The Choose Abingdon AGM took place on Wednesday in the Council Chamber of the Guildhall. The music from a band downstairs in the Roysse Room was overwhelming at times – part of a Guildhall promotional event trying to attract community groups to the Guildhall. There was also bell practise at St Nics. So speakers sometimes laughed and waited a few moments until they could be heard above the noise. THEY WERE REPORTING BACK ON WHAT HAD BEEN GOING ON LAST YEAR.
The year began managing projects that came out of the government’s High Street innovation fund. You may remember that Abingdon wasn’t chosen as being in the top 6 schemes by Mary Portas but was given money anyway. That money was put towards projects like:
- ByBox locker
- Events Programme
- Loyalty programme enhanced with new digital technology.
- Community shop programme
- Working with the Town Council on a second year of flags to emulate the popular Jubilee display
Long standing projects such as community gazebos and Local Excellence Market carry on. Also Choose Abingdon continue working with festivals like the Cycling Festival.
A sub group run by James White created the new Atom Science Festival. This was a great success and plans are to make it even bigger next year.
But at times Heather Brown, the one paid employee, was overstretched. That is why the Good Living Event was cancelled this year, and not all the Christmas programme went ahead. There were not enough Helping Hands. They need more Hesters.
Up to now Choose Abingdon has been dependent on public funding from councils. It could change from a partnership of councils into a Business Improvement District (BID) by next year. Local businesses will be balleted on that idea in October / November. A BID would be be paid for out of business rates and so be more of a business partnership.
Backstreeter, that was a quick bit of editing, i’m sure I read earlier that nothing could be passed at the meeting because there wasn’t a quorum?
yes. I read that too. How many were there?
It was a technical issue rather than a numbers issue. Nearly all the board were in attendance. The constitution requires that a representative of each of the shareholders (town council, district council and county council) is present. Unfortunately neither of the couty reps were at the meeting so we were unable to approve the financial report or elect the board for next year.
Whilst this was rather iritating, in practical terms this doesn’t make much difference as it will just take place at the next board meeting which will be constituted as an EGM.
“Technical issue” I think not Iain, you didn’t have the “numbers” because OCC failed to attend, nothing technical about it. Can you tell us exactly who did attend please?
And going on from the above, Chaps web site refers to Chaps occupying the community shop in the precinct, can you advise us all please who might be picking up the business rates for this unit? also on Chaps web site it makes reference to the AGM, part of which was to review the accounts for the year, but they don’t appear on the web site anywhere? why are they not available for the public to see?
Not sure it matters much who didnt turn up Steve – just one of those things.
The community shop is leased by a charity and as such doesnt pay business rates so not applicable.
The financial report was presented at the agm which was a well advertised public meeting.
Steve, I did edit inquorate out as I was not sure of my facts re-reading in the morning. Dave. About 20 but most were councillors or board members so not as many general public as two or three years ago, I would reckon.
Hi Iain, it does matter, accordingly Chap’s has an officer who is so “stretched” she can’t perform the duties expected of her, stretched doing what then? and if essential board members didn’t turn up for the AGM then one must surely question their commitment?
And where is this financial report? I can’t find it on Chap’s web site, nor the minutes of the meeting, nor the apologies from those who should have, but didn’t attend?
These are all perfectly relevant questions Iain.
One more Q for you Iain, on Chaps web site, Minutes for March meeting,
“A board member encouraged the BID team to find solutions to the problem of how to
incentivise non-business ratepayers to vote yes at the ballot”
Obviously a lack of knowledge on how a BID works here Iain, non business rate payers are not entitled to vote, its a business only scheme and that is, or should be a pretty basic understanding, why is oit the board are not familiar with the fundamental rules of a BID
Would of made sense for Steve to have gone to this meeting instead of filling up this wonderful blog of quite negative comments/questions. I appreciate any group/person that is doing something to make Abingdon a nice place to live in & work in & this includes Choose Abingson. Some of the things they have done clearly are beneficial so why so much negativity! I think the community shop is a great idea & having the events such as The Spring Cycle festival certainly brings people into town. With out things like this Abingdon would be far worse off.
Afraid it’s you who doesn’t understand how ‘business rates’ work Steve.
Lots of organisations which aren’t businesses pay business rates. For example the local authorities are all business rate payers, so are charities, so are landlords who have empty commercial property.
All heriditiments in the BID area are entitled to a vote
Steve – if you had so many questions for Choose Abingdon it seems surprising that you did not come to the AGM as that would have been the appropriate place.
I don’t know about you, but in most organisations I am involved with the Minutes, accounts etc aren’t published until they are approved, which of course these haven’t been.
Finally, as Secretary of a charity which occupies premises in the town centre my understanding is that the calculation for BID purposes is based on rateable value, not rates paid and that any exemptions/reliefs applicable for business rates will not automatically apply for BID purposes. I would imagine that that is what is behind the reference in March minutes.
Hi all, I have to put my hand up to this one.
The meeting was scheduled for 7pm and I had intended to come back from Oxford and attend for the first 45 minutes before heading for another meeting at 8pm in Cumnor. (Richard Webber, the other County rep, had already given his apologies as he was away on holiday).
Because of a room booking issue at the Guildhall there was a message to say that the meeting would not start until 7.30pm at which point I replied to say that it wasn’t worth me coming back to Abingdon for 15 minutes of the meeting so I would have to give my apologies.
Unfortunately I didn’t realise that this would make the meeting inquorate and Heather didn’t pick up my email until after the meeting. Had I known I was needed to make the meeting quorate I would have attended, at least for long enough for the formal AGM business.
It seems that there are a lot of Guildhall room booking issues where public meetings are concerned? Could understand it if it was a village hall that the Council had no say in but since it has become ‘gifted’ to the TC and under their responsibility it seems that they cannot organise a simple room booking successfully? (The ‘public’ meeting regarding the housing proposals springs to mind, when the 80 seater Royce Room was the only room available for potentially the whole of Abingdon plus all surrounding villages!) (oh and not forgetting the prior exhibition that had to be put in the cloakroom area, because someone ‘forgot’ to book a room?)
As for the ‘negativity’ accusation above, I for one am pleased that someone is prepared to highlight things that don’t quite look right and ask questions of those people who are tasked with doing these things. In these days of openness and transparency it is only right that people can and do question these decisions that are made on ‘behalf’ of the town! Or should we all just sit back and accept what we are told to accept?
Guido – ref the public meeting you refer to.
The town council supplied the room that was booked by the organisers for the event. Can’t see why you are seeking to blame the town council on this.
So Ian, the Vale REQUESTED the smallest room when they made a booking? That’s interesting. Thanks for enlightening.
Presumably, unless the larger room was already booked.
There may also have been access considerations as the roysse room has better accessibility than the abbey hall.
…I “chose Abingdon” today to meander into with the kids this afternoon…but the water jets weren’t on in the meadow. Did we just miss them – we didn’t go til 4…or did no one else think it was warm this weekend?
Daniel, The open air swimming pool (and water park), don’t open until 24th May!!!!! (according to their website). The last heat wave we had, the same thing happened..
http://www.abingdonoutdoorpool.org.uk/
Iain, et, I’m perfectly familiar with business rates, I Pay them !
In answer to one of my earlier questions you said .
” Afraid it’s you who doesn’t understand how ‘business rates’ work Steve.” and went on to say
“The community shop is leased by a charity and as such doesn’t pay business rates so not applicable”
but then you went on to say
“Lots of organisations which aren’t businesses pay business rates. For example the local authorities are all business rate payers, so are charities”
I think you’ve now managed to confuse us all Iain?
That said, the responses here are typical of people who when crticised sincerely believe they are above criticism. Publish your accounts Iain, it’s public money you’re using so why aren’t the public entitled to see where their money is going?
Thanks Col… it really is such a shame. I’m not suggesting the pool needed to be ready and open. Or that staff had to be at the pool. Or that the shop even needed to be open – taking money hand over fist….I just thought someone, somewhere, may have been able to nip down and turn the tap on to the water jets.
Steve
It seems to me that it is you who believes you are above criticism. I’ve answered the questions you posed – you just dont seem to like the fact they disagree with your understanding.
1. Business rates are paid by lots of types of organisations not just businesses
2. Some of these organisations receive exemptions on some or all their business rates eg some (but not all) charities
3. All organisations eligible to pay business rates get a vote on the bid regardless of what exemptions they receive as their vote is based on the rateable value of their property
Trust that makes things clearer for you Steve and explains why the minute you criticised is correct and your fairly derogatory statement about the board of choose abingdon was incorrect.
Iain and Steve – any chance you two could meet up and hammer out your continuing and never ending disagreements away from this website.
Whilst most of the comments on this site are interesting and informative, your constant bickering is a grind!
Happily Richmond – just not prepared to leave inaccurate and misleading comments unanswered
Been reading these comments for a little while now. Do Iain and Steve live together? Seems like the most likely scenario.
Be proud.