Downloadable version: Expenses Policy Version 1.0: Approved: 18 October 2017 [UNDER REVISION JAN 2022]

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All expenses under any of the following sections must be claimed no later than 31 January following the end of the Financial Year (31^st December) in which the expenditure occurred. Claims after this date will not be paid. The current Expenses Form must be used.

Travel Expenses

SCACR will, if asked, pay reasonable travel expenses to Trustees, elected Officers (Master, General Secretary, Treasurer, BRF Secretary, Safeguarding Officer) and other representatives attending the Association business meetings listed below.

• General Committee Meetings, the AGM or any EGM
• Annual District Meetings (Trustees and Elected Officers only, attending ADMs in Districts other than their own)
• Team or Committee/Sub-Committee Meetings as below:
  • Finance Committee
  • Training & Recruitment Team
  • Communication & Events Team
  • Bell Maintenance & Restoration Team
  • Administration, Records & Library Team

Elected Officers may also claim reimbursement for other travel on Association business required to carry out the duties of the role to which they have been elected (this list is not necessarily exhaustive):

• Travel to the funeral of a Member (Master only)
• To present a 50-year membership Certificate to a Member (Master only)
• Safeguarding training (Safeguarding Officer)
• Travel whilst representing the Association will be at the discretion of the Trustees and should be agreed in advance.

Travel to social events and practices or on outings cannot be claimed.

Travel will be reimbursed provided that:

• An Expense Form is completed (available from the Treasurer or the SCACR website)
• Expenditure is evidenced wherever possible by original receipts (train/bus fares etc)
• Car mileage claims are based on the current rate agreed by the Finance Committee (currently 25p/mile)
• Reimbursement will be by cheque or electronic bank transfer
• Payments in cash will not normally be made
• Parking costs will not normally be paid.

CCCBR Annual Meeting

Travel to the annual meeting of the Council will be reimbursed for the 5 elected CCCBR representatives only.

Mileage rates on a return journey:

• Any round trip up to 100 miles at 25p/mile
• On a longer round trip, the first 100 miles will be reimbursed at 25p/mile, and all mileage over 100 miles will be reimbursed at 15p/mile.

Train, coach or air fares may be claimed and must be evidenced by a receipt. Train and air travel must be 2^nd class/economy class.

If the venue of the meeting is more than 3 hours travel time from home (by the shortest route), and the start time of the meeting/event is before 10am, budget overnight accommodation and breakfast may be claimed at cost, to a maximum of £100, for the night before the start of the meeting. This must be supported by a receipt.

Accommodation on the evening after meeting has ended may only be claimed if the venue of the meeting is more than 4 hours travel time from home by the shortest route.

Parking overnight and at the meeting venue may be claimed.

Drinks, lunch and dinner are the responsibility of the representative and may not be claimed from the Association.

Training Courses

All Association or District training courses should set a course fee for attendees at a level which aims to cover the cost of organising and running the training course, but without making any significant profit. This should include the cost of:

• reproduction of training course materials, postage etc
• catering (such as tea, coffee, cakes, biscuits, and lunch if provided)
• tower donations
• travel at 25p/mile for the course tutor
• other costs will be considered at the Trustees discretion only

Any profits from training courses are donated to the BRF or SYRF.

If any individual Officer or Member of the Association is asked to organise a training course for a specific tower or group of people, or to attend practices regularly to assist with progress, the tutor/helper should enter into a private agreement with the tower and ringers involved if reimbursement is desired.

District Expenses

District secretarial expenses (such as bulk copying, paper, printer ink, envelopes and postage) may be claimed from the Treasurer on production of relevant receipts.

Production and postal distribution costs for newsletters and event publicity may also be claimed by submitting the relevant receipts to the Treasurer, or by asking the supplier to submit the invoice directly to the Treasurer for direct payment. Use of email and the SCACR website is actively encouraged to minimise these expenses.

Soundbow

The cost of reprographic production and postal distribution of Soundbow may be claimed from the Treasurer on production of relevant receipts.

Association Social Events

The price of the event ticket should be set to recover the cost of the event expenses.

If supplier payment is required in advance of tickets being sold (e.g. hall hire, band/music, food orders, equipment hire, copying and printing), these costs may be claimed from the Treasurer in advance of the event on production of a receipt, or an invoice sent to the Treasurer for direct payment to the supplier.

All ticket monies should be given to the Treasurer for banking, or should be paid directly into the Association bank account. Expenses should be paid from ticket receipts only with the prior agreement of the Treasurer.

Bell Restoration Fund

The BRF Secretary or a District BRF Representative may claim reimbursement for the travel required to carry out a bell or tower inspection.

Sussex Young Ringers Fund (The Reg Johnson and Harold Wood Memorial Fund)

The adult organiser(s) of a Sussex Young Ringers event or practice may claim the following expenses from this fund:

• Mileage to/from practices, at the rate of 25p/mile.
• Refreshment/catering costs
• Tower donations

It is not expected that young ringers attending Sussex Young Ringer events should have to pay towards the expenses above.

If Sussex Young Ringers are entered in Regional or National Competitions then the following additional expenses may be claimed:

• Competition entry fees
• Travel to the competition and accommodation/breakfast for the competition Team Manager and one other adult helper (per team) at the same rates as for CCCBR representatives above.
• Travel to the competition and accommodation/breakfast for the young person and one parent/guardian per young person at the same rates as for CCCBR representatives above.

Version 1.0: Approved: 18 October 2017