Blackthorn Village Hall
Blackthorn village hall was built in 1870 and was originally used as the village school house. Its use as a village hall was established under a Trust Deed dated 23rd October 1979 when it became ‘a public charitable trust for the purposes of a village hall for the use of the inhabitants of the Parish of Blackthorn’.
The holding/custodian trustee is the Official Custodian of Charities. The hall is managed by a management committee ("Committee") (who are in law the charity trustees) consisting of the following:
• Chairman - Glen Lamont
• Vice-Chairman - TBC
• Secretary - TBC
• Treasurer - Jenny Lamont
One representative member shall be appointed from each of the following organisations:
• Blackthorn Parish Council
• Blackthorn Social Committee
• Harlan UK Ltd
• Whist-drive Club
The Committee may co-opt not more than two members. The Trust Deed provides for the Annual General Meeting to be held in the month of November or as soon as practicable thereafter.
All the inhabitants of the area of benefit of 18 years and upwards are entitled to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting.
The Committee are empowered to make rules and regulations, so long as they do not conflict with the Trust Deed. The original Trust Deed is deposited with Bower & Bowerman. The hall is not licensed for public entertainment.
Rules for Blackthorn Village Hall
Management Committee Procedure
The Committee shall meet once a quarter or as may be required, but not less than twice a year. A special meeting may be summoned by the Secretary at the request of the Chairman or any two members. At least seven clear days' notice of meetings shall be given to members by written notices sent by post or email to the member's last known address. Notices of special meetings must include the matters to be discussed.
The Committee at their first meeting in each year after the Annual General Meeting shall elect one of their number to be Chairman of their meetings and may elect one of their number to be Vice-Chairman. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman shall continue in office until their successors are respectively elected.
At meetings of the Committee, the Chairman, or if not present the Vice-Chairman, or if not present such other member elected for the purpose, shall take the Chair and in the case of equality of votes shall have a second, or casting vote.
The Committee shall appoint a Secretary to hold office at their pleasure either from one of themselves without remuneration, or some other fit person at such remuneration as the Committee may determine, providing in the latter case he/she is not a member of the Committee.
The Annual General Meeting, or failing this, the Committee at its first meeting after the Annual General Meeting, which shall be held in the month of November or as soon as practicable thereafter in each year, shall annually appoint the following honorary officers:
• Treasurer
• Examiner of Accounts (this may be either as Independent
• Examiner or Auditor as required by Charity Law).
The Committee may decide the terms and conditions upon which the trust property may be used in accordance with the provisions of the Trust Deed and the sum to be paid for such use.
The Committee may engage on such terms and dismiss such paid officers and employees as it may consider necessary.
The Committee may decide the quorum necessary to transact business which, however, under the terms of the Trust Deed, may never be less than one third of the total number of the members.
The Committee may appoint such sub-committees as it may consider necessary (e.g. sports, entertainment, finance, fabric) and empower any such sub-committees to co-opt persons who are not members of the Committee, provided that the number of members of the Committee on such sub-committees shall always exceed the number of co-opted members thereon and provided further that the proceedings of such sub-committees shall be reported back to the Committee as soon as possible. Sub-committees may carry out functions delegated by the Committee but they do not have the power to authorise expenditure and must be given clear terms of reference.
Bank Account
All moneys received are to be paid into a trust account at the Bank or Building Society. Cheques for the payment on all accounts shall be signed by the Treasurer or Secretary and also by one of two persons nominated by the Committee to be signatories.
Custody of Deeds
The original Trust Deed or any other legal document governing the trust property shall remain in the custody of Bower & Bowerman.
Rules may be altered and additional rules may be added with the consent of a two thirds majority of the Committee present provided the terms of the Trust Deed and of any statutory provisions are observed.
Notwithstanding compliance with Clause 6 of the Village Hall Trust Deed (where any non- compliance requires the prior written approval of the Charity Commission), any member (or any firm or company of which a member of the Committee is a shareholder, director or employee) may:
enter into a contract with the Village Hall to supply goods or services in return for a payment or other material benefit or
enter into a contract with a third party which agrees to supply goods or services to the Charity in return for a payment or other material benefit from such third party;
but only if the goods or services are actually required by the Village Hall; the nature and level of the payment or other material benefit is no more than is reasonable in relation to the value of the goods or services; no more than one half of the members of the Committee are subject to such a contract in any financial year, and the Committee has approved both the contract and the interest of the member of the Committee therein.
Whenever a member of the Committee has a personal interest in a matter to be discussed at a meeting of the Committee the member of the Committee must:
• declare an interest at or before discussion begins on the matter;
• withdraw from the meeting for that item unless expressly invited to remain in order to provide information;
• not be counted in the quorum for that part of the meeting;
• withdraw during the vote and have no vote on the matter.
Use of the Hall
Hire
Application for the hire of the hall shall be made to the Secretary or the Booking Clerk. The right to refuse any application received for the hire of the hall, without assigning any reason, is reserved to the Committee or to the Chairman of the Committee acting on their behalf, provided that:
• the refusal must not contravene the village hall's objectives or breach equal opportunities principles and
• the Chairman will report his/her action to the next meeting of the Committee.
Conditions of Hire
These are set out in the 'Standard Conditions of Hire' as annexed to the Hiring Agreement.
Betting, Gaming and Lotteries
Nothing shall be done on or in relation to the premises in contravention of the law relating to betting, gaming and lotteries and the person or organisation to whom the hall is let shall be responsible for seeing that the requirements of the relevant legislation are strictly observed.
Car Parking
Cars must not be parked so as to cause an obstruction at the entrance to or exits from the hall and the minimum of noise made on arrival and departure.
Nuisances
Litter shall not be left in or about the hall premises. No dogs except trained guide dogs for the blind or those permitted on the premises in connection with organised dog training or dog shows are to be brought into the hall.
Alteration of Rules
Rules may be altered and additional rules-added at any time with the consent of a two thirds majority of the members of the Committee present provided the terms of the Trust Deed and of any statutory provisions are observed.