Taking Over

[hali]

Hi all,

 

The oportunity may arise in the next year that i can move our charity, committee based nursery from the church premises to new ones......

At the moment i just supervise the nursery, but if we were to move then other possibilities may arise. :wacko:

We would like to move premises for a number of reasons...

church, putting everything away every session, committees,expansion ....

 

The advise i need is too what do we run the new nursery as, me owning privatly?, charity based?, joint partnership?.any others ive missed..???

 

We are at very early stages so just dipping for ideas at mo, but would love some advise from you all.

 

(there you go Beau, Rea, Maz, Peggy.......need something else to get my teeth into)

[Inge]

Lots of reads but no reply yet I notice...

 

when ending a charity as you would be doing check the constitution...where do all the 'assets' go. most of the time they have to be given to another charity often when the PLA constitution was used and not altered it all had to go tho them.....

 

this may cause you to think about where equipment and resources are to come from as you would be setting up a new group. while the children may stay with you or follow you the rest may not be able to...

 

this is one reason we are still a charity...we would like to take it over but to lose all equipment, resources and start again would be a big mountain for us to climb.... (unless you can all come up with a way it could work ...watch this with interst)

 

Good luck Hali, lots to consider and think about....wish we could move out of the hall, but then it is very cheap and we are lucky that they let us decorate, lots of childrens work on display not worry about sand etc on the floor and are generally quite easy going as we are their main income,

 

Inge

[hali]

thank you Inge

[Posy]

Hali,

Is it worth contacting Sure Start?local EY team?

We had a meeting in our area last week (Surrey) where they said they are looking for providers to come up with ideas/premises to meet their targets of establishing integrated children's centres.

[Guest]

(there you go Beau, Rea, Maz, Peggy.......need something else to get my teeth into)    

39373[/snapback]

Do the words "glutton" "for" and "punishment" ring any bells Hali?

 

If I remember correctly, a local group did this many years ago: might be worth sounding them out for advice. Unless you know them already, I'll tell you on Thursday.

 

Definitely worth talking to the PLA - can't remember if you're a member or not from my admin days with that esteemed organisation!! I will send an email to my friend who is a PLA Accreditation assessor who knows everything about everything or will know a man who does!

 

Lastly, definitely worth talking also to the Borough: lots of ex-PLA staff who will probably have experience of these situations, and should be able to advise.

 

I'll let you know what I find out!

 

Maz

 

PS: Is this just an elaborate excuse for not doing your homework??

[Rea]

Hi Hali, we thought briefly of doing away with the committee for the same reasons as you. Our PLA DW didnt appear keen for us to do it, I dont know why, it never got that close to having reasons for or against really sounded out. I do know of someone who did it and although the work at the start was hard, setting up equipment, re-registering etc again it was well worth it in the end. Committee's, while very good in some areas are not generally trained practitioners so when she set up on her own the over all running was easier. Peggy owns her own group so I'm sure when she reads this she'll have good advice for you. It sounds really exciting, I'd loved to have done it.

[Guest]

Hi Hali,

 

Here goes, talking off the top of my head so don't quote me

 

As a current committee you would have to dissolve and assets go to a charity, if a PLA member they would assist you in this. You don't neseccarily have to give them all the equipment, if you want equipment for new place the PLA would "Value" the charity's assets and then you could purchase these assets and the money would go to a suitable other charity.

Your committee would need to follow the process of dissolvement.

 

When I bought my preschool, from a previous "sole trader" I looked into all the different types of business styles I could do.

 

There is;

 

Sole trader - you would be self employed and employ others ( this is what I am)

 

Partnership - Shared ownership, legal agreements between partners would have to be drawn up

 

Ltd Company- This involves shareholders, but this can just be two people ( you and hubby) or more than 2. You have to register with Companies House, have directors and secretary ( COMPANIES HOUSE is a good website for further info on all types of business set-ups)- This is something we may look at in the future because it limits financial liability if the business gets into trouble.( NOT THAT MY BUSINESS IS IN TROUBLE, JUST DOESN'T EARN ME MUCH MONEY )

 

 

I've heard of Co-operatives, but don't know much about them.

 

I've heard of "Business Angels", money people who support businesses financially and with advice ( they take some of the profit)- your bank may be able to give you more info on these people.

 

As others have said get advice from your EYDCP, they should have a business advisor. Becoming part of a Sure Start unit may be an option, but I'm not sure whether this would be like a committee but with more external agencies involved- no one person owns these units. I don't know if the structure enables part ownership ie: the preschool unit within a sure start project.

 

You have a lot of research to do, and will need a good business plan ( good meaning well researched)

 

get advice from;

All the high street banks - business set-ups, (even if you are not going to use them they give you free useful resources such as business plan templates.)

 

Business Link- info on different types of businesses, who else can advise you etc.

 

Charity Commission

 

PLA / Early Years Unit

 

Other local businesses

 

local School / agreement for independent provider of wraparound care/education on their premises ( this is what i would like to do)

 

Things to consider also are the leasehold/rent agreement of new premises, Area development plan- will the business be viable in 10 yrs time? (speak to your county council), business rates, Time scale to Re-register with Ofsted- who would be the registered person?

 

Nursery World and I'm sure NDNA have starting your business publications

 

plus I'm sure there is lots more I've forgotten, hope this is enough to be getting on with though.

 

can you use this experience for your degree for a dissertation/ research project/ assignment? Kill two birds with one stone so to speak.

 

I used the research I did for my ADCE Dissertation to inform my business plan.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Just re-read Rea's comments.

 

I love being my own boss, it has it's ups and downs as I'm sure you know from my past posts, but overall the benefits far outweigh the negatives. My preschool runs to my aims and objectives and my goals of how I want childrens experiences to be.

I am really jealous though if you get your own premises. Don't expect to earn a fortune, but when my hubby has been out of work (resting between jobs) the business has managed to pay the mortgage during these lean times. ( it couldn't pay the mortgage all the time though)

 

Be prepared to work 24/7 for at least a year. ( when it is your business it doesn't seem so bad). Once the business is established and settled ( it's taken me 4 yrs, some people I know have done this sooner), you can become more diversified ( ie: I do tutoring and my iminent Foster work) with your time, if you have a good manager running day to day needs.

 

Good luck.

 

Peggy

[Running Bunny]

I've heard of Co-operatives, but don't know much about them.

 

Check out this link for information on co-operative childcare -

 

http://www.co-opunion.coop/live/welcome.asp?id=630

 

Nursery World and NDNA do Starting a Day Nursery publications which include informaiton on market research, cashflows, business plans etc - some of which you will know already!

 

Limited companies are really easy to set up, and as Peggy says, it gives you that extra bit of financial security (my hubby is self-employed, has a ltd. company and I am the company secretary which means I don't do anything, but get treated to a 'staff day out' every so often for tax purposes!!)

 

Premises could be the hardest thing to find, but if there is something in mind already, you are on a winner.

 

The only other thing to consider, which is a big part of my job role at the moment is extended schools, so if you have the opportunity to form links with the local schools to provide before or after school, wraparound or holiday clubs you will have a very viable business plan.

 

Lots of luck Hali, and needless to say - keep us informed!

[hali]

Thank you all for your replies...no Maz its not an elaborate plan to get out of homework (trust you to think of that one)

 

Lots of things to concider, lots of time to do it as premiss are no where near ready and i need to go look to see if they are suitable, viable etc.....

 

Anyhow lots to think about..thanks again, will keep you informed.

[Beau]

Good luck Hali - I'll be watching with interest..........