Monday 10 June 2024 @ Community Hall 6.00pm
Attending: Liz Tibbetts, Davie Newton, Corinna Calder, Calum Wilson, Tom Harris, Kristy Brown, Richard Williams, Tom Dalziel, Jacqui Wallace, Helen Evemy, Philip Evemy, Trish Birch, Danny Gorman, Jenny Ruddle, Grant Holroyd, Sarah Donald, Brendan, Denise Atherley, Jane Hollowood
Apologies: None
Declarations of Interest: None
Email decisions to be minuted: None
Minutes of meeting Monday 13th May 2024 Approved
Matters Arising
Actions from last meeting:
- Decisions on new Operations Manager role – Ongoing
- Workers accommodation mortgage – Ongoing
- Community consultation on construction workers accommodation – agreed at this meeting.
- Finance Recruitment – discussed at this meeting.
- Island Connectivity Plan – SKCC have included Knoydart in this plan and Frank A sent a short statement to confirm.
Trading Update – Written Report Available
- Terra has redesigned the Knoydart T-shirts and examples should be with us soon.
- Shop continues to maintain sales. Alcohol sales are down, due to pub, but food sales are up. Winter opening proved successful as regards increased income despite higher overheads.
- Bunkhouse occupancy has increased but Wee House decreased, possibly due to lower social media exposure. Liz queried if it might be worth employing someone locally to cover social media across Trading to increase traffic.
- Calum has been asked to quote for updating the Venison and Foundation Websites.
Renewables – Written Report Available
- U/grounding of cables is going well.
- Renewables electricity sales are increasing year on year but, as they will have to be self-funded by 2027 they are currently revising their Tarif structure with view to this which will include a price rise. A customer communication will be going out once details have been finalised and before any changes to supply tariffs are made.
- Discussions are currently ongoing with the Foundation to pay their donations via a Wealth Fund.
- DN advised the board that Hebnet (who he also works for) are using the opportunity of u/grounding to put in Fibre Optic cable. There are currently some issues with this and further planning applications are required to connect to the mast. But, the longterm goal, is to create full Fibre connectivity.
Foundation Office Update – Written Report Available
- Corinna and Jacqui continue to update how book keeping is handled between Amber and Foundation office with view to bringing it all in-house. However, Corinna has noticed this isn’t reflected in Amber’s charges and will be querying this. AP – Corinna to talk to Amber regarding costs.
- The plans for the pink A Frame continue but is yet to be budgeted.
Land Management Update – Written Report Available
- Budget is looking much better.
- Black Hills Management Agreement is completed.
Ranger Update – Written Report Available
RW confirmed at this point that he would be continuing in his role as Director until the AGM in September, at which point he’ll be stepping down.
Decisions
- Commercial Rent Review – It was agreed to increase rents by 4%
- Construction Workers Facility – There was a general discussion around the location and permanence of the structures. KB said she would be happy as long as it had a lifespan and would be removed once no longer required. TH Advised that there would also be storage requirements. It was agreed that a community consultation would go ahead. AP – Further discussion regarding industrial land storage.
- Pink A Frame maintenance – A spend of £1500 was agreed with ongoing maintenance.
Accommodation Report – Written Report is Available
- It was agreed at the meeting to pay John Strachan’s fee to survey the Bunkhouse next time he’s in the area.
Finance Report – Written Report is Available
- DN has looked at balances across all accounts and concerned about an unexpected excess amount in Trading Account despite Trading figures being similar to last year.
- Foundation account is showing a 75% loss over past two years.
- DN is working on a Finance Planning document to give more clarity to the set-up between all three companies. Following a meeting with all three chairs the financial plan between Knoydart Foundation, Renewables & Trading is coming together. There will be a Service Agreement between KF and two companies and Jacqui is looking at insurance costs across the 3 companies. Renewables are discussing creating a Wealth Fund into which their donations are paid. Both Knoydart Foundation and Renewables will have access to this fund, thereby benefitting the Foundation while creating savings for the future and reducing Corporation Tax. Renewables will lease land from Foundation based on % income from billing. A similar arrangement could be agreed with the shop, based on % profit. All of this is still being considered and under discussion. KB voiced her approval of this plan & that it was a positive change. There was general agreement from the rest of the board. AP – Planning Document to be discussed with board in detail.
Recruitment
- Operations role is still being defined based on feedback from Sarah, Corinna and Jacqui. AP – DN & KB will be talking to Sarah to discuss what is required for new role.
- Jacqui has plans to leave the Foundation finance position due to her Tree Nursery business but has agreed to step back gradually while training a new person into the job. The post will be advertised locally and beyond but there would be a preference for a locally based person who is prepared for this to become a full-time job as more work is brought in-house from Amber accountants.
AOB
- Sun Rise A Frame – there are a number of possibilities for it’s future use including workers accommodation, long-term rental, holiday let. AP – Corinna and Jacqui to assess the best use of A-Frame in relation to financial return.
- Grant of KFT, who also have an interest in A-Frame, will be revisiting a consultation regarding the possibility of accommodation close to the yard – three wooden mobile units. AP – DN and Grant will discuss further with regards to the similarities and points of difference on accommodation requirements.
- Dave Smith is currently in a residential home in Fort William but has plans to return to his A-Frame. It has been visited by Occupational Therapy who have deemed it a safe home for him if the shower is attended to and a ramp provided to the main entrance. The work should cost in the region of £600 which DN suggested the Foundation should cover and the board agreed.
- Two new members applied to join the Foundation, David and Sarah Ruddle. The board agreed.
- KB suggested that the Foundation Newsletter was becoming more a voice for the community in general rather than the Foundation. DN suggested that both Finlay and Corinna could give the newsletter detailed updates on Foundation work. AP – it will be considered…..
Date of next meeting
Monday 8 July 2024
