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Chairperson Mr. D. Morgan opened the meeting with a short address on the past year's events and then introduced the treasurer Mr. David Neads who gave a report on the unaudited and approved financial statement for the year ended 31st October 2003.
Prior to his presentation of the accounts Mr. David Needs informed the meeting that when he took over the position as Treasurer he had found that the records of the accounts were not as they should be. He stated that the committee had not been in control of all the financial transactions and many items of expenditure had not been referred back to the committee for approval before monies were spent. The chairperson did not answer the questions posed, he referred all matters to Mr Neads even though the majority of the issues raised occurred before Mr Neads became involved with the association.
A Jameston resident, Mr. Peter Cooper questioned financial support given to the Association by Manorbier Community Council and was informed that the monies given was for the running of the hall and sports field. The total amount given by Manorbier Community Council was £3800. Mr Cooper then asked what happened to the money that was collected from users of the hall and fields and he was informed that this money went into the Association's funds. He also informed the meeting that the Community Council funded the administration costs of the association. This crossover of responsibility where the clerk of the Community Council was also the Administrator of the Association left much to be desired as final responsibility was unclear and actual figures were not forthcoming.
Mr Beddoes a resident of Jameston and vice chairman of the Jameston Community Association, which has a subscription based membership organisation, questioned the printing costs charged by the Manorbier & District Community Association to members of the community. Mr. Morgan stated that the printer and computer were for the use of the Association, which prompted the retort that surely the community was the association. Councillor Calver also questioned the purchase of a laptop computer instead of a desktop that would have cost half the amount paid for the laptop. He also wondered why a laptop was needed. As the community association had purchased a laptop Councillor Calver enquired if members of the community could borrow the laptop. Councillor Morgan suggested that this proposal would be difficult, as they would have to look at the question of security. Mr. David Neads informed the meeting that he would look into the issue.
Mr Tew asked for further details of the income statement on Fees and later on Fund-raising then asked why the Association's Accounts showed no record of membership subscription fees when according to the constitution, deposited with the Charity Commissioners, the Association should have a subscription based membership. The Treasurer informed Mr. Tew that he had only recently obtained a copy of the constitution and would be looking into the matter. When questioned by Mr Tew he admitted that the Association, as a Registered Charity, was the only one he knew that had no paid up members and the majority of its funding came from local taxes collected by Pembrokeshire County Council of behalf of the Manorbier Community Council. Mr. Tew informed the meeting that Pembrokeshire County Council member Mrs P Griffiths had stated publicly that there was no need for a membership subscription as the Community Council taxpayers funded the association. Councillor Griffiths at this stage rose to her feet declaring that when the Manorbier & District Community Association was formed the funding was to be provided by the Manorbier Community Council and there was no need for a membership or subscriptions.
When Mr Neads was questioned about the Accounts he admitted that the records were incomplete and he had been unable to obtain the diary from the Association Secretary to check the records he was doing the best he could do with the information with which he had been provided including Bank statements. One of the debts itemised in the Accounts for the sports field was a sum of £45 and when questioned by Councillor Calver the chairman, Mr Morgan, informed the meeting it was a debt owed by Tenby Football Club that had not been paid for the use of the playingfield. Mr Neads stated they would now be looking to collect this amount as this and some of the other debts were from the previous year.
Community Councillor Malcolm Calver questioned the sum of £133, which was under a strange heading "discrepancy in receipts". Mr Neads, when questioned by Councillor Calver, informed the meeting that this arose out of deficit in the cash receipt totals from the service provided by the Community Association for parking for the Rotary Club event held in Manorbier Castle. When asked by Councillor Calver what efforts he had made to rectify this situation Mr Neads informed him that he did not want to go into it. However Mr Neads informed Councillor Calver that the police had been informed of the discrepancy in the collection and he (the Treasurer) would be looking further into the matter. Councillor Calver also informed Mr Neads that there was no record in the accounts for the printing of the newsletter and that records produced to the Community Council showed that the Community Association records had failed to include invoices from PAVS for the printing of the newsletter. Mr Neads informed Councillor Calver that he did not have the answers to his questions and these items had not been included in the accounts so he would have to answer this point at a later date. The Treasurer stressed that the working of the Association was being placed on a more regular footing and being made to comply with the requirements of a Registered Charity. He also confirmed that the current financial statement would be the Annual Return (AR) for the year 03 to the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales and that the AR02 was still outstanding even after more than the accepted 10 month period.
Mr. Tew proposed a vote of thanks for the Treasurer.
The election of offices was conducted by the chairman where Mr. Morgan would be Chairman, Mr. Neads as Treasurer, Mr. Codd as Vice chair and Karen Booth as Secretary. Each being appointed following nomination and seconding but without the usual opportunity of the twenty five people attending being asked to vote in favour or otherwise. The representative members of local clubs and associations when asked for were not forthcoming and it appeared that although Mr Morgan has said the necessary forms has been sent out together with a booklet on the duties and responsibilities of a Trustee nobody present has received them.
At the close of the meeting Mr Morgan informed those present that there would only be refreshments provided for those attendees who had received an invitation to the annual general meeting.
Website Comments
There seems to be a conflict of interest in the remarks made by County Councillor Griffiths regarding the financial arrangements for the support given to the Manorbier and District Community Association by Manorbier Community Council. It is not known if she was speaking as a member of the Community Council or a Trustee of the Association. As this was the Annual General Meeting of the Association, which claimed to be representing all of the community the suggestion by Mr Morgan that only those who had an invitation would receive refreshments seemed a very strange attitude for a chairman of the community association. Mr Morgan must not have appreciated the questions posed by Councillor Calver as Mr Morgan informed him that he could not partake of the refreshments, as he was not prepared to pay for a drink for Councillor Calver. As far as Councillor Calver was aware the association members had provided the refreshments. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Mr Morgan had barred Councillor Calver from attending the pre AGM meeting when the agenda and all the irregularities were up for discussion by the general committee including the trustees.
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