Buttercup Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 just had an email to say gloucestershire not renewing membership to this forum. Is this the start of more cuts. I find this such a great place for support. with sencos, foundation stage staff and training being cut what next? I think 2011 is looking gloomy. I will probably end up paying to stay on here myself but how much more can we take. buttercup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Oh that's not good - hope that Kent will still fund this - but have to say I would pay my own subscription if necessary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneyPancakes Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Don't want to threaten anyone's job, but Local Authorities could make big savings by supporting and contributing to FSF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Just read the email. Oh dear, quite sad. Mine expires in March so I'll be around for a couple of months. I know our early years advisers have got a lot from this forum too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Yep, I got same email from Gloucestershire today. Again, I'll probably pay for myself, but what a shame... Also found out today that our school may lose a class next year and will definitely lose lots of TAs. How can we be expected to give the children what they deserve with all these cuts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upsy Daisy Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 That's quite a short-sighted move. I hope Worcestershire don't follow suit. There's no way I could pay my own subscription at the moment so I'd be saying goodbye to FSF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttercup Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 I find it so annoying that we were not consulted and asked who uses it and what benifit it is to our setting and the children. we have had a really good year getting a great grade from ofsted and completing our bristol standard. I could not have done it without the help and support from here. Yes i probably will pay for it my self but feel annoyed that it has to come out of my pocket. Buttercup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 personally i think 38p a week is a bargin for the value that the fsf forum gives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Don't complain our authority has never joined so it is up to individual's to pay for themselves. I have always paid and put it through the business as an expense so it goes against tax and well worth every penny.XXX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fimbo Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 i received a confusing email on Dec 10th ----- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Colleague As Gloucestershire County Council will not be able to continue paying for the renewal of this membership next financial year, please make the most of this resource while you are still able to do so. The scheme expires on 31st December 2010 but if you subscribe by this date, you will be entitled to a full year’s free membership. The attached flier gives details of how to register. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- so, does that mean its still free ? as ive not done anything to my membership---and im still here lol!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 so, does that mean its still free ? as ive not done anything to my membership---and im still here lol!! could be that it will run out when you reach a year from registering, but no new registrations after end of year. Our area also never subscribed so always paid subscription... I felt it better value than any magazine subscription I didn't claim it back from the setting but do think that is could be classed as an expense to claim... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttercup Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 i received a confusing email on Dec 10th --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Colleague As Gloucestershire County Council will not be able to continue paying for the renewal of this membership next financial year, please make the most of this resource while you are still able to do so. The scheme expires on 31st December 2010 but if you subscribe by this date, you will be entitled to a full year’s free membership. The attached flier gives details of how to register. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- so, does that mean its still free ? as ive not done anything to my membership---and im still here lol!! The email I had came from fsf. It said " Your individual fully subscribed account will continue until its natural expiry date (one year from when you registered or were last renewed under the scheme), but after this date you will need to take out an individual subscription if you wish to continue to fully access the FSF. " I have not checked emails on playgroup computer yet so it may be on there. It is probably just for new people it ends on 31st December. Not sure how to find out when mine expires. Buttercup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 It will end the date you joined, I think yours says August. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttercup Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 thanks for that I have found it in my controls. Unfortunatly I had a break between memberships. this membership ends in Feb. Its too useful to end so will carry on. Buttercup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Realistically LAs are having to make very tough decisions re jobs and services alongside huge cuts to their central grants so I don't think this will be the last time an LA decides to only deliver on statutory requirements. Personally I think everyone has their own priorities on what they spend their money on and we make choices. I pay the membership fee for this and don't get something else....as Hali says it's not much a week if you break it down. Having LAs fund membership could be argued as a luxury they can ill afford to offer in these straightened times. I've just seen 9 colleagues go through hell over the last few weeks with competitive interviews for effectively the same job they currently do. The majority now face redundancy. Losing a membership option seems like a very insignificant thing in the face of all that. Cx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 oh dear Catma how sad - we are still waiting to hear about changes in our LA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueFinanceManager Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 i received a confusing email on Dec 10th --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Colleague As Gloucestershire County Council will not be able to continue paying for the renewal of this membership next financial year, please make the most of this resource while you are still able to do so. The scheme expires on 31st December 2010 but if you subscribe by this date, you will be entitled to a full year’s free membership. The attached flier gives details of how to register. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- so, does that mean its still free ? as ive not done anything to my membership---and im still here lol!! Just to clarify fimbo; When you join the FSF under the terms of a LA scheme you are entitled to one years free membership form the date you joined so for you that is in February. Anyone in Gloucestershire that managed to subscribe before the 31st December will get one year from the date they joined. From this point forward anyone who joined for free under the LA scheme will have to pay an individual renewal fee if they wish to have full access to the site and all the resources when their account expires. As others have said these are difficult times and I spent a long time talking to the team at Gloucestershire and this was not a decision they took lightly and without all due consideration. I hope that when the time comes to renew you will feel that the FSF is a valuable resource of information as well as a fun and enjoyable place to be and that your cost of renewal will be worth every 38p a week as Hali puts it Best wishes Sue FSF Admin Team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 As my county council does not subscribe I've always paid for myself. It's worth every penny for the excellent information and support I've been able to access over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueFinanceManager Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 As my county council does not subscribe I've always paid for myself. It's worth every penny for the excellent information and support I've been able to access over the years. Ahhh thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Without wanting to sound like that old Points of View spoof from years ago ("I'd sell my house and all its contents to pay my BBC licence fee") I have to say that £20 is a very small amount of money to pay for the huge wealth of knowledge and support that is available at the click of a button to anyone who needs it. I think I'm right in saying that the subscription hasn't increased since 2006 when I first joined, and it is possible that it has always been £20 since a subscription was first introduced long before the dawn of time. Before our LA subscribed, I paid for every team member to have their own account so that they could log on occasionally and have their thinking challenged by reading discussions and gaining a different perspective to their own practice. As a tool for reflection the Forum is hard to beat - even if you never posted at all you are bombarded with different opinions and theories just by lurking and reading what everyone else is saying. The harsh reality is that we're all up against it, and we're all having to take decisions that we'd really rather avoid, but are forced to because of economic necessity. I'm grateful that my LA decided to renew this year, but I know that they might well have decided to use the subscription fee for other purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I think that we Gloucestrians agree that the forum is definitely worth 38p per week, we aren't moaning that we have to pay it. I came across the forum through my LEA and have found it invaluable and the email that we received was a disappointment and sad shock. I can't speak for every LEA but of those I do know, Gloucestershire has always been one of the poorest in the country and to receive a bonus such as the FsF subscription was a wonderful gift. Personally I won't be renewing this year but that isn't because I don't want to pay the £20. This is the best support network for any profession and you'd find none more amazing, but we all know that so it's usefulness is not in question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I can understand the disappointment - and let's face it most of us don't receive many bonuses in our work, do we? I'll miss you, PPP but who knows when you might be back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I have to say that I find this service invaluable, much better than subscriptions to magazines. The empathy and huge knowledge of others registered here is irreplaceable and if our county did not renew their subscription I would definately pay for it my self. I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you very much to one and all that has helped and acknowledged me over the past few years, without your support I think I would have packed up years ago! Thank you xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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