Meeting date: 26th January 2020
Meeting time: 14:00 BST
Meeting Chair: Martijn
Present: Fergus, Heta, Jenny, Jeremy, Martijn, Kalen (from 15:39 to 16:42), Mary (by invitation)
Apologies: Kalen, James, Elaine
One observer
Meeting opened at 14:06.
1. Approvals
1.1. Minutes of the December 2019 meeting posted to the list on January 18.
The minutes were approved, 5 for.
2. Ratifications
No ratifications.
3. Proposals
3.1. Autscape Ireland
3.1.1. The Honorary Secretary proposed that the Board accept the Phase 2 proposal for Autscape Ireland, posted to list on January 24 (Appendix 1).
The motion was carried, 5 for.
3.1.2. The Finance Officer for Autscape Ireland proposed that the Board accept the following fee structure for Autscape Ireland
Mary informed the Board that the proposed child and carer fee was €185.Standard (single room): €265
Low income: €225
Higher: €295
Child and carer: TBA
The need to announce day fees and the number of non-residential places was discussed.
The Chair amended the proposal to:
3.1.2. The Finance Officer for Autscape Ireland proposes that the Board accept the following residential fee structure for Autscape Ireland (non-residential fees to be decided and announced later):
3.1.2 was approved as amended, 5 for.Standard (single room): €265
Low income: €225
Higher: €295
Child and carer: €185
The Chair noted that this was with the understanding that the possibility of non-residential participation (with fees to be announced later) would be announced along with opening registration.
3.1.3. The Finance Officer for Autscape Ireland proposed the Lingard donation to be used to underwrite Autscape Ireland 2020.
The proposal was discussed briefly and deferred to the next meeting.
3.2. Bursaries
3.2.1. The Bursary Committee proposed that the Board accept the following policy for Autscape UK 2020:
Bursaries will:
- Be available for all room types and for off-site accommodation (but only if the Registrar cannot find a suitable room onsite.)
- Consider travel as a reason for a bursary, or for a larger bursary.
- Be available for non-participating carers and dependants without the need to justify this by financial hardship.
- Be granted in the form of charging lower fees, not reimbursing expenses.
- Not be available to cover an extra night, apart from in very exceptional circumstances.
- Not be available to cover the non-refundable deposit.
- In most cases be set amounts, e.g. £50/£100.
The bursary committee has the authority to vary these set amounts.
Bursary applications for Autscape 2020 will be submitted to the Bursary Committee on the bursary application form provided during the registration period (exact dates to follow).
Motion carried, 5 for.
3.2.2. The Bursary Committee proposed that the Board accept the following policy for Autscape Ireland 2020:
Bursaries will:
- Be available for all room types and for off-site accommodation (but only if the Registrar cannot find a suitable room onsite.)
- Consider travel as a reason for a bursary, or for a larger bursary.
- Be available for non-participating carers and dependants without the need to justify this by financial hardship.
- Be granted in the form of charging lower fees, not reimbursing expenses.
- Not be available to cover an extra night, apart from in very exceptional circumstances.
- Not be available to cover the non-refundable deposit
- In most cases be set amounts, e.g. €50/€100.
The bursary committee has the authority to vary these set amounts.
Bursary applications for Autscape 2020 will be submitted to the Bursary Committee on the bursary application form provided during the registration period (exact dates to follow).
Heta suggested not mentioning non-participating carers and dependants, since the fee structure for Ireland included a child and carer fee, which served the same purpose.
It was clarified that participants paying the child/carer fee could apply for bursaries on the basis of financial hardship.
The Chair amended the proposal by removing the sentence “Be available for non-participating carers and dependants without the need to justify this by financial hardship”, leaving the rest of the text unchanged.
The motion was carried as amended, 5 for.
3.2.3. The Bursary Committee proposed the bursary fund to be divided between Autscape UK and Autscape Ireland as follows:
- Autscape UK - £1381
- Autscape Ireland - £500
(Total - £1881.) The Bursary Committee has the authority to move funds between these amounts.
The motion was carried, 5 for.
3.3. Facilitating future Autscape events outside the UK
3.3.1. The Finance Officer for Autscape Ireland proposed Autscape to be registered as a charity operating in Ireland. This would be free, and a volunteer is available to carry out the task.
Martijn said that he saw no downsides to this. Jeremy brought up the need to do two annual reports and two sets of accounts. Heta said that if reporting to the Irish Charities Regulator did not cause too much work, she saw no problem.
Mary informed the Board that the volunteer who had offered to take on registration had also agreed to look after the annual report for the first year or two. The volunteer is an autistic person with legal background.
Jeremy said that he and Elaine were getting professional advice on this matter in the UK. He had not been aware of the proposal until he saw it on the agenda.
Heta asked if there would be any harm in delaying the process by one month.
Mary explained that the process would take 6-8 months.
Kalen joined the meeting at 15:39
The discussion was summarized for Kalen. She felt that discussion should continue on the list.
The item was deferred to the next meeting.
3.3.2. The Finance Officer for Autscape Ireland proposed that the Board research the possibility of opening a bank account in Euros in the UK.
Jeremy was suggested as the person to do the research, and he agreed to this.
The motion was carried, 6 for.
3.4. The Fundraising Coordinator proposed that the Board cover the cost of two fundraising courses that she wished to attend.
The cost was £55 per course, £110 total.
Kalen suggested attending only one course first and seeing if there was any tangible benefit. Jenny agreed.
The Chair amended the proposal to:
3.4. The Fundraising Coordinator proposes that the Board cover the £55 cost of a fundraising course on writing bids for grants that she wishes to attend.
The motion was carried as amended, 6 for.
4. Follow-ups
4.1. Organiser discounts
Heta pointed out that there was still no proposal for organiser discounts, other than the one that had been discussed at the previous meeting, and that the matter should not be debated in meetings, but sent to the board for approval once organisers agreed.
The Chair agreed with this view.
4.1. was deferred to the next meeting.
5. Role reports
The Chair posted two role reports (5.5. and 5.11.) received through the list.
5.5. Event Manager UK (James)
There has been an issue with integrating the registration process and the bursary application process. This is currently being sorted out. We are looking to send out the CfP in the first half of February. We are having a discussion about methods of payment, e.g. Stripe. We are nearing a decision about this.
5.11. Event Manager Ireland (Mary)
Autscape Ireland Status Report Jan 26
Committed organizing team in place
Recent team meeting with Leneh included a venue visit
Draft Contract issued, needs minor adjustments
Childcare arranged - Craig & Sam available
Call for proposals gone out with submissions already coming in
Seems to be a good level of interest and online discussion
Hoping to open pre-registration this week
The Honorary Secretary posted her own report (5.3.) and the Company Secretary and Venue search coordinator reports (5.2. and 5.10.), received by email.
5.3. Honorary Secretary (Heta)
I have discussed the use of the secretary@autscape.org address with the Company Secretary. We are now sharing that mailbox. The description on the contact page, on matters sent to that address, should be updated to: “Matters related to charity law and record-keeping, complaints and other matters for the attention of the board, media and research requests”
5.2. Company Secretary (Elaine)
I have been very busy this month. First of all we had a problem with the Charities commission who did not have a record of us having submitted our annual return and accounts. This has now been sent again. I have also been dealing with Giggleswick and we have now signed the contract and I have just received the invoice for the deposit. I have also been in discussion with the Treasurer regarding the best way of working with Ireland. There are a lot of new laws governing international working so we will be seeking professional advice. Autscape Ireland can continue to organise but they can’t take any payments until we have a better understanding of how this will work. I have spoken to the Event Liaison, Kalen and they will not be taking payments yet so this shouldn’t be a problem.
5.10. Venue search coordinator (Elaine)
CCT have been in touch. They would like to know if we are going to book one of their venues for 2021 or 2022. We need to decide if we want to go to The Hayes or High Leigh again very soon because they will get booked up soon. I will post the dates again to the list and I will be putting in a proposal to be decided at the next board meeting at the latest.
There were no other role reports.
6. Any Other Business
No AOB.
Closed part of the meeting
7. Roles
7.1. Chair of the Bursary Committee
Nominations: Heta
6 for, the motion was carried.
7.2. Irish advisor for the Bursary Committee
Nominations: None
Mary agreed to ask an Irish volunteer about this role.
7.3. Bookkeeper for Autscape Ireland
Nominations: None
7.3 was deferred to list.
8. Change in the core organising team for Autscape Ireland
Kalen (Board liaison on the Irish organising team) proposed that the Board accept a change in the composition of the Irish team. Clare P is leaving the team and Elaine M wishes to join.
The motion was carried, 6 for.
9. Board member resignation
The Board is notified that Debbie has resigned from her position on the Board.
The Board thanks Debbie for her many years of invaluable service to Autscape. We would not have been the same without her.
10. Refunds
[confidential refund request redacted]
Kalen left the meeting at 16:42.
Item 10 was carried, 5 for.
11. Any Other Business
Jeremy requested access to the treasurer@autscape.org address for James Pelham and Trish Jubb, since they had both been made co-signatories for the CAF Bank account. Martijn agreed to arrange this.
The meeting was closed at 16:48