Tullynessle and Forbes Hall

TULLYNESSLE AND FORBES HALL

AND

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

STRATEGIC PLAN

TULLYNESSLE AND FORBES HALL AND

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

STRATEGIC PLAN

April 2013 –April 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY

1. GENERAL CONTEXT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN

3. GENERAL AIM OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN

4. FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF THE PLAN

5. SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE PLAN

6. CONCLUSIONS

Appendix 1...... 12

Appendix 2...... 14

SUMMARY

The Hall Committee’s aim is:-

“To build Tullynessle and Forbes Community Hall into a multipurpose community resource that promotes social inclusion and community development in a manner sustainable in the long term.”

The Committee believes the economic downturn, large public debt, and the reduction of the Scottish grant will affect future financing of hall running and development in two ways. Firstly, Tullynessle and Forbes Hall cannot rely on grant aid for funding to the same extent. Therefore the committee should aim to build a reserve not only as a Contingency Fund but additionally as a future Development Fund. Secondly, there will be an increasing need to provide an “affordable” venue for social events such as wedding receptions that might previously have taken place in more expensive commercial venues, and for general “affordable” entertainment.

The social functions of the hall identified by local research and consultation are improved access to learning by low income and unemployed people, provision of activities that aid health and education for all, reduce isolation among people in the community, help older people feel healthier and independent, local people more able to address issues and provide facilities for young people. These aims were identified in the hall’s Development Plan and supported by its research and local consultation and many have been partially or wholly met by progress to date.

The hall committee realises it now needs to adopt a proactive role of “social facilitation” in helping stimulate the use of the hall and in particular the creation of user groups that meet the needs of identified disadvantaged groups and people.
Having identified the need for a more longterm “Strategic Plan” approach, thisplan has now been in place several years. There are also some further challenging implications of this changing scene. The hall is seeing a shift in its clientele. Increased usage creates greater demand on the time of those managing bookings, cleaning requirements have increased and general hall management is more complicated. This has induced the hall committee to appoint a part time hall keeper and part time cleaner.

Hall usage has increased significantly since redevelopment. It is accepted rental charges must not aim for the maximum rate the “market” will pay. The aim is to provide facilities as cheaply as possible for community usage.

The Strategic Plan details the need to finance annual running costs including general minor deterioration, repairs and improvements including general depreciation of equipment, and some lesser improvements such as installing a hearing loop, contingency funding against major unexpected costs that are not covered by hall insurance, and some major redevelopments in the years to come when grant aid may be limited or absent.

The main income stream will be from hall rental from both social/community, and commercialgroups and fundraising events supplemented by interest from investments. Contributions in kind from committee members and others are also important.

Funds therefore have to be maintained to meet running costs, contingencies, and long term development needs. To this end, it is felt that the target should be forhall financial resources to include invested funds of £20,000, Contingency Funds of approx£5000, and running costs funds in excess of £2,500. In order to achieve these targets whilst maintaining the aim of the cheapest possible rental charges, rental rates should be reviewed annually.

Having fulfilled its obligations to the Big Lottery, including assessing the social benefits to older people and on the inclusion of younger people, the committee should continue to manage and develop the use of the hall through the setting of annual objectives. These objectives include day to day activities and also longer term objectives as below;-

1. Publication of Newsletters – At least two per year

2.Produce promotional material ie Calendar and Postcard

3. Occasional Questionnaires on community views on services offered by the hall

4. Market Hall for events such as business meetings, weddings, etc.

In line with the committee’s stated objectives we will also continue to:-

  1. develop local partnerships and establish links between the hall’s website and others such as Grampian.
  2. Recruit new committee members to ensure diversity of skills and opinions and the committee’s longterm viability.

On this basis, the committee feels the good management and longterm viability of the hall are reasonably assured.

1. GENERAL CONTEXT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN

This Strategic Plan was prepared in the context of the general financial situation, the Hall Association’s Development Plan, its supporting Research Document (summarised in Appendix 1), and the general approach of the hall committee. These are discussed below.

1.1The General Financial Situation

Two issues are relevant. One is that the revision of the formula by which the Scottish government is allotted funding from Westminster (The Barnett Formula) will likely reduce the Scottish “grant”. The second is that the huge increase in government debt and economic downturn following the financial crisis will decrease the availability of grant aid to community halls.

Two things follow from these trends:-

a) Future developments at Tullynessle and Forbes Hall cannot rely on grant aid for funding – or at least not to the same extent. Therefore the committee should aim to build a reserve not only as a Contingency Fund but additionally as a future Development Fund.

b) There will be an increasing need to provide an “affordable” venue for social events such as wedding receptions that might previously have taken place in commercial venues, and for general “affordable” entertainment.

1.2Tullynessle and Forbes Community Hall Association Development Plan 2005-2008

The plan as above detailed the intended development of usage of the hall in service to the community and was prepared to outline the social aims of the Association to support its application to the Big Lottery for funding. It produced a “Vision Statement” and social deliverables.

The Vision Statement is:-

“To build Tullynessle and Forbes Community Hall into a multipurpose community resource that promotes social inclusion and community development in a manner sustainable in the long term.”

The social deliverables can be summarised as:-

  • Low income and unemployed people will have improved access to learning opportunities – this deliverable should be given specific consideration in regard to the setting of annual objectives
  • There will be improved access to health and educational opportunities for all local people, especially those under 16 and over 60.
  • People will feel less isolated as they can participate in community activities more easily.
  • Older people will feel healthier, more independent and also less isolated as they can also participate in community activities more easily.
  • People feel empowered to address issues that are important to them as there is a local venue where such discussions can take place.
  • Social problems are prevented from developing by providing youth facilities.

Much of these aims have been partially or wholly met by progress to date. The grant aid from the Big Lottery required that the committee produce a monitoring programme that demonstrates that these have been achieved. All requirements have been fulfilled to date with one remaining monitoring report which will be completed as required.

1.3Supporting Research and Rationale for Grant Aid for the Redevelopment of the Community and Hall

This report contains a description and digest of research and consultation undertaken to support the proposed redevelopment of the hall. The research included a survey of local economic, planning and social studies, consultations with local households and groups such as the elderly and the young, hall user groups and people with specialist knowledge of using and constructing such premises i.e. local builders and caterers. The plan clarifies the main social needs that the hall would have to fulfil over the coming years. The main findings are summarised in Appendix 1.

1.4The General Approach of the Hall Committee

The general approach of the hall committee is to maximise the use of the hall by the greatest diversity of local people and groups. It aims to do this by providing a flexible, welcoming space, thereby sustaining local social, cultural and recreational life and increasing community welfare and cohesion.

However, there are two subtle shifts in the role of the committee. The first is in its basic function and the second on the degree of forward planning.

1.4.1Shop Keeper to Social Facilitator

There are three basic approaches hall committees can adopt.

  • The “shop counter” approach. This is the traditional role of a hall committee in that they maintain and run the premises and, when people or groups wish to use them, they book them. Fundraising may be part of such hall committee’s activities.
  • A much more proactive role would be where a committee actively initiates and runs user groups or regular hall events. This would be too demanding in time and commitment for most hall committees.
  • There is an emerging role for hall committees in which they maintain and run the premises but also adopt a proactive role of “social facilitation” in helping stimulate the use of the premises and in particular the creation of user groups that meet the needs of identified disadvantaged groups and people.

It is the intention of the T&FH Association committee to adopt the third approach -provision of social facilitation. Recent review of bookings over the period showed >15 regular (more than one-off) user groups or kinds of users had used the hall. The hall now has a variety of avenues of communication, including a website, e-mail distribution, newsletters and periodic questionnaires

1.4.2Adopting a “Strategic Plan” Approach

Many hall committees have worked on a simple “year to year” basis in their finances and hall maintenance. There is now a need to take a more longterm “Strategic Plan” approach. We have implemented this approach in preparing this 5 year Strategic Plan which will be used to develop annual objectives in the forthcoming years. The plan will be reviewed after five years, or sooner if the need for a major change in strategy becomes apparent.

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN

2.1Favourable Indicators

There is background information that indicates that the hall is in a favourable situation to meet its financial needs:-

The T&F Hall provides a simple, well-integrated range of facilities of a scale that suits many people.

  • A small survey of local halls revealed that they all experienced an increase in demand in the number of groups using the improved premises (“Groups just appeared”) without any attempt at marketing by the hall committees.
  • Local alternative premises are already nearing capacity.
  • There is a continuing increase in housing in Alford and a significant increase in housing in the broader rural area. Hence there is likely to be an increase in demand and a growing pressure on capacity.
  • The T&F Hall has an extensive parking area therefore it can accommodate larger numbers and associated vehicles.
  • Since the reopening of the redeveloped hall, usage of the premises hasmore than tripled.

2.2Increased Complexities

There are also some challenging implications of this changing scene.

  • The hall has broadened its appeal which has brought about an increase in management complexity.
  • The increased size and use of the hall has greatly increased cleaning and maintenance requirements. This has induced the hall committee to move to appoint part time hall keeper and part time cleaner.
  • Increased usage creates greater demand on the time of those managing bookings.
  • The new community campus may have an adverse effect on hall usage due to improved facilities being available there.

2.3General Points

  • The strategic plan takes a cautious approach when estimating costs and income.
  • We must not charge a maximum rate the “market” will pay. Our aim is to provide facilities as cheaply as possible to community usage.
  • Overall, we should be optimistic that the increased demand for the hall’s premises will be sustained over the period of the plan.

3. GENERAL AIM OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN

In the light of all the above, the general aims of the Plan are to ensure that:-

  • the hall provides flexible, affordable facilities for the maximum range of people and groups in the local community.
  • the committee has identified all the resources required to meet the aims of this strategic plan and how to obtain them.
  • the medium term financial and social viability of the hall is maintained over next 5 years from the date of this plan.
  • appropriate guidance is in place for the financing of the management and development of the hall over that period.
  • there is continuity and consistency of that management, and sensible adaptation of that management occurs where required.
  • supporting documentation is provided for fundraising from funding sources.

4. FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF THE PLAN

4.1 What the Strategic Plan Should Finance

  • Annual Running Costs - including general minor deterioration.
  • Repairs and Improvements – including general depreciation of things such as kitchen equipment, the need to redecorate and the cost of some lesser improvements. The committee might expect no other major repairs for 5-10 years However, after five years, as above, the considerable amount of equipment that is now new in the hall will all start to need some replacement and redecoration will be needed. Therefore there are expenses which the committee must make provision for.
  • Contingency Funding - against major unexpected costs that are not covered by hall insurance.
  • Some Major Redevelopments in the years to come when grant aid may be limited or absent

4.2 What Income Streamsshould be considered

Hall rental – from both social/community and commercial groups. Income from hiring hall for “commercial “ uses will be at higher charges – e.g. strategic conferences, people outwith the local area etc.

Committee/Local Fundraising events – this would probably be focused on specific projects or improvements. The committee would decide which improvements they wanted to fund.

Interest on own funds in bank

Longer term investments.

Income from contributions in kind

From the website – by encouraging people to buy goods through it.

From the above, hall rentals and committee/local fundraising events should be treated as the main significant sources of income to cover running costs and funding needs.

4.3 Hall Running Costs, Income and Surplus

4.3.1 General Notes

It is important to realise that the charging rates of other halls may not be relevant due to diversity in size, facilities, running costs and management plans. Comparisons are thus not like with like.

The committee maintains three funds. The first is for covering running costs. The second is a Contingency Fund, and third is an investment fund to help finance future major improvements.

4.3.2 Forecasted Running Costs and Income/Profit

The total running costs of the hall in the year 2012 - 2013 were £19,129 and income £20,782, giving a marginal surplus.Such a small, annual surplus should be the ideal target going forward and reflectone of the main drivers in the Strategic Plan which aims to keep hall rental costs as low as possible even in a climate of increasing running costs. Detailed running costs and income are monitored and reported on a monthly basis.

4.4 Income Strategy

4.4.1 Required Hall Charges to Maintain Viability

It was generally agreed that we review charges annually against the target detailed in 4.3.2

4.4.2Income from Fundraising Events

It may be necessary to have fundraising events to meet the hall’s needs. However, a hall event can have the added value of creating a sense of hall ownership among the community and promoting the Hall Association. The committee would hope to host fundraising events to meet the financial requirements at the time. The decisions taken will be tempered by the social needs of the community.

4.5 Income from other Sources

Other funding sources have been explored.

  • High interest accounts have been and will continue to be utilised.
  • Investment accounts will be explored in future.
  • We will continue to market the hall for a number of commercial events per year such as weddings at T&F church with receptions at the hall, and corporate conferences. This has proved to be a viable option.

5. SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE PLAN

As stated, the Hall Committee will adopt more a proactive role of “social facilitation” in helping stimulate the use of the premises and in particular the creation of user groups that meet the needs of identified disadvantaged groups and people.

5.1 General Steps

In line with this policy, the committee should:-
  • Continue to publicise the hall facilities at a local level. A postcard has been published. This is available through local outlets, distributions to newer housing developments and incorporated into the website.
  • Continue to develop local partnerships; T&FForbesChurch group, Community Education, schools etc
  • Continue to establish links between our hall website and other websites.
  • Continue to hold one or at most two social events per year to help enhance social attachment to the hall and general community spirit.
  • Continue to recruit committee members onto the committee to ensure diversity of skills and opinions and its longterm viability.

5.2 Fulfilling Big Lottery Deliverable