Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of BADT
Held at Bridport Town Hall at 6pm on Friday, 7th October, 2022
Note that the presentations and financial reports papers referred to in the Minutes are
all on the Trust’s website: https://www.bridportadt.org.uk/category/news-events/
Present
Directors (Trustees)
Phyllida Culpin (Acting Chair), John West, David Lee, Richard Paterson, Alan Scutt,
Marek Wakar (Secretary).
Other Members
Sarah West, Trevor Ware, Sarah Fletcher, Mike Carter, Glenn Crawford, Vince O’Farrell.
1. Apologies for absence
Sarah Carney, Andrew Cook, Carlo Bove, Amanda Streatfeild, Charles Palmer,
Symondsbury Parish Clerk, Paul Everall.
2. Minutes of the Annual General Meeting at the Salt House West Bay at
6pm on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021
The 2021 minutes were accepted as a correct record of the meeting.
There were no matters arising from the minutes. ‘Live’ items for discussion were all
covered by the agenda.
3. Election of trustees
Resolution 1
The following, who joined the Board since the since 2021 AGM, were confirmed as
directors: Richard Paterson, Carlo Bove, Andrew Cook. Proposed by Sarah Fletcher.
Seconded by Trevor Ware.
The following were re-elected as Directors, having retired at this meeting by rotation:
John West, Sarah Carney. Proposed by Mike Carter. Seconded by Trevor Ware.
4. Reports on the Literary and Scientific Institute (LSi) and West Bay
Discovery Centre (WBDC)
(a) LSi: Alan Scutt talked to slides covering the LSi’s transition to the post-covid world:
more tenant revenue (and employment) and lower Trust running costs; continuation of
community access, community events and use of hot desks. Alan’s slides showed the
community-related highlights from Crowdfunder’s activity report, along with usage
figures.
David Lee described the advocacy and community work done by sub-tenant 3DC
(including apprenticeships and work in schools) and the children’s creative writing
workshops run at the LSi by the charity Bank of Dreams and Nightmares.
Alan also covered the recent major repair issues that the Trust has had to manage:
August flood (now almost sorted); West Wall render. Mike Carter and Charles Palmer
(former Trustees) have provided invaluable help with the West Wall. Alan and Mike
described why the wall’s rendering needed to be re-done, and how we received a repair
grant from Heritage England (the original contractor having gone bankrupt). The new
contractor has been selected and is about to be instructed; the work is being scheduled
to minimise disruption to the neighbouring Unitarian chapel and its start should be
imminent. The chair proposed a vote of thanks to Mike and Charles for all their help,
which was agreed unanimously.
(b) WBDC: John West talked to slides covering: aims and ethos; review of 2022 financial
year overall and activities by month; look forward to 2023.
John covered the centre’s successes in terms of visitor numbers, 2022 fossil exhibition
(and 2023 exhibition plans), guided walks, and children’s activities. These resulted in
Tourism awards at Dorset, South West and National level. Money was also raised for a
microscope. Now that BADT has set up the centre and it is running successfully we are
planning to move it over to the Council’s Community Charity – this is work in progress.
Sarah West mentioned the number of repeat visitors. Trevor Ware asked about
business feedback; John West said that, after some initial scepticism, the view is now
that WBDC helps bring people to the area.
John emphasised the role of the WBDC’s volunteers as its greatest resource, who will
continue to be vital to the Centre’s success: welcoming visitors; providing local
expertise; and helping deliver exhibitions and activities. The chair proposed a vote of
thanks to the volunteers, which was agreed unanimously.
5. Annual report and accounts
John West and Richard Paterson presented the 2021/2 Report and Accounts, which had
been circulated before the meeting. John was acting Treasurer before Richard joined as
Treasurer in November 2021.
By way of background the LSi had been low on restricted funds (i.e. those with a specific
purpose) two years ago, was running at a loss operationally, and also had a debt to
West Dorset District Council (since transferred to Dorset Council) of £37,400. The
National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) supported the Trust by providing a resilience
grant of £86k to cover a review of options for changing the interior of the building to
make it financially sustainable. This work concluded in Autumn 2021 when Gillinghams
moved in as a tenant and Crowdfunder moved to larger office space within the building.
We have also now agreed a repayment schedule for the Dorset Council loan over a 10-
year period. The Trust generated a small surplus in 2021/2 and the rental income (plus
some grants, including from Bridport Town Council (BTC)) should provide a small
surplus in subsequent financial years. However these small surpluses are likely to fully
or partly offset by the loan repayments. Reserves are healthy.
The WBDC relies on donations, retail merchandising and a grant. Project costs (such as
the microscope) are covered by grants. The net result is that the WBDC operates close
to break even.
Looking to the future, the 1-2 year outlook is fine, with the first tenant renewal not due
until 2024 and Gillinghams in 2028. Gas and electricity contract prices are fixed until
mid-2024. There are, however, risks arising from the broader economic situation and
unexpected expenses relating to the maintenance of a historic building.
A question was asked as to why the expenditure on generating funds (note 6) had risen
so much in 2021/2. The reply was that this was merely a reallocation of money between
categories rather than a major increase in expenditure.
Members were asked to accept the 2021/22 Report and Accounts. Proposed by Trevor
Ware. Seconded by Glenn Crawford.
Resolution 2: The Report and Accounts were accepted by the meeting.
6. Report on the Trust’s plans for the future
Phyllida Culpin talked to slides covering what the Trustees had done since the
September 2021 AGM, particularly in the context of the Resolution from that meeting
that the Trustees would within six months agree BADT priorities for the years 2022-2025
and publish this as an outline plan to members.
The Trustees held a workshop on future direction in November 2021, one of the main
conclusions of which had been the priority of partnering with BTC to evaluate
opportunities that the Council had identified. An interim update was sent to members
by email in January 2022, but no further report was made. This was mainly because the
available opportunities (provided by BTC in March 2022 and reviewed monthly by the
BADT Board thereafter) were in a state of flux and there was never an ideal time to
communicate.
The principles agreed in the workshop were that the Trust would find and transform
buildings and then hand them over when they were self-sustaining (the same approach
as that planned for the WBDC). The Trust has advantages in being able to access wide
sources of funding, but both it and its funders would require projects to be
commercially viable as well as providing community/charitable benefits.
Phyllida then went through how the Trust shortlisted the opportunities suggested by
BTC. There were a small number that could be rejected, mainly for being too small or
having a commercial solution that did not need the Trust. The three that were of current
interest were: ex-Sunny Days/Lily pub, where BADT could be involved with food matters;
ex-Barclays building, which was high risk as a transformation project; Youth Centre,
where we have a potential advisory role. The longer-term opportunities listed were
dependent on action by other parties (e.g. developers, planners, owners) before it was
obvious whether BADT had a potential role.
Vince O’Farrell commented that it was good that the Trust was now at a point where it
could consider possible future projects. Phyllida expanded on how Crowdfunder were
now managing aspects of the LSi, including community talks, and that greater stability
of the Trust’s two buildings was what allowed it to look at new projects (although the
Trust’s property ownership landlord responsibilities had recently had to be the main
focus for the Trustees due to the flood and wall issues at the LSi mentioned earlier).
Glenn Crawford, who had proposed the above-mentioned resolution at the 2021 AGM,
was happy with the update. He did, however, ask that the Trust communicate more
about what it was doing, more often, using its website and/or email. It was generally
agreed that this was desirable, and the Trustees will consider how best to do this.
7. and 8. There being no resolutions from members, or other business, the meeting
closed.
For AGM reports and appendices please follow the links below:
