Forres Businesses Association's future to be decided at AGM

AN organisation which was set up to support businesses in the town but has been dormant for two years is seeking opinion on whether it should be restarted.

The Forres Businesses Association (FBA) was suspended in 2018, however its custodians have called an extraordinary general meeting to see whether it could be reactivated or, if not, be formally wound up.

The group was left in the care of local business women Joanna Taylor, Jane Duncan Rogers and Claire Doughty - having become signatories of the FBA’s bank accounts, they have written to the former members to invite them to a meeting to gage opinion.

Joanna Taylor, who runs Rafford Consulting and is a director of Forres Events explained: “It's taken time for us to get access to the bank accounts but this is nearly completed and we expect to be in a position to prepare a financial statement for the end of the year.

“We have also reviewed the basis on which the FBA is organised and constituted, and consider that its current constitution is not suitable to take the FBA forward should the members decide to reactivate it. At the EGM, members will be asked to adopt a new legal structure for the FBA, reactive or wind it up and distribute the funds to an appropriate body.

“Should the members vote for winding up, there will be an approximately £8000 available to an organisation or organisations with broadly similar objectives, as set out in the constitution.”

Claire Doughty who runs her own publicity company and represents several businesses in the town added: “I would really like to see the FBA survive, but having looked at the way it was set up, it needs to be reorganised and its our opinion that it need to be incorporated.

“Having it set up in this way would mean it was run more professionally but also opens up possibilities to seek funding for specific projects in the town.”

She added: “To make it a success we would also need more people willing to act as officers. Joanna and I are willing to become directors, whilst Jane wants to stand down, however, it will only work if more people come on board.

“The Forres area has a thriving business community, and it is my personal opinion as a business woman that it does need an organisation that could represent the businesses and help drive campaigns and events which will only benefit the town. At the moment there is no official group acting solely on behalf of the Forres businesses.”

Anyone with a Forres-based business or a business operating in the area, whether they were a member of the FBA or not, will be invited to the first part of the meeting to assess the appetite for a continued association and who is willing to get involved. This will be followed by a vote.

“There have been a lot of new businesses set up in Forres which is great to see,” explained Claire, “but unfortunately as per the FBA constitution we can only allow former members to actually vote on its future, however, we are still very keen to hear from anyone who was not previously involved as we feel it is only right to include as many of the business owners as possible.”

The Extraordinary General Meeting will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, January 27 at 7pm. To attend email Claire at claire@clairedoughtypublicity.uk before January 20 and you will be sent a link.