3rd February 2025
DOWNEND FOLK HOUSE ASSOCIATION
MANAGEMENT MEETING MINUTES
MONDAY 3RD FEBRUARY 2025
PRESENT
Mrs E Bendrey (Chairman), Mrs M Hosking, Mrs C Bilella, Mrs Z Tanner, Mr A Clements, Mr B Gibbs, Cllr J Biggin, Mrs J Kennett.
1. APOLOGIES
Cllr L Brennan, Mr M Brown.
2. MINUTES OF THE MANAGEMENT MEETING HELD MONDAY 6TH JANUARY 2025.
The meeting agreed the Minutes to be a true representation, and the Chairman signed the supplied copy.
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MANAGEMENT MEETING
Property & Management
CCTV Hard drive has been replaced.
The piano has been tuned.
Deep clean of Jubilee and Concorde Halls completed.
The cooker in the kitchen has been professionally cleaned. All Actioned Zoe
4. CORRESPONDENCE
None.
5. PROPERTY & MANAGEMENT
The Maintenance Review document was issued to the attendees and discussed. Copies are available on the notice boards. This review document identifies all the outstanding actions needed however the following are highlighted as requiring urgent attention:
Winter season
Please sanitize hands where possible and clean tables after use.
Wash hands regularly.
Clubs if you are unwell, please don’t attend and spread the virus, wear a mask to cover your mouth and nose.
The Under-stairs storage wall, half has been removed as required. Actioned by The Maintenance Team.
CCTV TRAINING
Martin has been trained to use the download function on the CCTV equipment. Ongoing Action Martin
The fire door opposite the maintenance room has blown. Ongoing action Maintenance Team
Mawdsley’s Tanker job for this years’ service in May is £639.00 plus VAT Ongoing action Zoe
Energy Survey 6/03/24. New visit for Tuesday 9/04/24 Ongoing action Mel
Still awaiting report (nothing received 2/12/24) even after many prompts. Ongoing action Zoe
Regular weekly jobs for Maintenance
Litter pick and leaf collection is regular.
6. FIRE & SAFETY
Fire Alarm tests weekly. Action Zoe
Monthly light test (Zoe can only do the remote control as the others are done by DS Security.)
Staff Training for Fire Alarm tests. Ongoing Action Zoe
Fire Risk Assessment 15/04/24 Andrew & Zoe in attendance completed . The report is being looked at by Andrew and Zoe. Things are in hand and Management Committee and the Office are working through the recommendations. Ongoing Action/Zoe Andrew
7. ADMINISTRATION
There are two official CCTV people allowed to view the screen. Zoe and Martin.
Room bookings are increasing Action Zoe
8. FINANCIAL REPORT
Current Financial Situation:
Deposit £53,641
Current Account £14,568
Total £68,209
As can be seen, our funds have taken another hit of £2,400, accounted for by repairs to the building (see below). There is another £2,150 to be spent on this first part of the roof, and there are another two areas to be repaired in the near future, currently estimated at £5,400
This means that it will take 10% of our current funds to complete the roof work over the snooker room. We are also faced with a currently unknown spend for the work necessary following the fire door review.
There are always ongoing issues to be resolved (none of which are free) – for example during the week commencing Monday 27th January, the following items were reported:
1. A problem associated with a white water pipe that flows down to the down pipe, either the water is going under the flashing, or the amount of water is greater that we have had before.
The wall is now turning a shade of green on the outside wall of Jubilee Hall.
2. There is a missing slate tile on the exterior roof of the toilets, and above the kitchen roof there are cracked tiles.
3. A wall in the car park may need a review to see if there is any loose concrete.
Mel can only see one part on his inspection.
The financial situation is getting quite worrying,
Significant Expenditure - > £500 (during January)
Apart from salaries, utilities and cleaning, there have been two expenditures in excess of £500.
£2,150 to Sheppard Roofing as 50% of the cost of carrying out work on section 1 of the snooker room roof. (This was agreed as a cheaper option than proposed by AM Buildings)
£1,098 to AM Buildings (Aaron) to cover two jobs. The re-pointing/rendering of the old wall in the open area (void buttress) outside the maintenance area (£350), and secondly the re-flooring of areas in the snooker room where the tongue and grooved chipboard has deteriorated to a dangerous state (£748)
Agreed by Management Committee
Automatic Computer Back-Ups
In order to have automatic continuous backups, Martin Bailey has contacted SmoothIT,
He has also been asked to find a second quote to compare the prices and support given by these companies. Action Martin
Concord Hall Lights
As advised earlier, the tubes in Concord are now no longer available, so the route forward is, as we did in Jubilee, to replace them with LED batten lights. Management Committee to advise
After discussion at the February monthly MC meeting it was decided that initially 3 Banks of lights would be replaced with LED batten lights.
It has been suggested that we might reorganize the switching of the light grouping in order that the area adjacent to the projector can be turned off separately. Management Committee to advise
Management Committee have put this request on hold.
Setting of Fees for September 2025
Membership fees will increase in September to £12 per year.
Joining half way through the year it will be £6.
Regular hirers will have an increase of 7.5%.
One off hirers will have an increase of 15%.
Clubs will increase from 1.05p per hour to 1.10p per hour. Agreed by Management Committee
BT Proposal (Visit report)
BT have been trying to get us to “go digital” for some time now, and with our current contract finishing in March, we requested a “face to face” meeting to understand the proposed changes. This meeting took place on Monday 28th January, and the paragraph below reflects the discussion:
With Openreach “turning off” the copper wires supporting telephone support, BT explained that there would need to be a change from the existing analogue phone system to a digital one, which would be supported via the broadband connection we currently have. This would mean that the office would have three new cordless handsets (supplied free), and the ability to have two phone calls operating simultaneously. They also offered the ability to have every phone conversation recorded. The costs of this total package approx. £6 more per month than we currently pay. £78 (pre VAT) Agreed by Management Committee.
9. SOCIAL & FUND RAISING
Spring 2025
Thursday Speaker Mornings
6th February Paul Hulbert Wapley Bushes local reserve
6th March Julia Kennett Dyrham Park
3?d April Philip Taubenheim Wotton Auction Rooms Auctioneer Talk and valuations.
1st May Merle Hosking African experiences in the 1960s.
PUBLICITY
Bruce will be asked to put posters on forth coming activities on Facebook. All Actions S&FR Committee
10. WEBSITE UPDATE
Up and running Action Bruce
11. AOB
The Sunday Markets in Downend have been confirmed as:
Easter Sunday – 6th April
Summer – Sunday 13th July
Autumn – Sunday 12th October
Christmas – Sunday 14th December Information Cllr Janet Biggin
12. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
Monday 3rd March 2025 9.15am
MANAGEMENT MEETING MINUTES
MONDAY 3RD FEBRUARY 2025
PRESENT
Mrs E Bendrey (Chairman), Mrs M Hosking, Mrs C Bilella, Mrs Z Tanner, Mr A Clements, Mr B Gibbs, Cllr J Biggin, Mrs J Kennett.
1. APOLOGIES
Cllr L Brennan, Mr M Brown.
2. MINUTES OF THE MANAGEMENT MEETING HELD MONDAY 6TH JANUARY 2025.
The meeting agreed the Minutes to be a true representation, and the Chairman signed the supplied copy.
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MANAGEMENT MEETING
Property & Management
CCTV Hard drive has been replaced.
The piano has been tuned.
Deep clean of Jubilee and Concorde Halls completed.
The cooker in the kitchen has been professionally cleaned. All Actioned Zoe
4. CORRESPONDENCE
None.
5. PROPERTY & MANAGEMENT
The Maintenance Review document was issued to the attendees and discussed. Copies are available on the notice boards. This review document identifies all the outstanding actions needed however the following are highlighted as requiring urgent attention:
Winter season
Please sanitize hands where possible and clean tables after use.
Wash hands regularly.
Clubs if you are unwell, please don’t attend and spread the virus, wear a mask to cover your mouth and nose.
The Under-stairs storage wall, half has been removed as required. Actioned by The Maintenance Team.
CCTV TRAINING
Martin has been trained to use the download function on the CCTV equipment. Ongoing Action Martin
The fire door opposite the maintenance room has blown. Ongoing action Maintenance Team
Mawdsley’s Tanker job for this years’ service in May is £639.00 plus VAT Ongoing action Zoe
Energy Survey 6/03/24. New visit for Tuesday 9/04/24 Ongoing action Mel
Still awaiting report (nothing received 2/12/24) even after many prompts. Ongoing action Zoe
Regular weekly jobs for Maintenance
Litter pick and leaf collection is regular.
6. FIRE & SAFETY
Fire Alarm tests weekly. Action Zoe
Monthly light test (Zoe can only do the remote control as the others are done by DS Security.)
Staff Training for Fire Alarm tests. Ongoing Action Zoe
Fire Risk Assessment 15/04/24 Andrew & Zoe in attendance completed . The report is being looked at by Andrew and Zoe. Things are in hand and Management Committee and the Office are working through the recommendations. Ongoing Action/Zoe Andrew
7. ADMINISTRATION
There are two official CCTV people allowed to view the screen. Zoe and Martin.
Room bookings are increasing Action Zoe
8. FINANCIAL REPORT
Current Financial Situation:
Deposit £53,641
Current Account £14,568
Total £68,209
As can be seen, our funds have taken another hit of £2,400, accounted for by repairs to the building (see below). There is another £2,150 to be spent on this first part of the roof, and there are another two areas to be repaired in the near future, currently estimated at £5,400
This means that it will take 10% of our current funds to complete the roof work over the snooker room. We are also faced with a currently unknown spend for the work necessary following the fire door review.
There are always ongoing issues to be resolved (none of which are free) – for example during the week commencing Monday 27th January, the following items were reported:
1. A problem associated with a white water pipe that flows down to the down pipe, either the water is going under the flashing, or the amount of water is greater that we have had before.
The wall is now turning a shade of green on the outside wall of Jubilee Hall.
2. There is a missing slate tile on the exterior roof of the toilets, and above the kitchen roof there are cracked tiles.
3. A wall in the car park may need a review to see if there is any loose concrete.
Mel can only see one part on his inspection.
The financial situation is getting quite worrying,
Significant Expenditure - > £500 (during January)
Apart from salaries, utilities and cleaning, there have been two expenditures in excess of £500.
£2,150 to Sheppard Roofing as 50% of the cost of carrying out work on section 1 of the snooker room roof. (This was agreed as a cheaper option than proposed by AM Buildings)
£1,098 to AM Buildings (Aaron) to cover two jobs. The re-pointing/rendering of the old wall in the open area (void buttress) outside the maintenance area (£350), and secondly the re-flooring of areas in the snooker room where the tongue and grooved chipboard has deteriorated to a dangerous state (£748)
Agreed by Management Committee
Automatic Computer Back-Ups
In order to have automatic continuous backups, Martin Bailey has contacted SmoothIT,
He has also been asked to find a second quote to compare the prices and support given by these companies. Action Martin
Concord Hall Lights
As advised earlier, the tubes in Concord are now no longer available, so the route forward is, as we did in Jubilee, to replace them with LED batten lights. Management Committee to advise
After discussion at the February monthly MC meeting it was decided that initially 3 Banks of lights would be replaced with LED batten lights.
It has been suggested that we might reorganize the switching of the light grouping in order that the area adjacent to the projector can be turned off separately. Management Committee to advise
Management Committee have put this request on hold.
Setting of Fees for September 2025
Membership fees will increase in September to £12 per year.
Joining half way through the year it will be £6.
Regular hirers will have an increase of 7.5%.
One off hirers will have an increase of 15%.
Clubs will increase from 1.05p per hour to 1.10p per hour. Agreed by Management Committee
BT Proposal (Visit report)
BT have been trying to get us to “go digital” for some time now, and with our current contract finishing in March, we requested a “face to face” meeting to understand the proposed changes. This meeting took place on Monday 28th January, and the paragraph below reflects the discussion:
With Openreach “turning off” the copper wires supporting telephone support, BT explained that there would need to be a change from the existing analogue phone system to a digital one, which would be supported via the broadband connection we currently have. This would mean that the office would have three new cordless handsets (supplied free), and the ability to have two phone calls operating simultaneously. They also offered the ability to have every phone conversation recorded. The costs of this total package approx. £6 more per month than we currently pay. £78 (pre VAT) Agreed by Management Committee.
9. SOCIAL & FUND RAISING
Spring 2025
Thursday Speaker Mornings
6th February Paul Hulbert Wapley Bushes local reserve
6th March Julia Kennett Dyrham Park
3?d April Philip Taubenheim Wotton Auction Rooms Auctioneer Talk and valuations.
1st May Merle Hosking African experiences in the 1960s.
PUBLICITY
Bruce will be asked to put posters on forth coming activities on Facebook. All Actions S&FR Committee
10. WEBSITE UPDATE
Up and running Action Bruce
11. AOB
The Sunday Markets in Downend have been confirmed as:
Easter Sunday – 6th April
Summer – Sunday 13th July
Autumn – Sunday 12th October
Christmas – Sunday 14th December Information Cllr Janet Biggin
12. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
Monday 3rd March 2025 9.15am