Minutes of Long Stratton Village Hall AGM - 12th November 2025 - 8pm
Present: Amanda Phillips (AP), Peter Smith (PS),Kirsty Dye (KD), Adrian Roy - The Well (AR),
Rosie Collins (RC)
AP opened the minutes welcoming members of the Committee and Trustees
1. Apologies Amy Eastall, Paula Armes, Julie Rodgers - NHS Cardiac Group, Lauren Plant
2. Minutes of 2024 AGM – Approved during the meeting, no outstanding items.
3. Matters arising – The building works and renovations
4. Committee to stand down - Everybody stood down (AE and PA were not present, but AE
confirmed would be standing down following the meeting)
5. Election of the Committee - Ex-officio Member: Rev Heather Wilcox remains noted as a
Trustee currently, but should be the current Benefice of St Mary’s Church; Elected
Members: Chair & Trustee - AP, Treasurer & Trustee - PS, Secretary / Bookings Clerk &
Trustee - KD, Trustee - PA (re-elected following the meeting); Representative Members:
all regular user groups / local Churches have been contacted to provide a representative,
none have confirmed representatives to date. RC standing again as a Committee Member,
Co-Opted Members: None.
6. Chairs Report
AP thanked PS, explaining that we would be lost without him, especially as we remain without a
handyman and the Committee is very small. Once again most of the day to day running of the
hall has fallen to PS to sort, including maintenance tasks and meeting and greeting hirers as
required, alongside his Treasurer role.
AP noted thanks to Toby for the support he has provided in order to maintain the grounds of the
hall, particularly in recent weeks in the lead up to Remembrance Sunday.
AP thanked the Committee for their support.
AP confirmed that we are now in a position where we can look to secure quotes from builders in
order to be able to progress further with applying for grants and moving our building plans on.
AP raised concerns regarding the size of the Committee and whether we are able to support
these renovations at the present time; she confirmed that decisions need to be made as to how
best to proceed as the hall is currently in need of repairs and maintenance regardless of whether
we progress the plans at this stage.
AP, KD and PS have stood again as Trustees but would ideally like to be able to step back from
the Committee in time due to personal commitments. Moving into the new year, we are keen to
grow the Committee where possible and lean further on the wider Community for support if we
can.
We are yet to successfully make contact with the new Reverend, despite several attempts to do
so; we therefore remain without a current Ex-Officio Member, although Rev Heather Wilcox
remains as a Trustee until such time that she is officially replaced.
7. Treasurers Report - PS shared the accounts dated 31/3/25. Main points covered:
• Profit & Loss Accounts include hire costs income of £13,432.15 for the period (last year was
£10,497.00), interest of £642,74 (last year was £617.86), dividend from CCLA Fund of £44.45.
Income totalled £14,119.34 (last year was £11,310.46).
• Total expenses were £12,802.34 (last year was £15,113.90). Main expenses for the year
included £4,467.24 for electricity, £2,657.09 for cleaning costs, £1058.65 for insurance and
£1882.94 for repairs and renewals.
• Total profit before tax £1,317.00 (last year was £3,803.44)
• Total current assets stood at £35,385.62 (last year was £34,032.76), which includes £830.51 in
our current account, £32,341.85 in our savings accounts, £1623.26 in the CCLA Investment
Fund and £24.00 Petty Cash.
• No questions were asked regarding the accounts.
7. Adoption of the accounts – Due to our balance this year the accounts have not been
independently examined, under the guidelines of the Charity Commission, but AP has signed
them off as accurate and accounts have been adopted. PS will update the Charity Commission.
8. Secretary Report - KD once again raised concerns regarding the size of the committee
currently and is hopeful that we will be able to increase the committee in the future. She
reported that hirers are up on last year, with the hall being hired daily and thanked PS for his
support in relation to the hirers and the daily running of the hall, as well as the website and
bookings processes.
KD will attempt to contact the new Reverend again, as previous contact has not been successful.
KD will also advertise again for volunteers, and for support in maintaining the hall. RC to review
alternative options for advertising for such roles.
9. Any other matters -
* Adrian Roy (The Well) asked whether they can site a banner outside the front of the hall - this
was agreed.
* Building works - Adrian Roy has asked to see copies of these plans, so that he can approach his
group to see whether anyone will be able to help bring these plans to life. RC has experienced
in the building industry and so has also asked for sight of these to see what support she maybe
able to offer. AP explained that due to being such a small Committee now, all with high levels
of personal and work commitments, we are struggling to find the time to spend on this
project, including meeting with builders, gaining quotes and applying for grants and so any
support with these tasks would be gratefully received.
* Paranormal Investigations - we have been approached by a potential hirer who wishes to
complete paranormal investigations at the hall. The Committee agreed to this but KD will ask
that the filming is kept private and not held on You Tube, as potentially an option.
* Email received from Tina Argyle (Line Dancing): TA has asked whether we can review removing
the partition wall / storage on the stage to provide more room. She has also notified us that
the electric sockets on the stage keep tripping out, causing inconvenience as cables need to be
re-sited, and has asked whether an additional socket can be situated on the stage in front of
the storage / partition wall if we are not removing this. Decisions about the stage will be made
as and when we finalise the renovation plans, we will ensure that the sockets are looked at in
the meantime and fixed as soon as possible. RC suggested an alternative electrician: Electric
11.
* Email received from Lauren Plant (Zumba): LP has also asked whether the partition / storage
will be removed from the stage to increase the space, as above. She has also reported the
floor can be quite sticky, making dance moves harder for her group attendees. KD has recently
arranged for additional cleaning to take place ahead of LP’s hire as Wednesdays are a busy day
in the hall; feedback so far has been positive.
* Main Hall Floor: this is showing signs of wear and tear and needs sanding and resealing again.
We have received a quote which we will consider at the next Committee Meeting.
* Blocked Toilets: PS to arrange for Metrorod to to unblock these as soon as possible.
Meeting closed at 9.20pm
Present: Amanda Phillips (AP), Peter Smith (PS),Kirsty Dye (KD), Adrian Roy - The Well (AR),
Rosie Collins (RC)
AP opened the minutes welcoming members of the Committee and Trustees
1. Apologies Amy Eastall, Paula Armes, Julie Rodgers - NHS Cardiac Group, Lauren Plant
2. Minutes of 2024 AGM – Approved during the meeting, no outstanding items.
3. Matters arising – The building works and renovations
4. Committee to stand down - Everybody stood down (AE and PA were not present, but AE
confirmed would be standing down following the meeting)
5. Election of the Committee - Ex-officio Member: Rev Heather Wilcox remains noted as a
Trustee currently, but should be the current Benefice of St Mary’s Church; Elected
Members: Chair & Trustee - AP, Treasurer & Trustee - PS, Secretary / Bookings Clerk &
Trustee - KD, Trustee - PA (re-elected following the meeting); Representative Members:
all regular user groups / local Churches have been contacted to provide a representative,
none have confirmed representatives to date. RC standing again as a Committee Member,
Co-Opted Members: None.
6. Chairs Report
AP thanked PS, explaining that we would be lost without him, especially as we remain without a
handyman and the Committee is very small. Once again most of the day to day running of the
hall has fallen to PS to sort, including maintenance tasks and meeting and greeting hirers as
required, alongside his Treasurer role.
AP noted thanks to Toby for the support he has provided in order to maintain the grounds of the
hall, particularly in recent weeks in the lead up to Remembrance Sunday.
AP thanked the Committee for their support.
AP confirmed that we are now in a position where we can look to secure quotes from builders in
order to be able to progress further with applying for grants and moving our building plans on.
AP raised concerns regarding the size of the Committee and whether we are able to support
these renovations at the present time; she confirmed that decisions need to be made as to how
best to proceed as the hall is currently in need of repairs and maintenance regardless of whether
we progress the plans at this stage.
AP, KD and PS have stood again as Trustees but would ideally like to be able to step back from
the Committee in time due to personal commitments. Moving into the new year, we are keen to
grow the Committee where possible and lean further on the wider Community for support if we
can.
We are yet to successfully make contact with the new Reverend, despite several attempts to do
so; we therefore remain without a current Ex-Officio Member, although Rev Heather Wilcox
remains as a Trustee until such time that she is officially replaced.
7. Treasurers Report - PS shared the accounts dated 31/3/25. Main points covered:
• Profit & Loss Accounts include hire costs income of £13,432.15 for the period (last year was
£10,497.00), interest of £642,74 (last year was £617.86), dividend from CCLA Fund of £44.45.
Income totalled £14,119.34 (last year was £11,310.46).
• Total expenses were £12,802.34 (last year was £15,113.90). Main expenses for the year
included £4,467.24 for electricity, £2,657.09 for cleaning costs, £1058.65 for insurance and
£1882.94 for repairs and renewals.
• Total profit before tax £1,317.00 (last year was £3,803.44)
• Total current assets stood at £35,385.62 (last year was £34,032.76), which includes £830.51 in
our current account, £32,341.85 in our savings accounts, £1623.26 in the CCLA Investment
Fund and £24.00 Petty Cash.
• No questions were asked regarding the accounts.
7. Adoption of the accounts – Due to our balance this year the accounts have not been
independently examined, under the guidelines of the Charity Commission, but AP has signed
them off as accurate and accounts have been adopted. PS will update the Charity Commission.
8. Secretary Report - KD once again raised concerns regarding the size of the committee
currently and is hopeful that we will be able to increase the committee in the future. She
reported that hirers are up on last year, with the hall being hired daily and thanked PS for his
support in relation to the hirers and the daily running of the hall, as well as the website and
bookings processes.
KD will attempt to contact the new Reverend again, as previous contact has not been successful.
KD will also advertise again for volunteers, and for support in maintaining the hall. RC to review
alternative options for advertising for such roles.
9. Any other matters -
* Adrian Roy (The Well) asked whether they can site a banner outside the front of the hall - this
was agreed.
* Building works - Adrian Roy has asked to see copies of these plans, so that he can approach his
group to see whether anyone will be able to help bring these plans to life. RC has experienced
in the building industry and so has also asked for sight of these to see what support she maybe
able to offer. AP explained that due to being such a small Committee now, all with high levels
of personal and work commitments, we are struggling to find the time to spend on this
project, including meeting with builders, gaining quotes and applying for grants and so any
support with these tasks would be gratefully received.
* Paranormal Investigations - we have been approached by a potential hirer who wishes to
complete paranormal investigations at the hall. The Committee agreed to this but KD will ask
that the filming is kept private and not held on You Tube, as potentially an option.
* Email received from Tina Argyle (Line Dancing): TA has asked whether we can review removing
the partition wall / storage on the stage to provide more room. She has also notified us that
the electric sockets on the stage keep tripping out, causing inconvenience as cables need to be
re-sited, and has asked whether an additional socket can be situated on the stage in front of
the storage / partition wall if we are not removing this. Decisions about the stage will be made
as and when we finalise the renovation plans, we will ensure that the sockets are looked at in
the meantime and fixed as soon as possible. RC suggested an alternative electrician: Electric
11.
* Email received from Lauren Plant (Zumba): LP has also asked whether the partition / storage
will be removed from the stage to increase the space, as above. She has also reported the
floor can be quite sticky, making dance moves harder for her group attendees. KD has recently
arranged for additional cleaning to take place ahead of LP’s hire as Wednesdays are a busy day
in the hall; feedback so far has been positive.
* Main Hall Floor: this is showing signs of wear and tear and needs sanding and resealing again.
We have received a quote which we will consider at the next Committee Meeting.
* Blocked Toilets: PS to arrange for Metrorod to to unblock these as soon as possible.
Meeting closed at 9.20pm
