Comrie Development Trust — Board Meeting

1. Agenda

1. Welcome & declarations of interest
2. Approval of Feb 2026 minutes
3. Matters arising
4. Review of Action Log
5. Finance
6. Funding applications update
7. H&S — DTAS Facilities Health Check (AC/FB)
8. Website proposal (BN)
9. AGM date & format
10. Updates: Estates, Heritage, Environmental, Comms, Staff, Governance, Housing
11. AoCB
12. Next meeting

2. Previous Minutes — 19 Feb 2026

Chaired by FB. 7 trustees, 2 staff, 2 guests.

• Year-end balance ~£3k. Break-even gap £1.8k/mo (= 3 large huts or 40% of vacant stock).
• £35k in aged receivables. Motorhome income Aug–Oct: £5k.
• Changing Places Toilet: £110k secured, install end April.
• SCP decision imminent. DTAS Resilience bid (£100k) in prep.
• Solar farm moved behind Entier. DNO connection backlog.
• Jailblock roof near done → frees Hut 32 for letting. ~4,200 visitors in 2025.
• New staff: BN (Feb), CK (1 Mar). SA → 1 day/week. JM with Unc 30hr/week.
• Loans: Triodos £22k (Mar 2027), EST £58k (expected write-off), £101k (2035, £2k/mo).

3–4. Action Log

20 ongoing — all due 17 Mar (Armed Forces Day: 31 Mar).

5. Finance

Feb figures. OM to present current reports. Triodos overdraft uplifted to £40k for 30 days (museum roof bridging).

6. Funding

55 grants tracked across 20 funders. £4,100,858 total awarded.

7. Health & Safety — DTAS Facilities Health Check

Andrew Aldous (DTAS) visited 10 March 2026. Overall assessment: “Large, complex site but well run with lots of compliance issues already being addressed.”

Red — Action within 1 week

• Fire Risk Assessment: 4 years old, not reviewed. Review required.
• Evacuation plan: None exists. Create and display across site incl. full-site evac.
• Fire equipment: Not checked for some time. Test and service ASAP.
• Fire alarm/drill schedule: None. Create schedule, test and service all alarms.
• COSHH: No secure storage for hazardous chemicals. Create lockable storage.
• Safety signage: Lacking. Add exit signs, fire muster point signs across site.

Amber — Action within 4 weeks

• Second first aid kit needed in maintenance shed.
• Limited first aid cover — arrange training for staff/volunteers.
• Add legionella management to site risk assessment.
• Review all existing risk assessments.
• No repair/maintenance recording process — create one.
• No service schedule — AA to share FM Planner.

Green — Recommended, not essential

• QR-code accident reporting (replace paper accident book).
• Out-of-hours emergency call service.
• Develop a site manual.

Existing compliance: asbestos register up to date, legionella management in place, PAT done, EICR in progress, PPE provided, public/employers' liability insured. Cannot afford to insure all buildings.

8. Website Proposal

BN presenting consolidation of four sites into one team-editable website. Two supplier responses received: Ian Potter (Lightpress Design) and Culture Suite. Quotes in the £9k–£13k range. Current supplier: Lynx/Graham. Lindsay Brown is current editor.

9. AGM

Agree date and format. CDT's 20th anniversary approaching.

10. Updates

Estates

• Hut 29 (Vino Fandango): payment plan agreed by FB/KN.
• Hut 77N: contents to Hut 22. MK pushing.
• Hut 83 (Ian Reed): softer lease letter sent, 14-day deadline.
• Hut 91: door lock repaired (weather/swelling). Nothing stolen.
• Solar: JGM scopes to 4 contractors. Locogen providing BESS recommendation.
• Brandon Butterworth (Bogons): invoices settled. Meeting 16 Mar re joint working.
• Wild Hearth: paid rent, vacated 76S. Ken Fraser enquiry re storage hut.
• Tenants meeting 10 Mar — some not receiving emails. Switching to Mailchimp.

Heritage

• Museum roof (Hut 64): Sika roof passed. Scaffolding must come down before opening.
• Frances Trees resigned from Heritage Group.
• Doors Open Day 2026: CDT needs to register.
• Armed Forces Day (June): Men's Shed proposal due 31 Mar.
• Balfour Beatty: 50 volunteers × 2 days in May.

Environmental

Written update from Andrea Loudon (apologies sent)

• Carbon credits: progressing with Soil Association. Chris Palmer has SF approval evidence.
• Forestry Grant final payment £3,819 received. 20-year maintenance from Mar 2020.
• Allotments: plots available, fence needs replacing (BB volunteer day?).
• Invergeldie: 2,500-acre restoration approved (~1.5M trees, £3.3M grant, 350k tonnes carbon).
• CMRI/126 Phase 1 construction-ready (~£421k). Seeks board approval to partner with Crieff CT.
• Cycle path: PKC issued farmer barrier notice. FB to arrange community walk.

Comms / Staff / Governance

• Website: 2 supplier quotes (£9k–£13k). BN presenting.
• Email: role-type + individual email trial underway.
• Staff: BN, CK started. Youth Worker (Caroline Murphy) via LOGOS.
• Governance: AC auditing policies. Working group autonomy decision needed.
• Housing: planning application for 3 houses submitted. Next meeting 7 Apr.
• Triodos Heritage Group sub-account: 6+ months unresolved.

Board Papers

• Minutes 2026.02.19.docx — Feb meeting minutes
• Confidential Minutes 2026.02.19.docx
• CDT_Board Action Log_2026.xlsx — 20 ongoing items
• SCP Application Form 2026-29.docx — £50k/yr × 3yrs
• Environmental update 19 Mar 2026.docx — Andrea Loudon
• CDT_CMRI 126 Board briefing.docx — Active Travel Route
• OC and Invergeldie update.docx
• Facilities Management Health Check — DTAS (Andrew Aldous, 10 Mar 2026)