Minutes

TRUSTEES MEETING

Thursday 16thMarch 2017 at 4.15pm, Sandbach School

Action
1 / Present and Chair’s welcome:
Present as Trustees, J Cowell,Sarah Burns, G Merry, L Dooley
Apologies,, E Brett, J Savage (Chair), K Cody, S Isherwood
In attendance: J Barber, D Osborne, L Robertson.
2 / Minutes of 16thDecember
Accepted as a true record.
Action Points
JB had signed the lease agreement in respect of unit 2a Bradwall Court and forwarded it to the landlord.
DO had completed a resolution in respect of the change of accounting date and had brought it to the meeting for JS as chairman to sign.
3 / Business Plan
JB explained that the Arts Council had written to LMT in January requesting that the business plan for 2017/18 be submitted by 22nd February as the next trustees meeting was 16th March it was not possible to have the business plan approved by the full trustees, it was reviewed by DO, SB and JS and approved by SB and JS.
This is an example of why we need to create a sub-committee in order that meetings take place on a monthly basis, this will be discussed later in the meeting (agenda item 9).
LMT was congratulated as being the first business plan submitted to the Arts Council.
JB then reported on the main items in the business plan.
Overall
  • Funding of £470,622 awarded for 2017/18 compared with £474,230 for 2016/17.
  • Cumulative carry forward as at 31st march 2017 is forecast to ne £235,000. This represents an increase in reserves of £118,000 compared to the previous year
  • LMT operates within 80:20 split between front line and back office – budget for 2017/18 shows an 83:17 split releasing more funds into frontline activity
  • Back office costs amount to £192K of which £82K are covered by ACE grant. Remaining back office costs are met through generated income
First Access
  • Re-introduction of grants for first access programmes has seen numbers participating rise to 98 schools (79% of Cheshire East Primary schools). This is up from 40 schools in 2012.
  • First access grants are increasing in 2017/18 by a further 9% (to £250 minimum increasing to £750 dependent on NOR
  • Target pf 106 schools to take up the programme in 2017/18 (85.5%)
  • LMT are not increasing delivery costs to schools in 2017 /18
  • Special schools are receiving new music activity grants and from 2017 / 18 the PRU and the Fermain Academy (Knutsford) have been invited to access this
Continuation
  • £24,825 ring fenced to support instrumental continuation programmes (same level as last year)
  • Continuation in 2016/17 stood at 17% (up 3% on 2014/15). When numbers participating in follow on whole class projects are included this figure is 38%
  • Play it Again will be rolled out as an offer to all schools for September 2017
Ensembles
  • Weekly just over 1000 students engage in either LMT or LMT partner ensembles
  • Two ensembles embarking on European trips this year, Saxophone Orchestra are participating in EurSax in Porto whilst the Percussion ensemble will be visiting the World Music Festival in Kerkrade
  • LMT ensembles are being recorded for a CD in May 2017 for release in June at the Celebration weekend
Singing
  • This year following on from SingFest and Singing Together our schools vocal programme Popera has been extremely well received
JB then reminded the trustees of upcoming events such as the Conference, Barney, Popera, Cheshire musician of the year, Bridgewater Hall and the three residential trips including Portugal and Holland.
LD stated that she was not aware of the LMT conference JB said he was surprised at this but would email her with all the details.
A discussion was had in respect of the high reserves The main point being that it must be clearly seen by all funders, partners and user groups how those reserves will be used in the future.
The intention is to invest in our own premises rather than continue to lease office and storage space. This will bring long term security as we would have a permanent base and also cut future overhead costs of £15k per annum, which would then be spent on core services.
Also to put funds aside in respect of maintaining adequate instrument stocks for the future.
To ensure the services we provide continue into the future in a time when government funding cannot be relied upon. An example of this being that charges in respect of delivery costs to schools have not been increased for 2017/18.
As discussed in previous meetings a long term business plan will be produced which will clearly show the financial position of the trust.
LD asked if there could be an event at which the children receiving wider opportunities education could take part. JB said that this was a good idea that would build on opportunities already available (schools music competition, Halle Come and Play, end of term celebration concerts) and could possible take place next year- additionally JB mentioned the possible inclusionof an award for the most promising Wider Opportunities Class in next year’s School’s Music Competition.
LD suggested that professional players should also perform at this event, to show the pupils what standards may be reached.
First Access students and their parents need to be aware of the full range of tuition we provide including PIA and ensembles.
JC asked how do parents become aware of what we do.
JB Pointed out that on LMT Web site there was a map of the local area identifying where and when all ensembles take place, with a contact number, address and videos of ensembles performing for further information.
He said there was a need for a trustee with a marketing back ground. He showed the trustees promotional material that Stockport Metro had produced to show case all their services and achievements.
LD said that it was also up to all schools to keep parents informed of how their children can progress.
LD explained that she had recently had a discussion about the possibility of cutting back on the music curriculum in her school (Lacey Green) and confirmed that this would not be the case, however she could see that this would not be the case in all schools. She asked if LMT would subsidies the tuition in the schools if ‘Fairer Funding Formula’ went ahead. JB showed the board a pie chart showing that £92K, one quarter of the funding for core services will be paid out to schools in the form of grants. / JB to forward conference details
4 / Management Accounts
LRasked if there were any questions on the reports that had been sent out. She highlighted the high bank balance and explained that she and DO had discussed this and agreed that as there would possibly be a large capital outlay on the building project, now would not be the right time to open an additional bank account.
5 / Gift Aid
A short discussion was had in respect of Gift Aid and it was agreed that the suggestions put forward by LR go ahead.
A fundraising tab on the new Web site to include a gift aid form.
Free events, with a suggested donation using Gift Aid envelopes.
Patron scheme only to be set up after HMRC had completed their review of the donor benefit rules.
JB was pleased that progress had been made. / LR to produce Gift Aid envelopes and input into WEB site
6 / Steering Group
The steering group continues to meet 4 times per year, it’s strength being that it consists of people from all areas. It doesn’t make policies but challenges what the hub does. It was agreed that the minutes from the steering group meetings be forwarded to the trustees to provide them with a complete picture and any important points raised could be discussed. / GF to forward minutes to trustees
7 / New Build
DO advised the trustees that Seddons had visited the site and had suggested an alternative plan. Sandbach School has 6 classrooms that have acoustic ceilings which are being used for general lessons, 2 of these could be used as a band room, a canopy could be built over the courtyard providing a large open air concert area andmodula classrooms could be built for general lessons.
Events could be organised at & by the school which would solve some of the child licensing issues.
He is also looking for charity match funding, the main areas that funding is available for are the arts & culture and community hubs this project covers both these areas.
JC suggested that when applying for grants he emphasised the exciting part of the project i.e. the much needed performance venue available to all in East Cheshire.
The trustees discussed and agreed that a 5 year sustainability plan should be put together outlining how the trust will continue to deliver services in the event that arts council funding ceases.
The plan shall include a rolling plan for replacing musical instruments and other equipment.
Further, one of the key pillars of this plan would be for the trust to move from rented accommodation to permanent accommodation. Sandbach School has offered to facilitate this given its geographical location, abundance of land and the possibility of establishing a music and performance hub centred around the eastern side of the site. Such a move would generate significant long term savings for the trust and help secure its future and ability to deliver services in a potential uncertain funding environment.
The trustees agreed that management should proceed to establish costings and other information to allow a move to the Sandbach School site to continue
8 / At the beginning of March, 4 events due to be held at Victoria Hall had to be cancelled, these events ‘Popera’ and Adventures of Barnaby Bear’ involved 2400 children.
The reason for this was legislation that identified the event as a performance rather than an educational visit and as such if it went ahead would be treated as an absence from school. Also as a performance each school would have to apply for child performance licenses for every participating pupil. The licence application requires:-
  • Completion of an 8 page form by the school and parent combined
  • A photograph
  • A parental signature
  • A copy of a birth certificate as proof of identification
This was not achievable by all schools in such a short period of time.
Local councils have interpreted this legislation in different ways.
SB is to meet with Jackie Forster at Cheshire East Council to discuss the issues and see if there is a way we can move forward together for future events. / SB to meet Jackie Forster
9 / DO gave a report on proposed changes to trustee meeting structures.
The main points being that as a result of the long period between trustees meetings, progress of critical business issues requiring trustee approval can be delayed. Management are concerned that there is a conflict between the requirement for the trust to make sound commercial decisions(which are often time critical) and the requirement for certain decisions to be ratified by trustees.
It was proposed that 4 trustees form a Business & Resources Committee to meet 4 times per annum in order to assist with the smooth running of the trust and to ensure that important commercial decisions can be made in a timely manner with the benefit of oversight of the trustees.
This committee would be made up of the Chair, Vice Chair, SB and 1 other trustee.
Decisions relating to pay, membership of the trust board and overall strategic development will remain the responsibility of full trustees.
This was agreed unanimously subject to agreement of terms of reference for both the board of trustees and the committee.
The recruitment of new trustees was also discussed. It was agreed that all current trustees complete a skills audit to highlight any areas in which we lack expertise the recruitment process would then aim to fill these areas. It was agreed that the main shortfall of knowledge was that of marketing. / DO to produce and circulate terms of reference
DO forward skills matrix to trustees for completion
10 / Dates of next meetings
15th June 2017
15th September 2017
17th November 2017
15th March 2018

Meeting closed at 5.30 pm

L Robertson

Date17.03.17

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