Freegle Reps Report 2011-06-28

Reps’ Report 6th June to 28th June

This Report is a summary of the Reps activities from 6th June 2011 until 28th June 2011. There were approximately 705 posts on the Freegle Reps discussion group between the currently serving Reps.

Increasing Volunteer Involvement

• We discussed how we could find people to help with the jobs that need doing within Freegle given that many people have limited time to help.

• We discussed how to encourage people to take on all of the vacant roles we have, and asked about this on Central. Richard (Waveney) offered to help, and Hazel (Stevenage) offered to take on the role of helping to advertise the roles in FreeSpout. Jane added a file to Central listing the roles and tasks which need volunteers here.

• We approached people regarding helping to keep the wiki up to date.

Reps Matters

• We spent much time discussing the opening of a new bank account and signatories for it and how we can implement the financial management in a way that is in accordance with the The Financial Management and Controls Policy and Procedures. We found that there were inconsistencies in the document regarding the number of Reps required to approve expenditure, and a proposal has been taken to Structure.

• We discussed the appointment of an auditor for the Freegle accounts (important now our long awaited bank account is being established) and emailed the Ombudsman and Returning Officer asking them to start the process as per http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Financial_Management_and_Controls

• We discussed again how we could improve things to try and get reports done on time – no real consensus other than to keep trying!

• We were notified of a complaint made by a local group member to the Advertising Standards Authority which the mailbox team had dealt with expertly. This seemed to stem from a member being unable to unsubscribe from a group.

Strategy Matters, Policy & Procedure

• After much discussion and feedback we finalised our Strategy Document which has now gone to Central for comments. This is a large document but we would really like to encourage as many people as possible to read it and give us some feedback: http://tinyurl.com/64byk5z

• We received a complaint about one group. We have communicated with the group mods and complainant and provided support.

• We discussed the need for a working complaints procedure; in particular that Freegle needs to be able to offer in practice the Mediation Panel that the policy mentions in theory. The Ombudsman has asked again for volunteers to form a panel.

Group Applications

• We were made aware of the idea of a “micro Freegle” with an email that was simultaneously sent to the Start Working Group.

• The Group Affiliation Team recommended to us that a group should not be approved for affiliation to Freegle on the basis of an unsuitable applicant. We agreed with the recommendation, and the applicant was informed.

Media Matters and external links

• Edward exchanged ideas with a gentleman in Serbia who was interested in setting up a reuse network similar to Freegle.

• We discussed the how the graphics team could help to give newly affiliating groups a “graphics pack” and how this could also be made available to existing groups – this links in with much of the strategy for Media.

• We received and returned email from the Eco Community website regarding reciprocal links – our policy on which is yet to be decided.

• We received an email via the mailbox team from Defra regarding their “household reward and recognition scheme”. This was also brought separately to Central by Chris Cant (Penrith) and is currently being discussed. Cat has offered her advice to any local mods who wish to collaborate with their Local Authorities to put a proposal together. Closing date is July 26th 2011

• Cat has just been booked to do a 20 min presentation and 10 min Q and A session at the London Councils Office in July in front of Recycling Officers from all the London Boroughs, with the London Recycling Officers Group.

Miscellaneous

• We had a discussion about how each of is feeling at the moment, and what non-Freegle pressures we have on our time, to try and understand what level of resource we are actually operating with at the moment and in the near future.

Saira on behalf of all the Reps

Cat, Sian, Saira, Paul, Ollie, Kath, Jane, Edward and Adam

Back to Freegle Representative Group or Freegle Reps Report 2011-06-08, or forwards to Freegle Reps Report 2011-08-15