The Role of the Treasurer
The Treasurer has the responsibility of reporting the
state of financial affairs to the members. This is usually done by way of recommendations
to a Committee Meeting, based on the written reports and financial statements
presented to the Committee. Some Treasurers are able to delegate the carrying
out of some of the following tasks. But the responsibility remains with the
Treasurer.
The Treasurer is responsible for:
- the proper handling of the finances of the organisation,
but not for the actual raising of money,
- collection of memberships and fees, and issuing receipts
for every amount received,
- paying these and all other money into the bank (unless
there is a co-ordinator or worker who has this job)
- keeping the duplicate pay-in slips in proper date
order so that the entries may be checked later (by the bookkeeper and the
auditors) with the passbook or statement provided by the bank,
- paying all accounts,
- maintaining a file of accounts and relative receipts
for record and audit purposes,
- keeping proper books, or seeing that they are kept,
- keeping a watch on the expenditure,
- presenting details of all payments (which should
always be made by cheque) to the Committee for approval before they are
made, or in retrospect where this is policy,
- ensuring that all cheques are signed strictly in
accordance with the authority given in the Constitution of the centre; usually
there are at least three members of the Committee authorised to sign cheques
for the Committee - the Treasurer, the Secretary, and (often for convenience
when there is one), the Co-ordinator. Note: If a committee
member or worker is to receive a cheque from the Group, her/his signature
should not appear on that cheque as one of the co-signers
- keeping the committee regularly informed of the financial
position - income, expenditure, comparison with budget,
- preparing a statement for audit at least once a year
and for presenting the audited accounts to the Annual General Meeting,
- preparing (and reviewing) an annual budget.