As a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee, Holmcroft Youth & Community Centre is required by law to have a Management Committee (also known as trustees) or board of directors. The Management Committee is responsible for: the oversight and ratification of major management actions, although the determination of necessary actions rests initially with the Centre Manager; the scrutiny of finances and accounts; the appointment of Centre staff, including the fixing of hours, wages and holiday entitlement; and the ultimate responsibility for the success (or otherwise) of the organisation.
As of January 2015, there are 13 trustees, five of whom are ‘officers’ (Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, plus a Vice Chair and Vice Treasurer) and all of whom are entitled to vote on any decisions. These are joined at meetings by non-voting members: four staff; a consultant; and any guests or other representatives relevant to the matters to be discussed. The Management Committee meets on the last Monday of every month except August and December, with the Annual General Meeting held in June. Minutes of meetings and monthly reports from the Manager and Nursery Manager are available to the public on request. The A.G.M. is also a public meeting, and is advertised around the village.
Ownership
The building in which Holmcroft Youth & Community Centre and its affiliates operate is nominally owned by Durham County Council, and HYCC holds a 30-year lease from them. However, Community Asset Transfer was completed on November 12th 2014 and means that, in reality, ownership and responsibility for the building (including all interior and exterior fabric) now rests wholly with HYCC. This includes all building responsibilities (including walls and roof), all utility costs, decoration, refurbishment and fittings.
Staffing
As at January 2015, the Centre has 10 members of staff: the Centre Manager, Facilities Co-ordinator and Facilities Operative (employed directly by HYCC); and Nursery Manager, Deputy Manager and five Nursery Assistants (employed by HYCC Nursery). In addition, there are 10 regular volunteers and a varying number of occasional volunteers who help to keep the Centre and its activities running smoothly. It is essential to point out that all staff salaries are paid solely from income generated by the Centre and Nursery themselves.
Funding
HYCC generates the vast majority of its income in three ways: room hire fees, income from services (such as photocopying) and fundraising bids. Only 8% of the Centre’s annual income comes from local government funding (the Nursery has a separate arrangement), and this is a restricted grant specifically for the provision of resources and facilities to the Council’s Adult Learning and Skills Service. The other 92% — to pay for everything from salaries right down to toilet paper — has to be obtained from other sources.