Phennick Cove Developments, the company that managed Ardglass marina has been removed as a company and set up as a charity by the Charities Commission of Northern Ireland (CCNI)
The two and a half year deliberation by CCNI hung on the point as to whether the organisation was a charity or a business. It has been decided by the CCNI that according to the original aims and objections of the Ardglass marina project that it should now operate as a charity with trustees. The previous directors are now trustees.
Ardglass marina was set up in 1997 through the Ardglass and District Development Association with £1.4 million funding from the International Fund for Ireland and EU funding after several years and planning and design work involving Kirk Morton and McClure civil engineers. The 56-berth marina has been a popular stopping off point for boaters as it is the only deep water non-tidal berthing port between Howth and Belfast.
The Ardglass and District Development, which abbreviated its name to Ardglass Development Association (ADA) in 1999, has maintained a constant claim over the title and assets of the marina which has since 1997 operated as an independent community interest company.
In its latest accounts, the marina is showing over £190,000 in its bank account, but Down News understands that a substantial sum is required to be held in hand as operational reserves to cover matters such as dredging, pontoon repair and maintenance etc. However, a small section of these funds may be available to disburse into the Ardglass community and already ADA has laid claim to a slice of these profits.
However, therein lies the problem!
Several of the main groups in Ardglass who are registered charities have not held proper AGM’s for a number of years and are questionably illegitimate in respect to the governance which the CCNI regulates.
For example, ADA appears not to have had an AGM in a number of years. The last effort to call one was at 11am on 28th December 2014 and a committee member was seen leaving the premises in Bath Street in Ardglass 20 minutes before it was to take place along with Councillor Cadogan Enright. A notice was left on the door saying that the AGM was cancelled and another would take place in due course. Whatever the reasons, the people of Ardglass are still waiting.
I have written extensively on the development process in Ardglass and have always preached adherence to good governance and good community development principles which are sadly lacking in a number of groups in the village making a cohesive strategic community approach difficult to achieve.
Down News will post up reaction to the CCNI decision at a later date.
Related links:
* CCNI – https://www.charitycommissionni.org.uk/
* http://www.downnews.co.uk/time-once-again-for-ardglass-development-association-to-hold-an-agm/
