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Help!!! unscrupulous committee members

12 replies

Nighean · 08/01/2021 08:20

For a couple of years I have unwillingly been voted onto a club committee that my kids participate in. Am useless at speaking up and last year I got voted on as treasurer, which I vehemently didn’t want given the current secretary has an extensive history of inappropriate financial dealings and been removed from several other club committees for that very reason. I was unable to speak up at the meeting so as soon as I got home I sent a message to the chairman informing him I did not want the position and could they elect someone else to undertake the duties. End of story or so I thought. Fast forward twelve months to this week when I attended an online committee meeting to re-elect new members when I was asked if I would remain on as treasurer. When I stated that I had not undertaken any duties as such last year after refusing the position I was informed they had disregarded my wishes and kept me on as treasurer, and that the secretary had informally acted on my behalf over the past year and I was treasurer “in name only”. I am absolutely horrified they have acted in such a manner and now terrified I could be responsible for any financial wrongdoings on their part. As I mentioned, am terrible at speaking out so I need to write to them resigning from the committee as I want to be no part of it, but how do I word it appropriately?

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picklemewalnuts · 08/01/2021 08:29

Dear [secretary and chair, committee members],

I am not, nor ever have been treasurer for this club. I did not agree to it, resigning immediately after the meeting on [date]. I have not attended any meetings or carried out any duties. I have received no post or paperwork associated with the role and am unaware of the financial matters of the club.

Please ensure this is correctly minuted as I do not have any responsibility for any actions which may have been taken this year. I am extremely concerned that my name has been used in this way.

I look forward to your written response,

Many thanks.


Is it part of an umbrella organisation you can threaten to report to? If it's got charitable status in any way, that is a good threat to wave around, too.

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EssentiallyDelighted · 08/01/2021 08:34

Does it have a governing body (eg sport or Scouts/Guides)? I'd be getting in touch with them I think.

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EssentiallyDelighted · 08/01/2021 08:34

Or the Charities Commission

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Nighean · 08/01/2021 08:43

Thanks ladies . The club does have a governing body but we live in a very small rural community and I didn’t want to make waves by putting my head above the parapet by reporting them! 🤦🏽‍♀️😖 I just wanted to have it in writing that I had no financial involvement whatsoever, especially given a certain members previous wrong doings 😢

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MacDuffsMuff · 08/01/2021 08:46

YOU shouldn't be worried about putting your head above the parapet, you've done nothing wrong. They're the ones who should be worried for acting in such a dodgy way.

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EssentiallyDelighted · 08/01/2021 08:49

That's understandable, especially if your child is still a member. However if you were (even unknowingly) a trustee you could be implicated in any financial mismanagement. Have you got a copy of the message you sent at the time resigning? That should cover you.

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Sheleg · 08/01/2021 08:55

Appalling behaviour on their part!

You need to get better at speaking up though, otherwise this sort of thing might happen to you again.

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lifestooshort123 · 08/01/2021 09:24

I agree with draft letter above and also that you need to get the hang of this speaking up stuff. Did you just sit there while you were proposed and voted in? For your children's sake (if not for yours) please think about it as there will be times they'll want to know mum's got their back.

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Palavah · 08/01/2021 09:29

Also, if you know or suspect 'financial irregularity' (assuming you mean fraud) you must report it.

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TwoHundredThousandTimes · 08/01/2021 09:34

@picklemewalnuts

Dear [secretary and chair, committee members],

I am not, nor ever have been treasurer for this club. I did not agree to it, resigning immediately after the meeting on [date]. I have not attended any meetings or carried out any duties. I have received no post or paperwork associated with the role and am unaware of the financial matters of the club.

Please ensure this is correctly minuted as I do not have any responsibility for any actions which may have been taken this year. I am extremely concerned that my name has been used in this way.

I look forward to your written response,

Many thanks.

Is it part of an umbrella organisation you can threaten to report to? If it's got charitable status in any way, that is a good threat to wave around, too.

this times 100
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Nighean · 09/01/2021 20:36

Thank you everyone for your time and guidance. I have emailed a letter as per @picklemewalnuts kind template detailing how I have not acted in any capacity in regards to the financial transactions of the club and resigned from the committee with immediate effect. I don’t have any knowledge of actual wrongdoing in this instance , but I am aware the secretary in this instance has been relieved of their duties from three other clubs due to alleged misappropriation of funds, hence why I had the fear! (How they got elected into their current position I do not know) If there is any further comeback, I shall contact the governing body and will try my best to speak up in future. Thanks so much for keeping me right. Very much appreciated 😘

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picklemewalnuts · 09/01/2021 21:10

Good luck @Nighean ! You could make the previous clubs the person behaved badly at aware of their new position. They may feel obliged to say something, which would leave you out of the situation.

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