THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 2010-2011
The Trust has had a very busy year of review, consolidation
and pushing forward with its vision for the Town Hall. There
have been the inevitable frustrations, but also positive developments
during the year.
Funding
Early
in the year we were successful in obtaining funding from Dumfries & Galloway Council [£7 000] and Scottish Power
Renewables [£2 000], our second commercial supporter. This
funding contributed towards matched funding for our bid to the
Dumfries and Galloway LEADER programme for Project Development
funding. We obtained £18 000 from them which has enabled
us to employ Gerard Godfrey as Project Manager. His commitment
to the Project has helped us to progress on a number of fronts
during the year.
Towards the
end of the year we were delighted to receive a donation of £25
000 from the Dora Hay Charitable Trust, a local charity which
it had been decided should close; the Trustees
saw our Trust as a worthwhile charity to continue local support
for Moffat and District. This money is being held towards the
capital required for refurbishment of the Hall.
Asset Transfer Programme
The
Trust was one of 8 community organisations nationally in Scotland
to be included in this Government funded initiative
which was administered by Development Trusts Association Scotland.
The aim was to learn from such organisations about working with
local Councils on transfer of assets from them to community groups.
Apart from providing a small amount of funding, the Programme
enabled us to raise the profile of our aims, and links with D&G
Council. It also increased our profile, and networking with other
similar groups across the country. The culmination of the programme
was being asked to present our progress and views at the National
Conference in Edinburgh in March. The programme also led to us
accessing national funds for study visits to other similar organisations.
As a result the Trust visited Gunsgreen House in Eyemouth, and
Ayton Community Centre. These visits were both informative and
inspirational.
Council Discussions
An
aim of the Asset Transfer Programme was to establish better
links
with D&G Council. Our Legal Advisers, Lindsays, have
been in contact with the Council, and are looking to develop
the necessary transfer agreements. It has become apparent that
major funders will be looking for significant capital support
from the Council to the Project to reflect their major presence
as a tenant. A paper has been developed to support this application,
but has been delayed following the significant shake up of local
Councils, and their need for massive budgetary cuts. The early
retirement of a key supporter within the Council, Steve Southam,
made it even more difficult to forward decisions. However, a
meeting with Justin Tracy has confirmed the continued support
of the Council, but with a frustratingly slow timetable before
our application for capital support will be taken to full Council
[early in 2012].
Project Development
Following
our unsuccessful bid to BIG Lottery, the Board undertook a
significant review of the aims and plans for the Trust. It
became clear that our vision and ultimate aims for the Town Hall
remained unaltered, but in the present economic climate, a scaled-down
project, possibly phased was the only realistic way forward.
Alan Marshall, our Architect, and Robert Richmond, our quantity
surveyor, have undertaken a lot of additional work without payment
to support the furtherance of the Project. We now have outline
plans costing £1.8 million which still achieves our aims,
and provides opportunities for further development should funding
become available. These plans need more detailed work, and community
consultation, but are working documents to enable progress.
With
funding support from the Asset Transfer Programme, we were also
able
to review our Business Plan to ensure that it
remained robust. This work has provided the basis for continuing
funding applications, and discussions with D&G Council.
Grant Applications
Considerable effort has been concentrated on a major bid to
Heritage Lottery Fund. A successful pre-application bid was followed
by a Stage 1 Application in March 2011. There is a major emphasis
on heritage education and participation as part of a HLF capital
bid. The Board agreed that more work needed doing on this aspect
of our application. As a result, our application was withdrawn
for more work, and was resubmitted in June 2011. A decision will
be made in September. The Stage 1 Application includes funding
for further Project Development and Design Team work before submitting
our major capital bid as a Stage 2 Application early in 2012.
A complementary application to Architectural Heritage Fund is
being assessed alongside the HLF application for Project Development
support.
Contact has also been made with BIG Lottery, and SRDP. The
latter has proved very difficult to deal with, but remains an
important aspect of our funding strategy. An application to the
Land Fill Trust may provide us with some smaller capital funding
towards the overall project.
Events
A
number of successful events during the year has contributed
funds
for the Trust, but has also assisted in keeping a high
profile for the Trust. These have included a Youth Concert, Afternoon
Tea Concerts, the Second Burns’ Supper, Annual Coffee Morning;
and - as a departure from the traditional – a valuation
and auction evening. We are very grateful to all of those who
contributed their time, energy and funds to ensure the success
of these events. I would particularly like to thank Tom Mulholland
and Dave Stoddart for their unstinting work and commitment in
organising and managing many of these events.
Networking
The Trust has been working to engage with as many organisations
and individuals as possible during the year:
• We have had meetings with the Annandale
and Eskdale Councillors to keep them abreast of our progress.
• For the first time we have been able to work with Senior Students
from Moffat Academy, and this has proved to be very valuable.
Two groups looked at the use and design of the Hall, and the
heritage of the Hall. The latter resulted in a presentation to
all of the senior students and has produced valuable material
for the Trust. As a first experience of this kind of activity
there are learning points to be gained, which will be used again
in the coming year.
•
A very constructive meeting was held with The Producer’s
Market.
• The Moffat Museum Trust is seen as a key partner in the heritage
work of the Trust, and a meeting is to be held at the time of
writing this Report which it is hoped will lead to further joint
working.
• Links further afield have been enabled through the Asset Transfer
Programme and membership of the UK Association of Preservation
Trusts.
Board Working
2010-11 has been a difficult year, with disappointments and
frustrations. However, there has been a continuing team spirit
which has helped the Board to remain positive and optimistic.
There have been some changes within the Board: Alastair Tait
joined us at the last AGM; Bruce Clarke joined as a co-opted
Director with his expertise and knowledge of the Project from
the very beginning, but regrettably had to resign due to pressure
of other work; Tony Couch took on the role of Company Secretary,
a very necessary role, with the changes occurring in Company
and Charity regulations. This has included some changes to the
Articles of Association to the Trust [to be ratified at the AGM];
we have also introduced an Education Policy, Equality Policy,
and Fund-raising Strategy during the year.
I cannot express too strongly my thanks to the Board in supporting
the work of the Trust, especially during some of the difficult
periods which the Board has faced this year.
Perhaps
the major frustration during the year is the seeming inability
to maintain progress at a pace which the Trust would
aim for. We have seen our time-table for the Project slip by
6 months to a year as a result of the amount of time spent in
Grant Applications, and the major structural and financial upheavals
of D&G Council. However, we remain on track to see our vision
achieved, and hope to see more concrete progress in 2011-12.
Dr
Peter Beck-Samuels, Chairman,
