Does being a bank account signatory make me responsible for finances of a charity ?

specialboy

Charityworker wrote: »

I've been looking for any part time job for over a year now. But had no luck.

You sound like you are making excuses for them, your job will be gone soon anyway according to yourself so why be the victim of an employer that is mistreating you?You have been there long enough to have protection against being sacked for no reason.

sweetilemon

Might be stating the obvious here, have you or someone at the charity applied for grant funding to save it?

keyser666

Also I would be calling a emergency AGM as per the constitution or governing document and bringing this up and voting to remove some members of the committee or more

Charityworker

We apply for funding as and when it comes up and we do get some small amounts. But we don't get large amounts because no funder is going to give thousands of pounds to a charity which is down by £250 a week even though the work of the charity is needed and the need has been proven.

The agm is in November. At the last AGM I bought up the subject of the finances and was told that I was being negative and I was being defeatist for no reason. I sent a copy of our annual accounts to a local business man who used to be the MP of the town and who is also the president of the charity and asked him to come and speak to the committee and trustees about the finances. I thought if they heard it from him they might do something about it. They sat and listened to his advice about downsizing the premises etc and I thought something was sinking in but as soon as he walked out the door the chairwoman said he was an idiot who didn't know what he was talking about!!!!

The trustees consist of the 4 management committee which are chair, vice, secretary and treasurer. The rest are people who sit on the decision board abd there are 3 of them. The problem we have is that the vice chair is the son of the chair and the secretary is his flat mate! The other problem is that none of the management committee actually do any work in the centre. There are about 10 volunteers who do various amounts of hours during the week and I get on with all of them really well. It's almost like a family. But there's resentment that me and the volunteers do all the hard work all week then once a month the management committee come in for the committee meeting and think they know it all. There's a definate us and them feel.

On Monday I am going to bring up the subject of my outstanding holiday.

Sorry for going on but the whole situation is getting unbearable now. About 20 years ago I used to have a job that I hated so much I'd cry all the way to work and have to go and cry in the loos during the day. I said if I ever got to that point again I would just leave. Trouble is I can't now as I have a house and 2 kids to think about.

keyser666

sorry if i glossed over it how long you worked there?
are any of the trustees being paid a wage, nominal or otherwise?

Charityworker

I've been there 5 and a half years and no trustees, committee or volunteers get paid.

keyser666

Well in that case I would go to the charities commission. They will know it is you but as you have been there over 2 years they cant just get rid of you.

I would speak to them and explain what is what, they can be held accountable in person financially if they are running it into the ground and not doing anything about it.

Ask for commission for advice stating that you do not believe they are applying reasonable care and skill, nor are they working in the best interests of the charity.

Prepare for a shitstorm though but if the other voilunteers are of the same stick together