Knoydart Community Hall, 6pm
Attending: Davie Newton, Calum Wilson, Corinna Calder, Jenny Ruddle, Liz Tibbets, Danny Gorman, Finlay Greig, Angie Rupp, Helen Evemy, Trish Birch, Jim Brown, Sam Eason, Sara Donald, Reagan Nunn, Dougal the Dog
Apologies: Tom Harris
Declarations of Interest: None
Minutes of Previous Meetings inc. single item agenda meetings
August Board Meeting minutes- Approved
Matters arising– Matters arising and actions from Last Meeting:
- DN meeting KFT re accommodation- ongoing
- Place Plan- ongoing
- Western Isles Update Contact Point- FG- ongoing
Updates
- Knoydart Trading Update– Accommodation reporting that occupancy rate is 75% bunkhouse and 70% wee hooses. Shop is still ahead of last year despite increased staff costs and lower alcohol sales. Venison adjusting to black hills finishing and lower through put of carcases therefore less product and looking at flexibility to meet local demand.
- KRL update– Written Report Available. Undergrounding continuing, completion hopefully before end Oct. Agreed donation £100k to KF with restriction placed on it for infrastructure development- for new workers accommodation. AGM 20th Sep. Quarterly board meeting Wed 9th Oct @ Hall.
- Foundation Office update–
- £1600 spent on A frame so far and halfway through refurb. Budget is suggested at £2500-3000. Suggested that spend gets delayed and put into next financial year if possible.
- Pulled together a budget for accountant for year end
- Corporation tax penalty- currently trying to get back.
- Planning for electrical certificates and legionella monitoring.
- Agreed KT service agreement but not yet signed.
- Working with accountant to get year-end accounts signed off.
- Land management update – FIRNS, Deer Management budget(draft), management agreements, Deer Management Group.
- Primarily Deer Stalking. 29/50 stags so far. 1 sika and 3 roe. On track. Aiming for 3 a week up to 5 a week for next month. A few more guests in that period.
- Blackhill’s almost there with Inverguseran management agreement, still needs signed by Iain.
- Deer browsing at Doire Fada planting areas, staying on top of it important as the rest of the area is getting planted this winter
- JB attended an interview to determine the effectiveness of Nature Scot funding.
- GH is putting together a funding grant for deer management, KFT and Inverguseran. £13K per year potential funding for KF.
- Undertaken maintenance and repair work to bridges and tracts
- FIRNS- meeting with Richard, Shen and Jessica from Suma Eco Systems. Planning and prep for launch event next Wednesday and Thursday. Calum Aitken and Alan from trees for life will be attending.
- National lottery heritage fund is happy to let the FIRNS project run until end of May. Richard is planning a press release after the launch event
- Deer Management Plan redraft before Nov Meeting. Plan to keep KF contribution changes minimal for the time being.
- Upheaval in John Muir Trust means there may be opportunities for more involvement at Coire Dhorrcail in the future. The new regional delivery manager and head ecologist will be dealing with Knoydart- Stuart Gillet will be their new representative on the board going forward.
- Ranger update – genny shed, camping and masts.
- 150 camper, 20 tours and 6 cycle hires (online bookings, this month)
- 1200 campers, 143 tours, 87 cycle hires (online bookings, this year)
- Davie made great progress and now have a ramp @ jenny shed
- Trish, terra and shay- thank you for the fantastic mural
- K25 celebrations were a success
- Kids Club is a hit
- Volunteer- archaeology day with kids coming up
- Biofluorescent Night Walk this Friday
- Shared Rural Network. Have had notice that there will be a legal notice from them. Plan to continue with the non-cooperation line. Legal notice is trying to get acceptance for surveys on KF ground. KF is refusing vehicle access, but they can walk up there. This has been agreed via email.
Items for decision/recording
Reports
- Accommodation Project Officer report- Written Report Available
Items for discussion
- AGM confirmation and timetable– Friday 20th September. KT 11, KF 11.30, Lunch 1-1.30, AGM KF 1.30, KT 2, KR 2.30. Timetable will go out tomorrow.
- Accounts – end of year for AGM have gone out. Approval at Meeting on Friday. DN has raised the following with accountant. Jane Hollowood second name wrong spelling, note on capital invest that has been put down as main, change community action group to climate action group, brought up the rangers designated fund- need to agree this to not be a designated fund or only to contain one years salary. Will discuss these on Friday.
Present situation with Cash at bank overview–
Overall, the reserves have stayed stables over last month, £115K up on last year, KT will start reducing from October on. £30k KF and £134k KT difference from last year.
- Place plan– No Update.
- Update on 25th anniversary celebrations– Well done all, they were great.
AOB- None