These minutes may have been minimally amended to remove commercial or personnel sensitive information.
Date of meeting: 3.30 pm Monday 8th June 2020
Present: Paul Corkill, Rhiannon Jones, Dave Fairhurst, Pat Bray, Alan Kehoe, Jonathan Roby, Kath Godfrey.
Staff in attendance for the board/ managers meeting prior to the board meeting: Kath Godfrey, Adam Smith, Steve Henderson, Rhiannon Jones
Apologies: Ian Bowyer, Jane Fairhurst, Joe Taylor
Absent: Danny Halliwell,
Chair: Rhiannon Jones
Minutes: Dave Fairhurst
Declarations of interest:
Rhiannon Jones in relation to item 4 (staff salaries)
| Referenceto agenda | Minute | Action |
| Review of issues and progress towards moving out of lockdown:Care Farm:DF updated meeting on care farm plans, assuming limited opening from 6th July for learners on part-time basis with 1:1 ratios. Currently working on a detailed risk assessment, which will be circulated when done. All staff will continue to work full time, as per the requirements of the learners’ funders.Education:Not much changed since last discussed. Earliest likely educational activity would be kids’ club, possibly during school holidays (from mid-July). Opening of kids’ club needs to be discussed with Kelly as it may impact on care clients’ needs.Box scheme/café/shop:No report on scheme been submitted. KG had not had time. AK’s financial report was discussed, though it was noted that this relied to some extent on estimates as info needed for more accurate figures had not been provided to AK. DF noted that a significant trading loss was recorded last week. He felt we could not sustain that level of trading loss into the future, especially as we need to be concentrating on supporting the reopening of the café, which will almost certainly be running at a loss when it reopens. He felt we should be running the scheme down to give time for KG and SH to develop a realistic business plan for the café before it reopens. AK agreed. JR agreed that we need a realistic business plan before we reopen the café. PB offered to help KG and SH develop a spreadsheet as a business planning aid. KG had submitted a brief outline of projected costs and income shortly before the meeting, but it was felt this was a start but needed to be developed, with full information on the assumptions.PB reported that a grant of £1500 had been awarded by Forever Manchester for the box scheme, but this was only for petrol costs for the volunteers doing delivery and would not help cover ongoing losses. PB to ask Forever Manchester if we could use the grant for resources for our grower, as they | PB/SH |
GREENSLATE COMMUNITY FARM Ltd
BOARD MEETING MINUTES
| 1 | would not support use for wages. AS to draw up a list of resources he could do with, up to £1500.PB also reported that we have got through the next stage of our £25000 grant application to P2C and was cautiously optimistic that we would be successful. This would be used to support the café as it reopens. DF stressed need for realistic planning so we don’t waste the grant on an unrealistic business plan.SH stressed the benefit of the site being opened as a way to attract customers. Concern was expressed about the need to protect the safety of learners on the care farm. It was suggested we could open the site at weekends.Growing:AS advised that there were no issues to report regarding possible opening of the farm. There may be some issues relation to care farm learners. He hadn’t discussed with Kelly. Would do so. Production of salads had exceeded demand last week and AS had donated excess to the Brick. This week’s excess to be donated to West Lancs College.Adam to pass on his production figures to the Board.RJ reported the Landworkers Alliance Grant bid for growing had been acknowledged, hope for decision by mid-June.RJ reported that Ecology Society bid was “in the pot”. Bid was £5000 for material costs for box scheme and for equipment and seeds for Adam.Health & Safety for staff and public:RJ advised she and IB would be conducting a site risk assessment for the care farm, education and the public.Café and shop risk assessment being developed by KGPublicity:KG been talking to NH. She advised no need for anything special. JR suggested we could advise members of progress as part of publicity. DF to draft info for members, JR & PB to help.Agreed that staff bulletin be produced asap. DF to draft. | PB AS AS RJ/IB DF DF |
| 2 | Minutes of meeting of 1st June 2020:JR proposed. AK seconded. Agreed. | |
| 3 | Matters arising:RJ to chase up quote for drainage work to farmyard.DF noted need to resolve lack of certifications on the Straw Bale building. KG had just confirmed that no building control completion certificate had ever been issued and DF believed we had been running the building without valid insurance because of the lack of proper certifications.PB confirmed we will need electrical certifications. Discussion took place around issues preventing issuing certificates. It was agreed that these issues could be dealt with in board minutes when suitable wording had been approved by board members. The need to make progress on this issue, to | RJ |
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BOARD MEETING MINUTES
| avoid any delay in reopening of the café was agreed. | ||
| 4 | Financial issues, including staff salaries:AK advised we can pay salaries at 100% for June, though probably not next month, based on our current projected income. Agreed.AK asked KG for records she held on Public Heath England grants, including the initial grant application, copies of all invoices and a breakdown of the budget. KG said she would supply to AK asap. | KG |
| 5 | AOBNone | |
| 6 | Date and time of next meeting4.30 pm Monday 15 June 2020 |