Agenda and minutes

Venue: Town Hall, High Street, Maidstone. View directions

Contact: Ezzie Tunnicliff  01622 602272

Items
No. Item

6.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

There were no apologies.

 

7.

Notification of Substitute Members

Minutes:

There were no substitutes.

 

8.

Notification of Visiting Members

Minutes:

There were no Visiting Members.

 

9.

Disclosures by Members and Officers

Minutes:

There were no disclosures by Members and Officers.

 

10.

Disclosures of Lobbying

Minutes:

There were no disclosures of lobbying.

 

11.

Exempt Items

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That all items be taken in public as proposed.

 

12.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 17 January 2017 pdf icon PDF 48 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 January 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed.

 

13.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 23 May 2017 pdf icon PDF 21 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed.

 

14.

Report of the Head of Finance - Accounts 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 40 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Senior Finance Manager presented a report detailing the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum Trust’s accounts for the year ending 31 March 2017 for approval by the Committee before submission to the Charity Commission.

 

The Senior Finance Manager informed the Committee that the income from voluntary sources was lower than the previous year. This was because previously enquiry fees were being paid incorrectly into the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum Trust’s code. As a result of this, the Trust did not have enough income to pay the Maidstone Borough Council Service Charge for the year.

 

At the meeting held on 17 January 2017 the Committee requested further information on the £15 flat fee for research undertaken by officers on behalf of members of the public, along with detail on the amount of time and resources allocated to each request, and comparisons with other local authorities that provide a similar service.

 

The Committee expressed its disquiet that the report that had been requested was not presented at this meeting. The Committee asked for the report to come to the next meeting and for it to contain:

·  The number of requests that the Museum received for research enquiries;

·  What the Maidstone Borough Council Service Charge covers;

·  A full account of income and expenditure; and

·  An examination of scales and charges.

The intended aim of this report was so the Committee could understand the operation of the Trust as a business.

 

The Committee discussed the type, size and prominence of the Trust’s donation box at the Museum. The Committee agreed to visit the donation box and think of possible alternatives that would encourage more donations and make members of the public more aware about the Trust.

 

In order that a new donation box be placed at the Museum before the winter, the Committee requested that another meeting of this Committee would be held in early October.

 

RESOLVED: That the Accounts be approved for the year ending 31st March 2017.

 

Voting: Unanimous

 

15.

Report of the Head of Finance - Review of Investments pdf icon PDF 56 KB

Minutes:

The Senior Finance Manager gave a presentation to the Committee regarding Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum Trust’s investments.

 

The Committee considered raising the risk level on their investments, but the Senior Finance Manager advised that there would not be much gain in doing so and, because it was a charity, risk levels should be kept low. The Senior Finance Manager agreed to look at a range of risk levels and report these back to the Committee.

 

RESOLVED: That,

 

1.  The current investment be retained;

2.  Investment performance be monitored and reported to the Committee as part of future financial reports; and

3.  A further report be brought back to the Committee should further alternative investments be identified.

 

Voting: Unanimous

 

16.

Duration of Meeting

Minutes:

10.05 a.m. to 10.47 a.m.