The Finance Committee will meet next week to review the accounts, prepare them for the Board and AGM. We still have a £6k overspend, but Neil is looking confident that the position is much improved this year as a result of better cost controls.
On 18th November, sealed tenders will be opened by the Finance Committee for the work at Stratheden. The plan is to build a large conservatory to be used for meetings and training. Should provide a really nice training and meeting venue.
Phase one of the Factory rebuild is almost finalised. We meet the Building control last week, and they have agreed to remove a planned a "lift" and create a rampDenise has been successful in getting a wonderfull offer from Increase to help establish a new shop in the City. The plan is to move to a larger and better location that will have more passing trade. John, Ian Ken and Sarah are busy planning and checking out properties this week. The grant will be to a maximum level of some £18k if we are successful and fast enough to claim the full amount before the end of this Financial year.
The Finance Committee will meet next week to review the accounts, prepare them for the Board and AGM. We still have a £6k overspend, but Neil is looking confident that the position is much improved this year as a result of better cost controls.
On 18th November, sealed tenders will be opened by the Finance Committee for the work at Stratheden. The plan is to build a large conservatory to be used for meetings and training. The conservatory should provide a really nice training and meeting venue.
Phase one of the Factory rebuild is almost finalised. We meet the Building control last week, and they have agreed to remove a planned a "lift" and create a ramped access. This will now save about £40k on the costs, and avoid the annual bills for maintenance. We think that building could still commence on the first of April 2006, and the work would take perhaps four months.
]]>Board meet recently to discuss events and plans. Special Board meeting will now review the Accounts pre AGM, and a specific event is now being planned by Clive and the Board for a strategic review.
Financial news, it was sad to note that we just slipped into the red last year by £6,000. The main causes are being reviewed, but it looks like sickness and suspensions for investigations have added huge unexpected costs... perhaps as much as £70k. Obviously this has an impact on everyone, and managers are working hard to reduce the time we have been loosing. Neil and Will have dragged in outstanding invoices, and this has greatly helped the cash position. We are showing a small operational surplus on the new Financial year, but with new appointments cash is tight as ever.
CHT may become automated in the next few days.... We are looking at a new magic box that will allow calls to be automatically diverted to sections within Roseange. Press one for.....etc. The plan is to help efficiency and save time for other administration functions. Please advise Lesley of views regarding this experiment.
Ziggy...... Many will remember Ziggy, a wonderful social work manager/legal expert and lecturer from Norway. We are in serious discussions to bring her back to chair the Independant Fostering Committee. Carolina International!
]]>Helen
]]>Key items are....
Lock and security changes.
Visitors will need a badge from early next week.
We are exploring RIB (Rubber boats to you and me) training for all staff wanting to support Carolina 1815. Safety experts suggest we need this in place.
RYA training will run over the winter months..staff with RYA qualifications will be the first people to sail on the vessel next year. Speak to Jim at the Factory if you are keen? Jim is still looking for volunteer helpers, we are light on numbers and progress is a bit slow as a result.
]]>John Fern, Dundee Chamber of Commerce visited all Dundee projects this week. Very excited by the prospect of an article in the Chamber News, and will be talking to a couple of major Building firms about help at the Factory. Great visit, thanks to all that helped. Clive
Skillseekers Future funding looks more hopefull following piles of work by Steve, Anne and Liz to secure the project. We should hear more in a couple of weeks.
Managers Group
Good meeting today. Kevin is to meet with managers regards vehicles. Risk assessment review and security review regards Roseangle to be completed. No staff at all in Moving On next week due to hols and sickness. Phone system (New) now at Cupar and to be installed next week. Special thanks to Bill and Elanor for coping without Liz and Cici for the past three weeks. Great job done by all, and it was much appreciated. More to follow...
Carolina International needs a new date, Clive waited on Monday but no show, only two appologies.
Has anyone read this Blog....where are the comments and News!
]]>Gillian, has accepted a position on the Board of Directors and will become the first young person to act as a board member since the Trust was established in 1815.
Audit of the 2004-5 Accounts is underway with Neil and Will. There may be an early AGM this year if we keep moving at this pace.
Accident in Edinburgh last week, no injury, but the car was replaced by Kevin. The 306 will now become a spare shuttle car based at the Factory, following this bump.
Andrew was 21 this week! Incredible as it seems. Apparently a Dundee cafe, made him a special cake and the customers cheered as it arrived. We are looking at a coming of age party in the next two weeks to invite family and friends.
Boat Looks really good. New volunteers recruited this week, one with PAT testers certificate to test Electrical appliances. Another Skipper (Dave) will now act to support Jim and the volunteers. Dave has several Atlantic and Pacific crossings under his belt, so a Trip on the Tay should be easy going! Engine cooling and calorifier now fitted, awful task according to Jim.. everything needs to be made to fit.
Canoeing. Clive, Stewart and Nichole out on the Tay this week. Stewart jumped in.... brave man.
Fundraising Following Courier and Wave 102 coverage. A dundee man rang Clive last weekend and offered the proceeds sponsorship of a group of friends who jumped into the Tay on Boxing Day. Fate to be set to meet the volunteers and collect same.
Training Art Therapy went very well. They spent the day making music and experimenting with Playmobile. Lots of fun and noise, so you may have missed a good event?
Hi everyone
Just to let you know that we are holding a 190th birthday celebration sponsored walk and Barbeque on 7th August. For further information contact Denise or Stewart.
G8 CHT international tried to organise a bus, but Bill was unlucky and could not find one anywhere! Speak to Bill about the CHT G6 event, and do your bit to help.
Pictures!!!!! We need some urgently what have you got?
July News!
ASD research has now been completed by Gerry to the end of the data collection stage. A diary is being completed by about 10 young people, and Gerry will collect this at the end of the summer to see what difficulties have been experienced.
Boat News
Our new part time skipper helping Jim is David. The word is that he has done some seven Atlantic crossings under sail. Does this give CHT International a new mode of transport to the west?
£335 was collected this week from a team who jumped into the Tay on New Years Day. Courier has run a nice article to cover the event, the Team are all friends and meet at the Tayview Hotel. They plan another jump in January 2006 to help fund some young people actually sailing on the river next year. Jim promised them a trip on Carolina 1815 of Dundee next year.
Boyd and volunteers are almost ready to apply special paint to the Hull. This is some high tech antifouling, wonderful stuf, but expensive and should last for years!
Cici and Liz are back on good form after holidays in the sun. (The spanish are heading to the Costa Del Fife next year, global warming is making Spain too hot) Bill will be looking to see what CHT international contacts have been made.
Denise is after more cash from Future Builders, looks like an application will go in to fund the next stage of the Impact project.... Creating employment as a priority for our young people.
Kevin is on holiday this week in the sun, so the Factory team and transport will be thin on the ground. Please double check vehicle logs. Terri has a new smaller (and neater) CHT car log and we hope to see these out soon.
Lesley is moving house, look out for the house warming invites....
Nikki may have made the TV, as she was making a personal appearance at T in the park this week.(along with one or two others who had a few days away from work) Was this a CHT social event that someone kept quite about?
We interview a new batch of Social Workers on Thursday....for three posts. Hope to fill them all this week.
ACAS have recently advised me of the outcome to the Ballot they undertook of all eligible staff working at Carolina House Trust. The results are as follows:-
No of Ballot papers issued: 91
No of Votes for Recognition: 34 (37%)
No of Votes against Recognition: 7
The TGWU needed to achieve a 40% level of support to gain automatic recognition, and as such the ballot has failed to achieve the required level. The Trust has been working with the TGWU and other unions for many years on a voluntary basis, and this ballot will have no impact upon the existing positive relations with this or other representative groups.
Friday night....
Two successfull appointments from Interviews yesterday. They should start in September. or soon after.
Usual busy day of referrals, unable to accept any as we are so busy!
Training for staff this year has cost £55,000 to date. Managers will review next week to consider the next stages to get all staff qualified by the SSSC date. More to follow.
Cici reports that every CHT full-tme Fostering Placement is occupied.
Bill is on holiday for a well earned break next week
£500,000 bid to the Scottish Executive by CHT and Fife Council was turned down. Target was to improve the educational attainment of YP who are looked after in Fife. Scottish Executive meetings planned to see where we went wrong, lots of support from Fife Council Education Department, they are impressed by our speed and flexibility. Potential for further bids in partnership.
RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) training is needed for all staff and volunteers who will use the RIB to and from Carolina 1815.
Adriannow qualified to instruct Dingy Sailing, this needs to be added to AALA Licence and Insurance cover secured.
Audit of 2004-5 Accounts. Neil is working extra hours and trying to bring this forward by one week. No significant problems reported.
Community Charge refundshave been completed by Neil for Tarvit and Cupar. This saves almost £8,000 per year.
Please add comments below and tell others about the blog
]]>