March 2017 County Exec Minutes

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CLWYD COUNTY EXEC MINUTES – 16th March 2017

1. Welcome and Apologies:

Present:
County Commissioner – Isabel Blore
Assistant County Commissioner – Ruth Davies
East Flintshire Division Commissioner – Chris Dwerryhouse
South Denbighshire Division Commissioner – Beth Taylor
West Flintshire Division Commissioner – Nicola Barlow
Berwyn Division Commissioner – Cath Moore
Colwyn Division Commissioner – Serena Boughen
North Denbighshire Assistant Division Commissioner – Emily Webster
Outdoors Activities Adviser – Jane Bevan
Membership Support & Training – Hazel Webb
Clwyd Trefoil Chairman – Merle Cook

Apologies:
Assistant County Commissioner – Alison Williams
Treasurer – Megan Jones
Growing & Promoting Guiding Chairman – Alice Lovegrove
North Denbighshire Division Commissioner – Lynda Walmsley
Wrexham Division Commissioner – Barbara Jones
Wrexham Assistant Division Commissioner – Brenda Lewis
Ty Clwyd Chairman – Judith Standring
Dyfodol y Ddraig rep – Anna Preece
Clwyd Junior Council rep – Alice Cleave

2. Reflections – Isabel read out the revised Code of Conduct (Revised March 2017)
3. Serious Incident Reporting – anything to report
  • 2 units have closed (One in South Denbighshire and one in Colwyn Division) – similar circumstances in both instances – leaders to be aware the units are not their own – but “belong” to Girlguiding. If a leader wishes to step-down she should in the first instance inform her local Commissioner/s ideally with a timescale.
    Commissioners can then ask other adults in the unit including parents/waiting lists/join-us etc. Our GaP team have a box that has everything needed for a recruitment stall. – Be positive not negative i.e. this unit is looking for new leaders to enjoy activities with them; not this unit will close if no-one comes forward.
  • Now to include complaints/concerns dealt with at District & Division Level. CHQ & Wales keeping a log to watch for “trends”
  • Berwyn Division – are dealing with a couple of issues.
4. Minutes from last meeting held on 25th January 2017

It was pointed out that Nicola has recorded as Div Com for East Flintshire (With Chris D) instead of West Flintshire.
Cath Moore proposed & Beth Taylor seconded all approved with the above change.

5. Matters arising –
  • County Transition Events
    1. Guides to Senior Section – Our new (Junior Council are arranging activities for this) The event had initially been requested at the County Planning meeting last Summer; to include camping. Isabel will contact Alice.
    2. Brownies to Guides – As Wales are hosting a Brownie Festival-in-a-Day at Ty-Clwyd, it was agreed we should we should delay this event at present.
  • Rainbows 30th Birthday Celebration
    18th March at Castell Alun School. 1-5pm.
    128 Rainbows booked in.
  • Leaders Event – Cath feedback
    Boardroom, Sandycroft – 30 people 6pm will give time for coffee & chat after 10th May – £65/group of 6. – £10/head – subsisted by County Cath will send info out to Div Coms.
  • Data Cleansing – Updates from Divisions:
    1. Unit Capacities –
    2. Join Us – Volunteers & Girls –
    3. Individual Details –
6. Annual Review
  • Long Service Awards – Updates/Amendments from Divisions
  • Other Awards gained:
    Lists of names with reg numbers by email please.
  • Check if projection equipment and a screen at venue or do we need to provide.
  • Items for Annual Report needed before 18th April please. This will then give us a month to compile final report & print in time for review.
    1. Short reports needed please – just a paragraph or two.
7. From CHQ
  • Chief Guides resignation
  • Subscriptions are due now
  • Changes to The Senior Section – timeframe extended & new name suggestions requested.
8. From CCC & GG Cymru

From Lois: It was great to see so many volunteers show an interest in this training. One of the six successful applicants is Victoria Slugocki from North Denbighshire Division
Running alongside the spokesperson training at Broneirion the PR training will be taking place the same weekend.

Lesley and Caroline coming to Ty Clwyd to meet with District and Division Commissioners, Growing and Promoting Guiding Teams from Clwyd, Caernarfonshire and Anglesey on 6th May. 10am until 4pm. It was asked as this is a non-profit event would it be acceptable that no charge be made the use Ty-Clwyd for this weekend? Decision to be discussed at Ty Clwyd meeting.

Welsh Culture Badge – Please can units support as 1,000 badges need to be sold to meet the terms of grant. The Senior Section Lones Unit have written it.

Quality Pilot – 50 unit places allocated/country/region 45 taking part in Wales. 12 Portfolios are already in. Control measure – lighter touch – I district picked in Caernarfonshire. Quality Hub on GG website to find out more.

Additional i-beacons – under GGC umbrella e.g. HQ’s? – please email Viv if interested in finding out more. QR codes could be put into windows to enable scanning for more info. PR opportunities. Do we need trainings to develop this? Commissioners to ask at local level and report back.

Also for reporting back thoughts on the following as possible “trainings” to take place at Broneirion:
Heritage Educators within local areas?
Exploring badge & as courses mid-week at Broneirion
Feasibility Study? – identify trainers
Scanning/setting up displays – trainings
Ask at local museums/libraries – need new venues for exhibition to go to
? Dates/slots available
KPI’s – find back figures for Rachel C-H
What’s app group!

Growth & Retention -Co-ordinator needed – Steering Group based in the South
Commissioner Training – 6th May to include in-a-box – GG website re-recruitment week
Membership numbers from annual census are down throughout UK, Wales not as bad as some regions – Plan needed – Bullet points – 6th May

Accounts – form will be cascaded from Wales/Sian
Trading accounts & halls etc not just units.

Complaints & Safeguarding more help & training for Commissioners
Serious incident form – add complaints and summery of how dealt with
Ring complaints at CHQ if guidance needed. – They are following trends – logging on a register.

Revised Code of Conduct – GG website – to be added to LQ packs
Use as a tool when dealing with issues

International Camp – Anglesey 23rd-29th August 2020

Welsh Commissioner conference including some Div Coms at Broneirion Jan 2018

Appointment – QG Adviser – Nia Jones
Walking Adviser – still vacant

World Thinking Day 2018 – Theme – Impact
Along lines of One World/One Beat & Get Global
Volunteers needed for T&F group – North, South & Mid

Rainbows 30th – 11th June – Ty-Clwyd, 14th May – Broneirion

Brownies – Festival in a Day – Bands needed

Recommended Activity Providers from GGC – to confirm Wales let RCH know if any comments – with RA’s see UK website

Senior Section Review – Girls to complete Survey Monkey
Questionnaire sent to parents of girls under 16yrs

Safeguarding – DBS for all staff at Broneirion

Recruitment of 25-34yr olds this age group has the lowest perception of GG – parent age so need to target positively. Be ready to respond to new volunteers – including Join-Us Need to identify local needs – train & open new units!

Recruitment stand at all events
Promise Run – on hold for next year
Compliance Team in London

9. CC Report (Isabel)

Thanks to Jane Bevan who is approaching the end of her role as OAA –
May event will be as advertised.
Thanks also to Roz Benny, Chris Hunt, Louise Clark, Bev Davies as they approach the end of their terms as DC’s in their respective Districts.

  1. Appointments
    Sarah Unwin – District Commissioner Designate for Rhyl
    Helen Kerr – District Commissioner Designate for Hawarden
    Elizabeth Barker – District Commissioner Designate for Yale
    Jacqueline Duffield – OAA from early May
    Alison Roberts – Residential Adviser & Verifier
    Catriona Duffield – Dyfodol-y-Ddraig rep
    Steph Surrey –DoE coordinator
    Serena Boughen – Colwyn Division Commissioner
    Llangollen DC – nominations receivedResignations:
    Beverley Davies has resigned as International Adviser
    Wendy Malcolm would like the role of Join-Us Co-ordinator to become a Job-Share.
    Walking Adviser – Also proposing we set up an “informal” walking group. To do “short walks” within Clwyd. If anyone needs walks to “log” and/or plan this is your opportunity!
  2. Correspondence & Visits
    At Broneirion last weekend Presentations for Young Roots project.
    Bethany & Katie also received NVA Certificates for Digitalising/Archiving
    They both also presented their feedback with brownies and guides as part of the Young Roots Project – 6 Groups in Wales – 2 of which in Clwyd!
    CIM level 4 in Leadership & Management also received by Claire Evans, Katie Dutta and Eleanor Dowsett.
  3. Feedback sheets – None received
10. Treasurers Report (Meg)
  • The Finance meeting was held on 7th March. The meeting produced the following items:
    1. Please remind people to promote the Peer Educator T-Shirt form – see doc with this report
    2. Please remind people to promote 100 club and Friends – see 123 club doc with this report (Beth is going to ask Pat if she is ok with this form going on the website/facebook – or we could put the Ty Clwyd address on the form – Beth also looking to see where the Friends form is)
    3. 2016 accounts – previously emailed out these are with this report. They have been discussed in Finance, but unfortunately, I am not at this meeting to present them and answer any questions – please contact me if you have any questions about them. They have not been independently examined yet. If everyone is happy with the accounts, they need to be approved at this meeting and the approval noted in the minutes.
      Proposed that accounts accepted by Cath Moore and Seconded by Jane Bevan those present in agreement.
    4. In the accounts, there is a restricted fund £1,287 International fund – it was suggested that we use this for next international bursaries until the fund has been used up. We are not aware of the original intention of the fund. –
      Proposed that this accepted by Beth Taylor and seconded by Chris Dwerryhouse those present in agreement.
    5. In the accounts, there is a restricted fund £340 Pioneering and camp equipment fund – it was suggested that we use this something outdoors at Ty Clwyd – the trail repairs/fencing that has just been done? We are not aware of the original intention of the fund.
      Suggestion that an event shelter would be useful for both Outdoor and PR team.
      Proposal carried forward by Chris Dwerryhouse and seconded by Nicola Barlow, those present in agreement.
    6. 2017 Subscriptions process – see doc with this report – There were 11 invoices not viewed prior to system closing down.
    7. The payments from subscriptions to Divisions and Ty Clwyd have not increased for many years. It was suggested to increase the payments to 80p Division (from 65p) and to 65p Ty Clwyd (from 40p) – starting with the 2017 subscriptions. County has money available to pay the increase and the money will be moving from County reserves to areas where it will be used. Increases payments to Division by around £500 and payment to Ty Clwyd by around £800.
      Proposal carried forward by Christine Dwerryhouse, seconded by Beth Taylor those present in agreement.
    8. For expenses, cost per colour copy is too low now as many publications have to be printed and they are a full page of colour – suggested 15p per A4 sheet.
      Proposal that the above be carried forward by Hazel Webb and seconded by Nicola Barlow, those present in agreement.
    9. Reminder about signatories on bank accounts – GGUK guidance is:

Using a unit bank account

  • Unit funds must be kept in a bank or building society account.
  • All accounts must be in the name of the unit, for example, 1st Brownsea Guide Unit.
  • Cheques and withdrawals must have two signatures from people who are not family members. It is usually more convenient to have three or more signatories, so two are always available. Some examples of who may be a signatory include the Unit Leader, a member of the Leadership Team, District Commissioner, Treasurer or parent.

Date of next Finance meeting: Tuesday 12th September 2017, 7.30 – Beaufort in Mold.

Please remind leaders to send outstanding unit bank account details to Megan Jones. – see updated list

See 2017 subs numbers doc- numbers are down for the 2nd year running –
£2,500 donation to Ty-Clwyd to provide a working balance. Proposal carried forward by Beth Taylor and seconded by Cath Moore, those present in agreement.

11. Outdoor Report (Jane)

May weekend plan is to run an outdoor cooking day on the Saturday
See flyer for Competition details
Ladies can come & learn outdoor cooking skills or come with a team and take part in the cookout.

Girlguiding Clwyd Outdoor Events
6th May 2017 County Cookout Day at Ty Clwyd (Flyer out)

Girlguiding Cymru Outdoor Events
Monday 27 March – 6.45-9pm
MTUK have been in touch with GGCymru to let us know about this exciting event in Cheshire – http://www.mountain-training.org/latest-news/women-in-mountain-training-at-the-boardroom
The Boardroom,
Rectors Lane Industrial Estate,
Rectors Ln, Pentre,
Deeside CH5 2DH

Forthcoming Events – Flyers on GG Cymru website

Traditional Camp 26th -29th May 2017 at Cae Gwenllian (x90 booked)
Sports Fun Day 7th – 9th July 2017 at Ty Clwyd
Going Away Scheme – 4th – 6th August 2017
WOW Camp 22nd – 24th June 2018
International Camp 2020

12. Ty-Clwyd (Judith) Report tabled
13. Adult support & Training (Hazel)

The Leaders in Training Day has been postponed until the Autumn when hopefully the new mentor and LQ system will be in place.

Trainings coming up are:

  • County Training Day – 25th March in Rhyl – now booked and sorted.
  • 1st Response – 6th May – Penyffordd – Places are limited and this will book up quickly. Please apply early to avoid disappointment.
  • Safe Space Trainings – Three are arranged:
    – 24th April – Wrexham
    – 11th May – Ty Clwyd
    – 7th June – Salvation Army Hall, Connahs Quay
    There won’t be any more until the Autumn so if LQ’s need this they need to attend one of these trainings.
  • Senior Section Leaders training – Evening – Thursday 11th May
    We have many leaders of other sections running Senior Section Units. Any leader going to a “new” section needs to complete Module 1 as a LiT before being registered on GO as a leader/assistant leader for that section. If registered on GO when Hazel runs a report, we can see how many LiT’s are needing to have trainings provided for specific sections.

The team are working on a questionnaire to try and see what leaders want in the way of training, and what would encourage them to attend trainings. This will be cascaded when ready. Please could Division Commissioners ask District Commissioners to discuss at District level and let Hazel know what if anything is needed?

14. G.A.P. Team (PR) – (Alice)

Website Report from Stephie:
Great that everyone liked the idea for the new website. I have been busy copying over the content from the old site to the new one this week. There are a few things that I need help with.
Images
It would be great to have a nice image of Ty Clwyd for the website – It was thought that Bethany should have some from the recent photo shoot she has done at Ty Clwyd.
Text
Most of the text on the website is pre 2009. Maybe you could find someone to have a read through the pages and see if things need updating, or changing?
On the homepage at the top there is ‘Girlguiding is …’ and it flicks through a few phrases. I came up with these myself, but if you have any ideas in mind I can change them. If you maybe wanted to hold a county competition for girls to submit their own idea of what ‘Girlguiding is ..’ that could also be possible.
At the bottom of the homepage I have a section called ‘SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT GIRLGUIDING’, these numbers I got from the 2015 uk report. I can change these to anything, if you have an idea of what could be good there. (number of clwyd members? people at the last county camp? number of volunteers? etc)
Do you want to keep the contact page with peoples’ email address? Or should I make it a contact form only? – Contact Form? – Contact email address – This was discussed and Proposed that we have a contact email address by Hazel Webb and seconded by Chris Dwerryhouse, those present in agreement.

Updates
I would love to try and find a way that we can keep the website as up to date as possible with news and events. I am not sure what the best way to do this would be though, it is just a shame that the last update (excluding county forms) was the exec minutes from 2015. Minutes from County exec meetings from 2016 have been added.
This weekend I will be making some final tweaks to the site, and then it is ready to at least move over so it is live, and then we can work further on the points above.
If you have an questions, comments etc, please let me know!

15. Dyfodol-y-Ddraig (Anna & Sian)

Junior Council (Alice & Lauren)

16. Trefoil – (Merle) – Report Tabled
17. Division Feedback – Air & Share
  1.  Berwyn (Cath)
  2.  Colwyn (Serena/Ann) LQ file for Lucy O’Hara
  3.  North Denbighshire (Lynda/Emily)
  4.  South Denbighshire (Beth)
  5.  East Flintshire (Chris)
  6.  Wrexham – (Barbara/Brenda)
  7.  West Flintshire – (Nicola)
18. A.O.B.
  • Dates of next meetings:
    • County Annual Review – Wednesday 17th May – Wrexham Memorial Hall
      – Everyone welcome to come & celebrate Achievements gained
      (During 2016) by members of Girlguiding Clwyd.
    • Saturday 6th May 2017 (At Ty-Clwyd) 10am for coffee to start at 10.30am.
      – All District and Division Commissioners are asked to attend please with members of our G-a-P/PR team
      Our Chief Commissioner Lesley Mathews is coming to talk about Growth and Retention – working together to grow Guiding in Wales.
      Caroline Harries will be coming too to run a short Commissioner Training while we are all together.
      Commissioners and PR teams from Caernarfonshire and Anglesey will also be joining us for the day.
    • County Planning – for all members of County exec, District Commissioners, County and Division Teams. To be held at Ty Clwyd on Tuesday 19th September from 7pm.
    • County Finance meeting: Tuesday 12th September 2017, 7.30 – Beaufort in Mold.
    • County Exec – Monday 23rd October at Wrexham HQ – 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
      Wednesday 16th January 2018 – Provisional date