5 March 2003

Purposes

       The primary purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding is to set out an agreed arrangement between the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground Trust and Verwood Town Council for the day-to-day management and maintenance of the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground.  Such an agreed arrangement does not call into question the continuing legal responsibility of the Trust to hold the land for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Parish of Verwood.  The duties of trustees are prescribed by law and trustees are individually and jointly responsible for the protection, management and supervision of the land. The Memorial Recreation Ground is a memorial to the officers and men belonging to or connected with the Parish who fell in the Great War for use as a Public Recreation Ground.

       The Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground Trust does not enjoy an income and has no present source of funding.  A secondary purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding, therefore, is to establish the agreed principle that Verwood Town Council underwrites maintenance and other costs associated with running the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground as has been the custom previously.

 

Day-to-Day Maintenance.

       It is agreed that the Verwood Town Council, through its Recreation Ground and Open Spaces Committee, shall, on a day-to-day basis, maintain the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground in good order, funded from the Verwood Recreation Ground and Play Area budgets of the Town Council.

       It is agreed that should the Trust have any comments or suggestions about the way the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground is being maintained, then, in the first instance, they will be brought to the notice of the Chairman, Recreation Ground and Open Spaces Committee.

       In order to satisfy Charity Commission requirements, minutes of the Recreation Ground and Open Spaces Committee, in which any aspect of the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground is mentioned, must be copied to the Secretary of the Trust for record.

 

Children’s Playground

       It is agreed that the Verwood Town Council, through its Recreation Ground and Open Spaces Committee may, free of any charges levied by the Trust, run and maintain a children’s playground on the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground.  It is also agreed that the Verwood Town Council should be responsible for keeping the area, with its equipment, in good order, satisfying Health and Safety requirements. The provision of Public Liability Insurance for the whole of the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground is the responsibility of the Trust.  However, the Verwood Town Council will provide specific Public Liability Insurance cover for the use of equipment in the children’s playground.

       Any proposals by the Verwood Town Council to either upgrade or expand or alter the function of the children’s play area must first be put to the Trustees for their consideration.

 

Applications by Other Bodies

       It is agreed that all applications by other bodies to use the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground for any function should be passed through the Town Council, with its recommendations, to the Trust for its consideration.

 

Ancillary Matters

       It is agreed:

1.                                       The Verwood Town Council will maintain a link on its web site for the use of the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground Trust to enable publication of agendas, minutes and other information.

2.               The official address of the Trust is c/o Verwood Town Council Offices and the Town Clerk will forward letters, E mails, questions from the public on Trust matters and telephone calls to officers of the Trust for their attention and action.

3.               Trust officers may use Town Council office machinery and stationery on Trust business.

4.               The Verwood Town Council will provide an Email address for the Trust.

5.               Meetings of the Trustees will be held in the Town Council Offices between or after published Town Council and Committee meetings.

6.               At their meetings, the Trustees will adopt Town Council procedures for the evacuation of trustees and members of the public in the event of an emergency.

7.               Minutes of Trust Meetings and other Trust papers will be held in Trust files, maintained by the Trust Secretary, at the Town Council Offices.  The files are available for inspection by Trustees only.  As necessary, the Town Clerk also has access.

8.               The Town Clerk may make available to members of the public copies of any agenda or minutes of a meeting that has been approved by the Trust.

9.               The Chairman, Recreation Ground and Open Spaces Committee will provide by the April of each year a report on the maintenance of the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground for inclusion in the annual report to be made by the Trust to the Charity Commission.

10.         Should the Trust benefit by any one-off payment through the sale of land, favourable consideration will be given to defraying some of the costs of maintaining the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground and upgrading facilities, including the children’s playground.

11.         The Trust will deal directly with any matters of common interest raised by the Verwood Memorial Hall Trust.  The Trust may only act for its best interest and is legally required to do this.

 

Amendments

       Amendments to this Memorandum of Understanding may be proposed at any time by either the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground Trust or the Verwood Town Council.

 

Signed on behalf of the Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground Trust and the Verwood Town Council.

 

 

 

       Chairman                                   Mayor