March 2024 Committee Meeting

Pomeroy War Memorial Hall Committee Meeting
At The Duke of York Pomeroy
Wednesday 13th March 2024, 8pm.

Attendees: Representing:
Jean Brown (JB) Vice Chair of Committee
Brian Burton (BB) Local Resident
Jenny Cooper (JC) Committee Member
Rebekah Dicken (RD) Committee Member
Lloyd Melland (LM) Committee Member
Jess O’Dwyer (JOD) Secretary and Treasurer
Christine Riley (CR) Trustee
Philip Wheeldon (PW) Chair of Committee
Ben Wilson (BW) Committee Member
Sarah Wilson (SW) Committee Member

01/03/24 Welcome and Introduction
PW welcomed all to the meeting.

02/03/24 Apologies and Expressions of Interest
Apologies from Ian Webster (IW) were received and accepted.

03/03/24 Minutes of Previous Meeting dated 29
th November 2023
The minutes were accepted as a true record of the meeting.

04/03/24 Matters Arising
Memorial plaques – We would like to install a memorial at the hall. JB has quotes, which are
between £200 – £400 depending on the material used and the number of words on the plaque.
JOD to share the wording JB wrote for the plaque.
We think there are four men from Pomeroy and Sterndale Moor who should be commemorated
at the hall for WW1. We think there are a further two who should be added for WW2.
Pvte Robert Riley was born in Harpur Hill but by 1939 he was a cowman at Stanage Grange Farm
near Hartington and the rest of his family were at 8 Briggs Cottages, Sterndale Moor.
Pvte Stanley Hoggart was not from the area but by 1939, Stanley’s parents were living at 18
Hindlow Cottages, his father being an electrician and foreman at the quarry.
Service bugle playing – after the last minutes went out, a lady contacted us to say Percival’s
Funeral Directors has contacts for bugle players. We also have contacts at Burbage Band.
Parish Council help with Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) – the Parish Council meeting was
on 11th December. The minutes of that meeting record that the Parish Council have asked for an
extra £500 to cover our WSI. The Parish Council have minuted that we have got planning
permission to improve the access to Pomeroy Hall.
Newspaper article – JB has written an article to go in local newspapers and also a letter to ask for
help from Queen Camilla, as patron of the War Memorials Trust. Both highlight the problems we
continue to have with the Charity Commission and fundraising. JOD to update the letter and
article and send them out.

05/03/24 Bank Account
The account balance on 13th March was £2158.92. This includes £198.50 in from the 100 club,
games night, the Christmas fair and the sale of stalls (so far) at the spring fair. We have paid
£200.50 out in trustee indemnity insurance, to the architects and for RAD membership.
Bank cards – PW and LM’s bank cards have not been updated due to inactivity. JOD to look into
taking people off and adding people to the bank account. JOD agreed to continue as treasurer
with RD and JC named on the bank account.
JOD to investigate being VAT registered. JB/PW to see if other village halls are VAT registered.

06/03/24 Funding
JB has been looking for funding to hire different venues for our fundraising events. The Rural
Prosperity Fund administered by Derbyshire Dales CVS and the UKSPF Community Resilience
Grants have been suggested. JB to get some written quotes from different venues.
JOD has been looking for funding for getting power and water back on at the hall. JOD contacted a
surveyor to assess our current situation, tell us what technology is available and what would work
at our hall. He has quoted £300 to do a pre-feasibility study. The committee agreed to pay for this
rather than wait for funding. JOD to ask everyone for dates for the surveyor to visit.

07/03/24 Fundraising
100 Club Update – Brian Spencer won in February. JC and RD drew the next 100 Club winner at
the meeting – Joan Bonsall, number 7 for March.
Board Games Night 21 March – RD has some board games for the games night and large playing
cards for “Play your Cards Right.” It is £2 entry per person. There will be a small raffle. There are
no prizes for board games, it is just for fun. Play your cards right is £1 per ticket. The winner gets
half the money taken for play your cards right.
Dominoes night 24 April – There are a few sets of dominoes and scoreboards at the pub.
Committee to bring other sets of dominoes.
Games night 21 May – we will see how the board games and dominoes nights go and then decide
whether to run this event.
Car Treasure Hunt 9 June – to be discussed at the next fundraising meeting.
Spring Fair on Saturday – Most stalls have paid, JB has a list of the few that will pay on the day. RD
is doing refreshments. JC has tombola prizes. PW to man the raffle. JB has got several games
planned. RD didn’t think we needed the marquee as the weather looks ok. RD to do a table plan.
Booze cruise prize – we still don’t know what to do with this prize. It is difficult to put on a raffle.
We don’t have anything else to auction. It is for 16 people and is worth £320.
Gambling licensing – RD to sort this.
Regular subgroup meeting – The next one will take place on 17th April, 8pm at The Duke of York.

08/03/24 Charity Commission (CC) and Rural Action Derbyshire (RAD)
The Charity Commission regulatory authority have offered us a fully regulated scheme. This will
give us official recognition from the CC and better access to funding. There is no charge for this.
To apply for a scheme, we have to consult with stakeholders. We have always consulted with
interested parties since our first public meeting in October 2019. Our minutes are sent out to
everyone on the mailing list and are freely available on the Facebook page and website, plus we
have done newspaper articles periodically. We have done the feasibility study which included
local resident consultation and, specifically on the issue of the Charity Commission, we have
communicated with residents via the News and Views newsletter.
After passing a resolution, we must state to the CC that “I declare that the charity has formally
made a decision to apply for a scheme, the meeting was held on 13th March 2024, the meeting
was quorate, and all trustees are aware that this application is being made.” JB suggested that we
also put this on the June AGM agenda as that is a public meeting and anyone is able to attend.
A resolution was passed by all committee members and trustees present to formally apply for a
scheme. CR (trustee) was present at the meeting and is in agreement. GD (trustee) is already
aware of this and is in agreement. DM (trustee) will be made aware of this.
Questionnaire – Rona (RAD) and Neil at Derbyshire Dales CVS are putting together a questionnaire
to get us to consider what we want to do and how we are going to do it. This will help us to show
funders what we are about, and will form the basis of a business plan. Once the questionnaire is
completed, Rona and Neil will discuss next steps. Rona has not had chance to compile this
questionnaire. JOD to share with committee as soon as this is available.

09/03/24 Planning
We now have planning permission for widening the gate and improving the access to the hall.
We have three years to make a start on the work. PW thought it would be possible to make a start
as soon as the weather improves.

10/03/24 Groundwork
Stop tap – this will need to be found before the energy survey is done.
Levels – PW/IW/LM to look – the surveyor might be able to help with the septic tank.

11/03/24 Website
JOD has been trying to get an incorrect location picture removed from Google.

12/03/24 Correspondence
RAD have cancelled an event to celebrate 100 years of village halls. RAD have sent out a short
questionnaire to find out why people did not respond. If anyone has any feedback please fill in the
form: What have we got wrong? (office.com)
The day after the meeting Derbyshire Dales District Council sent us our Non-Domestic Rates
Demand Notice which is zero again.

13/03/24 Any other business
JB to investigate hiring Sterndale Moor club for an event.
POST MEETING NOTE – while our meeting was taking place, someone posted a photo of the hall
on a Buxton Facebook page. This has generated a lot of interest and memories which JOD is
following up.

14/03/24 Dates and Times of Next Meetings
All 8pm at the Duke of York Pomeroy.
Wed 12th June (apologies JC)
Wed 18th September
Wed 27th November
The next fundraising meeting is 17th April 8pm at The Duke of York.
Meeting finished 10.15 pm