This report sets out proposals for amendments to the Mapledurham Playing Fields Management Committee powers, duties and composition.

The Sub-Committee considered a report setting out proposals for amendments to the Mapledurham Playing Fields Management Committee powers and duties and composition.  The following documents were attached to the report:

·         Appendix 1 – Proposed new Paragraph 5 for the Charity Commission Scheme on the Committee of Management

·         Appendix 2 – Proposed new Mapledurham Playing Fields Management Committee Terms of Reference

·         Appendix 3 - Current Mapledurham Playing Fields Management Committee Terms of Reference

·         Appendix 4 - Current Paragraph 5 for the Charity Commission Scheme on the Committee of Management

·         Appendix 5 - The original Charity Scheme

The report set out the current power and duties of the Mapledurham Playing Fields Management Committee and the membership as prescribed in the Terms of Reference.   It noted that some of the current powers and duties of the Management Committee were inconsistent with the powers and duties of the Council and how the site was managed day to day.  It was proposed that the powers and duties be amended to remove the determination of charges to be applied to hire of the pavilion, and that the Management Committee’s remit be amended accordingly to advise the Council generally on changes to fees and charges by way of its minutes to the Trustee Sub-Committee.  Fees and charges were set annually by Council and it was not permitted to delegate a Council function to a Management Committee; the Council was only lawfully permitted to delegate its functions to a Committee of the Council, an officer of the Council, another local authority, or a joint committee with another local authority.  The report also proposed to amend the current powers and duties to remove references to the employment of staff.  The Management Committee did not employ staff and all human resources for the upkeep of the Ground were provided via the Council or contracts let by the Council.

The report proposed that the membership of the Management Committee be amended to remove the three individuals appointed by the Council.  One of these was required to be a Councillor from the local Ward (Caversham Heights), and currently the other two appointments were also Ward Councillors from Caversham Heights.  The terms of reference and paragraph 5 of the Charity Scheme would be amended accordingly, and the membership reduced to six.  Consultation with current councillors suggested that an obligation to have three councillors and for the Management Committee only to be quorate with them, was excessive and that Councillors could attend the Management Committee if they felt it was helpful to them in a ward capacity.  The report also noted that the Management Committee had historically been dependent on council officers for the production of agendas and minutes, items of business and general organisation.  It was proposed to withdraw the staffing resources devoted to the Management Committee which were considered inappropriate in comparison to the support provided to any other community organisation and an inefficient use of resources.

Elisa Miles, Chair of the MPF Management Committee, attended the meeting and addressed the Sub-Committee at the invitation of the Chair.  She outlined some alternative suggestions to increase the effectiveness of the Management Committee and explained the anticipated benefits of these.

Resolved -

That the proposed new Paragraph 5 for the Charity Commission Scheme on the Committee of Management (Appendix 1) and proposed new Mapledurham Management Committee Terms of Reference (Appendix 2) be approved.