FINANCIAL REGULATIONS FOR CANTLEY STAITHE CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION

These financial regulations shall govern the conduct of the financial transactions of the Association and may only be amended or varied by resolution of the Trustees.

The Treasurer will be responsible for the proper administration of the Association's financial affairs.

All financial transactions will be recorded in a Receipts and Payments Book.

The Treasurer will be responsible for:-

• The preparation of financial reports to the Association - Reports to cover Budget monitoring, Association Fund Balances, Receipts to date, payment of accounts and other relevant matters.
• Preparation of draft estimates - When approved by the Trustees these will form the basis of the annual budget monitoring the year.
• Banking and recording of all monies received and expended by the Association
• Ensure that any money due to the Association is billed (where appropriate) promptly and is in all cases collected promptly
• Manage cash flow and control of investments and bank transfers
• Control of cheques, direct debits and bank reconciliations
• Ensure that any payments have been properly authorised before being paid
• Submission of annual VAT returns (if required)
• Prepare and balance financial accounts in accordance with Charity Commission Rules and report to the Association
• Produce accounts and records for external audit and for submission to the Charity Commission
• Management of insurance risk, process claims as necessary
• Maintain a register of the Association's Property and Assets
• Ensure that the books of accounts are maintained on a day to day basis, are accurate and are regularly reconcilled e.g. with bank statements

Under normal circumstances, a minimum of three quotations/tenders are required before work is undertaken on behalf of the Association. An official order or letter must be issued before any work is carried out.

All cheques to be written and logged by the Treasurer and signed by two signatories. The Treasurer is not to act as a signatory.

No payment shall be made until it has been authorised by the Trustees and they are satisfied with the work, goods or services that have been supplied or ordered.

A sub-committee of Trustees may also be given permission to authorise payments within an agreed budget for items specific to that sub-committee.

In an emergency a one off payment may be authorised by the Chairman and two other Trustees, this to be ratified at the earliest opportunity.

These Financial Regulations were adopted at the first meeting of the Cantley Staithe Charitable Association on 15.06.10.

• live in Civil Parish of Cantley (ie Cantley, Limpenhoe and Southwood). (Temporary exceptions will be made only if a mooring is available after all applications have been considered from within this area.)
• must wholly and exclusively own their boat or have stated number of owners, percentage share of each owner and attached a completed Application Form from each owner. (proof of ownership may be required)
• hold valid insurance, sufficient to cover liabilities to third party as specified by the Broads Authority. (certificate to be produced if required)
• fully re-reimburse the Association for any damage caused by him/her/them to pontoons and other facilities.
• hold current Broads Authority licence (certificate to be produced if required)
• be sufficiently competent in boat handling or undertake to take necessary training
• have contributed to the Staithe Project and/or be prepared to help with the management or maintenance of the Staithe in the future
• be prepared to help with training and/or fund raising activities
• be prepared to pay mooring fees annually in advance by direct debit
• keep the Staithe area clear from any encumbrances
• give accurate information on application form
• must re-apply if they change their boat
• notify any change of ownership, so the eligibility can be reviewed and new owner's priority can be assessed against any waiting list for moorings
• agree that if their boat becomes unserviceable, the licence expires or the mooring fees are overdue the Trustees have the right to remove the boat after 28 days.
• observe any rules that the Trustees may from time to time deem necessary

Boat must ...

• be in serviceable and well maintained condition
• be within the stated length and width given on the application form
• be kept in a clean and tidy condition
• be secured to pontoon in appropriate manner and moorings checked weekly

Use of Pontoons and Staithe ...

• the pontoons to be kept clear at all times
• anglers using the pontoons must be treated with respect
• no barbecues or fires on pontoons or Staithe area
• no parking of cars or trailers on slip access road or turning circle

Mooring Fees...

• will be set by the trustees and reviewed annually
• will be for the period 1st April to 31st March each year
• for the period up to 31st March 2011 half fees will be payable

Moorings ...

• will be allocated by the trustees according to the allocation criteria
• will be reviewed annually and on any change of ownership
• cannot be sub-let or used to moor a boat other than the one defined in the application

Notes

The main limiting factor on the pontoon is the distance between the fingers. This means that owners of narrow boats may appear to get preference over owners of slightly wider boats.

Parking at the Staithe is limited to the Reedcutter car park. Please observe any restrictions and treat the personnel at the Reedcutter with respect.

In order to meet our expected running costs the mooring fees are likely to be between £300 and £400 pa.

Please note that a mooring is not for life. The Trustees will determine the allocation of all mooring annually in the light of demand and any other criteria deemed relevant.

The Trustees decision is FINAL.

These rules were adopted at the first meeting of the Cantley Staithe Charitable Association on 15.06.10

Consider the dimensions of the boat for the size of mooring available.

Does applicant meet the following:-

• live in Civil Parish of Cantley (ie Cantley, Limpenhoe and Southwood). (Temporary exceptions will be made only if a mooring is available after all applications have been considered from within this area.)
• wholly and exclusively own their boat If no consider the other owners and where they live.(proof of ownership may be required)
• hold valid insurance, sufficient to cover liabilities to third party as specified by the Broads Authority. (certificate to be produced if required)
• hold current Broads Authority licence (certificate to be produced if required)
• signed the declaration in Section 1 of the Application Form stating that they understand and agree to abide by the current rules.

Section 2: Consider each answer in turn

• Q 1 What have contributed to the Staithe Project? Letter of support?
• Q 2 Are you prepared to help with the management or maintenance of the Staithe in the future?

skills

• Q 3 How much boat handling experience do you have?
• Q 4 Do you have any life saving experience?
• Q 5 Do you intend to complete, or have completed, any boating or safety training?
• Q 6 Will you be prepared to help with any fund raising or training activities?
• Q 7 Are you involved in other village activities?
• Any other information that a Trustee feels is relevant.

Notes.

Any Trustee applying for a mooring must not be present when it is discussed.

All decisions must be made at Trustee meetings.

The Allocation Criteria was adopted at the first meeting of the Cantley Staithe Charitable Association on 15.06.10

First Public Meeting of Cantley Staithe Charitable Association

Tuesday 15th. June at 7 pm at the British Sugar Social Club

Those in Attendance:

The following initial trustees of the Cantley Staithe Management Group were present: Robert Beadle, Andrew Guy (Chair), Colin McRoberts (Vice-Chair), Keith Luxford, Ian Redhead, Richard Holmes, Dot Machin, Tim Drew (Treasurer), Peter Glanville Secretary. Gary Symons, Phil Cronin

Fourteen public members attended i.e. Residents of Cantley and Limpenhoe on the Electoral Roll.

The proposed Constitution and Agenda for the inaugural group of the new Cantley Staithe Charitable Association was introduced by Robert Beadle, Chair of Cantley Parish Council and member of the initial Cantley Staithe Management Group. His report was as follows:

The Cantley Staithe Project

“Good Evening and welcome to this important meeting. For those of you who do not already know, I am Robert Beadle Chairman of Cantley Parish Council. The object of this meeting is to form the Cantley Staithe Charitable Association.

The Agenda will basically follow that on your invitation but there will also be an update on the pontoon and an opportunity for questions. These will both take place after the Charitable Association has been formed. We will also be issuing Mooring Application Forms and adopting our rules.

I will start by making a brief report on the progress of the Cantley Staithe Project to date; I will then introduce our proposed constitution and First Trustees.

The Cantley Staithe Project is now on course to be completed during August with an official opening on 18th September 2010 to which you will all be invited.

The project started in April 2005 when the Staithe area gained Village Green Status.

In July that year the Parish Council met with the Broads Authority to discuss options for developing the Staithe. Lesley Marsden (of the Broads Authority), arranged for various plans to be drawn up and then in February 2008 Michael Brook resigned as Chair of the Parish Council, and I inherited the Staithe Project.

In March 2008 two open meetings were held to test public feeling towards the project. It was decided to run the project from within the Parish Council and to subsequently establish a Staithe Management Group, with charitable status, to take over the running of the finished Staithe.

The planning application for developing the Staithe was approved by the Broads Authority on 8th July 2009. As the deadline approached for Broadland Environmental Services Ltd (BESL) to start work in autumn 2009 it was decided to divide the Project into two phases.

This meant that the grant from WREN, which would have expired in September 2009, was secured and with a successful application to BIFFAWARD the new target of £270,500 was reached.

BESL started work on 9th November 2009 and handed over to the Broads Authority on 21st May 2010. The Broads Authority is still working on site.

In the meantime Phase 2 of the Project was launched to fund the floating pontoon.

This is now fully funded having obtained a 20% grant from Broadland District Council, a grant of £20,000 from the Broads Authority Sustainable Development Fund with grant provided by DEFRA and a donation of £123 from Hardley 100 Club.

Much of the initial work to investigate suitable pontoons was done by Paul Scott. This was subsequently taken over by Keith Luxford who will be reporting on the pontoons later this evening.

During 2008 a letter was sent to the whole Parish asking for volunteers to form a Management Group. Seven people volunteered to form the Management Group. Four representative members were also invited to join from British Sugar, the Broads Authority, the Reedcutter Public House and the Parish Council.

The inaugural meeting was on the 22nd January 2009. We have also recently welcomed another volunteer to act as our treasurer.

Tonight these people, with the exception of the representative from the Broads Authority, wish to adopt this constitution and become the First Trustees of the Cantley Staithe Charitable Association.

Our objectives are;

• To establish, run and maintain Cantley Staithe.
• To facilitate and promote safe access to the river Yare to enable boating, fishing and other leisure and educational activities.
• To ensure this facility is available to people of all ages, abilities, incomes and ethnic origins.

Our constitution is based on the GD3 model constitution from the Charity Commission for a Charitable Association. To become a Charitable Association we need to have a membership and we also need to keep a record of our members. To simplify this we have decided that everybody on the Register of Electors CANTLEY -GD2 are automatically members and can vote at annual and general meetings. Organisations can also join and have a representative member who can vote.

PLEASE NOTE... This does NOT exclude anyone who is not on the register, or is under 18, from applying for a mooring.

The First Elected Trustees will remain as Trustees until the end of the first Annual Meeting in April/May 2011. At this meeting the Trustees who will serve for 2011/12 will be elected from any existing Trustees who are willing to serve a second year, plus any new volunteers who have been nominated following the procedures laid down in the constitution. Nearer the time when the Annual Meeting is advertised the nomination procedure will also be published and new volunteers will be sought.”

(The initial members of the Cantley Staithe Management Group were then introduced)

• Robert Beadle - representing the Parish Council.
• Phil Cronin - representing the Reedcutter Public House.
• Tim Drew the - Treasurer.
• Peter Glanville - the Secretary
• Andrew Guy - the Chairman
• Richard Holmes
• Keith Luxford - Parish Councillor and working on the pontoon design.
• Dot Machin
• Colin McRobert - the Vice Chairman
• Ian Redhead - representing British Sugar
• Gary Symons
• The Parish Council will act as the Custodian Trustee.

It was then proposed that the New Constitution be accepted, and that the eleven people named be elected to become the First Trustees and Officers of Cantley Staithe Charitable Association.

Voting was as follows: Those in favour.......25 Those against.......0

(All Trustees then signed the new Constitution)

Chair of the new trustees, Andy Guy then took the chair.
The Meeting proceeded as follows:

1. 1) The Chairman, Andrew Guy thanked all those individuals who had helped to bring the project to reality. He also reaffirmed the conditions for membership of the Charitable Association, (as outlined above by Robert)
2. 2) He then gave a review of developments and activity up to the present date.
3. 3) The Meeting then voted on the following proposals:
1. a) Finance regulations: The Financial regulations were shown on screen and distributed for voting Proposal accepted with no votes against.
2. b) The proposed Mooring rules were voted upon. Proposal accepted – no votes against.
3. c) Allocation criteria: The Chairman outlined the allocation procedure and proposed that these be accepted: Discussion ensued on these procedures. The Chair and Trustee Gary Symon explained the process of assessment and allocation. Moorings will be for a year and then re-allocated on the merits of applications in future years. Proposal accepted –no votes against
4. 4) He introduced the Sub Committee who are working on the Open Day on September 18th. 2010
5. 5) Pontoons: Keith Luxford gave an illustrated presentation on the design and build of the pontoons. He also explained the rules for launching and recovering of smaller craft and the parking of cars and trailers. There was discussion and requests for clarification from the floor of the meeting.
6. 6) Any questions and other business: • It was confirmed that the slipway would be free to use. • It was confirmed that the right of road access to the Staithe was confirmed. • The Date of the Annual General meeting for 2011 will be publicised at a later date, by circular and postings on the Village notice boards and web site.