Help, Who Do I Turn To Now?

[Guest]

Hi there,

 

I'm just wondering if anyone has any idea of who I can turn to after a disasterous change to a new Treasurer?

 

Basically I have a list as long as your arm of complaints from the staff and myself. I have a treasurer who hasn't got the wages right in months and has made a string of mistakes, but is highly intelligent and insists on reading any document we use and tearing it apart, writing a dissertation on it, referencing the whole lot, providing points to any readers, as well as discussing whether the council/ofsted/eyfs should be using these documents as they may have been researched in hispanic areas of the USA and may not be valid etc, etc!

 

He has stated he is doing this to 'help reduce my stress and is willing to write to Ofsted/Council/EYFS to so that we don't have to fill out these documents!'

 

Can you imagine telling ofsted we don't do that because the Treasurer said so? Hmmm.

 

He's also increasingly angry with me and is now shaking and sweating when speaking to me!

 

I brought it up at a committee meeting and have been told it is a personality clash, that we need to be in a room together with a committee member to iron it out. I certainly wouldn't do that with an angry man.

 

Lastly, among the long list, I feel really let down by the committee as I have been doing our latest funding bid by myself along with the extra forms it now has, a business plan and other documents - all in two weeks because he hasn't done it, but has had the forms since April! Oh heck

 

So, when I can't go to my Chairperson or committee, who can I go to? I have written to our advisor from the Council, but who else is there..the Charity Commission? Ofsted? any ideas?

 

So sorry to be miserable, but I'm exhausted and trying hard to keep it all in

[Andreamay]

oh dear first of all sending you a big hug X

Is there a guarantour (sp) when the charity was first set up.if you are a charity. and what about lawcall are you a membe rof the PLA?

[Guest]

Thankyou for your reply.

 

We are members of Lawcall, but as the Manager, I'm not allowed to source advice from them (or at least they told me that when I phoned them last year).

 

We are members of the PLA - may be worth a try.

 

Certainly I usually wouldn't air it all here, but as you can see it is really bothering me (and my staff are all upset too).

 

There are major discrepencies, such as getting the wages wrong, lack of communication and not providing the accounts at any meetings (which always makes me feel uneasy).

 

I'll give the PLA a shot, good thinking Batman!

 

Thank you

[HappyMaz]

cirhossa1 - I remember from my PLA days that our development workers did get involved in conflict resolution discussions when problems like the ones you describe arise.

 

I can only sympathise with your plight - as you say dealing with an angry man in this situation can't be easy. I would advise that you keep meticulous notes of all the issues you have outlined, and of any conversations with staff or committee members relating to this. I was worried by your being told that it was a 'personality clash' because this puts you at a disadvantage in trying to get things sorted - and your motives may be called into question if you take steps to bring about a resolution.

 

Are the staff using you to voice their opinions/problems with the committee: if so it may seem that it is you doing all the complaining and the others are quite happy. Or do they raise issues such as incorrect wages directly with the treasurer? It may just be that the treasurer has got carried away with all the extra curricular activity you describe and has been neglecting the day job. Whatever the cause, the committee should be very careful - especially as you say no accounts have been produced for meetings. If I were a committee member I would be very concerned on that front alone - and not a little suspicious.

 

I would also think your early years support team should be able to offer guidance and help - do you have a good relationship with them?

 

Sorry that I can't think of anything more constructive to say - but good luck in sorting it and of course we're all hear to listen when things get rough.

 

Maz

[Helen]

In your early years team at your local authority, is there someone called a "Sustainability Officer"? These people often have an understanding of committee-run groups and can offer advice when you hit problems.

[Guest]

Hi there

 

What do the rest of the committee think about the treasurer? Can you voice concerns to the Chair? I too would be incredibly concerned if the accounts are not brought along to committee meetings.

 

Definitley get in contact with Early Years team and PLA, they should be able to give you some solid advice and be able to back you up.

[Guest]

Please be very careful about financial details being shared.

The Leader before me did not keep a check on anything and when she and the old treasurer left, we discovered that there was a huge amount of money that had vanished and not been accounted for.

A year later we are still in the middle of trying to sort it out. It is vitral that all accounts are shared with several people to protect yourself.

We had a phonecall from an advisor at the Charity Commission about this and he was quite helpful so they are worth speaking to.

Good luck

Jane x

[Guest]

Thank you everyone for your support.

 

I have today been called by the Early Years Advisor from the Council, who seems to feel I am totally justified! Yippee!

 

She asked why the Treasurer isn't using his job description (there is one in the downloadable constitution ). He has no right to tinker with the other areas and he has a duty to provide the accounts for viewing, get the wages right and to answer any questions we put towards him for the accounts.

 

I nearly resigned today - just because of a volunary treasurer who can't get it right - - blimey, no way I suddenly thought, after all my husband has cancer and if I can cope with that, I can take on the world and all of it's treasurers!

 

The chairperson just resigned tonight, the treasurer has got it wrong (and the wages again this month) and the rest of the committee think we have a personality clash - well, if that isn't reason to consider running it without a committee I don't know what is!

 

 

I just want to keep my staff happy and well cared for and to keep the pre-school well tended. However, please bear with me if I'm grumpy as each day is different and sometimes I find you lovely people on the forum are just fantastic and so supportive x x

[Guest]

Think you hit the nail on the head there Cirhossa - 'voluntary'.....

The role of Treasurer is a very complex one and one which I'm increasingly of the opinion, cannot be adequately filled by some well-meaning person from your 'patch'. We have just lost a fabulous treasurer who was well qualified to do the payroll and enormously efficient. She herself said she wasn't happy at handing it over to anyone else, however well-meaning and we therefore took the decision to use the payroll services offered by our local PLA. I guess not all branches offer this service but maybe that's something you could investigate.... At least it would limit the damage your treasurer could do....

 

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

[lynned55]

Unfortunately not all branches of PSLA offer payroll services, wish they did. Because of all the reasons already being stated and the huge responsibility on someone's shoulders when dealing with PAYE and all it entails, we took the decision last term to employ someone to do our PAYE & payroll. I just think that it is so unfair to expect somebody to do all this for nothing. luckily we found an ex parent who had just finished accountancy exams etc and is just loking for part itme jobs whilst her children are still young. Anyway it seems to be working very well and it means we have managed to keep a Treasuruer for another year. We are in process of trying to sort out some bookeeping for her to do as well. It's costing us money but is so worth it.

[hali]

keep your chin up cirhossa1