The area of most concern to the Expo Treasurer will almost certainly be the +travel expenses, for journeys to and from Austria. Transport is notionally +coordinated by the Expo Treasurer (see later) with the objective of getting +all the people to Expo at minimum overall cost (consistent with reasonable +comfort, safety, timeliness, etc. :-). Typically, some people are helpful +and drive to Expo with cars full of passengers and/or Expo gear. +The ferry, fuel and toll costs for these vehicles are normally refunded in full. +Some vehicles travel to and/or from Expo with half or less of a full complement +of passengers; in these cases the costs may or may not be refunded, or refunded +in part, at the discretion of the treasurer. The decision is normally based on +whether the car was under-utilised because the driver was too +inflexible/uncommunicative to fit in better with the Expo transport plan, +whether the inefficiency was unavoidable. Where a vehicle goes off elsewhere +before or after Expo, Expo usually pays for the 'useful' part of the journey.
+ + +Expo does not pay fines (speeding, parking or otherwise) but may pay road tolls.
+ ++Later on, there'll be the job of determining who the full, semi-independent and independent travellers are and which vehicles are funded in full or part. This may be a bit iterative, depending on how helpful and communicative various people have been. + +
Each Expo member may be regarded as anything from
+ +The first Expo fiddle-factor traveller is used to describe this state. Traveller normally ranges from 0.1 for an independent traveller to 1 for a full traveller. The semi-independent traveller value is about 0.55. All these are determined by the treasurer and can be adjusted to take account of exceptional circumstances.
+ +The reason that the independent and semi traveller values are not 0 and 0.5 respectively is that Expo equipment must still be transported both ways even if some people go elsewhere before or after Expo. Thus these people still pay something towards the Expo transport bill.
+ +In some complex cases, the process of assigning everybody's respective traveller value and deciding which vehicles Expo will fund is a little iterative. The treasurer aims for an overall fair settlement.
+ +Once all the traveller values have been assigned, the total cost of the Expo-funded vehicles is divided in proportion to each member's value. This is done automatically in the Expo spreadsheet.
+ +A car allowance can made to owners of Expo funded vehicles to cover wear and tear. How much this is and whether it includes an element for extra motor insurance cover is determined by the treasurer; recently it has been £80 including insurance and £50 not including insurance (which was paid separately if requested). Partially funded vehicles were given a proportional allowance. However, as the car allowance was stated when we had problems getting enough cars. You could make it optional, or direct it towards skint/unwaged car owners, as you think appropriate: an 'options' page in the Bier Book could be used to let people sign up for a car allowance.
+ + + +Expo incurs cost in the following areas:
This is an online system which does accounting. It is not a bank: it just keeps records of how expenses are allocated and who has paid what. See the Bank of Expo webpage for a longer description and all the documentation. +
The bill each person receives depends on:
@@ -102,37 +103,13 @@How each of these areas has been dealt with traditionally is described below. Future treasurers may wish to change this, but should be prepared for 'heated debate'...
-Reasonable Expo expenses recorded in the bier book will be refunded. The Expo treasurer determines what is reasonable, but generally Expo only pays for what it gets, and only buys what it needs.
-The area of most concern to the Expo Treasurer will almost certainly be the travel expenses, for journeys to and from Austria. Transport is notionally coordinated by the Expo Treasurer (see later) with the objective of getting all the people to Expo at minimum overall cost (consistent with reasonable comfort, safety, timeliness, etc. :-). Typically, some people are helpful and drive to Expo with cars full of passengers and/or Expo gear. The ferry, fuel and toll costs for these vehicles are normally refunded in full. Some vehicles travel to and/or from Expo with half or less of a full complement of passengers; in these cases the costs may or may not be refunded, or refunded in part, at the discretion of the treasurer. The decision is normally based on whether the car was under-utilised because the driver was too inflexible/uncommunicative to fit in better with the Expo transport plan, whether the inefficiency was unavoidable. Where a vehicle goes off elsewhere before or after Expo, Expo usually pays for the 'useful' part of the journey.
Photographic costs have been discussed recently, with the outcome that Expo pays only for its own copy of slides/prints. It does not pay for film or development unless it gets to keep the negatives. We recommend that photographers keep their own originals as this makes it less likely that the originals will be lost and easier for the photographer to do whatever they like with their images (publish, competitions, copies for friends, etc.). Photographers retain copyright of their material, but should give Expo the 'right to reproduce' their photographs for CUCC journals, slideshows, etc if they wish Expo to pay for any of it. See David Gibson's thoughts on this in appendix F (MISSING!).
-Expo does not pay fines (speeding, parking or otherwise) but may pay road tolls.
- - -Each Expo member may be regarded as anything from
- -The first Expo fiddle-factor traveller is used to describe this state. Traveller normally ranges from 0.1 for an independent traveller to 1 for a full traveller. The semi-independent traveller value is about 0.55. All these are determined by the treasurer and can be adjusted to take account of exceptional circumstances.
- -The reason that the independent and semi traveller values are not 0 and 0.5 respectively is that Expo equipment must still be transported both ways even if some people go elsewhere before or after Expo. Thus these people still pay something towards the Expo transport bill.
- -In some complex cases, the process of assigning everybody's respective traveller value and deciding which vehicles Expo will fund is a little iterative. The treasurer aims for an overall fair settlement.
- -Once all the traveller values have been assigned, the total cost of the Expo-funded vehicles is divided in proportion to each member's value. This is done automatically in the Expo spreadsheet.
- -A car allowance can made to owners of Expo funded vehicles to cover wear and tear. How much this is and whether it includes an element for extra motor insurance cover is determined by the treasurer; recently it has been £80 including insurance and £50 not including insurance (which was paid separately if requested). Partially funded vehicles were given a proportional allowance. However, as the car allowance was stated when we had problems getting enough cars. You could make it optional, or direct it towards skint/unwaged car owners, as you think appropriate: an 'options' page in the Bier Book could be used to let people sign up for a car allowance.
The popular/cheap Austrian Bier Gösser is bought communally. Each member's bier consumption is recorded in the Bier Book and the appropriate amount charged to them. A similar scheme operates for lemonade.
-BCRA Insurance is charged at cost to anyone who obtains it through the club, as are Expo T-shirts and meals at the Expo Dinner. All these are charged using Swaps (see below) to the relevant account.
Even before you've got a full committee, start promoting Expo as the top experience it is. Start taking deposits. Ask for £100 before Expo, as installments of £40 and £60. Of course, people can pay it all at once if they want!
-The deposits are to give Expo some cash to buy gear and (primarily) to pay for insurance. Try and get most people to pay up; people paying for a lot of gear in Cambridge (e.g. for top camp meals and the chief fettler) may request not to pay their deposit. Certainly get at least the first deposit of anyone potentially 'unreliable' (i.e. you haven't seen caving or hasn't been on Expo before) before you spend any money on him/her. This is to avoid spending money on insurance for someone who later pulls out and doesn't pay. Hassle everybody else too :-)
+The deposits are to give Expo some cash to buy gear. Try and get most people to pay up; people paying for a lot of gear in Cambridge (e.g. for top camp meals and the chief fettler) may request not to pay their deposit. Certainly get at least the first deposit of anyone potentially 'unreliable' (i.e. you haven't seen caving or hasn't been on Expo before) before you spend any money on him/her. + Hassle everybody else too :-)
A good way to get the deposits is with the Expo form. This is completed by each person wanting to go on the Expo. Have a look at past year's forms (stored on the PWF). The forms get you, as treasurer, (hopefully) all the information you'll need to start organising Expo. People are often pretty lousy at completing or even starting their forms, but you'll need an idea of when people want to go on Expo and a list of contact addresses etc. Distribute the forms at:
@@ -269,7 +245,7 @@This involves paying money in, writing cheques and looking after the statements. Statements are currently sent to the Expo Treasurer's address, which is changed for each treasurer. You could get them sent to Dr James Hickson, the CUCC Senior Treasurer at Pembroke. This would mean less changing of addresses, but add delay/uncertainty to your receiving the statements.
-As mentioned earlier, most Expo costs are paid at the time by Expo members; often the only costs paid direct from the bank account are BCRA insurance and equipment orders. The deposits cover most of the insurance costs. Equipment orders are normally paid for by Expo or CUCC main, with the other then repaying their share. The float money (about £850 at the end of 1999) can be used as necessary, but should be replenished at the end of each year. The float was increased from £100 at the end of 1997 when the GPF grant was recieved late. The extra money is very useful for smoothing the cash flow: in 1999 the CUCC Main and Meets accounts were emptied and the Expo Account float used, as over £3000 was spent from the accounts before Expo on tackle, tents, tshirts and insurance. Do not let the account go overdrawn.
+The deposits cover most of the insurance costs. Equipment orders are normally paid for by Expo or CUCC main, with the other then repaying their share. The float money (about £850 at the end of 1999) can be used as necessary, but should be replenished at the end of each year. The float was increased from £100 at the end of 1997 when the GPF grant was recieved late. The extra money is very useful for smoothing the cash flow: in 1999 the CUCC Main and Meets accounts were emptied and the Expo Account float used, as over £3000 was spent from the accounts before Expo on tackle, tents, tshirts and insurance. Do not let the account go overdrawn.
The Expo account is with National Westminster, number 22997253, sort code 60-04-23 (King's Parade branch). Internet banking may be available for this account, but we haven't got it yet. Remember to give the bank the signature authority forms to authorise your successor before you leave Cambridge.
@@ -285,30 +261,6 @@ -The British Cave Research Association organises special travel insurance with provision for caving. Details are given on the BCRA website. The administrator is:
- -John Cooper,
-31 Elm Close,
-Wells,
-Somerset,
-BA5 1LZ
Telephone: 01749 670568
-Email: jc@johnmcooper.freeserve.co.uk
The insurance does not seem to cover canyoning holidays, but possibly would cover a day's canyoning during a primarily caving holiday. The cost of the insurance has increased recently; there may be a better deal elsewhere. Personal members of the BCRA get a reasonable discount; you will need to quote their BCRA membership number (ask for it on the Expo form).
- -Insurance is generally recommended, though some people prefer not to pay for it. They risk the costs on the basis that cave rescue is free (usually) and the E111 form covers standard emergency treatment (maybe). Not all hospitals or all treatment are covered by an E111; they can be very expensive. Some members have used the SnowCard or ActiveCard company in the past.
- -Sometimes you'll hear of people who've never been on a CUCC meet or Expo before but allegedly want to come now. They may be allegedly keen cavers; however, don't get any insurance for them until they have paid their deposit or been guaranteed by someone you trust. We've had people decide not to go on Expo three days before departure, after we'd spent money on their insurance. They may be difficult to track down and get the money out of afterwards.
- -Peoples' plans often change in the months leading up to Expo. For this reason, try and leave arranging BCRA insurance as late as possible, but not so late that you incur the 'short notice' penalty charge (5%). Bear in mind the delays in the post when doing this.
- -Make copies of the insurance certificates from the BCRA. Take the original on Expo in case you need to wave it at hospitals and keep a copy in the UK in case you loose the original and have to make a claim.
- -The Expo Bier Book is a record of every expedition expenditure and many administrative details of Expo. Refined over many years, the format now consists of the following sections:
@@ -448,6 +400,36 @@ Email: jc@johnmcooper.freeserve.co.ukTop.
+BCRA Insurance is charged at cost to anyone who obtains it through the club, as are Expo T-shirts and meals at the Expo Dinner. All these are charged using Swaps (see below) to the relevant account.
+The British Cave Research Association organises special travel insurance with provision for caving. Details are given on the BCRA website. The administrator is:
+ +John Cooper,
+31 Elm Close,
+Wells,
+Somerset,
+BA5 1LZ
Telephone: 01749 670568
+Email: jc@johnmcooper.freeserve.co.uk
The insurance does not seem to cover canyoning holidays, but possibly would cover a day's canyoning during a primarily caving holiday. The cost of the insurance has increased recently; there may be a better deal elsewhere. Personal members of the BCRA get a reasonable discount; you will need to quote their BCRA membership number (ask for it on the Expo form).
+ +Insurance is generally recommended, though some people prefer not to pay for it. They risk the costs on the basis that cave rescue is free (usually) and the E111 form covers standard emergency treatment (maybe). Not all hospitals or all treatment are covered by an E111; they can be very expensive. Some members have used the SnowCard or ActiveCard company in the past.
+ +Sometimes you'll hear of people who've never been on a CUCC meet or Expo before but allegedly want to come now. They may be allegedly keen cavers; however, don't get any insurance for them until they have paid their deposit or been guaranteed by someone you trust. We've had people decide not to go on Expo three days before departure, after we'd spent money on their insurance. They may be difficult to track down and get the money out of afterwards.
+ +Peoples' plans often change in the months leading up to Expo. For this reason, try and leave arranging BCRA insurance as late as possible, but not so late that you incur the 'short notice' penalty charge (5%). Bear in mind the delays in the post when doing this.
+ +Make copies of the insurance certificates from the BCRA. Take the original on Expo in case you need to wave it at hospitals and keep a copy in the UK in case you loose the original and have to make a claim.
+ + + +