Present:
Dave Booth (RBC)
John Lerpiniere
Kit Brownlee (Chair, Minutes)
Oonagh Kelleher (BTCV)
Tricia Marcouse

Apologies:
Alan Stevens, Judith Oliver, Steve Ayers

Minutes pending

Footnote
The treasurer was unfortunately unable to attend the meeting, the following is a summary of the report he had intended to give.

• Last year (2010/11)
  • Expenditure was £1,241 and income £2,588 giving a surplus of £1,347 compared with a deficit of £403 in the previous year.
  • The bank balance at the 31st March was £3,596, higher than predicted at our March meeting because of early payment of task charges.
  • £550 of task charges outstanding at the end of year has now been paid. Net income from tasks last year (after allowing for refreshment and transport costs) was £465 compared with £288 in the previous year.
• This year (2011/12)
  • Expenditure to date £735. £600 relates to tools - £315 for FoMP and the remainder mainly replacing losses from the tool store, e.g. felling lever and Yorkshire billhook. The balance is mostly volunteer expenses and a £50 donation to the Berkshire MS Therapy Centre for the use of their meeting room and other facilities to hold our First Aid course.
  • Income to date £1,050. £550 from last year's tasks, £110 from current year's tasks and £389 from Bean Pole Day including £90 in donation (thanks to Judith for all her efforts in organising this event).
  • Outstanding expenditure amounts to £410, £160 volunteer expenses and £250 for the First Aid course. Task charges of £460 are currently outstanding, either invoiced and unpaid or to be invoiced.
  • Further expenditure on tools is likely this year, some of the loppers are showing signs of wear and we may wish to purchase a separate set of tools for use by FoCC and FoMPF. £500 insurance costs due in December must be paid for from our own funds as there was no RBC grant this year. Task income for the year is likely to be at the same level as last year.
  • Account balance currently £3,967.
• Future task charges
  • Where we charge the current rate is £40 per task. Recently we have taken to charging £60 for hedgelaying tasks where we are obtaining materials (stakes and binders) from another site. The charge takes no account of the distance travelled or the number of volunteers and is significantly less than that charged by BTCV.
  • Given the loss of the RBC grant, currently levels of inflation and fuels costs making an increase in the amount paid to volunteers for providing transport desirable, we should consider increasing our task charges to at least £60. I will seek responses to this possibility from those who currently pay charges.
• Trees for Tilehurst
  • We have been working with West Berkshire Council to obtain Big Tree Plant funding for the planting of 120 street trees within the Tilehurst Parish area.(We have subsequently learned that our bid was unsuccessful but may reapply in the next round.)
• Tasks
  • 26 CROW tasks so far this year, 188 volunteer days and an average turnout of 7. 30 'Friends of' tasks, 101 volunteer days and an average turnout of 3, this includes 10 evening tasks at Waterloo Meadows.
• First Aid Course
  • 8 volunteers from Econet plus 2 from BTCV attended a First Aid course run by BTCV which we funded (£250).
• Blacks & Millets Discount
  • We are in the process of joining a scheme allowing our volunteers to get a 15% discount at these shops, a small thank you for all their hard work.