Pre school Committee member problems - help!

[ClaireBarr]

Hi
Im looking for advice........I am chair of my sons pre school committee (have been since Sept)and the current secretary (who's been in place longer) has been getting worse each month with getting our minutes out in good time - they are currently coming out a couple of days before the next meeting. This is obviously not good enough and although i have diplomatically and carefully addressed this with her giving all the right reasons for needing the minutes sooner, she has not made an effort to be quicker and does not acknowledge any of my emails which means i am having to continually chase her for answers or queries. I have spoken to the charities commission who say i should address it at a meeting but i don't want to make her feel 'ganged up' on and i have had no response from TRIO who i was passed onto from the PLA.
Anyone any ideas.....please help as this is giving me sleepless nights!

Can sympathise with you. The secretary of our committee doesn't quite understand her role and is really only secretary by name. She lost the notes she'd taken from our meeting in July, so, in September, when she realised, I had to type them from memory and the few notes I'd taken. She couldn't attend our last committee meeting in October so I typed and distributed the minutes instead! I think she took the role of secretary on to help us out - without actually realising what she would need to do. I do all the letters, agendas, grant applications, etc. It is something I've discussed with the vice chair and we plan to sort this out at the AGM in February. Not much help, but think alot of us are in the same boat! Doesn't help when you're friends, which is the case for us!

Thanks mayron. Good to know i'm not the only one at least. I have seen her again and she says she 'didn't realise' i wanted a reply to my emails (?!) so now i don't know whether she's just being awkward! I will give it till the next meeting to see what happens but think i may have to address it again. Joy!

I've been on the committee for two years. I have two A4 pages of minutes IN TOTAL for all of the meetings held during that time.....

well that and my notes anyway, and no I'm not the secretary

Do you have anyone else who is willing to volunteer and who could perform the role more effectively? there's no point getting all official with the current secretary if there's no one else willing and able to do the job.

You could maybe suggest (diplomatically) that someone else takes on part of her role (e.g. taking minutes, preparing agendas) to `help her out'. Then at least you might get some of it done (try to farm out the bits she is least reliable with). She might even get the message and give up the role after a while. This only works if you have someone else reliable to step in of course!