We have been owners at the club for over 20 years and have seen the departure of MacDonalds, the arrival and departure of TMSL and the various iterations of the voluntary management committees.
The announcement of the projected financial deficit came as a shock to us and no doubt to most of you. We have, nevertheless, paid our management fees for 2021/22. However, the solutions, which are now written in stone by our new committee, appear to attempt only to correct previous bad management and not to look to all possible solutions.
Looking at the accounts sheets that have been provided, there are no references to Assets and Liabilities. Where is this information?
The accounts identify income from the Lodges at £1,774.373 and also income of £234,819 from the sudden one off levy has been charged.
There is the predicted loss of almost half a million pounds in unsold weeks and presumed loss of maintenance fees. However the weeks themselves do have an asset value. How many weeks is this and have the unsold weeks been competitively priced for sale. The resales income is only £24,000. Bad debts are at - £113,384.
Regarding payroll housekeeping and maintenance for 2021/22 is to be reduced by £63,000, yet housekeeping costs (other) has doubled in two years.
Entertainment costs have increased by £60k in two years.
Why in 2020/21 did the Office, Admin & Management net surplus drop to £60,054 from the previous year of £310k , only to rise again for 2021/22 by £371,848
The income and costs for Glenrannoch house are very variable, for example2019/2020 balance of £11.400, to a deficit of -£6,000 in 2020/21, to a predicted balance of only £1,200 for 2021/22.
Glenrannoch House is an amazing asset. The property was purchased at a time when the committee felt it had sufficient financial surplus to do so. It would be used to provide accommodation for out-of town workers such as cleaners and maintenance staff. We no longer have a financial surplus and as at the last AGM we voted to give priority to local unemployed workers, therefore there is no further need for the accommodation. If such a need arises due to the lack of local labour, no doubt the largely unoccupied studios and one bed units by the hotel entrance could be used.
It would also be helpful to know if any mortgage has been taken on Glenrannoch House by the committee, at or since its original purchase. As it would appear that in the absence of any debts as such, we could sell the property and balance the accounts in one fell swoop.
One final point. Ever since the return of Nick Pattie to the Loch Rannoch Hotel, it has been taken as read among local residents that his consortium would eventually take the contract to manage the club. I have no bias about the idea, but if the current committee is viewing this as a viable option, I think we should be told and should be presented with his terms.
Does any committee member or club member have an explanation for any of the above points, and/or alternative suggestions?
Addressing the deficit with clarity and transparency
We too have been members when the timeshare was run by Barratts. The accounts/budget sheet is so confusing, we can see no reference to an opening and closing balance, no reference to the sinking fund. Is the budget sheet showing that we were in debt for the last two years? If so where did the loan come from? A need for an accounts sheet not a budget sheet is required here.
Forgive me for not being an accountant and having the ability to look at the budget sheet and work out what the opening and closing balance is but surely this should be made simple for people to see.
If someone can enlighten us on the opening and closing balance and show us where the sinking fund is please do.
It looks to us that we will be paying our maintenance fees and the one off levy (??) only to be in the same situation again next year, which makes it a very difficult decision to pay our fees. Clarity and transparency are required here to give people confidence in paying their fees.
Forgive me for not being an accountant and having the ability to look at the budget sheet and work out what the opening and closing balance is but surely this should be made simple for people to see.
If someone can enlighten us on the opening and closing balance and show us where the sinking fund is please do.
It looks to us that we will be paying our maintenance fees and the one off levy (??) only to be in the same situation again next year, which makes it a very difficult decision to pay our fees. Clarity and transparency are required here to give people confidence in paying their fees.