Minutes:
Submitted – a report by the Secretary in relation to the above.
The Secretary reported that at the meeting of the full Charitable Trust held on 29 May, 2012 there had been a discussion on the appropriateness of establishing a different administrative arrangement for the Trust that would be independent of the Council’s administrative arrangements. A general discussion was had on some options for externalising the administration or establishing a specific administrative system for the Trust. Reference was made to setting aside a sum of £20,000 to undertake a feasibility study into the proposal but no formal resolution was taken to that effect. A Panel was identified to give further consideration to the matter with the intention that it
reported back to the Trust in time. The Panel has not met to date, but in the meantime a number of meetings have been held between Officers, and between Officers and the Chair of the Trust.
Currently questions have arisen regarding the relationship between the Council and the Trust which go beyond the discussions regarding separating the administration of the Trust from that of the Council. Initially, the Officers’ viewpoint was that they did not have, in their opinion, the specialism or the capacity to provide comprehensive and effective support to the Trust. By now,
other considerations were coming to the fore in respect of ensuring that the Trust’s constitution, as a charitable entity with the objectives of providing general public benefits for the residents of Anglesey, beyond the areas of responsibility exercised by the County Council, continued to be fit for purpose.
The Chair and the Officers are of the opinion that the Trust should seek specialist advice and guidance for the members to enable them to resolve on the fitness for purpose of the current constitution, the appropriateness for establishing clear barriers between the Council and the Trust, and the way to deal with the Trust’s assets and the methods adopted to promote community
benefits through awarding grants etc.
The Secretary further reported that declarations of interest in procuring the Rhosgoch site, which is in the ownership of the Trust, have been made by external businesses. The Trust has already approved procuring specialist advice, as required under the regulations of the Charities Commission, to assist in the process of selling the site, following the guidance given by its own Officers that they did not have the skills and specialist knowledge to advice and support the process.
Members agreed that the business of the Charitable Trust and the County Council needs to be separate. Following further deliberations it was RESOLVED :-
· That specialist advice should be procured to consider the fitness for purpose of the Trust’s current constitution and administrative arrangements in the context of the recent changes to the Council’s own political structure and the new opportunities emerging for community benefits on Anglesey;
· To reaffirm the need to procure the services of a Qualified Surveyor to facilitate the process of selling the Rhosgoch site;
· To authorise the Trust’s Treasurer, to procure the specialist advice required, adhering to the Council’s procurement arrangements, as a comprehensive package and to release the sum of £20,000 for the work in respect of the review of the constitution and administration;
· To note that the administration of the Charitable Trust and the land at Rhosgoch shall be dealt with separately.