PTA & Governors involvement

[bubbakin]

Ours is a small school with a small group of parents on pta! The chair of gov has told head teacher the pta is not to spend any money (even though school need resources) as school budget tight & he's also agreed to spend a fair bit of our money on an 'oversight' without even discussing it with pta!! Would you have words with the chair of gov?? I'm the pta chair but also SEN employee at school!! Just feel we organise & raise the funds, he has no involvement in our pta so has no right to dictate what happens with monies!! Any advise appreciated x

How has the CoG got access to the funds? Usually the funds are completely separate from the school and many PTAs are registered charities so have very strict regulations regarding spending funds.

Usually what happens in my experience is the PTA raise money and will ask the school for a wish-list. This would usually be via the head or direct with teaching staff. Sometimes the PTA have a firm idea of what they want to spend it on and the school disagree and there's a debate BUT the actual paying is done directly by the treasurer with chair co-authorising.

I can't see why the CoG is getting involved. I'm a school governor and member of couple of PTAs btw.

Is governor a trustee of the charity? If not, then unless it is written into your constitution that governors have a vote then he has no say other than the same as anyone else on the PTA.
The PTA should be a registered charity. The governors have no say over charity funds.
Ignore.

(Sec of a PTA who has been doing a lot of work with the charity commission on our PTA constitution recently)

Does the CoG even have children at or work at the school? Because if so, he may not even be a member of the PTA in which case he has even less say.

Listen to too lazy for drama.

Get yourself read up on PTA function and role. Think he's overstepping his role!

Thanks for advise, I am going to have a polite discussion with the chair of govs (I'm chair of pta). We're not set up as a charity, but I will look into this! Thank you x

I'm chair of our small PTA too. As others have said, C of G isn't really supposed to be involved. As a charity, closely connected to though independent of the school, the PTA should get final say on spending although it's strongly advised to do so with full agreement with HT.

Unusual that C of G would say no to spending; ours are desperate for any bits of extra cash we raise.

Just had a thought...

Is the concern is that PTA funds are boosting the school finances so they appear unrepresentative? It might be the spending "pathways" need looking at. Sometimes our PTA will buy stuff directly and donate it to school. Sometimes school will buy things and we reimburse the school.

The Chair of Governors cannot spend your money but make sure you keep the account separate from the school. Only hand it over for specific and agreed projects. It is nothing to do with the Chair.

You should be a registered charity if your fund raising meets the threshold. The National Association of PTAs is also worth joining for advice.They have lots of advice and can give you a template for terms of reference. This is vital because it says who does does what and how you spend the money.

Just a heads up - if you do register as a charity be sure to use the model constitution on the charities commission website. Do not use anything else or you'll be in breach of the law. A charity I know is under investigation by the CC at the moment for not using their constitution.

Just echoing the above.

I've been secretary, chair and treasurer of PTAs.

PTA funds should be held in separate account with PTA office holders as signatories. PTA money spends should be decided by PTA, but obviously where appropriate in consultation with the school.

Our Primary PTA required 2 signatures on all cheques which I think is good. We don't for secondary as less practical.

Bubbakin. Another example of school governors thinking they "own" the money donated by parents to a PTA. Be sure to not hand over the monies unless for a specific item/expense that your PTA committee have voted on, agreed, minuted and have received an invoice for. Have a look at the PTA UK website for more information and do register as a charity. This will protect you and the other trustees from negligence claims. If the governor continues to be awkward tell him you have to follow the PA guidelines/Charity Commission rules.