The Gershom Parkington Memorial Trust was set up by St Edmundsbury Borough Council in 1983 to support the Council’s clock collection, the bulk of which is the Gershom Parkington clock collection. It is a separate charity to the main Gershom Parkington bequest, also managed by the Council. The Borough Council made an initial donation of £500. This sum was supplemented with other small donations in the following years.
The objects of the Memorial Trust are to advance the education of the public in understanding the development of horology and to encourage a practical interest in scientific matters particularly amongst students and school children. To achieve that, its rules allowed it to spend its funds on a range of activities relating to acquiring, maintaining, displaying and interpreting clocks and watches. Trustees were drawn from the local council, local community and also horological organisations.
The charity was dormant for over 20 years, with accrued funds of around £11,500 by 2015. At that time, it was re-activated to consider two specific funding requests, each of £5,000. One from the Bury St Edmunds Heritage Trust relating to the display of clocks loaned from the Council collection in the refurbished Guildhall. The other was for a new ICT display system for interpreting the clock collection at Moyse’s Hall. Both requests were approved, leaving a balance of funds of just under £2,000 by summer 2019.
Given the small amount of funding remaining, and there being no plans for more fund-raising, the trustees met earlier in the summer to discuss their future options. It was agreed that the charity had served its purpose, and could close. In keeping with Charity Commission guidance, it was also agreed to pass the remaining funds to another local charity, the Friends of Moyse’s Hall (on the basis that the clock collection is now on display at the museum). The Friends would be asked to ring-fence the money to supporting the clock collection and ensure that the funds were spent as soon as possible. In making their decision, the trustees also wanted to highlight the continuing legacy of Frederic Gershom Parkington and have asked that the transfer of funds is publicised.
It is a grey area as to whether the Trust needs the consent of any third party to close itself down. However, its original deed does say that, should the charity ‘fail’ for any reason, then the Council may, by resolution, terminate it and redistribute its funds to a similar charitable purpose within the local area. In this context, it would seem that the safest procedure would be for the Council to agree to implement the trustees’ decision above.
Accordingly, it is RECOMMENDED that the resolution of the Gershom Parkington Memorial Trust at its meeting on 31 July 2019 be endorsed and, in accordance with that resolution, the Charity be terminated and its remaining funds be redistributed by the Council to the Friends of Moyse’s Hall on condition they are spent in a timely manner, consistent with the charitable objects of the Memorial Trust.
Minutes:
(Councillor Diane Hind declared a non pecuniary interest in this item as she was the Council’s nominated representative in an observer capacity on the Gershom Parkington Memorial Trust, and was also treasurer of the Friends of Moyse’s Hall museum. She remained in the meeting for the consideration of the item.)
Council considered a narrative item, which sought approval for the termination of the Gershom Parkington Memorial Trust.
The Gershom Parkington Memorial Trust was set up by St Edmundsbury Borough Council in 1983 to support the Council’s clock collection, the bulk of which was the Gershom Parkington clock collection. It was a separate charity to the main Gershom Parkington bequest, also managed by the Council. The Borough Council made an initial donation of £500. This sum was supplemented with other small donations in the following years.
Councillor Joanna Rayner, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Community Hubs, drew relevant issues to the attention of Council, including providing background, purpose and remit of the Memorial Trust.
Members noted that the charity had been dormant for over 20 years, with accrued funds of around £11,500 by 2015. At that time, it was re-activated to consider two specific funding requests, each of £5,000, as summarised in the narrative item. Both requests were approved, leaving a balance of funds of just under £2,000 by summer 2019.
Given the small amount of funding remaining, and there being no plans for more fund-raising, the trustees met earlier in the summer to discuss their future options. It was agreed that the charity had served its purpose, and could close. In keeping with Charity Commission guidance, it was also agreed to pass the remaining funds to another local charity, the Friends of Moyse’s Hall (on the basis that the clock collection was now on display at the museum). The Friends would be asked to ring-fence the money to supporting the clock collection and ensure that the funds were spent as soon as possible. In making their decision, the trustees also wanted to highlight the continuing legacy of Frederic Gershom Parkington and had asked that the transfer of funds be publicised.
Council supported the proposed approach.
On the motion of Councillor Rayner, seconded by Councillor David Nettleton, it was put to the vote and with the vote being unanimous, it was
RESOLVED:
That the resolution of the Gershom Parkington Memorial Trust at its meeting on 31 July 2019 be endorsed and, in accordance with that resolution, the Charity be terminated and its remaining funds be redistributed by the Council to the Friends of Moyse’s Hall on condition they are spent in a timely manner, consistent with the charitable objects of the Memorial Trust.