Updated to make relevant to 2023 - online edit of years/2023/accounting_policy.html

years/2023/accounting_policy.html

@@ -18,65 +18,64 @@ The intentions of this policy are several-fold:<br/>
 <li>To ultimately allow the generation of bills for individuals without surprises.</li>
 <li>To allocate costs fairly, in so far as does not take excessive effort.</li>
 </ol>
-Where choices exist there will be a bias towards encouraging more caving and greater student participation.<br/>
+Where choices exist, there will be a bias towards encouraging more caving and greater student participation.<br/>
 
 <p>This is being actively edited by the 2023 treasurer: Alice.
 
 <h2>2 Expo Income</h2>
 <h3>2.1 Grants</h3>
-Grant money, unless obtained for a specific purpose, will be divided per person and offset against communal equipment costs.</p>
+Grant money, unless obtained for a specific purpose, will be divided per caving member and offset against communal equipment costs.</p>
-<p>The Alex Pitcher Award will be split equally between all eligible participants <br/>
+<p>The Alex Pitcher Award will be split equally between all eligible participants to reduce their overall bill. <br/>
 <h3>2.2 Deposits</h3>
 All expedition members are expected to pay a deposit before the expedition to finance 
-the purchase of expensive communally bought items, unless they are personally incurring a larger communal expedition expense. The deposit will be set at a standard rate, with a reduced rate - 50% of standard - for students (other concessions at the treasurer's discretion). <br/>
+the purchase of expensive communally bought items, unless they are personally incurring a larger communal expedition expense.
+<p>The deposit will be set at two tiers: standard rate and a 50% reduced rate for students (other concessions at the treasurer's discretion). <br/>
 
 <h3>2.3 Personal Contributions</h3>
-Charged at the end of the expedition to make the accounts balance.<br/>
+Charged at the end of the expedition to make accounts balance once all expenses have been submitted.<br/>
 <h2>3 Expo Expenditure</h2>
 <h3>3.1 Communal Equipment</h3>
 For personal equipment, see 3.4.3.<br/>
 <p>One-off purchases will be charged per person. This covers items such as tarps, anchors, first aid supplies, and communal caving/camping gear bought specifically for the expedition.</p>
-<p>Costs of consumable items will be shared per day spent on expedition. Such items include fuel, bog-rolls and cleaning supplies.</p>
+<p>Consumable items will be split into "base camp consumable" and "top camp consumable" and charged per person based on nights spent at base/top camp. Such items include fuel, bog-rolls and cleaning supplies.</p>
-<p>Owners of items borrowed for communal use will receive wear-and-tear compensation if the item’s use is agreed in advance by the expedition committee. Such compensation will be based on proportionate use of the item’s expected lifetime, and will be charged as a one-off purchase. Compensation will be generous (an example being 10% of purchase price for rope 
+
-borrowed for the whole expedition), but does not cover replacement in the event of damage.</p>
 <p>Anyone informing the expedition treasurer of an intention not to cave prior to the expedition will not pay for top-camp/caving equipment, except any already purchased on their behalf.</p>
 <h3>3.2 Transportation</h3>
 <b>3.2.1 To/From Austria</b><br/>
 
 <p> Transport to/from Austria is considered outside the remit of Expo treasurer. It is up to the driver and passengers to agree a fair split of fuel/ferries/associated costs. However, Bank of Expo may be used to arrange person-to-person swaps between indivuduals when settling these travel costs.</p>
-</strike>
+
 
 <b>3.2.2 In Austria</b><br/>
-<p>Fuel and parking for all vehicles being used for communal purposes (i.e. communal shopping and going caving) will be combined and charged per day spent in Austria.</p>
+<p>Fuel and parking for all vehicles being used for communal purposes (i.e. communal shopping and going caving) will be combined and charged per day spent on Expo.</p>
-<p>Driving unrelated to Expo (“Jollies”) must be entered on the appropriate page in the Bier Book, and will be deducted from drivers’ petrol allowances. It is the driver’s responsibility to enter swaps to distribute the costs between their passengers.</p>
+<p>Driving unrelated to Expo (“Jollies”) should not be included in petrol billed to Expo. It is the driver’s responsibility to enter swaps to distribute this cost between their passengers or settle up privately.</p>
-<p>A &pound;10 wear-and-tear allowance will be paid to a vehicle’s owner for each week or major
+
-fraction thereof the vehicle is on Expo and transporting people communally.</p>
 <p>The toll road cost will be shared equally across all caving members of the expedition.</p>
 <b>3.2.3 Carbon Offsetting</b><br/>
-<p>Travel to and from expo will be carbon offset. This will be calculated on an individual basis and added to the expo bill. Expedition members are responsible for supplying information on fuel usage (travelling by car) or journey details (train or plane) for the purposes of carbon offsetting calculation. </p>
+<p>Travel to and from Expo will be carbon offset. This will be calculated on an individual basis and added to the expo bill. Expedition members are responsible for supplying information on fuel usage (travelling by car) or journey details (train or plane) for the purposes of carbon offsetting calculation. </p>
 <h3>3.3 Maintenance</h3>
 <h4>3.3.1 Food and Drink</h4>
-<p>Communal food and drink costs will be shared on a time on expedition basis. Personal food/drink items must be accounted separately in the Bier Book.<br/>
+<p>Communal food and drink costs will be split by top/base camp food and shared on a nights at top/base camp  basis. Personal food/drink items bought by others must be accounted separately in the Bier Book as person-to-person swaps .<br/>
 <p>G&ouml;sser and limos will be charged individually based on Bier Book tallies.<br/>
 <h4>3.3.2 Accommodation</h4>
 <p>Base camp fees will be shared on nights spent at base camp.</p>
 <h3>3.4 Individual Expenses</h3>
 <h4>3.4.1 Swaps</h4>
-<p>Person-to-person transactions are processed through the Bier Book, and costs transferred directly. Examples include excursion expenses and personal food/drink.</p>
+<p>Person-to-person transactions are processed through the Bier Book and costs transferred directly. Examples include excursion expenses and personal food/drink.</p>
 <h4>3.4.2 Seshes and the Expo Dinner</h4>
 <p>Record accurately in the Sesh Book - these will be entered into Bank of Expo as person-to-person swaps.</p>
 <p>Expo Dinner participants will be billed according to their recorded meal choices.</p>
 <h4>3.4.3 Personal Gear</h4>
-<p>Any items bought specifically for expedition members will be charged directly to the individual based on the information supplied by the purchaser to the expedition treasurer. No allowance for wear-and-tear of personal equipment will be made.</p>
+<p>Any items bought specifically for expedition members will be charged directly to the individual. No allowance for wear-and-tear of personal equipment will be made.</p>
 
 <h4>3.4.4 Rescue Costs</h4>
-<p>Not an item for the expedition accounts, expedition members are entirely liable for rescue costs. Buy insurance.</p>
+<p>Expedition members are entirely liable for their own rescue costs. Buy insurance.</p>
 <b>Financial and Accounting Responsibilities for Expo-goers</b><br/>
 <ol>
 <li>Pay the deposit.<br/>
 <li>Keep your receipts - place in the plastic wallet in the Tatty Hut.</li>
 <li>If you are in any doubt whether the expedition will reimburse an expense do not incur
-it before obtaining the expedition treasurer’s agreement.</li>
+it before obtaining the treasurer’s agreement.</li>
 <li>Fill in the relevant pages of the Bier Book accurately.</li>
 <li>Where possible, enter details of your expenses on the Expo computer.</li>
 <li>Leave money when you leave Austria in order to cover your share of the campsite bill.</li>
@@ -88,7 +87,7 @@ it before obtaining the expedition treasurer’s agreement.</li>
 
 <p>The expedition treasurer, Alice Kirby (ark58@cam.ac.uk), will manage the expedition’s finances. In the first instance queries should be addressed to her.</p>
 <p>By attending the expedition it is assumed you agree to subsequently clear any debts owed to other expedition members which arise due to application of this policy.</p>
-<p>All expense claims must be submitted to the expedition treasurer by ......</p>
+<p>All expense claims must be submitted to the expedition treasurer by the end of August </p>
 <p>Expenses without receipts may not be reimbursed.</p>
 <p>Any person-to-person swap which the debtor disputes, and for which the creditor cannot provide evidence, will not be processed through the expedition accounts.</p>
 <p>The accounts will be based in pounds sterling. Euro denominated transactions will be