with meeting for housing and strategy. 
• (22) Milburn cottage- on agenda 
• (23) Heating for housing- Lachie to send over findings of CAG- send to sara 
• (24) Strategy- In progress 

• (25) KR Meeting Minutes- DN has minutes of last 2 years and will forward on 
• (26) Response to Gately Hamer- now having a meeting with UK Government official and mobile providers and JMT next week 
• (27) Board development- Completed 

   

Updates 

1. Knoydart Climate Action Group Update- No formal update. Informal- Corinna joined group to support with admin. Waiting to hear back from H&I Environment Fund. 

2. Deer Management Update- Updated grant offer on this agenda. Qn from Andrew Baldrey of why numbers up and income down. Has there been a drop in the value of venison? Due to decrease carcass being sent away or change in game dealer but would need to be confirmed by venison.  

3. Ranger Service Update- Written Report Provided. Additional Info:  

• Kids club due to start on 16.7.23.  
• Qn; DN- 3^rd Ranger/ Kids Club @ Hall. Concern over safeguarding. Juliet is doing a risk assessment and has a disclosure in place.  
• Applying for funding from co-op.  
• Hoping for 25K funding for genny shed renovations.  
• Organising more tours with cruise ships.  
• JF- Be aware that some of income showing is not just income to May as future booking in there 4K is for ultimate marathon in 2024. 

Finlay Greig leaves 

4. Knoydart Trading Update-  

Discussion around management accounts- Final accounts for KT have come out and shown 34K deficit plus 8.5K corporation tax liability. Management accounts showed 12k def and no corporation tax. JF asked questions of accountant and auditor who are not available until the end of the month.  

Fiona Lennie Joins via zoom 

Items for decision 

5. Quote for Clachan Dubh- 

• Previously agreed a 10K spend 
• Quote from CMCK of £11,800 +VAT for initial work 
• Concerns over work needed to steps/ porch which is a safety concern and not included in initial quote 
• CMCK to inspect week commencing 10/07- Suggested the following are inspected: beams, steps, decking, toilets, shower, and kitchen area. 

AP- JF to discuss VAT on domestic building repairs with accountant. 

AP for ALL- To agree quote/ next steps for Clachan Dubh by email once received CMCK Quote 

AP-CD- to relay quote from CMCK to DN 

6. KRL Compound –Agreed in principle pending lease, discussion of rent and further details on fencing surrounding the compound.  

7. Black Hills – NRF funding extension- Discussion around VAT registration and how that will affect grant funding as 28K in this grant is for irrecoverable VAT. Qn over VAT registration and how will affect all grants e.g. for Millburn.  

AP JF- To contact a VAT specialist.  

JF having a meeting with Jim next week to discuss finances.  

8. Operations Management going forwards-  

• Board had meeting Sunday 25^th June. Initial plan to get handover docs from CD and full info list and access list and query staff on operational requirements. DN send email and will follow up with set of qns to all staff. Time spans are difficult so likely to identify interim admin role to keep things on track.  

AP- Directs to okay CC questions and have them sent out to staff 

AP- CD/LR and others in office to identify immediate admin requirements. LR has identified board requirements to CD, and these are to be cross referenced. 

AP- LR to circulate operations manual to board once finished (next week).  

AP- ALL Board- To make decision on bringing interim person in for admin once seen Operations Manual 

Items for discussion 

1. Accounts-  

• Worst case scenario deficit could be around £100K. Discussion around contingency plan and reducing deficit in year ahead.  
• KT projected 25k profit so looking for a donation.  
• Unclear what EQ have agreed to provide- Letter of engagement does not set out individual tasks/ responsibilities. 
• Serious concerns over EQ’s failure to identify VAT threshold breech and impact this has had on the boards ability to make informed decisions. 
• Louise Grant and Andrew Kelly coming back with plan on 26^th July which will have recommendations regarding structuring, VAT registration, Xero working plus Interco and reworking of KT and KR VAT.- Strongly suggested that this should not occur additional costs for KF. 
• Additional training for stuff about changes in what is vatable and info about costings and cost centres will be needed. 
• JF requests bottom line figure from accountant. 
• Possibly request 30K donation back from KR if they are able to give it 

AP- Meeting with EQ after report on 26^th -JF and Louise Costello 

AP- JF to forward draft KF account to KF board 

2. Audit- No additions to the above 

3. VAT- No additions to the above 

4. Checkfront- KT change to Checkfront 2.0 did not happen due to ongoing issue on CF since May with booking going into Xero in wrong accounts. CD stopped transfer as felt had to correct issues before copying it.  

AP- JF to sit down with Reagan to look at debtors.  

Plan still to go ahead with CF 2.0 in week commencing 17.7 if issues are resolved. DN- thought that having one more go at CF 2.0 and if does not happen then look at another system. Also, that CF 2.0 is just interim measure until other system found. Request that new system must work for back office too.  

Sara report now and operations.  

5. Natural Burial Ground 

• In line with KF purposes.  
• Agree to go ahead with applications for funding under KF and review proposal once funding route have been identified. All agree to Fiona using Knoydart Foundation name to seek funding through the charity. LR would like to hear how it is going to work with foundation. E.g. terms of reference of how operates. Davie has concerns regarding ongoing costs of approx. £1400/year and £4,500 set up. 

6. Plans for AGM-  

• Proposal for AGM to be Friday 22^nd September. This allows 10 weeks for the list of ordinary members to be agreed and invites sent out. Deadline for account submission is 30^th September and AGM must happen before that. 

AP- All board members to have meeting to agree members list 13.07.23 at 6.30pm LR to send teams’ link. CD to send link to list. 

Notice to be sent to members 5 weeks before AGM to invite nominations.  

AP- Letter to be sent out- conformation of who to do this. DN to contact Jane Reid regarding receiving responses.  

Reports 

1. Accommodation Project Officer report- Written Report Provided.  

AP- Sara Donaldson to find out how often draw down can happen. 

2. Operations Manager report- Written Report Provided-  

AP- CD and DN to sort super admin login for Microsoft account 

Items for information only 

AOB- 

Council tax for pink a-frame. The council thinks it is empty. Costing extra 1400 month since 2022.  

AP- CD to contact council to have it cleared up- LR to inform board of outcome.