Sunday 30 April, 2017
Present: Diane Fisher, Charles Stobo, Dawn Dobson, Will Marlow, Andrew Mendy on Skype
Apologies: Mala Jallow, Saori Imoto, James Scurry
Last AGM was 22 May 2016
Actions:
School food programme not sustainable, £1241 per year out of other fundraising, ask parents to pay for food.
Speak to others for similar solution – Diane spoke to Oyster Trust, breakfast provided, not lunches
Andrew: assess how many have breakfast before? Porridge? Maybe have the breakfast later in the morning
Become an official charity. No point as we want to stop at December on completion of school building. But will be one year of income exceeding charitable status, which is current status. Action: Diane and Saori to look into avoiding becoming official charity.
None of steering committee want to commit more time beyond school build.
Last year’s minutes accepted.
Steering group roles
Will and Saori for joint Secretary (nom. Diane, 2nd Dawn)
Diane for Chair (nom. Dawn, 2nd Will) (accepted with proviso she steps down in December)
Dawn for Treasurer (nom. Charles, 2nd Andrew)
Dawn happy to continue, processes easier now than have been in the past
Annual Report (AR)
Steering group tried to have AGM in October but unable to find a suitable time for everyone to meet.
As such the AR runs from April 2015 to March 2016 plus 6 months
Diane reads from AR – see Ceesay Nursery and Primary School Annual Report 2015-16 for full text
AR says teachers own the school – Dawn corrects this, it’s actually Mr Ceesay.
Diane talks about the problems she’s had with the school’s builders – they overcharged her for the fence.
Dawn suggests that the onus is on Mr Ceesay to prove to you that the money is being spent properly.
Andrew suggests that if Mr Ceesay is being corrupt, there is no way of assessing whether his proof is accurate
Diane is sending small amounts of money. Andrew suggests she put mechanisms in place to make sure only the smallest amounts get ‘lost’. As the school is built, the relationship with Mr Ceesay will need managing. Andrew unable to involve himself more, he can only advise.
Diane says she is waiting to hear from the lawyer Mr Secca to hear how the work is progressing and how the money is being spent. Photos from Mala’s brother show the work is good, but it’s stopped. The work needs to be completed by the beginning of the rainy season in June.
Gabriel Mendy, who has been employed by the charity to work for the school, has found himself the middle man between Diane and Mr Ceesay and the builders and is finding the situation stressful.
Accounts April 2015-March 2016
Dawn: snapshot of year to previous two years (see Ceesay Accounts 2015-16 for full figures)
Raised more than the previous year
New addition to income – sponsored races
No fundraising from dinner
Similar amount of general donations
Gift Aid – used to be lump sum, now collected at source. We may have missed some. Action: Diane to claim those we’ve missed.
Sponsorship for Adama Ceesay’s teacher training fees came from Charlton Manor School again.
Daz Sim’s first fundraising gig raised £1550
Some money for the school came from Diane’s church
Spending was up 20% on the previous year. Salaries have increased in hiring a school cook.
For Adama’s training there was a slight difference in sponsorship money, but it wasn’t a cost due to the fluctuating exchange rate.
The costs of fundraising events were low
The charity has to pay bank transfer fees. Andrew suggests a new transfer service, lower cost. Action: Diane to change the transfer service to one of Andrew’s suggestion.
Web domain costs £11 per year.
The food programme is costing too much.
Current accounts, and building accounts so far
Paying Gabriel’s salary. School food and building rent has been paid already this year.
We should be able to build school within the current funds we have available, according to advice given by Diane’s contact Lady Keira Dalton.
We discuss whether we’re paying for building work and materials, or if the materials are to be charged separately. Action: we need to establish this before more work starts. Diane said total cost at beginning of process, and she meant including materials, but this needs to be clarified with builders / Mr Ceesay.
Andrew and Dawn suggest that other builders are asked for quotes. This is difficult because Mr Ceesay is keen on the current builders and rejected the help of Lady Keira Dalton and her team. Action: Diane to call Paul (?) for suggestions. Dawn suggests Mala’s brother might know some builders.
The number of builders depends on when it needs to be done by. Diane to agree timescale with the builders, and a contract to pay on certain dates reliant on the work being completed.
It’s also suggested Mala’s brother Momodou Jallow do more work on the school build. He can work with Gabriel and get estimates for the builders – be Diane’s mouthpiece. Get project manager suggestions from Judith (?).
Other actions:
Action: Will to put newsletter together.
ENDS
Ceesay Nursery School 