Freegle Reps Report 2010-04-16

Reps Update 16th of April 2010 - This Reps Update covers the period 15th of March to 15th of April 2010

Procedural Stuff

The Reps have a new email address - Reps@iLoveFreegle.org. Please use this new email address if you wish to contact the Reps.

The info@iLoveFreegle.org mailbox team Jacky and Susan has been ratified. They will keep manning the mailbox for the foreseeable future. They are doing a sterling job, btw!

The Reps Working Practices document is pretty much done and while not part of it, will work in tandem with the main Governing Document under which Freegle will be constituted. Near final drafts of the Governing Document and Reps Working Practices document are currently with the Reps and will be back with Structure shortly.

Rep Decisions - We have fine-tuned how we back up decisions made through discussion on the Reps group and now use Yahoo Polls. The process seems to be working well and provides a valuable snapshot of exactly what the Reps have agreed upon.

Complaints Issues

A number of complaints regarding individual groups have been made to the Reps by interested parties. Some problems were easily resolved, but we have decided to devolve the responsibility of investigating complaints to independent Investigation Panels.

An Investigation Panel is a temporary team who will deal with a set number of issues. The Reps set a remit for these investigations; the Investigation Panel looks into the particulars on the outstanding ones and reports back to Central with their findings. We hope the investigations will highlight how to reduce the incidence of similar situations in the future.

When a Panel is assembled, an announcement will be made on Central. The Reps and the People Working Group are also discussing setting up a Mediation Team as a way forward to reduce the need for full investigations.

People Issues

A panel will be assembled to research the UK (Scotland, England, NI, and Wales) law on protecting children/vulnerable people, with a view to recommending an appropriate Freegle policy.

Attracting new people in general to take on Freegle tasks was brought to the fore. We are concerned that too much is being done by too few, resulting in burn out. If you feel you would like to take on a small task, get in touch with us on Reps@iLoveFreegle.org or join one of the working groups.

Jacqui Houlding will be stepping down as Returning Officer, after five years flat out service between TFN and Freegle she needs time to recharge. Jacqui has done an amazing job and we would like to thank her for the time and energy she has given to Freegle since its inception. We hope to see her back in the saddle soon.

We will be seeking a new Returning Officer, we will have more for you on this fairly soon. Jacqui will oversee the election of a new Returning Officer as her last official act.

Organisation Issues

Discussions on Trademark, Charity, and Legal entity Status are continuing. It is free to register a charity in Scotland and England. Registering a legal corporate entity costs between £75 and £300 depending on how much we do ourselves.

The Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) is on hold at least until next year, so this is no longer an option to be pursued.

We are also reviewing the data on the various bank account options collected by Jacky.

Groups Issues

A couple of commercial enterprises contacted us with a view to partnering with Freegle. The Reps declined the offers as we feel Freegle should only partner up with non-profits or charity groups in order to maintain the 'Keep it Free' aspect.

Ollie Clark is sitting in as the Reps Observer on the GAT group as Edward has limited time and connectivity whilst on his [placetobe.typepad.com/pedestrian_prose walk from Lands End to John O' Groats].

The Reps voted for a temporary Glastonbury Festival group to go ahead. This was outside the remit of the Group Assessment Team and is a time sensitive group. The group is a test case, we will watch with interest to see how this evolves.

One GO came to us requesting assistance in finding someone to take on their group, due to personal health issues. This was passed on to someone willing to help source/train up a new local GO. GO's who find themselves in a similar situation can get in touch with the Reps or ask on Central for help.

We have a library of images free to use by Freegle groups - concern has been raised that it is important that anyone contributing to this library uses the best possible quality, highest resolution, non-pixellated versions as possible as they will reflect on the public face of Freegle as a professional organisation.

A Freegle Buddy System has been proposed and the Reps fully support the concept. We will pass the proposal back to the People Working Group so they can go ahead with the scheme.

Freegle Historian

Freegle now has an official Historian - Alison Redway is recording important facts and figures on Freegle's behalf. If anyone has information they feel should be included in this project, please email her on environmentalley at googlemail dot com.

UK Aware

Some concern was raised on Central regarding ticket sale links to the UK Aware event. It was felt on the Reps that individual groups have the choice of including such links (or not) as it does not contravene the 'no selling on group' rule.

Ollie contributed the Reps portion to this months' FreeSpout, just published.

The Reps Carol, Cat, Edward, Jane, Kath, Mark, Ollie, Paul & Sian

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