ABOUT THE PTA:

The group aims to promote close cooperation

and communication between

staff/carers and parents, and to engage in

activities which support and advance the

education of all pupils attending Manley

Park Primary School. It also aims to

strengthen links with the local community.

Minutes of the meeting held on 13 January 2009 5.00pm at the Surestart Children’s Centre, Burford Road, Whalley Range 

Present:

Parents: Ali Holden (Chair), John Warrander, Sarah Dixon (Minutes), Rebecca Charlton, Eddy Richards, Jacqueline Gaddafi, Simon Pemberton, Atifa Talha, Robina Ahmad, Olivia Piekarski,

Staff: Tracy Hamilton Hall, Rushna Avari.

1.  Apologies:

Parents:  Kashif Malik, Imogen Delaney, Cath Wade, Carys Roberts, Glynis Craig, Phil Hoyland, Nazia Hussain

Staff:  Gary Handforth 

2.     Matters arising from the Minutes of last AGM There were not any minutes circulated from the last meeting.   

3.     Film Club feedback The general opinion that the Film Club had gone well and the PTA should hold one once a term.

The next Film Club was set for 10^th March.  Miss Hamilton Hall agreed to speak with the caretaker at the infant site about this.    

It was agreed that there would be a deadline of 6^th March for the reply slips. 

This was so that there would be sufficient time to draw up a list of children going from juniors to infants. 

Rebecca agreed to take responsibility for the film club, with John, Ali, Atifa and Simon getting involved. 

John agreed to order the film from Filmbank and Simon offered to help with the posters. 

4.     Environmental Proposal 

Ed and Rebecca had successfully bid for £1000 from Manchester Council’s Whalley Range U Decide event. 

The grant would cover three areas, which could be held simultaneously or at different times.  

 i)                 a climate change truck parked at the juniors for a week which would be available for staff, children and local people to visit (the PTA would man the truck when not used by school).

ii)                A visit to the co-op recycling centre in town.   A coach could be booked for the PTA could support the visit by bus (ratio of 1-10 needed for this).

iii)              Art workshop.  The idea being that the children could do collective piece of art that could be displayed. 

Rebecca agreed to arrange a meeting with interested staff (possibly Miss Livesley and Miss Moss) and parents. 

Simon, Jacqui and Atifa agreed to get involved.  

Ed noted that the school gets a free environmental workshop for a day when the truck is hired. 

5.     School disco It was decided not to hold this at the moment given the number of other events occurring. 

6.     School Fair The next fair would be held on 25^th April at the infant site, both indoors and outdoors. 

Robina agreed to take responsibility for this and would arrange a meeting with interested staff/parents. 

Jacqui, Atifa, Olivia and Miss Avari agreed to get involved. 

Sarah would pass on all relevant information from previous fairs. 

7.     Any other business A meal out at the Nawaab was set for 30^th January at 8pm.

  Sarah agreed to book   

Simon agreed to do posters. 

Minutes of the meeting held on 13 January 2009 5.00pm at the Surestart Children’s Centre, Burford Road, Whalley Range 

Present:

Parents: Ali Holden (Chair), John Warrander, Sarah Dixon (Minutes), Rebecca Charlton, Eddy Richards, Jacqueline Gaddafi, Simon Pemberton, Atifa Talha, Chris Ricard, Robina Ahmad, Olivia Piekarski,

Staff: Tracy Hamilton Hall, Rushna Avari 

1.     Apologies:

Parents: Kashif Malik, Imogen Delaney, Cath Wade, Carys Roberts, Glynis Craig, Phil Hoyland, Nazia Hussain

Staff: Gary Handforth 

2.     Welcome to new parents joining the meeting

Ali welcomed all parents and staff to the meeting, especially those who had not attended previously. 

3.     Minutes of last AGM

The minutes of the last AGM were approved. 

4.     Report on Activities

a)     Events held: Rebecca gave a brief report on the events and activities which were held over the last year. 

These were the Summer Fair, the badge making stall at the Manley Park Fun Day, encouraging parents to read in class during World Book Week, serving tea and coffee at school events, children’s Film Club, PTA newsletters and the recent success of Rebecca Charlton and Ed Richards in bidding for £1000 for an environmental awareness project. 

b)     Items purchased: Storytellers chair, reception compost and greenhouses, autograph books for all Year 6 leavers, noticeboard for infant site, equipment for lunchtime organisers at the Infants.   

Miss Avari asked whether the PTA still intended to fund equipment for wet playtimes. 

Ali explained that the donation to the lunchtime organisers should have covered wet-play equipment. 

The junior school still needed to give its lunchtime equipment requests to the PTA. 

Ali also explained that the PTA had decided not to give £50 to each class at the moment but would consider further purchases for the school once the £3000 had cleared (see 5a) below) and its finances were on a firmer footing.  

c)     Specific thanks to parent Rahila Ahmed who successfully applied for a £250 Community Cashback Award on behalf of the PTA. 

5.     Treasurer’s Report

John passed round copies of the Treasurer’s Report (see attached) and explained it.

Points of note were: 

a)     The £3000 cheque from Eamonn Boylan had expired before the PTA had set up a bank account. 

John had asked for another to be re-issued. 

b)     Summer Fair: the aim of the school fairs over the past two years had been to generate interest in the PTA rather than raise large funds. 

Last year’s funds suffered from a downpour on the day and hence making a considerable loss on the bouncy castle. 

Chris Ricard circulated her report as Independent Examiner (see attached). 

The accounts were formally accepted. 

6.     Appointment of an Independent Examiner

Chris Ricard agreed to continue to act as Independent Examiner.  

7.     Election of Committee Members

Ali asked the main committee members to give an outline of their position and whether they wished to stand again.           

Robina Ahmed - Robina thanked everyone for establishing the PTA, and working as a team to make it work. 

She felt that the events had successfully benefited the community (eg the fairs), the children (eg film club) and the parents (eg meals out) and that it brought great benefits to the school. 

Robina did not wish to stand again as Chair but would like to remain involved.

Robina said that she regretted that not more Asian parents were getting involved with the PTA, and didn’t know what the reason for this could be. 

Ali pointed out that whilst this was true, many parents were willing to get involved and help out on the day. 

Ali Holden – Ali said she would continue as Deputy if no one else were willing to take on the position.  

John Warrander – John agreed to stand for re-election as Treasurer 

Sarah Dixon – Sarah agreed to stand for re-election as Secretary but noted that the position was quite onerous. 

Miss Hamilton Hall agreed to look at whether the PTA could pay to use the school photocopier which would save considerable time and effort of having to get posters and letters printed elsewhere. 

Simon offered to take on the designing of PTA leaflets and posters.  

CHAIR:  Ali nominated Olivia, Ed seconded.  Olivia agreed to act as Chair. 

DEPUTY CHAIR: Rebecca nominated Ali, Sarah seconded.  Ali agreed to act as Deputy Chair 

TREASURER:  Ed nominated John, Robina seconded.  John agreed to act as Treasurer. 

SECRETARY: John nominated Sarah, Robina seconded.  Sarah agreed to act as Secretary 

SCHOOL LIASON: Ed nominated Miss Avari.  Robina seconded.  Miss Avari agreed to act as School Liaison. 

ORDINARY COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Ali nominated Robina, Sarah seconded.  Robina agreed.

Rebecca nominated Jacqui, Ali seconded.  Jacqui agreed.

Robina nominated Rebecca, John seconded.  Rebecca agreed.

Sarah nominated Atifa, Rebecca seconded.  Atifa agreed

John nominated Simon, Sarah seconded.  Simon agreed.

Ed said that he would be standing down as Committee member as he and the family were moving from the area. 

The declaration of elected Committee members was signed. Sarah said that in order for a meeting to be properly formed and make decision (ie be a quorum) the constitution stipulated that the number of members needed to be two times the number of Committee members.  

In section 5.3 of the PTA constitution it stated:     “There is a quorum at a general meeting if the number of members personally present is at least two times the number of Committee Members in office at the commencement of the meeting. This does not apply in the situation of a dissolution.”

This would mean that there would have to be 20 non-committee members in attendance to make any decision at any meeting, which would always be extremely unlikely. 

Given that many Committee members brought lots of benefits (getting people more involved, getting more ideas), Sarah suggested altering the constitution to withdraw this specification. 

It was agreed that the above section be removed from the PTA constitution. 

8.     Any other business

None. 

9.     Date of next ordinary meeting.

The next meeting followed on from this AGM.