UPPER TEVIOTDALE & BORTHWICK WATER COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minutes of the Special Community Council Meeting of 20th January held in Roberton Village Hall at 7.30pm
Present: CCllrs Francombe (Chair), Douglas, Friell, Hepburn, Powell, Robson, Wilson and Pennington (Treasurer)
In Attendance: SBC Cllrs Turnbull, Smith and Patterson, Mr Godfrey (Sec), Mr Anderson, Mr & Mrs Anderson, Mr Apthorpe, Mr Caw, Mr Friell, Mr Gray, Mrs Growden, Mrs Hobday, Mrs Hutchinson, Mr Johnson, Mr Laidlaw, Mr & Mrs Plumbe, Lord Polwarth, Mrs Powell, Mr & Mrs Shallis, Mr & Mrs Templeman, Mr Warwick and Ms Young
SBC Cllr Turnbull opened the meeting.
Apologies – None
Cllr Turnbull said that he had been at SBC Headquarters that afternoon and had had a meeting with D Scott, he knew that correspondence and telephone conversations had taken place between Claire Malster and the CC and also with the CDT but was not privy to what had been discussed.
Cllr Turnbull said he would ask CCllr Francombe to address the meeting, then CDT Chairman Shallis to do likewise then there would be an open forum.
CCllr Francombe said that the Community Council (CC) was responsible for the communities of the Teviot, Borthwick Water and Slitrig, irrespective of any Groups. The CC does not have a problem with the CDT and wishes to draw a line underneath all this and work together. He had been asked to sit on the Board of the CDT for a trial period of six months but felt that the workings of the CC and the CDT were miles apart and that he couldn’t represent all the residents if he did.
CDT Chairman Shallis said that he was pleased to work together but as a matter of clarification the arrangement was for a trial period where he (CCllr Francombe) would be invited to attend the CDT meetings and to discuss matters, but that he had no voting rights and was not on the Board.
Cllr Turnbull then opened the discussion to the floor.
There followed a lengthy discussion by those residents attending the meeting who were unhappy that the reasons for this action were not explained.
During the discourse the CC agreed to agenda an open forum, title yet to be decided, where points raised by constituents would be considered for either the next agenda or immediate action.
CCllr Francombe said that at this point he would give his reasons why he distanced the CC from the CDT:
a) He had received complaints from members of the CDT that the CDT AGM had been held without notification it was taking place and that they had only found out when they had received the Valley newsletter.
b) Copies of the CDT accounts were requested but they were told they were private.
c) The Constitution had been changed without recourse to the CDT members
d) That CDT Chairman Plumbe (at that time) had elected himself Treasurer as well as Chairman
From the floor:
CCllr Francombe was then asked if he had attended any CDT meetings where these issues could have been addressed and where he could ask if these issues were correct.
CCllr Francombe said he had seen how long a Director is in place go from 2 years to 3 years.
Cllr Turnbull then asked for any Directors of CDT to clarify the points raised by CCllr Francombe
Mr Shallis addressed the first issue raised:
Every Household had notification of the AGM at least 3 weeks before in part of the newsletter. If households did not receive them then it was a distribution problem. He added that the meeting had had the best attendance in 4 years.
Mr Plumbe addressed the second issue raised:
As treasurer he had never received any requests to see the accounts. The accounts are not private, the CDT is Limited by Guarantee under the Company’s Act and registered to OSCR (Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator) as a charity. All accounts have to be verified by a qualified accountant and then copies sent to the above bodies. Anyone can access these accounts through Company House and if any member asks to see them they would have been shown them.
Judith Hutchinson, the Company Secretary, addressed the third issue raised:
An ordinary meeting of the CDT had been held on the 19th October 2009 where it was recorded that the Chairman at that time, Mr Plumbe, stated that the Constitution had been interpreted incorrectly and that the term of office was 3 years and not 2 years. A break of at least one year after 3 years was required and an officer could only serve 2 terms.
Mr Plumbe addressed the fourth issue raised:
At the time of him (Mr Plumbe) being Chairman of the CDT it had been understood that any officer on the Board of Directors stood down after 2 years although it was 3 years. The Treasurer had resigned leaving a vacancy and as Mr Plumbe was coming to the end of his 2 years he assumed the role of Treasurer. This had been proposed to the Board and reported at the AGM. The Bank and the accountant were aware and were quite happy with that arrangement. According to the articles responsible for financial affairs they (the CDT) are under no obligation to appoint a Treasurer. A Board of Governance file has been set up and in there is a statement of financial management and all correct procedures, every member has a copy. He also stressed that it was not the Chairman and the Treasurer that signed off the accounts.
SBC Cllr Turnbull then asked CCllr Francombe if he was satisfied with the answers.
CCllr Francombe said that he was.
From the Floor –
Can I ask that these points be brought to the attention of SBC.
SBC Cllr Turnbull said yes, he added that the issues were out in the open and that the answers had been informative. He would now ask CCllr Francombe to take back these findings to the CC and for the CC to communicate to the CDT.
Mr Plumbe asked if such things are raised again, then could a phone call be made and situations like this could be avoided.
SBC Cllr Turnbull stated that that was a very valid point and thanked everyone for attending.
Mr Shallis, CDT Chairman, said that to end on a positive note he then read out a statement
The CC and the CDT agree that they wish to work together in the spirit of co-operation for the benefit of the community.
CCllr Francombe added that the 2 groups would work together and that indeed he had enjoyed working with the CDT, but that he could not sit on the Board.
Meeting Closed.