Constitution rules

[AnonyMouse_21631]

Hi,

Are there any other nurseries that run as a charity with a committee and PLA constitution? We have been told by a visitor from Local authority that we may not be running correctly in line with our constitution and need to look closely at what it says. Do other settings use internet banking as the PLA have advised us that this is not allowed? Now we are wondering if we should change our constitution and if so how and to what!!

Any advice or feedback would be greatly appreciated as I am getting very stressed about the whole thing now!!!

Thanks

[AnonyMouse_5970]

Sorry, I'm not able to help. but am really puzzled by the PLA forbidding internet banking!

I would be lost without it.

[AnonyMouse_51737]

we are a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee along with being pla, to do day to day things without internet banking would be ridiculous in the way companies work now, we use online banking only thing we don'd have with our current bank that most other buisness accounts have is a card which can be a pain some times. Our secretary is very, very good at his role and he would have picked up on this if it was not allowed i should think by now. x

[AnonyMouse_11396]

Well we do and we are an incorporated company with charitable status pre-school.

We are ruled by a memorandum of articles which was from the PSLA.

I think it's ridiculous in this day and age not to be able to have this facility if it makes your provision more effective.

I am sure our committee checked this out many moons ago and it was okay to do this.

We also contacted the charity commission too.

I think the best thing to do is to clarify this with them.

 

I also have a card which was agreed by the directors/trustees with a monthly limit.

Two sets of statements come to the Chairperson and the cardholder.

Edited October 15, 2014 by Fredbear

[AnonyMouse_21631]

Hi,

Thanks very much for your replies - it is great to hear what others do - it can feel very lonely sometimes!!! We were very shocked about the internet banking and pointed out that in this day and age it is crazy for people not to use it but the person we spoke to seemed adamant.

I will definitely contact the charity commission for clarification.

Thanks

[AnonyMouse_6721]

Let us know what they say and why they thought this. I can only think that it Is due to the double signatures required. We haven't been able to update our committee signatures with the bank for 2013/2014 due to errors on the bank side I think. We wouldn't have been able to pay anyone if we didn't have Internet banking.

 

It's getting even worse now with only cards excepted for Dbs checks/. Paying for courses etc. I have to pay and claim back.

[AnonyMouse_44288]

Have you adopted their latest constitution?

 

Just a thought but maybe your using their old one?

[AnonyMouse_7120]

This is from the 2011 constitution, and the only sentence that seems to mention paying anyone:

Cheques and orders for payment of money from these accounts shall normally be signed by two

designated persons, one of whom shall be an Officer. Where the Pre-school is not subject to any

conditions of a grant which requires two signatories, the Committee may decide to allow cheques

and orders for small amounts set by the Committee to be signed by a single signatory. A

duplicate of all bank statements should normally be sent to the Chair.

Maybe it could be reworded to say:

Committees will not expect their not that well paid managers to personally pay for goods and services for the purpose of the charity out of their own pockets until committee members decide to organise repayment

we use online banking, wouldn't be able to function without it anymore, though we don't have a debit card, which is still a problem.

Edited October 15, 2014 by Mouseketeer