Fair Work First Statement
Killearnan Public Hall Committee is committed to advancing the Fair Work First criteria as set out within the Scottish Government guidance document. Specifically:
We have appropriate channels for effective voice from the workforce;
We actively invest in workforce development of the team.
We are committed to no inappropriate use of zero hours contracts. Agreed hours and responsibilities contracts
We take action to tackle the gender pay gap and create a more diverse and inclusive workplace;
We are fully committed to paying the real Living Wage to both our employees and ensuring our contractors also do the same.
Consultancy Design Proposals
To view the architectural drawings as displayed at the Open Day Meeeting in March please go to the following link.
https://fraserarchitecture-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/info_fraserarchitecture_co_uk/EYN3E3_OvmRGgGv8rzJQdRUB3dzQwRqCEHdIAVChXbG-yA?e=hklGak
Tore Hall Redevelopment Plans
The Tore Hall trustees are moving to achieve the community’s desire of a hall fit for the 21st century. They appointed a design and feasibility team in October to explore options for redeveloping the hall and the team have been working on the study since then. Now that design options have been developed the trustees would like the community to give their views on the way ahead. Principal architect Robert Fraser and Community Development Consultant Duncan MacPherson will be present in the hall for a drop-in event on Wednesday 28th February from 4-7pm. All community members and other interested parties are invited to come along to see the design options and learn how they could provide the community facilities and services identified following the 2022 consultation exercise.
Request from Consultants - Desk Space Survey
As part of our tender we said that we would conduct an online survey to better understand any potential demand from within the community for desk space within an extended hall building. The survey is now accessible via this link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BM6D5GF
It is quite short and can be completed quite quickly. The information it provides will help inform the feasibility study and help you as a group to decide whether or not it is an option you may wish to pursue in a final business plan. Can you share the link through relevant channels to ensure wide access to it please? I will report on any initial findings in the draft options appraisal and feasibility report, but we can leave the survey open in order to catch later responses following a community consultation event on the different options available for development of the hall.
Regards,
Duncan
January 19th Official Press relase of Black Isle Place Plan in Tore Hall
The Black Isle Local Place Plan Team and the Place Plan Steering Group would like to invite you to a Press Launch and Public Engagement Drop-In event on Friday 19th January, 2024, 10.30am at Tore Hall, where we will be launching the final draft of the Black Isle Local Place Plan and the 28 day statutory consultation. Kate Forbes, MSP, has written the Foreword to the plan and she will be joining us to officially launch this final draft of the Plan and the final phase of engagement.
The purpose of launching the draft Plan, is to encourage all Black Isle residents to get involved with this final piece of engagement. The message we’d like to put across is 'this is your Plan. If you’ve not engaged yet, now's your chance to get involved, have your say, and stay involved. If you have already been involved, please check the draft and make sure we have reflected the views of the community correctly’.
Tea, coffee and plenty of cake will be on offer.
I also attach a first proposal of the Governance structure. This still requires some fleshing out and Rory Mair and I will be working on this further over the weekend. We have outlined this proposal to our elected Members, who are fully in favour of the governance going in this direction. I hope it is something that BICC will also find reassuring. This is not perfect yet, however, I wanted to give you sight of this before the launch.
The governance will be part of the consultation, so there will be opportunity for further discussion.
Promotional material detailing the launch event and the consultation period will follow shortly. As well as being able to view the Plan and give feedback online, hard copies of the Plan will also be available in the community libraries, the Leisure Centre and Inverness and Dingwall libraries.
Re-opening!!!
The Entertainment Licence has been re-issued and groups have already begun to use the hall. The Trustees have been awarded a grant of £24,000 from the Community Regeneration Fund for consultancy work in planning a new free-standing timber net-zero extension in the garden of the Hall. Duncan Macpherson’s Team have been been given the contract and discussions begin by Zoom on Thursday 2nd November.-
A booking form is available on the Website or contact us on : torehall22@gmail.com.
Tore Hall Update
Killearnan Public Hall Trustees Meeting
Tuesday 20th June 2023
Held in Tore Hall 7.00pm -9.15pm
Present: Andy Brown, Tracy Mcmorran, Rev Susan Cord, Anne C Mackay.
Apologies: Ben Sharp. Louise Marshall . Cllr M. McCallum.
Cllr Johnston had accepted an invitation but did not attend.
Agenda
Existing Hall.
Ist Phase
Major repairs and upgrades to the electrical, fire alarm and plumbing installations have been completed. The work was made possible by grants from The National Lottery (Awards for All); Island and Rural Communities and Ward8/9 Discretionary Budgets.
The trustees have received the certificate confirming the safety of the electrical and fire alarm systems. The Certificate of Compliance will be posted on the noticeboards outside and inside the Hall. The Insurance policy has been re-instated. The treasurer has applied for the re-instatement of the Public Entertainment Licence. The Secretary will check with the Ward Manager as no acknowledgement of the payment of the fee has been received.
2nd Phase.
Applications to the Ward Discretionary Funds have been made to enable further upgrading to the lighting and heating equipment; replacement of external doors; repairs to flooring; re-decoration.
The Clear Out is continuing.
Property belonging to the dissolved Tore Toddlers Charity has been removed. The situation regarding further items still remaining in storage is being reviewed. These items include: HC Voting Booths and PE Equipment; various old cupboards; children’s ride-on toys (under the stage), discarded stage props and ‘junk’. All junk items are to be put to refuse.
3rd Phase: Improvement of the Community Centre
Free-standing, net zero timber extension to be built in the hall garden.
The below applications have been made for funding to support the project:
1. CARES. Let’s Go Net Zero. The project has been accepted as eligible. Decision awaited.
2. CRF Revenue. Application prepared by S Glenn. Funding period October to March. Submission of interest acknowledged. Decision: September
3 CRF Capital. Submission of expression of interest acknowledged. Decision: August. Funding period from April 2024.
Consultations have taken place with Matheson, Mackenzie and Ross (Dingwall) and local contractors. Areas discussed include design and costing re the building and the net-zero installations. Further funding sources are to be explored, including SSEN Resilient Communities Fund.
General Discussion
a) Health and Safety Issues
i) PAT TESTS.Water -Legionnaires Disease; Fire extinguishers. Enquiry to Highland Council to see whether these could be part of the regular safety checks carried out in the school.
ii) Child protection. T Mcmorran is designated as the Charity’s Safety Officer. Policy to be published on the Website along with the First Aid and Accident arrangements. Acceptance of the Child protection policy will be included on the form as a requisite for hiral.
c) Booking and Janitorial Arrangements. New janitor required. Rev Cord described the methods in practice regarding opening and closing at North Kessock hall which include a coded ‘keybox.’for groups to use. The Tore Hall Website needs further development. The NK Hall new website is worth emulating in its design. Rev Cord offered to liaise with N.K. Hall Committee on these issues for advice.
d) Primary School Use of the Hall. The chairman is to discuss hiral fees and usage requirements with B Sharp (Head of Tore Primary School).
e) Hiral charges. £15 per hour for profit-making groups and larger one-off events. £10 for regular non-profit-making groups? To be discussed further.
f) Internet Banking. The Trustees will set up an internet account because fewer invoices can be settled nowadays by cheque.
g) The treasurer was reimbursed by cheque for the £177 Licence Fee which she had paid from her own account as the Highland Council no longer accepted payment by cheque.
h) Smart meter. It was agreed to apply for installation.
Community Enterprise Ltd, a community development specialist, has been appointed to work alongside the group and work is now underway.
"The new hall committee is making every effort to restore to the residents of Killearnan and the wider community their much valued public gathering place which has served so many aspects of community life for well over 80 years. Please help us in our endeavour, if you can"
The new Tore Hall Committee is conducting consultations with the community to ensure that the project meets the needs of residents and other user groups. The group are looking to capture views on the changes that will make the ‘Tore Hall’ into the best possible asset it can be for the whole community. An open online survey is available at:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ToreHallDevelopment
HELLO FROM
THE NEW TORE HALL COMMITTEE
The Hall is a Registered Charity - Number SC001459
The new committee members - Andy Brown, Tracy McMorran, Anne Mackay, Ben Sharp (Acting Primary Head), Rev Susan Cord and associate,Louise Marshall aim:-
1 to return the use of the Hall to Killearnan Residents, the Local Primary School and the wider community after a closure of more than two years.
2 to upgrade the amenity to meet the needs of a modern community.
The Hall trustees hold the charter by which the land was granted to the community of Killearnan by the Fraser-Mackenzie family in 1936. In part, the establishment of the hall was as a memorial to local lives lost in the First World War. The official opening took place in 1937 and in the early years the building was in much use as a drill hall. Over the decades, it has been used as a venue for church services, christenings, Sunday schools, parties, toddler groups, dances, concerts, protest meetings, as a polling station, as a practice room for local musicians and highland dance groups, as a place to meet for martial arts and badminton enthusiasts, the WRI, Gardening and Archaeological Societies, Art Classes, Whist Drives, Fund Raising events, Galas….
For Tore Primary School, it has provided an essential space for PE and cultural activities.
Unfortunately, an in-depth electrical inspection has shown that the Hall needs extensive re-wiring and advises that the out-dated, uneconomic heaters be replaced.
To finance the work, the committee will apply to the Scottish Government’s Investing in Communities Fund. Highland Council will support the application.
We also need the support of the local community and ask you to show this by responding to the following 2 questions, via our email:
1 Do you think the village hall is an asset to the local community?
2 What benefits does it provide for our residents and the wider community?
The email address is: torehall22@gmail.com
Killearnan owes a debt of gratitude to the retiring committee - John Dalgetty, Andrina Gammie and Isobel Maclennan - who ran the hall for over 20 years.
We hope to re-open the Hall for Groups by the Autumn of this year. Several groups who have used the hall over the years are planning to return.
If your group would like to use the Hall as a venue please contact the committee by our email. torehall22@gmail.com