Minutes of Management Meeting 20 March 2013

Rochdale Borough Social Enterprise and Co-operative Forum

Minutes of Management Meeting Wednesday 20 March 2013

Rochdale Pioneers Museum 31 Toad Lane Rochdale OL12 0NU

Present: Rick Walker (Cartwheel Arts,Chair), Steve Bewick (FCUM Radio), Jan Hicks (Fair For All), Claire Jefferies (Petrus), Tanzeem Mahmood (Tanzeem Co-operative), Andy Wiggans (Locally Made), and Andrew Jessop (Business advisor, Associate)

In attendance: Rod Barry (‘If we’re not together, we’re nowt’ musical)

1 Apologies and welcome

1.1 Apologies were noted from Nick Andrews (MoorEnd Trust), Barney Fryer (Rochdale Council), Peggy Mulongo (Maracuja), and John Swallow (Community Engagement Pioneers and Youth 21). Rick welcomed Rod to the meeting.

2 Minutes of last Management Meeting 16 January

2.1 The Minutes were approved as a correct record.

3 Matters arising

3.1 Paragraph 3.1 Rochdale Boroughwide Housing. Andy J said he had met with Gareth Swarbrick, Chief Executive of RBH who had indicated that RBH would apply for Membership.

3.2 Paragraphs 3.2 and 4.2 Awards for All and legal structure. Andy J circulated and presented a report on these matters. Members approved Rick’s proposals that the Awards for All application should include costs of organising events, open events for community involvement, and environmental outcomes, alongside the proposals in the report. Members decided to defer consideration of the Forum’s legal structure to its next meeting when discussions about the relationship with the Council should have progressed.

4 Membership matters

4.1 Rod outlined his plans for a musical, ‘If we’re not together, we’re nowt’, based on the  Rochdale Pioneers story. He would consider applying for membership of the Forum. Andy J reported that the Co-operative Heritage Trust would be applying for membership and he had invited JLTraining to apply.

5 Financial matters

(a) Statement of accounts and balance sheet for 2012

5.1 Steve presented the statement of accounts and balance sheet and reported a loss of £185.42 in 2012 and reserves of £992.78, less a cheque for £30.00 to be presented, reducing the assets to £962.78. Members approved the statement of accounts and balance sheet for presentation to Members at the Forum’s upcoming AGM.

(b) Other matters

5.2 Steve highlighted four other matters and Members decided that Steve should  remind Youth 21 to pay its outstanding invoice; the Forum should be mindful of the expected claim from Link4Life in planning expenditure in 2013; to note that Maracuja’s invoice had been received; and to ‘write off’ outstanding invoices to Members for membership fees for 2012. Discussion about receipt of membership fees for 2013 followed and Members asked Jan and Steve to update the list of members and share the responsibility for contacting Members about paying the membership fee, between the Members and Associate present.

6 Upcoming events

(a) Community energy: Together we can! event 23 March

6.1 Andy J presented a report on upcoming events. Members noted the information about the community energy event, expressed their thanks to the Memorial Exhibition Society for funding towards its costs and approved the proposed budget.

(b) AGM 21 May

6.2 Members decided to hold the AGM at the Petrus Hub; invite Gareth Swarbrick to speak and take up Rod’s offer to entertain; invite Members to provide stands; ask Andy J to check if any Management Committee Members want to retire and, if not, select those to retire by lot; ask Steve and Tanzeem to agree on catering arrangements; and focus the Annual Report on the Forum’s International Year of Co-operatives celebrations.

(c) Local, loved and trusted: Rochdale Co-operatives Day 22 June

6.3 Andy J circulated copies of a leaflet promoting Co-operatives Fortnight’s ‘Local, loved, and trusted’ theme for 2013 and added Rochdale Hornets and Unlimited Potential to the list of local co-operatives interested in taking part. Rod said he planned to use the barrow from ‘The Rochdale Pioneers’ film to promote ‘If we’re not together, we’re nowt’ musical. Members asked Andy J to update other local co-operatives and Forum Members and encourage them to take part.

7 Policy initiatives

(a) Support for public service mutuals (social enterprises)

7.1 Andy J and Steve said they were due to meet the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive tomorrow (21 March) and would report back to the Forum’s next meeting.

(b) Local economic strategy

7.2 Steve reported he had experienced difficulties in arranging a meeting with the Deputy Leader (since arranged).

8 Any other business

8.1 Andy J circulated copies of a leaflet promoting the Co-operative’s Members Meetings and encouraging Members to stand for election to Area Committees, and said that the Co-operative Street Gallery would be on The Butts from 9 April in association with which, ‘The Rochdale Pioneers’ film would be screened at Touchstones on 16 April.

8.2 Andy W reported that ‘Locally Made’ was due to meet with Salford University to explore interest in supporting co-operation in the community; Rochdale Council was due to invite tenders for exploring future arrangements for community centres, including co-operative options; and he was still hopeful that the next Mayor would include funding for co-operatives in his fund raising plans.

8.3 Rod reported that he had organised a ‘flash mob’ event on 20 April, 12.00, in the Wheatsheaf Centre, featuring children clog dancing, to promote the Co-operative Street Gallery and the planned ‘If we’re not together, we’re nowt’ musical.

9 Date, time, and place of next Management Meeting

9.1 Members confirmed that the next meeting would be after the AGM (21 May), on Wednesday 5 June, 6pm, Rochdale Pioneers Museum.

29/03/2013 aj