YARPOLE COMMUNITY SHOP ASSOCIATION LTD.
Annual Members’ Meeting
Thursday 6th June 2024 at 7.00pm
at St Leonard’s Church, Green Lane, Yarpole HR6 0BB
- Welcome
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the AMM. Forty-one members attended.
- Apologies
19 apologies were received.
- Approval of the minutes of the AMM held on 15th June 2023
Sue Russell proposed the approval of the minutes, seconded by Andrew Praill and passed unanimously.
4. Matters arising from the minutes of the 2023 AMM
No matters arising.
5. Chairman’s Report
The Chair, Jon Pitts (JP), thanked the members for attending the AMM. JP introduced the current Board members and presented his report:
There have been only minor technical issues through the year. The Marketing strategy is in progress.
It has been a good solid year, although there have been challenges around cost increases - products, electricity, salaries, etc. The Board decided to manage increased prices without passing on more than essential. Sadly though, we are unable to make community grants available this year. There have been only minor technical issues through the year. Works in progress include finalising safeguarding guidelines next week, renewing the tired signage, developing a shop website. The Board is working very well now with an established distribution of responsibilities and clear roles.
There has been lots of interest in our achievements in our shop in the church this year. We have contributed to a number of Plunkett webinars with community representatives from across the UK. We have been filmed by Sky News for a good news story before Christmas and featured in an article in The Church Times. We continue to be held up as an exemplar and inspiration.
The Chair thanked the anonymous benefactors who have made generous donations for a lasting legacy in the shop. We have agreed to use the donations to commission a new artisan oak counter.
The Chair also thanked Rowena and Kate; all the amazing volunteers - from front of house to bins, via papers and all that goes in to make up team shop and a welcome to all our new volunteers; to Linda our Sub Post Person; to The Men’s Shed group; to David Cheshire for being on hand and by no means least my colleagues on the Board over the last year and beyond; and most importantly to you for being loyal customers, shareholders and supporters of our shop.
6. Report on the state of membership and the membership strategy
Total membership currently stands at 320 compared to 395 last year. As flagged last year we have undertaken some housekeeping as we had lost contact with some members and, after thorough efforts to regain contact, in accordance with our rules, have reduced the number of current shareholders as above. We continue to promote share ownership through leafleting new residents, etc. There has been a very encouraging take up by new residents.
7. Receipt of the Financial Accounts for 2023
The Treasurer, Toby Slade (TS), presented the 2023 accounts. The Profit and Loss Account was shown with a further explanation by TS of the Financial Summary for 2023. TS reported that 2023 turnover increased by £14079 and Gross Profit had increased by £3039. However, admin costs have risen by £7077 resulting in a surplus of only £146 largely due to increased energy costs (30%), staff/volunteer costs (15%)and paying out £2552 in community grants (100%). The good news is that shop sales increased by around 10% and we still made a small surplus. The post office income is fairly static.
The 2024 surplus to the end of May includes a £10000 legacy donation which is ring fenced and to be allocated towards a new counter in the shop. 2024 figures do not include the first quarter’s electricity charge of £1062, first quarter’s cleaning charge estimated at £375.00 and annual accountancy charge of £600. Adjusted 2024 surplus to end of May would therefore be (£2419) which is an increase of £431 from 2023. No grants will be paid out this year.
The full accounts are available to view in the shop.
- Acceptance by the members of the 2023 accounts
Acceptance of the accounts was proposed by Audrey Bott, seconded by David Cheshire and passed unanimously.
8. Appointment of Kendall Wadley as Accountants for 2024 and agree that the 2023 accounts may be prepared without an audit and presented with an accountant’s report
Proposed by David Cheshire and seconded by Jane Praill. This was passed unanimously.
9. Election of the Management Board
The following Board Members are standing for re-election:
Jon Pitts - Chair
Lindsay Slade - Company Secretary
Paula Drurey - Bookkeeper
Toby Slade – Treasurer. Payments, Payroll, VAT, HMRC, etc.
Steve Drurey - Alcohol licensing and Technical ‘Fixer’.
Kate Griffiths - Volunteer coordinator & liaison
JP suggested all standing for re-election be voted for en-masse unless any objections. This was proposed by Trevor Edwards, seconded by Angela Barnett and passed unanimously.
Before closing the meeting, the Chairman showed some archive photographs giving a brief history of the development of the shop.
The meeting closed at 7.40pm.