Financial Policy and Procedures
1. FINANCIAL POLICY
The management committee is responsible for:
- Safeguarding the assets of the charity
- Preventing Fraud
- Avoiding mistakes
- Keeping financial records in accordance with the governing document and relevant legislations (e.g. Charities Act.)
- Preparing Annual Accounts in accordance with the governing document and relevant legislation.
To enable the management committee to carry out these responsibilities, the financial procedures detailed below must be followed at all times by all Management Committee Members, Staff, and volunteers.
A copy of this and procedures will be given to all Management Committee members on their election / appointment to the Committee, and to all relevant staff and volunteers.
The policy and procedures will be reviewed annually by the Management Committee and revised as necessary.
2. FINANCIAL PROCEDURES
- 3. Bank Accounts
All bank accounts must be in the name of the organisation.
No account may ever be opened in the name of an individual.
New accounts may only be opened by a decision of the Management Committee, which must be minuted.
Changes to bank mandate may only be made by a decision of the Management Committee, which must be minuted.
All monies received will be banked within five working days. Cash received must be banked intact and may not be used to make payments or top up petty cash.
Two people should be involved in counting cash receipts.
All cheques must be signed by two signatories.
The signatories are responsible for examining the cheque for accuracy and completeness.
The signatories are responsible for examining the payments documentation (purchase invoice etc) prior to signing the cheque.
Blank cheques must never be signed.
Signatories to the accounts: 2 persons
- ANNUAL BUDGET
An annual budget, setting out the organisation’s financial plan for the year, will be prepared so that the Management Committee can approve it before the start of each financial year.
The draft budget will be prepared by the Treasurer
5. Financial Reports
A financial Report will be prepared every Quarter.
Each Financial Report will be circulated to all Management Committee members and discussed at the following committee meeting. The reports will be prepared by the Treasurer.
- 6. Accounting and other financial records
The organisation shall maintain:
A Receipts and Payments analysis Book which records:
- Cheques and cash received and banked
- Cheque payments and other amounts paid from the bank account
Receipts and Payments Book is written up by the treasurer
The Petty Cash Analysis Book is written the treasurer
Every transaction will be entered into the appropriate book and will include:
- the date of the transactions
- the name of the person money was received from or paid to and the full amount
- a brief description of why the money was received or paid
- an analysis of each amount under its relevant budget heading
- all documents relating to receipts and payments will be filed in the order they appear in the books
- 7. Authorisation and Payment
All orders must be recorded in writing and a copy kept.
The purchase of any item must be authorised and minuted by the Management Committee.
No Management Committee or staff member may authorise payment to themselves, their partner or relatives.
Goods supplied must be checked for completeness and invoice (or other vouchers) should be matched and checked against orders before payments is authorised.
Before a cheque payment is made, it must be authorised in writing. When the cheque is signed, the two signatories should also sign the Cheque Requisition Form / Cheque stub / supporting document.
Once payment has been made the invoice (or other voucher) should be marked ‘paid’, together with the cheque number and date.
PETIT CASH SYSTEM
We operate an Imprest Petty Cash System .
Petty cash voucher must be completed for all expenditure and signed by the Treasurer to authorise the payment.
The person receiving the money must also sign the voucher.
Where possible, receipts for goods purchased, travel, subsistence and other expenses should be attached to the voucher.
The petty cash float will be reconciled at least monthly or whenever more cash is needed from the bank.
The person responsible for Petty Cash is the Treasurer or the Secretary
- Payroll
All employees (including seasonal and part time employees) must be asked to complete the relevant PAYE form/s before they receive any payment.
All staff changes and changes to terms and conditions of employment must be authorised and minuted by the Management Committee.
- Insurance
Appropriate Insurance policies will be maintained to cover:
employer’s Liability / Public Liability/Contents/ professional indemnity
An inventory of all physical assets of the organisation will be kept and regularly updated.
Reserves Policy
The charity reserves policy is to hold 6-10 % of its unrestricted fund at the end of every financial year depending on the financial situation of the organisation to:
- Ensure that the charity can continue to provide a stable and quality service to those who need them. Within this context to minimise recruitment, staff training, staff induction and marketing costs by avoiding the need for redundancies caused by financial crisis.
- To meet unexpected costs like break down of essential office machinery, staff cover re illness, maternity leave, parental leave, and legal costs defending the charities interest
- To meet contractual liabilities should the organisation have to close. This includes redundancy pay, amounts due to creditors and commitments under leases.
Restricted reserve at the end of every financial year is kept to complete specific project as indicated by funders.
This policy will be revised every year to ensure that the policy meets the organisation’s need.
Reviewed on 11/11/2022