Knoydart Community Hall, 6pm
Attending: Davie Newton, Danny Gorman, Andrew Baldrey, Tom Harris, Reagan Nunn, Jane Hollowood, Tom Dalziel, Finlay Grieg, Corinna Calder, Grant Holroyd, Jaqui Wallace, Trish Birch, Helen Evemy, Jo Firminger, Richard Williams, Ben and Jenny Ruddle, Liz Tibbets, Sara Donald, John Cocker, Stephanie Harris
Apologies: None
Declarations of Interest: None
Minutes of Previous Meetings: October Board Meeting minutes- Approved.
Matters arising
Actions from Last Meeting- See Table
- Companies House -CC- Complete
- Leyshon -DN- ongoing– contacted twice and had no reply. Next letter will be more direct.
- Housing maintenance meeting- CC- Complete
- Finance working group- discussion in agenda (16)
- Budgets- CC- still to do.
- Designated Funds- DN/JF- still to do– need to clarify and reduce ranger designated fund. JF confirmed with accounts that there was no reason why it was designated. It is up to the board to decide. Plan to keep enough designated funds in to cover a ranger wage for one year it it and no more.
- Plans-DG- aimed at community councils but nothing to stop foundation applying. Habitat survey work will feed into it. Some cross over with KFT.
AP- DG to speak with community council.
- Employment contracts- CC- Ongoing
Updates
- Knoydart Climate Action Group Update- None
AP- DN to ask if KCAG is planning to continue.
- Deer Management Update (black hills report only)- Written report available.
- Deer management AGM last week- new deer management plan in place from 2024. Will provide full update to board in next couple of weeks.
- GH- Need to know what community would like regarding deer management going forward. This will feed into new deer management plan.
- Ranger Service Update- Finlay Grieg- Written Report Available.
- Finlay and JP discussing booking platform on website as issue with ‘Checkfront’ booking calendar.
- Nature Scot funding runs out next year. FG has applied to ‘Awards for All’ for additional funding for next year. He highlighted a need to look at budgets and decide regarding the affordability of a second ranger for the coming year.
- Discussion around signage and possible need for community survey on the matter.
- Mast- Vodafone got in touch to say interested in three sites. FG requested clarification and locations. A letter with John Muir Trust has been sent to Ofcom and they have issued a press release. Ian Blackford and Drew Henry had a meeting with John Muir Trust last week. Vodafone would like a meeting with representatives of the community. Kate Forbes will be invited.
DN- We are assuming that community ownership opinion remains that we will not facilitate this as a landowner. Unless told differently by community or board. Meetings- We need clarity regarding the meetings also there must be time for other landowners to get involved/ express opinion.
- Knoydart Trading Update- Liz Tibbets- Written Report Available.
- KRL update- Tom Dalziel- Written Report Available from last KRL meeting.
- Full board meeting 20.12.23 @ 6pm drinks and nibbles provided- All Welcome.
- Outage on 15.11.23- unsuccessful in fixing hydro so there will be another outage to fix it in the new year.
- Received a grant offer letter for network extension project.
- Final sign off on new pipeline all went to plan.
- Foundation Office update- written report available.
- IT update- written report available.
Items for decision
- Knoydart Renewables security agreement- signing this week. Board Resolution passed- Board all in agreement.
- Home burial on KF ground – agreement to minute- Board All Agree.
- Erection of polytunnel on leased ground for farm. Agreement required for terms of lease. – Board all agree.
- Helicopter tourism- Approached about landing 6 or more helicopters for tourism- board agree that there is no benefit to this, and it should not go ahead.
- New members – Louise Izzard, Vanessa Porter, and Matt Porter. All approved by the board.
The board needs clarity on how long people need to be a resident in Knoydart to be eligible for membership. Millburn application meant mem and arts were changes to fit with rules of Scottish Land Fund.
AP- DN- to review mem and arts for application/ membership process.
- Date of meeting re plot eligibility (this wasn’t actioned last time I suggest this week)- Callum Wilsons Plot/ Date Set for meeting of community directors- 22.11.23 @6pm @ Hall.
Reports
- Accommodation Project Officer Report- Written Report Available.
- Highland Council are querying the design process with Toby as it was not the usual process. – Ongoing- SD dealing with it.
- Concerns regarding funding deadline for workers accommodation- March 2024- could lose funding if don’t get contractor in place. It is likely that costs that have already occurred would be clawed back by funder. Support from Highland Council for this project to happen. HIE have indicated that they would help if there were further costs. As no one has agreed to a tender for work there are no up to date costings, which is not helping.
AP- SD to arrange a cost plan with John Strachan (£600 +VAT).
She feels that this is a good idea as one contractor that has expressed interest has said couldn’t agree to a fixed price and this would give a starting point.
- Bunkhouse- DN was in meeting with Scottish Land Fund and Community Ownership Fund (DTAS). £250K nominal upper limit. Felt was more stress testing from financial perspective in SLF applications. Qn if KF or KT should be applying for funding. A long lease makes it possible that KT could apply.
AP- DN to get presentation from DTAS about Community Ownership Fund
SD feels that it would be beneficial to have BH and residential buildings surveyed (regarding maintenance going forward) and maybe possible to obtain funding for this.
Items for discussion
- Financial Position/report
- Looks like a £100K deficit by the end of year is likely.
- Qns over how accountants are handling VAT. Balance sheet has £15K owed but accounts have it that £1K due back to KF.
- Need to look at cash flow for the next 3 months and possibility of needing to draw down funds from Triodos.
AP- RN to do trial transfer of funds from Triodos.
- Staff accounts meeting proposal.
Covering KF/KT and KR – how individuals interact with xero and bookkeeping team – suggestions for common working arrangements – understanding of whole group accounts within staff group.
Board agrees need to reduce the functions that amber (bookkeepers) do regarding invoice processing and cost centers.
AP- DN to find date for staff meeting.
- Recruitment – replacing Reagan.
Plan to advertise locally tomorrow.
AP- JF to draft advert and forward to board. Including training for bookkeeping
Identifying needs re operations- finance role is priority at the moment.
- National Parks – hand over to land managers to include in update? KRL/ RANGER/ DEER MANAGENT all have slightly different views.
Board agrees to pass discussion of National Parks to land managers to get more information and come back to the board with a proposal.
AP- Finlay or Jim to contact Rachel Pate
AP- Richard Williams- John Muir Trust has a position statement on national parks- to send to board.
- Dumfries and Galloway are the front runner. For any proposal to get taken forward there needs to be a lot of community support. There are potentially ten candidates putting themselves forward. DN- need to consult community and demonstrate support before taking it forward.
- Qn- Jane Hollowood if we were in the running would that put a stop to masts? Unlikely.
- Grant- The important thing to think about is what would we want out of a national park/ what would it have to look like for us to support it. Do not think we have enough info to know what it will mean for us. All national parks are different and make up their own rules. We need to decide what we want first and then say we will support it if it meets our agenda.
AOB
- A-frame going forward. Made it clear that Jane has the time she needs. But the board needs to think what the next use of the A-Frame will be.
- Grant would like a conference microphone or something else for meetings going forward. The sounds quality for people on zoom is not good esp. for anyone not at table speaking and for the big hall.
AP- JP to look at microphone issue/ purchase a new one.
Date of Next Meeting: 18.12.23 @ 6pm in the Hall
ACTION POINTS | |||
community plan | DG to speak with community council. | DG | |
Climate Action Group | DN to ask if KCAG is planning to continue. | DN | |
Membership qualification | DN- to review mem and arts for application/ membership process | DN | |
Cost plan workers acc. | SD to arrange a cost plan with John Strachan (£600 +VAT). | SD | |
DTAS presentation to Sara | DN to get presentation from DTAS about Community Ownership Fund | DN | |
Trial transfer from Triodos | RN to do trial transfer of funds from Triodos | RN | |
Finance meeting | DN to find date for staff meeting. | DN | |
Finance job | JF to draft advert and forward to board. Including training | JF | |
National Park | Finlay or Jim to get in touch with Rachel Pate | FG | |
National Park | JMT has a position statement on national parks- to send to board. | RW | |
Microphone | JP to look at microphone issue/ purchase a new one. | JP |