FIVE GREEN LIGHTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY SHOP
The future for Brent Knoll’s Community Shop has received four green lights to proceed. A plan to demolish the village’s public toilets and replace them with modern toilets and a permanent shop building required support from the community, Parish Council, planning consent and Government approval.
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FIVE GREEN LIGHTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY SHOP
The future for Brent Knoll’s Community Shop has received four green lights to proceed. A plan to demolish the village’s public toilets and replace them with modern toilets and a permanent shop building required support from the community, Parish Council, planning consent and Government approval.
The public vote
More than 135 residents attended a Public Engagement Event to see plans and seek answers from both the Parish Council and the shop’s Management Committee. 126 people completed survey forms, with 121 in support, 4 against, and one “undecided”.
The council vote
Four days later, Brent Knoll Parish Council met to hear the results of the public event and decided unanimously to proceed with the plan to demolish the public toilets and build new accessible toilets and the shell for the Community Shop to fit out and occupy. .
The planning vote
The morning after this Parish Council meeting, the news arrived that Sedgemoor District Council had given planning consent for the new building.
This enabled Brent Knoll Parish Council to launch a competitive tendering process to finalise the cost and appoint contractors, which they have now done
Meanwhile the Community Shop team appointed a shopfitter to advise on the optimum internal layout for the new shop building.
The Government vote:
The Secretary of State has approved the Parish Council's application for an increased loan.
The final vote
The Parish Council has:
- Arranged the re-routing of an 11k volt cable under the public toilets by National Grid (now done), with the start of demolition and building by May;
- Agreed that the Community Shop will lodge £26,000 with them, to cover the costs of basic requirements (eg, wiring, plumbing, solar-panels, etc) for the new shop;
- Agreed for their chosen builder to deliver our new shop-shell by August.
WHAT'S LEFT FOR US TO DO?
Having lodged £26,000 with the Parish Council, to assure them that we are ready to go, the moment they deliver our new shop shell, we now need to raise another £25,000 to do everything that our shop-fitters recommended to produce the ideal fit-out - which is crucial for our determined aim of restoring Post Office services!
So, we're launching a new share-sale appeal. Most of our 158 members only bought one or two shares, 'cos that's all we needed at the time to build a membership.. We're now asking those members to buy more shares to help us raise the money we need - and the early signs are that our members are rising to that challenge!
We're also seeking new shareholding members, and arranging fund-raising events - like our family quiz night.
COMMUNITY SHOP SHAREHOLDERS VOTE AGAINST PAYING THEMSELVES, DESPITE STRONG PROFITS.
Shareholding members of Brent Knoll Community Shop have voted against paying themselves interest on their shares.
35 of the 155 shareholders attended their Annual Members’ Meeting in July and voted unanimously against paying themselves any interest payment
COMMUNITY SHOP SHAREHOLDERS VOTE AGAINST PAYING THEMSELVES, DESPITE STRONG PROFITS.
Shareholding members of Brent Knoll Community Shop have voted against paying themselves interest on their shares.
35 of the 155 shareholders attended their Annual Members’ Meeting in July and voted unanimously against paying themselves any interest payment, so as to preserve the profits to fund the costs of fitting out a new permanent shop building, planned by the Parish Council.
Those costs are currently estimated to be above £30,000.
Management Committee Elections
Six members of the Management Committee, who were willing to stand again, were unanimously elected en-bloc (ie, David Yates, Michelle Cole, Caroline Sturgess, Lucy White, Kim Wilcox, and David Sturgess). Members also voted unanimously to confirm the election of Kate Tucker, who had been co-opted during the year to fill a vacancy.
Meanwhile, one member of the Management Committee (Jonathan Rees) had had to stand down for personal reasons. Members voted unanimously to accept the suggestion that the Management Committee seeks to co-opt a member to fill this vacancy with the relevant skills and interests to take over the role of Treasurer by next year’s Annual Members’ Meeting.
Chair’s Report and Plans
David Yates (Chair) confirmed that the shop continues to trade competitively and profitably, thanks to 38 volunteers, seven of whom are aged under 21. He also pointed out that half of the Management Committee are still in full-time employment, to quash “a rumour that we are we’re all oldies”!
He underlined that the future plan remains the replacement of the current Portakabin with a permanent shop as part of a redevelopment of the Parish Council’s public toilets. The required fit-out plan has now been commissioned and submitted to the Parish Council, while an extension to the Portakabin planning consent has been requested, given the delay caused by the need for National Grid to re-route an 11,000volt cable located beneath the toilets.
Treasurer’s Report
Caroline Sturgess (Treasurer) detailed points in the printed accounts for the previous financial year, which showed a healthy profit. Gross sales have increased by £9,000, reflecting more customers, extended opening hours, and more visitors to the village.
Gross profit margins also increased to 21%, reflecting the excellent buying and stocking policies of Lucy White and Lynn Staynings, which also helped achieve a very low level of wastage.
Despite strong profits, the shop’s tax bill should be about £418, thanks to the “Peterhead Principle” that enables the shop to get tax-relief against the hours worked by volunteers.
Members will receive the final accounts, when they have been compiled by the shop’s appointed accountants (Cadwalladers) for submission to the Financial Conduct Authority.
A Social Hub
The Chair’s report noted that the Community Shop has become the villages only social hub, open seven days per week.
Attendees at the Annual Members’ Meeting were greeted with glasses of Prosecco or fruit juice on arrival, and stayed on for social chat over tea, coffee, and biscuits after the meeting.
“Despite the miserable weather that evening, we were thrilled to welcome 35 of our members, and wanted to make what could be a boring AGM into a social event”, said David Sturgess, the shop’s Secretary. Half of the purpose of our Community Shop is to be a social hub – hence our monthly “Sausage Sizzler” events”, he added.
END
“WE’RE GETTING READY TO MOVE FROM OUR PORTAKABIN”
The closure of Brent Knoll’s BWOC garage and Spar shop has been a blessing for Brent Knoll’s Community Shop.
BWOC have been hugely generous in donating shelving, fixtures, and other items that will be needed for the new shop building being planned by Brent Knoll’s Parish Council.
A team of
“WE’RE GETTING READY TO MOVE FROM OUR PORTAKABIN”
The closure of Brent Knoll’s BWOC garage and Spar shop has been a blessing for Brent Knoll’s Community Shop.
BWOC have been hugely generous in donating shelving, fixtures, and other items that will be needed for the new shop building being planned by Brent Knoll’s Parish Council.
A team of shop volunteers helped to remove all those items and store them - ready for when the new shop is ready.
We're now working with the Parish Council to finalise the lease agreement for the new shop. We are very lucky that one of the country’s national law firms, Clarke Willmott, has agreed to represent us on a pro-bono basis.
The shop’s sponsors (The Plunkett Foundation) have identified a Weston-super-Mare based recommended shop-fitting specialist who have produced a fit-out plan for the proposed new shop.
Meanwhile, the shop continues to provide a vital community service to the village, including the monthly "Sausage Sizzler" events on the last Saturday of every month (10am to 12 noon).
The Community Shop’s greatest need, however, is for more volunteers to join our team. This will enable us to expand our opening hours. We need people who can spare an hour or two in the afternoons on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays: full training will be provided..
We also need volunteers who’re happy to spend the odd hour in checking the “best-before” dates on the items on our shelves. There is no better way of becoming part of the community.
Village Green Car Park, Brent St, Brent Knoll, Highbridge, TA9 4DT
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