Hi all,
> I'm sure at least one other can so that we have
> at least 3 members/directors to incorporate with. If we can't get the
> others straightaway, we can co-opt them as soon as we're incorporated -
> then we can get things moving towards applying to the Charities
> Commission. I see no need for another meeting to agree what we've
> already agreed - let's use the next meeting to progress the project
> further.
This is a non-caffeine-fueled "NO NO NO!" I'm afraid. Ideally we want
*everyone* who is going to be formally active for Wikimedia UK to have
completed their space on the forms and to have signed the last sheet of
the AoA and MoA (everyone doesn't have to sign at the same time) before
the forms are submitted to Companies House.
Otherwise ...
We have to wait for the paperwork to return from the incorporation, then
the directors who *are* named have to meet and have a minuted meeting
which does such things as are needed at a first meeting and *that meeting*
can appoint new directors (which are then submitted on the appropriate
paperwork or web page to CH), so that we end up with a *longer* delay
until everyone is 'on board' in the formal sense. Only the
legally-recognised "legal person" that will be the registered company can
do this.
There is also the further aspect that the more names on an AoA/MoA the
more peole will accept it as a "serious" business and treat it as such. It
will be to our benefit in the longer run therefore. We might also get
questions as to why people who were added to the management team in week
one weren't on the founding paperwork (ie. were we/they trying to hide
something?)
Alison
> Let's get this baby born and on the road!
The thing about creating something that has a legal existence whcih is
separate to those of the people who create it (unlike a baby for the first
16 years) is that a company controls its own life from day 1. Getting
things right before day 1 is therefore a *very good thing* :-)
Thank you to James for posting revised MoA and AoA. It's Table C that refers to companies limited by guarantee and without a share capital - however let's see what it says before making that change.
Once James has got a final legal review of the MoA and AoA and we've had an opportunity to find the deliberate typo he added (or did not add) to see if we're looking, we can sign things. Hurray!
James - I can pop round, or invite you round, or meet you halfway for whenever's convenient. I'm sure at least one other can so that we have at least 3 members/directors to incorporate with. If we can't get the others straightaway, we can co-opt them as soon as we're incorporated - then we can get things moving towards applying to the Charities Commission. I see no need for another meeting to agree what we've already agreed - let's use the next meeting to progress the project further.
I'll be looking for suitable banks and preparing a (guessed) draft start-up budget to help.
Let's get this baby born and on the road!
Jon
---------------------------------
Win a BlackBerry device from O2 with Yahoo!. Enter now.
I'm moving this discussion of the portal currently at wikimedia.co.uk
from wikipedia-l since it was off-topic to the thread on Swedish
domains:
> I was sure I remembered a somewhat different version
> with a dozen or so language links (inc. things like Urdu)
I don't remember one like that. The UK one based on the Swiss one
<http://www.wikimedia.org/ch-portal/>, which had 5 languages, which is
why I just put in around the same number. Perhaps the list of
languages at <http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikimedia_UK&oldid=235867#Relat…>
was what you were thinking of since that included Urdu. I hope the
removal of that languages section from [[m:Wikimedia UK]] doesn't mean
these are to be ignored.
Angela
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Meetup/Birmingham
Date and location are now set and I've added some maps and such, I'm
happy to help with assisting people who are not too familiar with our
transport system via the talk page or this thread.
I'm hoping we'll have some representation from those who have been
working hard on the incorporation process.
Looking forward to seeing some faces to put to user names...
Greg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:GregRobson
Hi all,
it'd be great to know how the meeting today went - just basic details
like whether the MoA and AoA are finalised, and what the timetable for
incorporation is. Immersed in my own mountain of paperwork here, but
it's all academic literature, I'm afraid..
Cormac
On 1/16/06, Jon <thagudearbh(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Now we're pretty much sure of our route to incorporation, it's probably
> worth starting to look beyond (those not at yesterday's meeting will have to
> await James's minutes to see what happened!). I'm interested in looking at
> what bank we should be having - I know there's already one suggestion on the
> mailing list, and I'll be looking at a number of options myself - but if
> anyone has other useful suggestions, let me know.
>
> I think the main requirements, in no particular order, are (i) as few as
> possible charges; (ii) experience of dealing with charities; (iii) will
> allow us to have a deposit account; (iv) ease of access (ie so it is easy to
> pay things into and out of the account). Please note - we are not really
> allowed to take into account ethical considerations when making financial
> decisions (though obviously if a bank was somehow acting completely against
> our objectives, it would be reasonable to rule it out as our banker!).
>
> Jon
>
We should also consider the cost of passing funding to charities
operating in other countries, and receiving grants in other
currencies. My guess is that one US foundation in particular is likely
to qualify for extensive funding from wiki educational resources.
However, Jon's points (i) to (iv) are probably more important.
Andrew
Now we're pretty much sure of our route to incorporation, it's probably worth starting to look beyond (those not at yesterday's meeting will have to await James's minutes to see what happened!). I'm interested in looking at what bank we should be having - I know there's already one suggestion on the mailing list, and I'll be looking at a number of options myself - but if anyone has other useful suggestions, let me know.
I think the main requirements, in no particular order, are (i) as few as possible charges; (ii) experience of dealing with charities; (iii) will allow us to have a deposit account; (iv) ease of access (ie so it is easy to pay things into and out of the account). Please note - we are not really allowed to take into account ethical considerations when making financial decisions (though obviously if a bank was somehow acting completely against our objectives, it would be reasonable to rule it out as our banker!).
Jon
---------------------------------
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On 1/14/06, Gordon Joly <gordon.joly(a)pobox.com> wrote:
> At 23:12 +0000 13/1/06, Gordon Joly wrote:
> >There are over 50 people on the web page who are declared interested.
> >
> >I think we should proceed with Directors who may become Trustees in
> >the short term. Hence there is only one level of membership (i.e. a
> >board member) as far as I am concerned.
> >
> >Methinks we may have over estimated the size of the UK Chapter, at
> >least for the incorporation phase.
> >
>
>
> I cannot attend any meetings at all on 28th January, but I would be
> free on Sunday January 29th.
Ah, sorry, i didn't see this - I can make the 29th also
Cormac
>
> I also cannot be in Birmingham on 21st January now, unless my other
> engagements change radically.
>
> --
> Gordo (aka LoopZilla)
> gordon.joly(a)pobox.com
> http://pobox.com/~gordo/
> http://www.loopzilla.org/
> _______________________________________________
> Wikimedia UK mailing list
> wikimediauk-l(a)wikimedia.org
> http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_UK
> http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l
>
On 1/13/06, Gordon Joly <gordon.joly(a)pobox.com> wrote:
> Anybody can volunteer to be Director (and later a Trustree). Just let
> James know! There are certain classes of earthling that may be
> disqualified (e.g. undischarged bankrupts).
Sounds like I get lumped with them, then... ;-)
--
Sam
On 1/13/06, Gordon Joly <gordon.joly(a)pobox.com> wrote:
>
>
> Some notes about Sunday. It looks like some of us can attend, and
> some cannot attend.
I, unfortunately, can't make it, nor to Birmingham either, I fear. :-(
[snip]
> This meeting aims to update everybody on the MoA and AoA. We also
> plan to get a list of names together of who will be Directors.
> Everything is then "up for grabs" at the first AGM.
>
> Anybody can volunteer to be Director (and later a Trustree). Just let
> James know! There are certain classes of earthling that may be
> disqualified (e.g. undischarged bankrupts).
>
> UK Nationals or not. It does not matter.
I've said before, I'm happy to serve on this (though I'm equally happy
to let more experienced persons do so instead). I think my "role" will
be more getting projects up and running and seeing how they go -
feeding into my PhD. On directors and trustees, I thought I'd forward
to the list Andrew(w)'s helpful synopsis:
At 17:11 +0000 13/1/06, Andrew Walker wrote:
The directors are the directors of the non profit making company that
we found and register at companies house when we sign the AoA and MoA.
They are responsible to the membership for running the company with a
view to achieving the objectives. Once the company is a registered
charity (assuming our objects pass scrutiny), the charity commission
will know these people as trustees - they are the same people but they
also assume the responsibility for reporting to the commission.
>
> But we will have to sign some documents in the presence of a solicitor.
>
I could maybe make another date to do this - possibly the 28th as
suggested on [[m:Wikimedia_UK]]. (Don't have fax - or fancy email
gifs!)
Cormac