Managers and owners

[ShellBell]

I'm a manager of a pre school and I deal with the day to day running, planning etc and the owner deals with the business side and all finances.

 

I'm finding it difficult to do parts of my job with no access/control of finances. Eg craft supply orders, DBS checks as I can only do so much before handing it over as payment is needed (and is not always getting done)

Does anyone else have issues like this and how do you deal with it??

[Guest Spiral]

Is there any chance the 'owner' can give you a budget for craft/dbs checks etc, so that you have an amount for the year and can plan your expenditure?

 

Maybe have a sit down chat and be frank about it, as you do need clarity.

 

Spiral

[Rea]

Our staff have a petty cash box which I top up as and when they need it, usually each half term. :1b

[sunnyday]

Our staff have a petty cash box which I top up as and when they need it, usually each half term. :1b

I'm just being plain nosy now - please may I ask how much?

[flowlow]

we work a bit like this. I am the manager and I have all the lovely jobs that go with that but the committee have to approve resource and equipment orders and big amounts of money, they do the wages, DBS checks and provide us a petty cash float for shopping for snack and anything that is below £10.

 

It does mean sometimes that things take longer to get done but they are pretty good most of the time. We try to do things in advance to allow for the extra time it takes to get through the system so to speak.

[Rea]

I'm just being plain nosy now - please may I ask how much?

£110. No idea why the 10 but it covers stuff for playdough or other activities odd pack of paper, snack, drinks, cleaning stuff, wipes..

Bigger items are bought with say so of committee (me) someone buys it and gets paid back, but its not a great system, I've been tasked with buying a photocopier but a cash flow problem means I havent got the money to do it, so I cant at the moment. Our account doesnt have a bank card. Not an ideal system but it kind of works because we rarely make big purchases.

[louby loo]

I'm somewhere in the middle.

I have a cash float, which I can make simple purchases for - this covers day-to-day snacks, extra little crafts bits/bobs.

Bigger purchases done by owner - bulk paint/paper, DBS etc.

 

xx

[Fredbear]

Think i would ask for a small float of cash and a discussion to make it more efficient.

We have accounts with educational suppliers, a lease for our photocopier, so we are invoiced and payments are made by our Treasurer.

We are managed by a committee of trustees, I am the Manager/Supervisor along with our Administrator calculate all the wages, the DBS checks, make all the weekly purchases which include fruit/veg delivery, milk bills, order consumables through a educational supplier, buy printer ink, as well as any other smaller purchases.

Larger equipment over £50.00 is agreed by committee before making any purchases.( we meet monthly).

I also receive a float for petty cash items for both business/ fundraising accounts.

I have authorisation to make the Preschool purchases on a pre-school Visa card too, this enables us to have less cash on the premises.

[ShellBell]

Thanks for the replies.

 

We have petty cash which I use for snack shopping, bits and bobs we might need for activities etc but it's the big stuff that is really stressing me out. Nagging for DBS checks to be done, a big craft order and equipment that really needs replacing.

When this doesn't get done it makes me feel like I'm not doing my job properly. I'm very much a 'do it right now' person, she's the total opposite. I can't tell you how frustrated it makes me!

If she's not prepared to hand control of that over then the least she can do is get on with it and make sure it's done. Arghhhh!!

 

 

Rant over. It's been a stressful week!

[Panders]

Not that I'm suggesting you are not in touch with costs - but your owner may be delaying because the group cannot afford to spend so much on what you consider to be essential My staff have little or no idea how much money the group makes and how much it takes to run, and some terms are tougher than others to make both ends meet.

 

From your side of things are you absolutely sure you are not wasting consumable resources?

[Fredbear]

I agree with Panders, some months are trickier than others depending on your outgoings. Perhaps if they could suggest an amount for consumables for the year as a total, then it would be up to you to budget for it.

By consumables I mean paint, paper, cleaning goods.

[Mouseketeer]

We are now set up for online banking, local branch kept telling us that as committee run we couldn't do it, but we just went to bank site in the end and there was a link for groups/ committees etc to register, so that has really helped, as manager I was even having to purchase items like laptops and then get money back from committee, but we could really do with a debit card but again bank say no, Fredbear are you committee run with a debit card ? Is there anyone out there with one that is committee run and banks with nat west ? Would be helpful to know how you were able to get one. Thanks

 

We also have petty cash for smaller things.

[Fredbear]

Yes we are committee run, we have online banking and I have a debit card too all through Barclays.

[finleysmaid]

santander also now offer this and are now advertising a card machine for £99 too

[Mouseketeer]

We stick with same bank as only one and can pay fees in easily, but do have a post office so Santander may be worth a look, think u can also Barclays Bank at PO, would still like to hear from anyone using nat west with a card.

Edited November 23, 2013 by mouse63

[finleysmaid]

most of our banking done online...payments in and out at local post office

[lynned55]

We are committee run, NatWest a/c and recently got a debit card as like you I was sick of buying everything and then claiming money back (and yes even a laptop!|) Bank did tell us no we couldn't have one however I rang the debit card dept and asked them and they said yes and sent one wit my name on it - I am a signatory. So between that and internet banking it has made mine and Treasurers life so much easier.

[SazzJ]

We have one with Barclays and have a debit card and online banking.

 

However I have the joys of changing the bank account as no longer committee run Not looking forward to it.

[Mouseketeer]

Thank you Lynned.....I will give that a try, didn't really want the hassle of changing banks but couldn't believe if all other banks could offer this why nat west couldn't ......must be a 'jobs worth' in our branch

[thumperrabbit]

I buy everything on my own personal credit card and then pass the receipt on to the treasurer for re-imbursement - can take awhile though to get the money back, not that I can blame anyone because I'm also the Treasurer

As we take it in turns to buy snacks the staff buy it themselves and give me the receipt, I'm very prompt paying them back though :1b

[lynned55]

mouse63- it was someone in branch who told us we couldn't have a debit card

[Fredbear]

Well we have had one for a couple of years now. Just so frustrating when you get conflicting advice.

I would certainly ask to speak to someone that deals solely with community bank accounts.