1. Introduction
The trustees of UK Spaniel Rescue share overall responsibility for financial control and
safeguarding the funds of UK Spaniel Rescue and ensuring that the organisation operates in
accordance with the financial powers stated in its Constitution. This document sets out how this
responsibility will be exercised and where functions have been delegated to particular trustees or
staff of UK Spaniel Rescue
2 The role of the Treasurer
The treasurer takes the lead at board level on:
- making sure UK Spaniel Rescue keeps proper accounts
- reviewing financial performance
- ensuring policies for finance and if relevant investment are regularly reviewed
- ensuring that UK Spaniel Rescue has robust and effective financial controls in place
- liaising with the Chief Officer about financial matters and with the auditor (or independent
examiner) - reporting on financial matters at the AGM
The treasurer will carry out periodic internal checks, for example prior to audit, and a checklist
to assist with this will be provided
3 Financial records
Financial records will be kept so that:
- UK Spaniel Rescue can meet its legal and other obligations, e.g., HM Revenue and Customs,
Charities Acts, Companies Acts, Common Law. - The UK Spaniel Rescue trustees can have control of the organisation’s finances.
- The organisation can meet contractual obligations and the requirements of funding
bodies.
The organisation will keep proper books of account. These will include:
- A cash book analysing all transactions
- Sales, purchase and nominal ledgers
- Petty cash records
- Payroll records
4 Budget
The financial year for UK Spaniel Rescue will end on 31st March
Before the start of each financial year, the UK Spaniel Rescue trustees will approve a budgeted
income and expenditure account for the following year.
A paper comparing actual income, and expenditure with the budget will be presented to the UK
Spaniel Rescue trustees every 3 months
5 Accounts and Audit
Accounts will be drawn up after each financial year within 4 months of the end of the year and
presented to the next Annual General Meeting.
The accounts will be submitted by the Company Secretary to the Charity Commission and to Companies
House.
The trustees will appoint an appropriately qualified auditor or an independent examiner to audit
the accounts for presentation to the next AGM.
The trustees will review the appointment of the auditor/independent examiner at least every 3 years
6 Best value
When procuring goods and services it is UK Spaniel Rescue’s aim to achieve best value. For goods
and services valued at over £5,000 at least 3 quotes will be obtained. For service contracts such
as ICT, telephone and cleaning organisations will be invited to submit a proposal and these will be
considered in relation to specific criteria including price, service requirements and quality.
Whenever possible feedback will be obtained from organisations that are currently using the
relevant service provider.
Service contracts will be reviewed at least every 3 years.
7 Bank
UK Spaniel Rescue will bank with CAF Bank where the accounts will be held in the name of UK Spaniel
Rescue The current account will be held with CAF Bank. All bank accounts held by UK Spaniel Rescue
must be agreed and approved by the UK Spaniel Rescue trustees.
The bank mandate (list of people who can sign cheques on the organisation’s behalf) will always be
approved and minuted by the UK Spaniel Rescue trustees as will all changes to it.
UK Spaniel Rescue will require the bank to provide current account statements every month. These
will be reconciled with the cash book every month by the book keeper and the Chief Officer or
Management Accountant will sign the monthly reconciliation.
UK Spaniel Rescue will not use any other bank or financial institution or use overdraft facilities
or invest speculatively unless authorised, approved and minuted by the UK Spaniel Rescue trustees.
8 Fundraising, funding bids, tenders, and partnership arrangements
All fund raising, grant applications and tendering undertaken on behalf of UK Spaniel Rescue will
be done in the name of the organisation and will generally be based on recovery of the full cost of
the proposed work. If the organisation is to subsidise the cost of any work from reserves or earned
income then this must be approved by the trustees. The Chief Officer must approve bids and tenders
to a value up to £15,000. The trustees who are officers (i.e. chair and treasurer) of UK Spaniel
Rescue must approve bids and tenders to a value of up to £60,000. Bids and tenders to a value of over
£60,000 require the prior approval of the trustee board. Details of all funding bids and tenders
will be provided to the trustee board.
UK Spaniel Rescue may be the partner in a bid submitted by another organisation only if this is
consistent with the objectives of UK Spaniel Rescue as set out in our Constitution. The partnership
arrangements must have the prior approval of the Chair or, in the absence of the Chair, the Vice
Chair. All partnership arrangements will be reported to the trustee board. When UK Spaniel Rescue
will receive funding from partnership arrangements and take on financial commitments a written
agreement must be in place covering the financial arrangements. In these circumstances the funding
that UK Spaniel Rescue receives should generally be based on recovery of the full cost of the
proposed work. If the organisation is to subsidise the cost of work from reserves or earned income
then this must be approved by the trustee board The Chef Officer must approve
partnership arrangements to a value up to £15,000 The trustees who are officers (i.e. chair and
treasurer) of UK Spaniel Rescue must approve arrangements to a value of up to £60,000. Partnership
arrangements to a value of over £60,000 require the prior approval of the trustee board.
When UK Spaniel Rescue submits a funding bid or tender as the accountable body and there are
partners to the bid or tender the arrangements must be agreed by the Chief Officer and trustees in
accordance with the financial limits set out above. This includes the composition of the
partnership. Where funds are to be dispersed or remitted to
partners the partners must have in place arrangements for accounting for these funds that have been
agreed with UK Spaniel Rescue and that are consistent with our audit and reporting requirements. An
agreement must be in place before funds are allocated to
partners.
9 Receipts (income)
UK Spaniel Rescue will ensure that all the income to which it is entitled is received and that this
is evidenced.
A schedule of grant and contract income with the method of payment will be maintained and reviewed
every 3 months
All monies received will be recorded promptly in the cash analysis book and banked without delay
(note this includes sundry receipts such as payments for telephone calls, photocopying, small
donations from individuals etc.) The organisation will maintain files of documentation i.e. letters
from funding bodies to back this up.
(Insert procedures related to particular activities such as fundraising events, donations from
individuals, renting rooms, sale of services. State the arrangements and frequency for notifying
the person who deals with sending out invoices and recoding income – usually the book keeper)
Fundraising events and online raffles or auctions will be updated as soon as possible after the
event.
All payments must be made to UK Spaniel Rescue by cheque or BACS. The Chief Officer and book keeper
will review all debts on a monthly basis and agree follow up action. The schedule of debts will be
sent every month to the treasurer for information. When an individual debt exceeds £100 for a
period of more than 3 months then this will be brought to the attention of trustees and relevant
action agreed.
A schedule of charges for services and facilities will be maintained by the trustees. A copy will
be provided to the treasurer. This schedule will be reviewed at least annually and increases agreed
and reported to the treasurer.
10 Payments (expenditure)
The preferred method of payment is by bank transfer. Cheques will also be used when bank transfer
payment is not possible. Cheque books (unused and partly used cheque books) must be kept in the
safe under lock and key. Only authorised staff and the book keeper will have access to the safe.
Blank cheques will NEVER be signed.
Whenever possible, the same person should not be responsible for ordering, processing and checking
invoices as well as raising payment requisitions, signing cheques and authorising payments.
Authorisation of payments which are greater than £2,000.00 must be different to those requesting
purchase of items and at least one of those authorising must be an officer of UK Spaniel Rescue.
Payments greater than the value of £10,000 will require the approval of 2 officers of UK Spaniel
Rescue.
The relevant payee’s name will always be inscribed on cheques before signature. The cheque stub
will always be filled in.
No payments will be authorised or cheques signed without original documentation.
Money will only be spent to meet conditions and requirements of the funding bodies and in pursuance
of the objectives in the Constitution/ Memorandum and Articles of Association.
11 Payment Procedures and Documentation
Every payment from the organisation’s bank accounts will be supported by an original invoice (never
against a suppliers statement or final demand). The original invoice will be filed and kept for
seven years. The person who signs the cheque or authorises the online bank payment should ensure
that the UK Spaniel Rescue request for payment form is fully completed. This includes the
following.
PAYMENT METHOD
DATE OF INVOICE /REQUEST
AMOUNT OF PAYMENT
WHO AUTHORISED THE PAYMENT
The only exceptions to payments not being supported by an original invoice would be for such items
as advanced booking fees for a future course, VAT, etc. Here a payment requisition form (see model
form on our web site) will be used. Alternative supporting documentation such as the booking
application form must be provided.
Contracts with suppliers can only be set up if authorised by the trustees in consultation with the
treasurer.
Expenses/Allowances – UK Spaniel Rescue will reimburse expenditure paid for personally by staff
that is claimed using the agreed claim form, providing:
Fares are evidenced by proof of purchase.
Other expenditure is evidenced by original receipts. Car mileage is based on HMRC allowances.
The expenditure has been authorised by a line manager
The claim is submitted within 3 months of expenditure being incurred
Process for authorisation:
Payments shall be authorised on a weekly basis.
Full authorisation shall normally be completed on, and no later than, the Friday following
notification by the bookkeeper of payments pending
The first signatory should normally be the chief Officer. In their unavoidable, continued absence
(state designation of alternative authoriser) may act as first signatory in their place
Where only one officer is required to authorise, that will normally be the Treasurer.
No signatory should authorise payments to him or herself. It is the responsibility of the other
signatory to ensure this does not happen.
Weekly procedure:
1 Bookkeeper draws cheques and uploads internet payments.
2 Bookkeeper notifies both signatories of payments pending according to authorisation limits.
3 Bookkeeper makes available appropriate evidence for first signatory
4 (Internet payments only) Bookkeeper forwards summary evidence to second signatory where
appropriate
5 First signatory authorises/signs cheque no later than the two days following notification of
payments pending.
6 First signatory notifies second signatory of payments pending and ensures availability of
primary evidence if required.
7 Second signatory authorises payments no later than, and usually on, the day following
notification of payments pending by the first signatory.
12 Salaries
Not applicable
13 Credit card payments
Not applicable
14 Other Undertakings
UK Spaniel Rescue does not accept liability for any financial commitment unless properly
authorised. Any orders placed or undertakings given, with financial consequences must be approved
by the Chief Officer up to a value of £2,000. Those valued at over £2,000 require the approval of
the trustees of UK Spaniel Rescue Those valued at over £10,000 require the approval of 2 trustees
(This covers such items as new service contracts, office equipment, purchase and hire).
15 Confidentiality
The confidentiality of employee’s financial circumstances will be respected at all times.
Trustees, volunteers and employees will at all times act in the best interest of the organisation
and if they experience a conflict of interest they will not divulge sensitive information about the
organisation.
16 Fixed assets and inventory of capital items
Not applicable
17 Reserves and Investment Policies
Not applicable
The trustees of UK Spaniel Rescue will keep these financial controls under review
The person responsible for this policy/procedure is: Andrea Phillips
This policy has been approved by the Board of Trustees
Policy approved date 22nd October 2024
This policy is reviewed on an annual basis by the Board of Trustees
Next review due: October 2025