The meeting opened at 18:30 with the Chairman's address and then apologies of absence from the leader and deputy leader of TDC who had prior engagements. All the Trustees were introduced to the audience of about 30 people including many local councillors. Cllrs Bill Hayton and Cllr John Kirby were present but in their capacity as trustees and spoke on behalf of the trust.
The first question from the floor was from James Brazier of the Margate Civic Society regarding the accounts. From the answer it appears the format of the accounts were as received from the accountant and they were in two different formats one for 2005 and the other 2006 & 2007. The legacy was revealed as coming from a Robert Butler and not the person many people thought. As the legacy was over the charity commission threshold of £250,000 and a down payment was received, it was reported to the Charity Commission as it was going to be paid in two installments , the accountants were happy to accept this. It appears that the Charity Commission will require more details on the 2006 accounts and the legacy means a full audit for 2006. The reply as to why the accounts were late was that the trust had administration problems with the director and administrator leaving in July 2005, a secretary resigning due to ill health, and shortage of Trustees brought about by the suspension of recruiting because the claim against the trust by the owner of the "Cervia". This was reported to the Charity Commission and only special meetings were permitted. It was reported that the Cervia dispute will go to mediation on December 3rd if mediation fails the dispute will go to arbitration.
Cllr Iris Johnston raised concerns that the Trust still received public money and the Council and council tax payers expected to see accounts. Iris also questioned the staffing costs of £65,000 when the new director,consultant took over. Cllr John Watkins also raised that most of the staff except the consultant director were on the national minimum wage and requested more of a breakdown . More questions on the legacy was raised by James Brazier.
The trust said more meetings will be called as the Trust cannot enact the dissolution of the trust because of the legal dispute over the Cervia and the trust will continue to call more special meetings. also the detailed version of the 2006 accounts will be sent out around three weeks time.
It was reported that the EKMT was still in talks with TDC through a TDC part time consultant regarding the collection
All the staff were paid the full redundancy entitlements and enhancements.
The accounts were passed by the trustees and signed by the Chairman.
More questions were raised why the museum joint committee was disbanded and why TDC never had a representative on the trust while paying so much grant money. Cllr David Green raised the question why was the Trust was closing down activities with so much money in the bank. The reply was that the lease on the clock house had expired and the EKMT were told by TDC to vacate the Margate Museum by early November even though they still had seven years on the lease at Margate.
The question of the artifacts was raised by myself and Malcolm Kilcaldie. The reply was that the Margate artifacts acquired by the trust after 1994 were subject to on going negotiations. The Ramsgate collection is a national collection and can only be passed onto another registered Museum. There have been enquires from other Museums, but English Heritage is involved and the collection is subject to law.
There were more questions from Cllrs David Green, Cllr Iris Johnston and Cllr Peter Campbell regarding the reconfiguration of the collection and TDC has £25,000 in the buget to look after the collection. There were further points raised about mobilsing public opinion as the TDC decision is a political decision by the TDC ruling group. Cllr David Green also stated that the EKMT could have approached the Ramsgate Charter Trustees.
Ralph Hoult and Cllr Iris Johnston both spoke passionately about the loss of tourism and the threat to our Heritage and the lack of fight by TDC . Cllr David Green and Cllr Peter Campbell spoke that it was still possible to motivate public opinion as the closures were a political decision by the TDC ruling group.
There were other contributions by Tom Brown and other speakers who I do not know defending Maritime heritage. Cllrs Harry Scobie ,Cllr Elizabeth Green, Cllr Alan Poole were also present.
It was reported that the Margate Charter Trustees will be discussing the Margate Museum on Monday 24th November 2008.
The meeting closed at 20:30 .
I have reported the events as relevant as possible and any comments by individuals of the trust as speaking on behalf of the trust.
The first question from the floor was from James Brazier of the Margate Civic Society regarding the accounts. From the answer it appears the format of the accounts were as received from the accountant and they were in two different formats one for 2005 and the other 2006 & 2007. The legacy was revealed as coming from a Robert Butler and not the person many people thought. As the legacy was over the charity commission threshold of £250,000 and a down payment was received, it was reported to the Charity Commission as it was going to be paid in two installments , the accountants were happy to accept this. It appears that the Charity Commission will require more details on the 2006 accounts and the legacy means a full audit for 2006. The reply as to why the accounts were late was that the trust had administration problems with the director and administrator leaving in July 2005, a secretary resigning due to ill health, and shortage of Trustees brought about by the suspension of recruiting because the claim against the trust by the owner of the "Cervia". This was reported to the Charity Commission and only special meetings were permitted. It was reported that the Cervia dispute will go to mediation on December 3rd if mediation fails the dispute will go to arbitration.
Cllr Iris Johnston raised concerns that the Trust still received public money and the Council and council tax payers expected to see accounts. Iris also questioned the staffing costs of £65,000 when the new director,consultant took over. Cllr John Watkins also raised that most of the staff except the consultant director were on the national minimum wage and requested more of a breakdown . More questions on the legacy was raised by James Brazier.
The trust said more meetings will be called as the Trust cannot enact the dissolution of the trust because of the legal dispute over the Cervia and the trust will continue to call more special meetings. also the detailed version of the 2006 accounts will be sent out around three weeks time.
It was reported that the EKMT was still in talks with TDC through a TDC part time consultant regarding the collection
All the staff were paid the full redundancy entitlements and enhancements.
The accounts were passed by the trustees and signed by the Chairman.
More questions were raised why the museum joint committee was disbanded and why TDC never had a representative on the trust while paying so much grant money. Cllr David Green raised the question why was the Trust was closing down activities with so much money in the bank. The reply was that the lease on the clock house had expired and the EKMT were told by TDC to vacate the Margate Museum by early November even though they still had seven years on the lease at Margate.
The question of the artifacts was raised by myself and Malcolm Kilcaldie. The reply was that the Margate artifacts acquired by the trust after 1994 were subject to on going negotiations. The Ramsgate collection is a national collection and can only be passed onto another registered Museum. There have been enquires from other Museums, but English Heritage is involved and the collection is subject to law.
There were more questions from Cllrs David Green, Cllr Iris Johnston and Cllr Peter Campbell regarding the reconfiguration of the collection and TDC has £25,000 in the buget to look after the collection. There were further points raised about mobilsing public opinion as the TDC decision is a political decision by the TDC ruling group. Cllr David Green also stated that the EKMT could have approached the Ramsgate Charter Trustees.
Ralph Hoult and Cllr Iris Johnston both spoke passionately about the loss of tourism and the threat to our Heritage and the lack of fight by TDC . Cllr David Green and Cllr Peter Campbell spoke that it was still possible to motivate public opinion as the closures were a political decision by the TDC ruling group.
There were other contributions by Tom Brown and other speakers who I do not know defending Maritime heritage. Cllrs Harry Scobie ,Cllr Elizabeth Green, Cllr Alan Poole were also present.
It was reported that the Margate Charter Trustees will be discussing the Margate Museum on Monday 24th November 2008.
The meeting closed at 20:30 .
I have reported the events as relevant as possible and any comments by individuals of the trust as speaking on behalf of the trust.
8 comments:
How nice of Cllr's to talk about the loss of tourism - who removed the grant to the Ramsgate Motor Museum the family travelled from Shotgate, Essex every weekend to try to keep it open only to be slapped in the face and the Model Village - kettle... copper....pot.... say no more..
As a matter of record the Director and Administrator resigned in the summer of 2004 and the accounts for their last period in office were adopted by the Trust and are freely available on the Charity Commission website. The Hon.Secretary who retired due to health problems was just that - an honorary secretary who had no executive function in the administration of the Trust.
There is no reason why the 2005 and 2006 accounts should not have been available some time ago - the Charity Commission advice is quite specific - unless there is a specific clause in the constitution there is no requirementfor an AGM to adopt accounts before they are lodged with the Commission or published in draft form.
Short memories or just inaccurate ones?
Annon 01:18, thank you for that information. I have reported only what we were told and nobody present could really dispute what they said as we do not have that back ground knowledge.
Once again thanks for that information
My view of the meeting.
There is no doubt about it, the EKMT have really made a mess of things. There is absolutalety no evidence of anything missing from the accounts but the situation comes across messy and open to all sorts of interpretation. When it became clear the management system was under pressure the EKMT could have been more open, called special meetings earlier and involved the community at large as the current situation shows the support is there. I know the Cervia situation was not helping but they could have been more proactive.
David Green made a valid point that the EKMT could have approached the Charter Trustees , they certainly would have given support.
In the true style of the established order in Thanet, they kept to the macho style of sorting it out behind closed doors. Perhaps things could have been more open if there had been more diversity on the trust and it wasn’t completely male dominated.
Personally, I think the EKMT should not disband but should exist in a different format. Something like a civic society perhaps, the management of the EKMT may have gone off the rails due to a few own goals.
But there is no doubt the expertise and the maritime network they have built up is still intact and it is this reason why the Maritime Museum has became a centre of excellence.
More questions were raised why the museum joint committee was disbanded and why TDC never had a representative on the trust while paying so much grant money. Cllr David Green raised the question why was the Trust was closing down activities with so much money in the bank. The reply was that the lease on the clock house had expired and the EKMT where told by TDC to vacate the Margate Museum by early November even though they still had seven years on the lease.
Tony having read the above several times I still can’t understand it, does the lease expire this month or in seven years?
The chairman Dennis Payne told those present the EKMT still had a seven year lease on the Margate Museum.But TDC wanted the EKMT out of the Margate Museum in the first week of November.
The meeting was told the Ramsgate clock house leased had expired.
I am confused Tony. If the lease has 7 years to run then how can TDC insist on closing the Museum in Margate? If EKMT has put itself into closedown mode has it thus surrendered the lease?
The EKMT without the grant could not continue to keep the Margate Museum open from their own resources. They were contracted to manage the museum with a TDC grant. They kept the museum open with thier own resources thinking TDC may change direction. But this prooved not to be the case.
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