Changes to District Fund Guidelines, Jan 2015

The following changes to the Ely District Fund Guidelines were proposed by the committee in November 2014, and approved at the ADM in January 2015.

The aim of the changes is to bring the guidelines into line with current practice, to remove the explicit designation of the Bell Restoration Fund as the recipient for surplus monies, and to place a limit on the proportion of the current balance which can be awarded as a single grant. This last change is intended to allow for strategic planning by the committee, which might have longer-term plans requiring use of money from the District Fund.

The following changes are proposed

1) Change: Object: To enable towers within the Ely District to have a small grant towards replacement ropes and minor repairs to bells and their fittings that the Association Bell Restoration Fund would not necessarily cover.

To: Object: To contribute to funding for any reasonable ringing related activity within the Ely District or to benefit Ely District members; for example, minor repairs to bells and fittings, education and training events, publicity and recruitment events.

2) Change: Applications to be made in writing to the Secretary with one month’s notice to the District Meeting.

To: Applications to be made in writing to the Secretary with one month’s notice of a District Meeting. Normally, any grant will be limited to at most 30% of the current balance unless prior approval of the committee has been given.

3) Change Transfer of any surplus monies to be made to the Association Bell Restoration Fund once a year at the discretion of the ADM.

To: Any surplus monies may be transferred to a fund which benefits bell ringing in the Diocese of Ely; such a transfer to be proposed and approved at an ADM.

4) For clarification, Change: Decisions shall be restricted to monthly meetings when at least ten District Ringing Members are present (ten District Ringing Members to make a quorum), to be accepted by a majority vote.

To: Decisions shall be restricted to monthly District meetings when at least ten District Ringing Members are present (ten District Ringing Members to make a quorum), to be accepted by a majority vote of those District Ringing Members.

In addition, this paragraph should be moved to after the paragraph starting Applications.

As a result of these changes, the Guidelines would be:

Object

To contribute to funding for any reasonable ringing related activity within the Ely District; for example, minor repairs to bells and fittings, education and training events, publicity and recruitment events.

Administration/Grants

Applications are to be made in writing to the Secretary with one month’s notice of a District Meeting. Normally, any grant will be limited to at most 30% of the current balance unless prior approval of the committee has been given.

Decisions shall be restricted to monthly District meetings when at least ten District Ringing Members are present (ten District Ringing Members to make a quorum), to be accepted by a majority vote of those District Ringing Members.

Any surplus monies may be transferred to a fund which benefits bell ringing in the Diocese of Ely; such a transfer to be proposed and approved at an ADM.

The accounts are to be kept, independently examined and published annually.