KCDC – Minutes of AGM held on 23/01/18 @ 19.00
Present:-
Directors – I Moffett (chair), L Cruikshank, B Kinnaird, D Stewart, A Bell, G Strang, J Morse
Members – A Dunn, E Lawther, K Deans, J Kinnaird, S Strang, D Grant, J Moffett, J Hunter (Wade Centre), R Webster, C Cornfield/L White ( Caberfeidh Horizons ), J Robertson, J Patchett, B Nield, C Lawther, T Ramage ( Strathy), E Paulin, J Short, L Olds (Gymnastics Club), B McCarthy, C McCarthy, C Bell
Accountant – P Graham of Peter Munro & Co
- I Moffett welcomed the attendees to the 11th AGM of KCDC.
- Apologies – A Hunt, A & P Schofield, R Avery
- Receive & approve minutes of 10th AGM held 22/11/16. Minutes were accepted.
- Resolutions:
A To receive Chairman’s Report
IM reported that S Millar is standing down as director but J Morse, E Lawther, A Dunn & K Deans have agreed to come on board.
B. To receive and adopt the Financial Report
LC gave a brief introduction then handed over to P Graham who gave a detailed report of the finances for the year, main points being:-
- Income
- Subs & donations £1,815
- Hydro £11,860 net of VAT
- Expenditure
- 3 x £500 community grants
- Professional fees to VABS £900
- Directors insurance & legal cover; public liability
- Cycle Friendly Kingussie £525
- Legal fees for purchase of land behind tennis courts
- Assets & liabilities as at Aug ‘17
- £22,463 in bank account
- Cost of Hydro project £188,000. This will probably be capitalised as a fixed asset in future
- Debtors £949
- Overall balance £209,361
- Trustees Report was presented
LC thanked PG and asked if any members had questions but there were none.
The accounts were accepted.
C. To appoint Peter Munro & Co as Independent Accountant
Agreed
D. To elect directors to the Board
The Articles have been amended to have Half the Board step down.
SM is standing down and IM thanked her for her valued participation.
LC, BK, AB, GS & IM were re-elected.
J Morse, E Lawther, A Dunn & K Deans were appointed as directors. There were no objections.
E. To fix the annual subscription
We actively want people to be members. IM proposed that the subscription remain at the current rate of £2. There were no objections.
Reports from Directors:-
LC reiterated about the community grant scheme available to applicants within the Kingussie postcode area. He gave details of the large grants awarded – shinty club; replacement bridge by golf club. Small grants have been awarded to the gym club, shinty club, Wade Centre, Lantern Procession. The grant award winners then gave brief presentations on what use the grants had been put to:-
- Linda/Julie for the gym club
- Jackie for the Wade Centre
- John for the shinty club. John started by thanking the directors of KCDC on behalf of the community.
LC mentioned a further pending award to St Vincent’s Therapy Garden.
He gave an update on the replacement bridge beside the golf club – it’s getting there. Funding is about £2k short but the chosen contractors, McGowans, are ready to start when the weather is suitable.
Hydro – A Bell reported, making the following points:-
The hydro has continued into its third year of operation generating an annual income of over £12000. The cost of operation has been relatively insignificant and apart from the reserve retained for future contingencies, virtually all the income has been available to the Hydro Fund.
2017 had the poorest spring and summer for output so far, mainly caused by:
1. There was very little snow during the winter 2016/2017 so there was no slow release of melt water to sustain the output during dry spells.
2. May and June were particularly dry and the turbine was shut down on low water level for extended periods.
3. Clogging of the inlet screen as a result of the growth of algae during the dry periods.
However the wet autumn made up for this to some extent as can be seen in the graph below in which the output between the 12th of each month is shown:
The low cost of operation arises because most of the maintenance work has been done by volunteers. As well as scheduled tasks such as greasing of bearings, repairs to eroded concrete and regular brushing of the inlet screen have been carried out.
The internet connection at the KGC Clubhouse to permit the manufacturer to re-configure the remote control system remotely was finally commissioned towards the end of 2016 and this has allowed the response to high and low water levels, power dips and clogging of the inlet screen to be automated. A partial automatic clean of the screen is now possible when the river level is too high for it to be done manually.
In the near future there is further work to be done on repairing concrete erosion and damage to the inlet screen caused by spates but no major problems are foreseen. Large spates that bring down significant quantities of sediment should be reduced by the flood alleviation scheme at Pitmain once it is in operation.
The work that was done by volunteers to landscape and replant the river bank has been extremely successful and the rock armour is now well disguised by natural vegetation.
IM thanked AB & GS for their hard work.
Woodlands – GS reported
Gave a precis of woodland ownership. The overall plan is to do very little, although he is trying to remove non-native sycamores, which will then allow native seedlings to thrive.
The main issue is litter, although he notes that volunteers are litter-picking. He asked members to please pick up any litter they see. Also take dog waste bags home!
There was then a general discussion when it was mentioned that some of the paths in the woodlands are a mess, mainly the ‘unofficial’ ones. Horses are a problem – should discuss with Ruaridh Ormiston as they are mostly his horses. Dog waste is an ongoing problem. Some of the boardwalks/bridges in Tom Baraidh are deteriorating. The far end of the Jubilee Walk is a mess and also ends at the road – this will eventually be part of the Speyside Way & will hopefully get sorted at that point.
Land acquisition – IM reported
KCDC have now bought the land below the tennis courts & cleared the ground. It looks much better. IM thanked Colin & Marilyn Scott for allowing a wider path to take up some of their land.
Kingussie website – IM
IM opened for discussion that the Board of KCDC are keen for Kingussie to have a modern and effective website linking all the other Kingussie websites and including a Kingussie wide diary. Obviously such a website must be kept up to date to be effective. We are advised that VABS, on the instructions of CNPA, are about to start the process for a Kingussie Community Action Plan and in the expectation that this will move Kingussie forward on the wider front, we will await events. One of our number has however volunteered to join the Steering Group for the preparation of the said Plan.
IM put on record that the Board of KCDC would look sympathetically on a grant application for such a modern and effective website and would be prepared to take an appropriate application in that connection to the Independent Committee.
There was some discussion about the need for a cohesive website, to bring business, tourism & activities all into one place.
Cycling – BK reported
This has been another active year for CFK
This was the second year the Bikeathon was organised in partnership with CHSS. Participation was down on the previous year. This year the Bikeathon will be run as a community event in partnership with KHS and held on the 24th June .
Kingussie hosted a National XC event in September, there were some concerns over potential damage to paths but this did not materialise. Although this was a prestigious event to be held in Kingussie it was a one off and future events will be held at Laggan.
The ride out programme has continued to run throughout the year. On Tuesday evenings this has developed into 2 groups; a more advanced group of mountain bikers who enjoy single tracks in all conditions and a social ride group. Monthly Sunday socials rides took place throughout the winter, weather permitting.
A number of Cycle maintenance nights took place at KHS
A new cycle route brochure will be published in the Spring and be made available to accommodation providers
CFK have an electric bike library . The two bikes are available to borrow for a few weeks at a time.
Updates available on the CFK Facebook page.
AOCB
None.
IM thanked everyone for attending.
The meeting closed at 20.10