# Management board minutes, 2026 (extracts)

*Northgate Facilities Ltd, invented. Present at each meeting: Helen Marsh (MD), Graham Pell (Chair), Tom Ashby (Operations Director), Priya Nair (Finance Manager).*

## 22 January 2026

1. **Trading.** Revenue ahead of last year. Margin "slightly soft" on cleaning; Priya to look at labour costs.
2. **National Living Wage.** The increase to £12.71 from April was noted. **Price review to be considered after the increase is confirmed.** Owner: Helen.
3. **Calder Retail Group.** Relationship good. Calder has mentioned six new stores in the second half of the year.
4. **Bank portal.** Graham asked that a second administrator be set up on the bank portal. **Action: Priya to arrange.**
5. **Strategy.** Helen presented the 2026 to 2028 plan (attached separately). Agreed.

## 23 April 2026

1. **Trading.** Year end March 2026: revenue £4.1m. Net margin lower than planned. Cleaning margin "under pressure since April".
2. **Price review.** Carried forward; Helen wants to avoid unsettling Calder before its six new stores are confirmed.
3. **Manchester.** Area supervisor has resigned, leaving 12 May. Tom to cover scheduling from Leeds while recruiting.
4. **Bank portal.** Second administrator not yet set up. **Carried forward: Priya.**
5. **Estimator vacancy.** Still open since January. Ian covering quotes.

## 16 July 2026

1. **Trading.** Revenue up on last year. Margin commentary deferred to the next meeting, as the management accounts were late.
2. **Calder Retail Group.** Relationship strong; renewal expected in the new year. Six new stores "verbal".
3. **Manchester recruitment.** Paused in June to save cost. Tom continues to cover.
4. **Bank portal.** **Carried forward: Priya.**
5. **AI.** Sam mentioned that several of the team use ChatGPT to write quotes and method statements. Noted as "helpful". No action.
6. **Next meeting:** 15 October 2026.