Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be the only person concerned that the PTA treasurer seems to have gone missing....

583 replies

PTAmissing · 16/05/2016 07:06

With all the PTA money?

She's been treasurer for years, no children at the school anymore.

She usually attends roughly 1 of every 4 meetings. She hasn't been to one for 6 months. She won't answer the phone or the door, doesn't reply to emails or texts. Chair went to her house and she didn't answer the door although it looked like she was in. We have no access to the money or accounts and the school is lending us money to get back off her at some indeterminate time in the future.

We have the school fate soon and she has all the info on stalls etc not to mention the money we need to buy things! She owes one of the parents about £50 for things they bought from their company for the PTA xmas fate.

Nobody else seems concerned! I really got angry about it at the last meeting and said this is ridiculous, we have no idea how much is in the account, we can't get hold of her, we have no working float. Apparently she has family drama at the moment and thats why she's unavailable but she still wants to be treasurer. I raised the possibility that there could be something dodgy going on and got shut down by the chair who said its not possible as there are two signatories on the account (because she couldn't just forge a signature???)

AIBU to think they should be taking this a bit more seriously given there is over £7000 (at the last count) of money that has been donated by the parents fgs, not to just sit in an account that nobody can get into?!

OP posts:
CocktailQueen · 16/05/2016 08:34

This happened at our PTA. The treasurer had stolen the money.

I'd also be very worried. I'd write to the PTA chair and the HT and lay out your concerns. Say you can't see why nobody else is worried, ask what they're going to do. Say you'll leave the PTA if this isn't resolved. It's not fair on anyone.

(If the treasurer is having problems then all the HT has to do is say something very general to show she's aware of the situation and it's in hand. Not ignore it.)

And in future you need rules in place for the treasurer to follow - accounts updated and circulated after every event, audited independently every year, etc. You shouldn't be in the situation where only one person has access to all the money., Asking for trouble.

puddlejumpingqueen · 16/05/2016 08:37

Bacon - I am an auditor (although not on fraud cases, how exciting), at the core of auditing is the independence of the auditor! All the treasurer has done her is double checked their own work. Which one would hope they'd do anyway before submitting to an independent reviewer.

DartmoorDoughnut · 16/05/2016 08:40

As you've raised your concerns and been ignored I would escalate.

senua · 16/05/2016 08:43

Do you belong to an umbrella body like PTA-UK? Ask them for advice on (a) how to tackle the Treasurer situation and (b) protect yourself.

Where are her DC now, if they have left your school. She's not Treasurer at the new school too is she?Shock

LizzieMacQueen · 16/05/2016 08:51

Nobody else seems concerned!

Could this be because they know the real reason for her absence. My initial thought was that maybe she is facing a health battle, cancer for example, that makes her want to lay low. If that's the case, the PTA accounts would be the least of her worries.

(but then I am naturally a trusting person)

Baconyum · 16/05/2016 08:55

Lizzie even if that is the case then someone else needs to take over. It's not unreasonable for the treasurer then to hand over all the paperwork for someone else to deal with if she can't for now. The PTA/school can't be left hanging indefinitely

Original poster
PTAmissing · 16/05/2016 08:57

You're not going to believe this but she audits the school accounts!

I don't think there is any secret reason, when pushed on the issue the chair said she is having some family drama, wants to stay on as treasurer and she would try to contact her again. Head agreed that we could get someone to act as deputy treasurer but we can't get in contact with her to pass stuff over!

OP posts:
ProfYaffle · 16/05/2016 09:01

Oh god, that sounds so much like the group I was involved with! The treasurer had family stuff going on but wouldn't release any paperwork to anyone to take the load off her. In the end it turned out to be because she hadn't kept proper records and was too embarrassed to admit it.

Original poster
PTAmissing · 16/05/2016 09:07

I've sent an email to the chair with my concerns. Asked her to chair a meeting if no contact by the end of the week.

OP posts:
JinRamen · 16/05/2016 09:10

YANBU, sounds worrying.

StealthPolarBear · 16/05/2016 09:11

As others have said the earlier this is addressed the better for everyone

NightWanderer · 16/05/2016 09:11

She audits the school accounts too? Shit!

I think you need a firm word with the Head and it needs to be escalated. Who knows how deep this goes. Who is above the Head? Can you contact them with your concerns and suggest a full independent audit? If everything is above board then no problem.

bakeoffcake · 16/05/2016 09:13

Well done OP. Hopefullly the treasurer will get in touch!

You know you have to update us or we'll be forever wondering about the disappearing treasurer.Wink

senua · 16/05/2016 09:13

You're not going to believe this but she audits the school accounts!

In what capacity? Does she belong to a professional body?
Contact them to ask about their complaints procedure.

puddlejumpingqueen · 16/05/2016 09:13

Oh good lord. What is it with people's (not yours Op, well done for actually trying to tackle this) inability to tackle this and to tread on eggshells around the treasurer. 6 months is long enough even in a family crisis to find 10 minutes to send over some files.

Although I am very concerned that she is auditing everything and not at all independent. Do you know where her experience in finance lies? Just finance is a big sector and I find some people who work in any area of finance think they are then capable at keeping books/ accounting and it isn't true. I wonder if as a previous poster said she is out of her depth and doesn't wish to admit it.

puddlejumpingqueen · 16/05/2016 09:16

Please don't go straight to her professional body, this could have massive ramifications for her career even if the allegations are unfounded. By all means contact them when you are more clearer of the facts but whilst you see still not 100% sure, even though it is all very suspicious, I would hold off contacting them.

Baconyum · 16/05/2016 09:17

Wow! Sounding more dodgy with each post! At the very least she's done a major cock up and is trying to cover up. What is the head thinking? Personally I'd be contacting the lea not just governors, someone with no personal connection to the school needs to get this resolved.

senua · 16/05/2016 09:25

Please don't go straight to her professional body, this could have massive ramifications for her career even if the allegations are unfounded.

The professional body are not going to drop everything they are doing and start prosecuting this woman straight away.Hmm They will explain that they are last port of call after OP has gone through the internal complaints procedure. But if OP is fully aware of the system and its ramifications then she can do the scare the shit out of Treasurer "carry a big stick but speak softly" routine.
Knowledge is power.

theendoftheshowshow · 16/05/2016 09:30

You need to see a copy of the most recent bank statement. Anyone can write a report on what they say is in the account.

Ask the HT as second signatory to pop into a bank and ask for a copy. That way as long as you can see that your 7k is in the account. Anything else (like accounts not up to date) is more easily resolvable. You need to know that the money is still there.

I would bet that you actually have three signatories. Although any cheques etc would only need two signatures. It's so that if people are away/Ill/uncontactable you can still write cheques. Try and find out if there is a third.

puddlejumpingqueen · 16/05/2016 09:31

I am fully aware they won't drop everything thanks Hmm. I am a member of a professional body. I also know mud sticks and it will go on her record. I think finding out what is going on and getting the facts clear is much more important then running to the woman's professional body before the OP even knows there is anything to complain about.

senua · 16/05/2016 09:34

Professional bodies take a dim view of non-communication btw. It implies either wrong-doing or disorganisation - neither are desirable characteristics.

LemonBreeland · 16/05/2016 09:35

I find it odd that your PTA allows someone to be a member who doesn't have children at he school. That would not be allowed under our constitution.

Auditing her own accounts is vey dodgy. I would be as concerned as you. I don't know why the Head and Chair are not more worried.

TattyDevine · 16/05/2016 09:44

Probably been said but when you have your AGM all officers stand down and if she's not there to be nominated and seconded then you can easily get someone else to do the job by nominating them and seconding them.

It does sound pretty dodgey though.

Original poster
PTAmissing · 16/05/2016 09:45

She was on the PTA before I came to the school 6 years ago. Her children had actually left by that point. We're an association not a PTA (same thing different name). To be fair nobody else wanted the treasurer role so I think that's why she's stayed on.

I don't know what she does as a career, something in a bank. And to be fair she doesn't have make any decisions to do with events etc she just sorts the finances.

Constitution allows 'friends' of the school to be members.

OP posts:
Original poster
PTAmissing · 16/05/2016 09:46

She was at the last AGM and reelected. About 8 months ago (need to check and make sure). Haven't seen her since.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread