;; Last edited: Mon Apr 29 22:05:02 2024
Agenda
Edinburgh Meeting House Management Committee
  Henry S. Thompson, Convenor
  Tuesday 30 April 5:15 p.m., in 7 Victoria Terrace

Zoom link:
  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81467950877?pwd=VGg1U3h3K095bWFLUCsveHZyNmhrdz09

Present: 
Prevented:
Copies to: Susie Harding

1. Opening worship

2. Matters arising
 2.1 Wrt 2024-04-16_2.1 CVenues
 ACTION: HST Include a briefing about this in his report to AM.
         Will do
 ACTION: MG Check with City of Edinburgh about a) the validity span of
         an EICR; b) the need for emergency lighting to be checked to
         a standard.
         See 3.1 below
 2.2 Wrt 2024-04-16_2.5 Period products
 ACTION: MG Contract with Hey Girls.
         Done.
 2.3 Wrt 2024-04-16_2.6 Flat 3F2 at 6 Upper Bow
 ACTION) HST 1) Check with City re Short term lets regulation 2) Check
         with Clan Gordon (CG) about whether they would manage.
	 See 3.4 below

3. Project updates: 
 3.1 CVenues

 HK visited on 27/4, surveyor in as well wrt floor loading, happy,
 further years lighting fixtures mentioned, would need approval from
 us.  Showed him the flat.  No actual reply wrt Licencing Venue.  Not
 particularly happy about Hideout bailing, we've got fealers out to a
 Mimi's Bakehouse and Susie's (Kitchen?).  Summerhall?
 30/5 prevu for arrangements on what gets taken away and to where.
 EICR valid until 9/24 per CEC.  
 We've self-tested lighting, all over 2 hours.
 Never been asked by Fire/CEC/...
  
 3.2 Lighting

 MG reverted to Gunn/Alexanders: Carbon is horrendous. Timetabled for
 1st week in July.
 We need a decision about cool/warm/...

  ACTION HST: Contact Jean Carletta about more replacable fitting?
    If no, or not quickly, then
   ACTION HST&JK to put a request to Trustees for approval.

 3.3 Carpets 

 Our two guys both said no allergy or smell issue.  No difference in
 risk of lifting.  75% recycled is available for <10% change.

 ACTION HST&JK:  to put a request to Trustees for approval.

 3.4 Flat 3F2 at 6 Upper Bow
  HST proposed that we add the use of 3F2 by CVenues to their licence
   agreement.  As a one-off private agreement between us, it means
   it's not a "short-term let".

  MG looked briefly at advertisements for August lets in the centre,
  and reported

    It could be anything from £5,000 per month to £10,000 per month, I think, 
    on location alone. 
    One room and shared spaces is £1,500 per month, at the lowest. And that is 
    quite a way out. 
    Even allowing for it being a bit scruffy, anything under £2,500 per month 
    would be underselling it in August, I think. 
    One chap I found is charging £4,500pm for a double room on the other side 
    of the Meadows... 

  MG has asked Hartley for 7KGBP/mo

  We AGREED to go ahead on this basis.  
    
 3.5 Branding
  3.5.1 Signage

  We have a new sign in the Office window advertising room lettings.
  Work on interior branding is progressing

  3.5.2 Publicity more generally

  Facebook page is now getting regular updates from Ellie

  Possibility of something in the windows themed around 400th
  anniversary of George Fox, who did preach _somewhere_ in Scotland.

4. Finance
 4.1 Lettings trajectory

 Occupancy is up over 2023, from 1 Jan up thru mid-July
 Income is up by more 10% increase in prices.
 Expenditure is also up, mostly because of the end of energy cost
 subsidy

 NHS have cancelled tea&coffee going forward, which is a source of profit.

 RF reports that NHS have cancelled _all_ their forward bookings per
 some order from above.  MH hasn't heard of this.  This is a worrying
 exposure, as they are approx. 40% of our business.

5. Staffing
 5.1 Reviews

 HST [] 

 5.2 Other news  

 Jim Campbell has left, we've advertised for replacement casual staff.

6. Any other business

7. Time without staff
 7.1
   MG
      "Hard to give up a job I know I'm good at"
      "Not giving me the challenges and opportunities I thought it was
         going to provide.  The constraints on the job seem to me to
         come from Trustees and Area Meeting"
       10-point plan:
           Do we want a Warden, or a Business Development Manager?
   NT
      MH will continue to cost us money
      There could be value in BizDev, but it's not an easy ask

      Looking at a non-resident post, what about an Area Meeting
        Manager?

   MG It needs some time before I can answer questions about how a
       taper might look, but keeping staff usefully busy 

   MHM groups, Centres Gathering all suggest this is a common problem.

   MG Living over the shop is mostly a negative.

   Having a medium-term plan soon is the most important thing

   We think we can rearrange things so that we can keep the business going.

   HST will be here from 14--24 July, but not until 6 

   HST to call Phil Lucas

   Next meeting 7/5 @ 1715 @ 7VT in Bow Room