Board Update
Worcester Community Trust’s Quarter 4 Board Meeting – Summary – May 27th 2024
Purpose: To share a brief summary of the subjects and outcomes from Worcester Community Trust’s Board Meetings
CEO – Jonathan Newey – jon@worcestercommunitytrust.org.uk
Chair – Bridget Brickley – bridget@worcestercommunitytrust.org.uk
Trustees In attendance : Jas Cartwright, Danny Spears, Philip Fowler, Claire Thompson
Observers: Warwick Neale (WCC), Rhizina Shearer (WCC), Lynn Denham (Labour), Sharon Tilki (Prospective Trustee)
WCC = Worcester City Council
WCT = Worcester Community Trust
WCT SLT: Helen Davis – Head of Skills and Training & Deputy CEO –
helend@worcestercommunitytrust.org.uk
(Cadent, Wellbeing Job Clubs, Snack and Chat, Community Skills Project)
Mary-Jane Bayliss – Head of Finance and Resources
mary-jane@worcestercommunitytrust.org.uk
Jo Jefferson – Head of Health and Targeted Services
jo@worcestercommunitytrust.org.uk
(Youth, Dawn, Joy/Core)
Jenny Gage – Head of Community Based Services
jenny@worcestercommunitytrust.org.uk
(Hubs, ABCD, Community Connectors)
Building Block Update – Discussed Board approved annual rent for Building Block (BB) partnership at BB1, Warndon, which is at market rate and fulfills our obligations with the Charity Commission. The temporary license to occupy agreement has been further extended for 6 months until Worcester City Council (WCC) Legal team have processed the superior lease. BB had always run in deficit so this is both a gain of income, whilst reduction £130k pa expenditure. The current courses delivered include Weekend Courses, Apprenticeship training and GLP Skills Boot camps for local people. As well as construction and cleaning trainee-ships, there is also support with developing CV’s, interview techniques etc.. WCT Job coaches will be co-delivering some work with BB in the coming months.
Towns Fund Community Skills Project – Dines Green refurbishment is almost complete but running a week behind schedule. Launch to be scheduled in next quarter date TBC. King George V & Tolly work starring 3rd June. GLP have submitted letter of intent to take on BB2 upon completion.
ABCD Presentation – Jenny Gage gave a presentation to the board on the local Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) approach and implementation. WCT currently delivering this approach through our community builders at Dines Green and Warndon/Tolly. In September 2024 our lottery funded Community Connectors project will come to a close and we are looking to work with other funders to work with us on our future ABCD project looking at a hybrid model between community led and WCT supported hubs.
Strategic Objectives – Negotiations on WCT / WCC Maintenance agreement to be prioritised in next quarter. Energy efficiency of buildings to be discussed with WCC who we will work with collaboratively on developing current funding opportunities. Strategic Objectives planner updated for Year 2 (2024/25), Q2 – Q4. The overarching objectives are as follows:
- Development of Training and Skills Arm
- Devolved Power to Communities
- Sustain and Strengthen Service Delivery focused on Well-being & Targeted Services
- Create a Financially Sustainable Model
- Implement Strong Organisational Development
- Work with our Partners to Develop our Assets
- Develop Excellent Youth and Play Delivery
Services Update: Chair invited questions to the Skills and Training, Health and Targeted Services and Community-Based Services reports.
Business Development Sub-Committee –Proposal to be sent around to trustees to form a Business Development Sub-Committee.
Dawn End of Contract March 25 – Discussion about re-contracting of Public Health (PH) contracts in March 25. The ‘Needs assessment’ is being undertaken by Public Health., Contracting events can’t start until this is completed. Also liasing with other potential funders.
CEO outlined assessment on current contracts and impact on trust and wider community if individual contracts aren’t obtained. This has been flagged as the priority for the first Business Development Sub-Committee.
Finance – Pre -Audit End of Year finances presented. Currently £95k surplus. This is due to underspend on 2 projects relating to challenging recruitment. This underspend has been rolled into future year’s delivery. Current reserve target doesn’t cover the running costs of 4 months. Will work with accountant to raise this to an accurate level for WCT current delivery.
Trustee Recruitment – Prospective trustee Sharon Tilki attended the board as an observer. Sharon is a Chair of an Education Trust, Worcester based Dance Instructor and local resident to Dines Green. Danny Spears, Treasurer Trustee has resigned from the board but will complete end of year accounts prior to leaving. Alongside Sharon we have 2 other prospective trustees interested in joining board that we will invite to the next board to observe.
Staff Conference – Annual staff get together will take place on 5th June. Alongside business and strategic updates and Staff Survey Feedback, the focus will be on ABCD as an approach and where it exists within current projects.
WCT Marketing –– Update on the campaign timeline for the hub promotion. Aug – Sept 2024 delivery. Trustees and observers reminded to follow current channels:
Worcester Community Trust Facebook Page
Worcester Community Trust Youth Facebook Page
Warndon Community Hub Facebook Page
Tolly Community Hub Facebook Page
Ronkswood Community Hub Facebook Page
KGV Community Hub Facebook Page
Green Community Hub Facebook Page
Horizon Community Hub Facebook Page
Worcester Community Trust Instagram
Worcester Community Trust Twitter
Worcester Community Trust LinkedIn
Charitable Subsidiaries – Updates on the development of creating a youth charity subsidiary to enable WCT to access more funding, relevant to the size of this project. Many funds having maximum turnover thresholds to be eligible to apply (typically up to £250k – £500k). This route could enable us to bring in more sustained funding for youth delivery.
Energy Audits – We have undertaken independent energy audits across all 6 hubs. We will now work with WCC to see how we can make best use of available grants to reduce our carbon output from the buildings.
Platform Housing – Update on Platform Housing’s community engagement approach, continued from the previous meetings discussion. Platform have 48,000 properties across the Midlands. They have a £2m wellbeing fund across the midlands. Understand this is shared across 7 localities and the majority of this is for direct welfare support and the total investment in Community Engagement in Worcester was between £30-40k pa. It owns about 80% of the social housing stock in Worcester (Click Here for Financial Statement). We work in partnership with them on Family Fun Days, Trips and Soup Runs, but the investment of time and cash contribution is approx. 25% Platform to 75% WCT.. We want to make sure the activity we are working with Platform on is approached as an equal partnership, that it is align to both organisations and that there is an evidence base for the need and an aim for a longer-term impact. WCT has arranged a meeting with their locality managers in the next Q to discuss this further.
Grants and Trusts and Marketing Assistant Recruited – We have recruited for both positions. Our Marketing Assistant is employed on 3 month freelance contract. The Grants and Trusts role is a permanent role starting in July.