Scouts Parents Committee 29 Jan 2014  

Brooklyn Scouts Joint Parent Leaders Committee 
Brooklyn Scout Hall
Wednesday 29 January 2014

Minutes

Meeting started at 7.05 pm

Present
Gillian, Denise, Bob, Anneleah, David, Oliver, Jo, Andrew, Gavin, Terry, Richard, Jenny, Erina, Rex

Minutes of previous meeting
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Denise noted the action to kickstart the marketing to reach 100 members wasn’t captured in the minutes. This has now been updated as a note in the table of responsibilities, versus a specific action.

RES: 14/66	THAT the minutes of the previous meeting be approved, subject to including the action to immediately kickstart the marketing activities to reach 100 	Gillian	Oliver	CARRIED U	

Correspondence
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Bills have been passed on to Jenny.

Building sub-committee report
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Rex noted working bees have been set down for the next few weekends. He is working on a proposed plan for the next round of work which he will present at the next committee meeting (see A/P 13/79).

Rex noted there is some potential for increased work and cost. For example, more rot was found in the piles than expected. He noted that while the sub-committee is still operating within delegated costs at the moment, it is important the wider committee is aware this could change.

AP: 14/81	Update original building plan showing updated costings	Rex	26/02/2014	

At this point the Committee had a discussion about allocation of hours spent by parents/scouts/venturers at working bees. Should we begin recording work done now or only in jamboree year? And how would funding raised be allocated over activities like building work, versus jamborees and other activities?

AP: 14/82	Consider guidelines for the allocation of funds raised, considering percentages for building maintenance, jamboree, and other activities (eg World Jamboree)	Oliver/Gavin /Jenny	26/02/14	

General business
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Membership / Cleaning

Anneleah and David have been working on activities here. Once this is sorted Jo can put together a cleaning roster based on the previous system that worked (Cubs do one term, Scouts the next, parents are told what date they have and to work out transition of key between themselves). Denise can provide further details.

Communications

Scouts activity plan up. Others still to come.

Erina noted it would be useful to show those we are submitting grants to that we contribute our own funds as well. Jenny can provide a breakdown of funds raised and Rex can provide information on what we are targeting with fundraising (for building work). Bob noted we also need to acknowledge those who’ve contributed grant money. Erina confirmed we have promised we would make these acknowledgements (plaques and other ideas had been suggested but the website is another good way to acknowledge their support).

AP: 14/83	Update website with information on funds raised and the names of those who've already provided grants	David / Jenny	07/02/2014	

Fundraising and getting parents involved

Activity will begin once the membership details have been finalised.

Facebook was raised at this point. Venturers organise the majority of activities via their Facebook page. This is a private page for Venturers and their families only. 

Brooklyn Scouts also has a Facebook page which was set up for the centenary. While it can be useful having a page (it now provides links to the website), it could also look out of date since no-one regularly monitors or provides status updates to the page.

AP: 14/84	Consider whether the Scouts facebook page that was set up for the centenary should be maintained now we have a more effective website	David	26/02/2014	

The Committee also discussed the transition of children and youth between groups. This is another important point of parent liaison and may not always be being managed effectively.

AP: 14/85	Discuss how to better manage the transition between groups at next Leaders meeting and provide update to Committee	Bob	26/02/2014	

Fire evacuation plan

AP: 14/86	Anneleah to provide an example fire evacuation plan to Denise and Bob so the scouts can finalise completing and posting a fire evacuation plan in the hall	Anneleah	26/02/2014	

Group Leader update

Gavin noted he had enough volunteers for the ODI but needs more names for the 7s. 

Group camp is coming up. We need to ensure scouts are involved in the planning (this work will go towards Chief Scout Awards).

We now have 8 – 10 continental style tents donated or from the tip. We also have two trolleys and a kitchen.

Grants

Erina updated the Committee on the next round of grant applications and proposed finalised wording for the resolutions drafted at the last meeting as well as new resolutions as follows:

RES: 14/64	THAT we apply for a grant from KBCT via the Lion Foundation for up to $20,000, for the refurbishment and maintenance of the kitchen in the Brooklyn Scout Hall building. 	AnneLeah	Jenny	CARRIED U	
RES: 14/65	THAT we apply for a grant of $9,500 from Transpower for the purpose of heating, lighting and associated electrical work for the renovation of the Brooklyn Scout Group building. 	Denise 	Rex	CARRIED U	
RES: 14/67	THAT we apply for a grant from the Pelorous Trust for up to $10,000 for the maintenance and upgrade of the hall in the Brooklyn Scout Group building	Gavin	Jo	CARRIED U	
RES: 14/68	THAT we apply for a grant from Pub Charities for up to $10,000 for the refurbishment of the toilet and bathroom area within the Brooklyn Scout Hall building	David	Andrew	CARRIED U	

Treasurer’s report
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Jenny presented her report and explained that high expenditure in the last period was due to jamboree payments and building work. Bob asked to clarify one figure.

RES: 14/69	THAT the Treasurer's report be accepted subject to clarifying one point	Jenny	Bob	CARRIED U	

Jenny asked to clarify whether she should be emailing both the leaders group and the committee email group. The Committee discussed that given the high percentage of leaders who regularly attend Committee meetings and that we allow them to vote (subject to declaring any conflicts) it made sense to put the leaders group of emails into the Committee email group.  Leaders who are not interested in ‘Committee’ emails can delete them.

AP: 14/87	Add leaders back into the committee email group address	David	07/02/2014	

Quartermaster’s Report
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Nothing to report. However we need to shift the new tents and kitchen out before the term begins again.

AP: 14/88	Move tents and kitchen equipment into Oliver's garage prior to activitites starting again on 3 Feb	Oliver	02/02/2014	

Section summary
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Scouts have an activity plan up. Looking at sand yachting and possibly a camp for 8/9 March.

No other section updates but Oliver raised an email one of the scouts had sent about go-carting. This raises a question about the cost of activities.

Denise advised that as a rule-of-thumb, Scouts aim to do only one paid item per term. This keeps the focus on skills-based activities that can be linked to badge work and keeps costs down for parents.

Anneleah noted parents not only want to keep costs down, but need notice of ‘outside’ events. Committee members agreed having the right balance of cost/skills-based events and plenty of notice is important.

AP: 14/89	29/01/2014	Take the direction on 'cost' activities expressed at committee meeting to the leaders meeting to discuss further and report back to the committee	Gavin	26/02/2014	

Meeting closed: 8:58 pm

Next meeting
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Wednesday 26 February: 7pm.