LettersOpinion

Clarifying CCPO matters

My words at the information session were “..the reserves have been depleted...” and not as reported otherwise.

EDITOR – The review on the CCPO and report to the meeting on 30 August, and news reports since refer.

If I may I add some explanation to the current situation?

The services provided by the CCPO in terms of manpower and armed response are costly and increase every year, with any excess ploughed back into the project. When costs rise, as it did in the last few years, with the rates staying the same, it will start affecting the financial position.

For the time and effort that the prior and the new management committee have so selflessly gives to this community project, we will never be able to thank them enough. In doing this in conjunction with their day jobs, means they often have to rely on service providers more than usual, as apart from giving so freely of their time, they are supposed to spend with their families and friends.

Non-profits run less formally, often more on goodwill and support from the heart, and the last time you looked it was fine. There has been enormous contribution from the community over the years, and an even bigger contribution by the management committee members.

New requirements for companies and their financial statements have added to the already high compliance burden, and all will no doubt recall when most non-profits in the country were at risk of deregistration due to the onerous and costly process to produce financials compliant to IFRS for SMEs.

In addition, most non-profits at one time or another tend to rely just a little too much on full-time employees, next the wind blows from a different direction. We all know the multitude of new requirements being foisted upon us all the time, and the changes brought by less favourable economic circumstances, and by events in everyone’s personal lives.

The CCPO is an unique project, with many that tried to emulate its success, and it needs the community’s continued support to keep going.

There is a recommendation to change from a company to a trust, to reduce the annual costs and to scrap the costly audit requirement, in favour of an annual review or by supplying the full transaction detail of the expenses, with perhaps quarterly reporting and showing the fixed contract expenses separately from the discretionary expenses, and in detail.

My words at the information session were “..the reserves have been depleted…” and not as reported otherwise. The financial statements for the year ending February 2015 reported an accumulated loss, and there was no sensation seeking then, why is it now the case?

I hope this clarifies the situation.

There are issues being attended to, and both myself and the treasurer are writing or have written to the auditors to request clarification on a number of matters.

What we need now is for everyone to pull together, and support this community project.

WILLIE SCHULTZ

 

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