Bluebirds Trust AGM

[Ste Story]

Am I right in thinking this is tonight? Thought it'd have a mention on here, anyone planning on going?

[Jonty]

Yes 7pm I understand. I am going as I would like to hear how it's all progressing in year 2 and plans going into next year.

[Ryan P]

Correct Ste. 7pm in the Crossbar.

[barrowfan_chris]

Yes its tonight 7pm at the crossbar.

[boyliegladbach]

Going to have a wander down and pay £10 and rejoin to see if the rumours im hearing are true.

Big announcement.

[boyliegladbach]

Turns out a former director of the trust, can't add up. Accounts were a few grand out. He's paid a bit back and is paying the rest off.
17 unaccounted for transactions in a 4 month period.
Heard a poor statement read out on his behalf, would have been better if this person had turned up to explain in person.

Don't believe any of it me like, and would have involved the police.

[Bigfathoss]

Was it Arthur Fowler?

[tictactoe]

I don't know what's gone on as not involved and not a member anymore but the trust accounts have been a farce from day one

[barrowaberdeen]

No longer a farce. However folk can draw their own conclusions as the facts come out.

The board were put in a very difficult position once the new financial person identified there was unaccounted money, due to the actions of an indivdual and took a lot of advice on how to proceed. Not all agreed with the advice and would have preferred the legal route.

The money is, however, now being paid back by someone who still admits no wrongdoing from their statement they requested read out, which the majority of the audience felt stretched credulity beyond limits.

[John Very Little]

The accounts summary was fine, its just they didn't contain the £2618 which is all hopefully being paid back? The statement about that should've been worded far stronger. Hopefully some sort of action will be taken after this.
Agree with the above post from barrowaberdeen.

[boyliegladbach]

Still do t see how that much money can be a mistake.

[Ste Story]

The note from the trust AGM accounts read:

"During the course of the preparation of the accounts, it appeared that the supporting documentation for a number of outgoings occured during the financial year was inadequate to allow these to be reconciled satisfactorily with corresponding activities on the part of the society. Following further extensive investigation, including enquiries wit the then-treasurer of the society, the total amount in question was reduced to £2,618. The former treasurer has accepted that the outgoings in question were undertaken by him and were not adequately documented, He has also acknowledged his responsibilities as treasurer in respect of these matters. The former treasurer has offered to reimburse the full amount in question to the society. This offer has been documented by way of a written undertaking to that effect. Persuant to this undertaking, an initial payment of £1,000 has already been received with the balance of £1,618 to be paid in monthly instalments during the period to 31 May 2017"

Further information that came out in the meeting was that the £2618 that "went missing" was in the form of 17 ATM withdrawals in cash from the trusts bank account, made by the trust's treasurer at the time (Pete Garbacz), for which the trust board/treasurer etc can not find evidence suggesting the money was for trust means.

[Wintergreen]

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[Ray Johnstone]

Can someone kindly forward the ex-Treasurer's statement to those Trust members unable to attend last night's meeting.

[Kieran]

"During the course of the preparation of the accounts, it appeared that the supporting documentation for a number of outgoings occured during the financial year was inadequate to allow these to be reconciled satisfactorily with corresponding activities on the part of the society. Following further extensive investigation, including enquiries wit the then-treasurer of the society, the total amount in question was reduced to £2,618. The former treasurer has accepted that the outgoings in question were undertaken by him and were not adequately documented, He has also acknowledged his responsibilities as treasurer in respect of these matters. The former treasurer has offered to reimburse the full amount in question to the society. This offer has been documented by way of a written undertaking to that effect. Persuant to this undertaking, an initial payment of £1,000 has already been received with the balance of £1,618 to be paid in monthly instalments during the period to 31 May 2017"

That is an awful statement, smacks of either trying to protect someone or being too scared to go into any further detail. Its poorly worded and tells us nothing about how the situation was allowed to occur, who's fault it was or what measures have been put in place to ensure it never happens again.

I really really struggle to see how 17 separate ATM transactions could've been an oversight, and whether its being paid back or not I am at an absolute loss to understand why the trust board have chosen not to take any further action.