
Constable Burton Reading Room Minutes
of the Annual General Meeting
Held in the Reading Room
Saturday 26th March 2022 at 2:00pm
Present: | George Tomlin | – | Chair |
Charles Wyvill | – | Patron | |
Hilly Dobson | – | Vice chair, Acting Treasurer and Secretary to the meeting. | |
Jeffrey Lane | – | Committee Member | |
Barry Snarr | – | Committee Member | |
Keith Loadman | – | Trustee and Vice Chair to the Parish Council | |
Also Present: Tony Duff. Jennie Shaw, Allen and Barbara Percey, Cathy Ayers, Sue and Alan Mepham.
Apologies: Niesha Snarr – Committee Member
- Agenda. The agenda for the meeting was published on the 18th Feb 22.
- Minutes. The minutes of the AGM held on the 25th April 2019 were accepted as a true recording of proceedings.
- Proposed. Jennie Shaw
- Seconded. Barry Snarr..
- Matters Arising. There were no matters arising.
- Report from the Chair March 2019 to March 2022
- As the report covered a period of 3 years the Chair, George Tomlin, presented a brief version of it for the meeting. The full version of the report is attached.
- Continuation of Renovation. The Chair pointed out that quotes and funding were now being sort for the replacement of the front door and for the re-decoration of the main hall.
- Use of the Reading Room. The Chair commented that, now the pandemic was largely over, the Community should be encouraged to make use of the Reading Room again.
- Appreciation. Charles Wyvill thanked George for the excellent work he had carried out over the past 2 years.
- Financial Report by the Acting Treasurer.
- The Acting Treasurer, Hilly Dobson, presented the Financial Report covering the 3 year period of March 2019 to March 2022. The Report is attached as is the audited accounts dated 28th February 2022.
- The Chair made the observation that the Reading Room must again start generating a profit as its annual running costs were approximately £3,000 per year.
- Adoption of the Revised Constitution.
- The Revised Constitution was signed by Charles Wyvill as Patron and by George Tomlin as Chair to the Reading Room Committee.
- A vote to adopt the new Constitution was conducted with the following result:
- Votes for: 9.
- Votes against: 0.
- Abstentions: 4.
- The Constitution was therefore adopted to come into effect at the conclusion of the meeting.
- Future Events.
- A list of Future Events for the year 2022 to 2023, currently planned by the Committee, was given to attendees and was distributed to households. The list is not designed to restrict the organisation of other events in any way.
- Barry Snarr asked if the proposal of organising ‘Dinner Nights’ would be supported. The general opinion of the meeting was that they had been successful in the past and therefore should be tried again over the coming months.
- Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. A resumé of what had been currently planned was presented by the Chair:
- Grant. A grant of £2,000 from a fund set up for the event had been applied for from RDC. If approved this would provide funding for the purchase of a marquee and for meat for the ‘Big Lunch’. The latter was decided upon as the purchase of bedding plants or the planting of a tree were not acceptable to the RDC panel.
- Bedding Plants. Red, white and blue bedding plants and 2 hanging baskets have been ordered from Winstanley’s for the village from Reading Room funds. The cost being approximately £200.
- The National Programme of Events. The National Programme of Events was read out to the meeting. It was decided that the Reading Room Committee should concentrate on the organisation of the ‘Big Lunch’ to take place on Sunday 5th June. Any other activities during the 4 day celebration would need to be organised by volunteers from the village. It was also thought that Saturday 4th June should be devoted to preparations for the next day.
- The ‘Big Lunch’ Sunday 5th June. After some explanation as to why the idea of a Hog Roast had been explored and abandoned, due mainly to non-availability and cost, it was felt that a BBQ would be a better option. Quotations from 3 suppliers had been obtained with Campbells providing the most competitive quote of £240.
- Attendance. Yet to be fully agreed and coordinated with Tony and Barbara Knowles it had been suggested that the village and the Caravan Park should combine their effort for the ‘Big Lunch’. It was felt that we could therefore be catering for up to 120 people but to avoid over-catering that tickets should be sold in advance.
- Souvenir Mugs. The pottery in Leyburn had been approached to produce a souvenir Constable Burton Platinum Jubilee Mug. The cost of the mugs had yet to be confirmed at £6 to £7 but dependent upon the quantity ordered. The idea was received favourably by the meeting and it was suggested that only a limited number should be pre-ordered. Also suggested was that orders for the mugs could be taken prior to ordering them from the pottery.
- Profit. It was pointed out that the event should not be run at a loss to the Reading Room funds.
- Rental Prices.
- The Chair suggested that to help regenerate the use of the Reading Room, post pandemic, that the rental prices should remain unchanged. To hire the Reading Room currently costs:
- A minimum cost of £20 – this covers the cost of heating if required.
- £10 per hour.
- £50 per day 9am to 5pm.
- A full list of charges to rent other equipment is displayed on the Village Notice Board and in the Reading Room.
- Ukraine Appeal.
- The Ukraine appeal had already donated £330 to sponsor a transit van to take aid to Poland for the Ukrainian people. The van would be one of 15 organised by the Colburn Village Hall Committee due to depart on the 28th March.
- It was pointed out that the initiative to sell art work in the Reading Room was that of Jean Knights. Many thanks were given to her for this idea.
- The Chair said that this appeal is likely to continue for some considerable time and that the fund may be used to support Ukraine in other ways.
- The Reading Room is currently open daily from 11.30am to 2pm for the viewing and purchase of art work. Friendship lapel badges had also been ordered to be sold for the same fund.
- Election of Committee Members.
- Four nominations had been received for election/re-election to the Reading Room’s Committee. They were:
- Barry Snarr as Chair Person
- Hilly Dobson as Vice Chair Person
- Jeffrey Lane as Committee Member
- Niesha Snarr as Committee Member
- These were voted and accepted unanimously by the meeting.
- The newly formed Committee voted onto the Committee:
- Allen Percy as Treasurer
- Keith Loadman as Trustee.
- Charles Wyvill said that he was to be the nominated member of the Wyvill family and Patron.
- Four nominations had been received for election/re-election to the Reading Room’s Committee. They were:
- Privacy Policy.
- The Committee Privacy Policy was accepted and adopted by the members of the newly formed committee.
- All 6 members of the Committee completed and signed the forms.
- Any Other Business.
- Jeffrey Lane thanked Stuart Ayers for cutting the small verges. Cathy Ayers said that Stewart no longer wished to be a member of the Committee but that he would continue to support the Reading Room and the Village.
- Barry Snarr:
- Asked as to who owned the wooden shed in the car park. The Chair replied that it was owned by the neighbour to the Reading Room Mr John Edington. Cathy Ayers confirmed that it had been there for 15 years with permission from the Estate.
- He then asked if any income was derived from it and that he was concerned as to what might be stored in it. It was confirmed that no income was derived from it and that the contents were unknown.
- There was some discussion concerning the use of the car park and the possible introduction of an electrical charging point at some time in the future.
- Date of Next Meeting. The date for the next Committee meeting was to be decided upon.
- Meeting Closed. The meeting closed at 3.15pm.

Hilly Dobson
Secretary, to the Meeting
Mobile: 07942864354
27th March 2022
Attachments: