Anybody else chair of a Pre School Committee?

[handlemecarefully]

Want to start a support group for letting of steam and general moaning??

..and sharing advice?

don't know how often or how much ,it's just an idea another comittee member and I were talking about.

Do you all get someone you know to audit your accounts for free or do you pay someone to do it?
If you pay ...how much 'roughly' does it cost please? (we used to get it done for free but no more)

We pay the accountant who does our monthly paye to do our accounts - will check how much we pay him

Ah...i wondered how other people do it... we have a bookkeeper who does our monthly paye for free.
So it's just the end of year accounts we need auditing really (he's not a registered accountant)
Any info greatly received

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Payroll is a committee job at the moment. Our accounts are auditted for free but we give him a bottle of whiskey I think.

One local preschool is one of 'The Peoples Millions' projects hoping to get enough phone votes on Tuesday for a new pre school building - that might be something others might want to try next year.

Agree with redshoes about avoiding bottle necks in cloakrooms - as big an entrance area as you can afford.

Do you all pay your pre-school workers during the holidays? or do you pay a percentage of their wages as a 'retainer' type thing?

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We do the same as Orinoco. Sick pay - look at the IR website for statutory payments - from the 3rd or 4th day off sick they are entitled to SSP (if their salary is high enough for them to qualify for SSP). We pay full pay when our staff or their children are sick (ridiculously generous imho).

We pay the same number of weeks as others but the 4 weeks holiday is paid in August.
Does anyone pay an annual salary, I feel a bit sorry for the staff as their pay is variable, we open more sessions through the year so obviously get paid more when they work more in the summer but it must be difficult to budget as it changes from term to term.

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Until the SSP kicks in - most people are sick for just a couple of days usually though.
Re annual salary - that's what we try to do - we add up all the days they will work between Sept and July then divide it by 12. Any overtime is paid extra.

Has anyone who uses a community centre had problems with their management committee? We are having a terrible time, but we're not sure who to complain to, as we're getting nowhere by complaining to the committee?

Sorry catesmum can't help with community centre problem...hopefully someone will be along in a bit who can

Everyone got the most recent news letter from the charity commission?...about the charities act 2006?. No news about CIOs...but news that the new 'Trustee indemnity insurance' which gives relief from personal liablity for trustees, should be in place and available by Feb 2007.

That's good news - does that mean there's no point in going down the CIO route then?

Actually...just had another read...and there is a small section about CIO's ...saying that in the future, charities which want a corporate structure will be able to register as a CIO and mentions the advantage of the reduce personal liability for Trustees. This requires more legislation though and consultations will only begin in the new year.
It sounds like the the new Indemnity insurance has almost been brought in to cover this problem in the meantime perhaps.It certainly will cover my committee's major worries anyway. It also acknowledges how recruitment of new trustees was harder before (because of worry of personal liability should mistakes be made). You are allowed to use the charity's funds to pay for the insurance.

There also seem to be changes regarding reviewing of accounts also ...which will affect us.
Here's a link to the commissions website if you want to read:
here

thanks

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Who do you use for contents insurance? We were always covered by our community centre, but they've decided that won't happen...we've got employers liability through PSLA..do they do contents as well?

We're insured through the PLA

Can you gift aid and claim tax back on the fees paid by parents if you are a charity run playgroup?. (it just suddenly occurred to me) Is everyone else already doing this?...and if so, how do you go about it?

catesmum....we are insured by Royal sun alliance ...through the PLA

Currently secretary of one of DD3's playgroups, but our chair is leaving in a few months (moving down south) and can feel the gentle pressure being applied to my vulnerable areas...

Have been on these kinds on committee on and off for about 8 years. Never chaired though.

You can't do gift aid - because you are providing a service for the money - but if someone gave you a lump sum in addition to fees then that could be gift aid. Well this is my understanding.

really lizp? aah...
how do big orgs like Nat Trust get away with it then? Surely they are providing a service too?
Is it just because you are just becoming a 'member' with NT?
I wonder if you can get around it