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Andover U3A

Finance for Group Leaders

As at 17 March 2024

Andover_U3A

The Andover U3A's Financial and Contractual Procedures for Running a Group dated 17 March 2024 (including annexes) is available as a pdf, and can be downloaded by clicking / touching here.

This version dated 17 March 2024 supersedes, and should be used instead of, all previous versions.

Details of the Andover U3A's finance contacts are available towards the end of this page.

The main text of the document (excluding annexes) is reproduced below.



Andover U3A Financial and Contractual Procedures for Running a Group

As at 30 August 2020

General

1. The Andover U3A focus for all financial / contractual matters is the Andover U3A Treasurer. The Treasurer's stand-in is Richard Selley. The financial year for all groups will be 1 April - 31 March.

2. Groups should not run their own bank accounts, nor should any event be funded through private bank accounts. Exceptionally, where a payment has to be made using a personal bank card, the transaction must be agreed with the Treasurer before the member incurs the expense, and in such cases monies for the event will be collected and banked as normal, with the Treasurer refunding the organiser, for the payment from their private bank account.

3. All cheques pertaining to group activities should be made payable to Andover U3A Events Account, and organisers should pay these in over the counter and not through the paying-in machine.

4. These procedures may not cover every eventuality and issues should be raised with the Treasurer to seek resolution.

Out-of-Pocket Expenses and Discounts

5. Whilst an organiser may claim normal out-of-pocket expenses from money collected for an event, the value of any discount (e.g. a free place) offered by the organisation providing the event, must be shared amongst all participants to the event.

All Groups Except Theatre and Quester Groups

6. Some groups incur no financial / contractual arrangements and these procedures do not apply to them, so long as no financial/contractual arrangements are made.

7. Other groups (excepting Theatre and Quester Groups) operate a ‘pay as you go’ system whereby cash may be collected and paid out on the same day - some may charge a small annual subscription. Payments could include donations / payment to guides and venue hire with any minor cash balances being held over for future use. This is acceptable, provided petty cash held does not exceed £200, no individual payment exceeds £100 and any ongoing contracts are notified to the Andover U3A Treasurer.

8. For any outing / activity involving contracts / expenditure in excess of £100, the Treasurer should be contacted in advance and arrangements put in place to use a ring-fenced entry in the Events Account. In these circumstances, the procedures listed for Theatre and Quester Groups should be followed. Group organisers will prepare an annual return to be with the Treasurer by mid-April in line with Annex A.

Theatre and Quester Groups

9. The Theatre and Quester Groups will each have a ring-fenced entry in the Andover U3A Events Account. When one of these groups has an outing which is going to incur contracts / expenditure in excess of £100, the outing organiser will send the Andover U3A Treasurer a copy of the booking form as an early indicator of the outing. The organiser will collect payments and bank these in the Andover U3A Events Account using their group’s paying in book. All cheques should be made payable to Andover U3A Events Account, and organisers should pay these in over the counter and not through the paying in machine. Organisers will notify the Andover U3A Treasurer by email when they pay in money, also indicating any cash held back (within the maximum £200 petty cash level) to pay any cash expenses such as drivers tip/sweets for coach etc.

10. Any payments will be made by the Treasurer, where possible by BACS transfer, and in a timely fashion on receipt of copies of the invoices from the organiser. On completion of the outing the organiser will send the Treasurer a completed balance sheet showing all income and expenditure as per Annex B, with receipts where appropriate. A fully worked example is shown at Annex C.

11. It would be sensible to inform the Treasurer of any future payment requirements as they become known. Group treasurers may keep up to £200 in petty cash and have this topped up from their ring-fenced account providing they have the funds.

12. Group treasurers will also prepare a balance sheet and pass to the Treasurer by mid-April, showing all monies raised and spent that have not gone through the Events Account in line with Annex A.

Andover U3A Finance Contacts

Role Name Email
Andover U3A Treasurer Su McNamara treasurer@andoveru3a.co.uk
Andover U3A Secretary Richard Selley secretary@andoveru3a.co.uk