Reports 3Jan12

Below are the Board reports to the Board Meeting on 3 January 2011; see Agenda 3Jan12.

Templates for actions: {{done}} Done, {{cf}} Carried forward, {{canc}} Cancelled.

If something needs discussing, then please add it to the Matters Arising section on the agenda.

Board

All board

1. All board members to look at the Executive Committee proposed definition, and to ask members for input.

Roger Bamkin (Chair)

Actions

1. Action report on Derby Museums - video and contribution to Outreach Done
2. RB to ask Nick (ex-Derby museum) to assemble a best-practices guide to QR code deployment in a museum. Funding from the culture and heritage budget subject to agreement of Fæ as budget holder Done - not interested
3. MP and RB to identify a better way of doing exec calls in the future Done Skype for small meetings - conference genie for more
4. RB, AT, JD to decide on success points on a successful Wikimania bid Carried forward
5. RB and JD to prepare a draft on Metrics by 3 jan Doing...
6. RB to invite WMDE/WMF/WMNL trustees/execs to give feedback on the WMUK board, and to assemble a summary paragraph for the annual report. Carried forward

Other stuff

• Attended WMF in SF and Indianapolis Children's museum - visit report on Wiki
• Spoke on Spanish radio re: Wikimedia appeal
• Supported Monmouthpedia, coverage by BBC Wales , Radio 4 (next week) and media in 4 languages, Mike set up new domain name for John Cummings (and team), 18,000 hits on www.Monmouthpedia.org page. This project has 12 new articles, a PhD student assigned, a steering committee, 10,000 images to load and text being released on local history. Monmouth County Council have issued press release acknowledging their support for this project. Funding started. 5K from MCC and equal commitment from us.
• Continuing to find location for AGM on May 12th
• added new board meeting (Newport (Monmouth)) and circulated to team
• Things not done: Expenses, Wikimania bid, Close out Derby prizes

Coming up

• Steering meeting in Monmouth
• Radio 4 on MonmouthpediA on Monday - fell through
• MadLab library conference in Manchester (15th)

Michael Peel (Secretary)

Split into roles:

Board

• Membership approvals - see in-camera report for list of names and locations. Batch 3Dec approved. More need approving. Done
• Need to know attendance numbers, and number of votes, for Annual Conference 2011 AGM Minutes (AT recorded these)

Grants

• Microgrants/Microphone needed approved, but the funds have not yet been spent.
• Microgrants/World War I resources pending
• Microgrants/Core Contest (prizes) under discussion - likely to approve shortly.
• Microgrants/Wikinews reporter IDs new today, under discussion
• WikiSym Scholarships - being closed off (only outstanding thing is transferring money for SanFran hotel to WMF)
• WikiConference India Scholarships - now closing off (still pending expense claims)
• Need to reformat Microgrants to incorporate standard grants.
• Need to set up a page for operating Microgrants/BL photocopies

Administrative

• Reports/2011/November, Reports/2011/December - both need completing and sending out. Discuss
• Need to improve Minutes 27Aug11, Minutes 19Nov11, Minutes 14Dec11 and get Minutes 1Nov11 online Carried forward (Not had time to improve layout and verbosity of these)
• Keeping track of budget expenditure at [1] (office only - can we open this up?) (Needs updating.)

Sysadmin

• Board and Office wikis upgraded to 1.18; WikiEditor extension installed.
• Auto-hiding fundraising banners after donating implemented.
• Blog software upgraded to latest versions.
• http://monmouthpedia.org/ set up

Volunteer

• OTRS workshop - this weekend. All plans in place. Any board members coming for evening meal? Discuss
• Wiki Loves Monuments brainstorm - needs location and date defining.
• Geocamp - on back burner at the moment, will pick up again once we have events organiser in place.
• Closing off Britain Loves Wikipedia Doing... - two prizes now awarded, with the rest in progress. Can someone else take this on please? Discuss

Actions

• MP to rework Minutes 27Aug11 for approval at the next meeting. Carried forward
• JD, MP, SV and CK to assemble a first draft of the Annual Report by February for the Board to review it. Carried forward not due yet
• MP and RB to identify a better way of doing exec calls in the future. Done (Use Skype, or conference call if many expected.

Andrew Turvey (Treasurer)

Main activity has been:

1. Making various payments as follows:
   1. Paypal transfers
   2. Miscellaneous invoices and expense (see here)
2. Replying to paypal transaction queries
3. Posting set of cheques / DDs to RS
4. Agreeing handover plan with JD and RS, covering:
   1. bank accounts (including new bank account with Unity Trust) Discuss
   2. volunteer expenses
   3. office costs
   4. petty cash
   5. credit cards
   6. invoices
   7. payroll
   8. paypal transfers
   9. investment of surplus cash
   10. statutory accounts
   11. international payments
   12. recording of payments in kind
   13. Gift Aid reclaims
5. Arranging, with RB, for international payments system to be set up
6. Discussing the 2012 Budget & Finance Policy with JD
7. Following up the documentation requirements relating to a large fundraising donation

As you can see from the office expenses page, some of the payments have now been outstanding for longer than three weeks. This is mainly due to the international payments delay but also affects some UK invoices and expenses. I am working through the backlog and expect to clear it by the end of this week.

Actions

1. AT to investigate debit cards for bank account signatories - to be covered by RS per above
2. AT - In camera minutes of 2 February 2011 - Carried forward
3. AT - written legal advice onto wiki - Carried forward
4. AT to send invitations to current and past office admins to comment on the office manager job description during its development. - cancelled
5. AT to rework the 2011 budget to accommodate the costs of sending follow-up postal letters to donors (£27,850) - done previously
6. AT to share advice from UHY on VAT implications of grant to the WMF. Done see http://office.wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Professional_advice
7. AT to transfer the funds for the £10k grant to WMDE to support the Toolserver - pending, see above
8. AT to contact WMF board member Jan-Bart to discuss how to locate new trustees. - Carried forward
9. RB, AT, JD to decide on success points on a successful Wikimania bid - Carried forward
10. AT to change the Registered Address to point to the WMUK office - Done
11. AT and JD to prepare a draft 2012-13 budget by 3 Jan - Done
12. AT and JD to organise the pensions scheme - Doing...

Chris Keating (incl Fundraiser)

Fundraiser Report

The fundraiser ended successfully at about 7pm on New Years' Eve. The total income from the Fundraiser is estimated as £1,014,176.02 - this includes projections of both recurring Direct Debit income during the coming year and Gift Aid claimable on gifts received.

• The fundraising banners performed better this year, with £795,000 attributable to this source as against £564,000 last year, a 41% increase in donations (also note that the banners were up for a shorter period this year)
• Donors signed up for monthly or quarterly Direct Debits worth a total of £312,000 a year. Our current best estimate is that some 20% of these Direct Debits will be cancelled within the course of the first year, so in terms of 2012 income, these are treated at 0.9 of their annual value. However, many of these Direct Debits will continue to be paid essentially indefinitely, giving us a recurring source of income.
• For this first time, sources other than the banners on Wikipedia provided a significant source of donations. We received about 8% of income in response to the two emails we sent to previous donors, at the beginning and end of the fundraiser. 5% of donations were received offline, of which most came from one individual gift of £35,000 and one of £5,000. We received £3,000 from SMS donations, which were set up in early December.
• I estimate Gift Aid reclaimable on these donations at about £88,000 based on the numbers of Gift Aid declarations received at various stages in the fundraiser. Towards the beginning we were receiving GA declarations on 40% of Paypal, and 20% of Direct Debit, donations. Later in the fundraiser, with modified forms, we were getting GA declarations for 60% of gifts.

Full figures are available here.

There is still a fair bit of work to do on the Fundraiser. We need to document the most recent test results, perform further analysis, and hold a wrapup meeting to decide learning points for subsequent Fundraisers.

WWI

• Meeting at JISC next week.

Actions

1. Sort out print items to support outreach. Not done - please don't carry forward - move to Office
2. CK to lead the effort to organise a press release for the fundraiser. May include contracting, to come from the Fundraiser or Comms budget lines. Didn't happen
3. CK to provide a short description of the costs etc of the various fundraising methods on the fundraising wiki page. Done
4. JD, MP, SV and CK to assemble a first draft of the Annual Report by February for the Board to review it. Not started - will liaise

Fae (and GLAM programme)

Report (additional to calendar only)

GLAM

• See events as per calendar, Andy, Martin, Darren, John B., John C., Fiona and the rest of the dozen people attending GLAMsterdam have all been active. Spin off from GLAMsterdam has been progress on joint projects and the WLM UK workshop.
• The National Archives, update in-camera as discussions are tentative.
• GLAM mass upload project - I have been in contact with Maarten B. for an update from WMNL to our questions, however this will be delayed (holiday and new job has given him a backlog).
• GLAM Oxford has been under discussion with Charles and a keen historian; several interesting contacts (such as the Bodleian) and potential for a February wikimeet. I have approached a senior member of the history department at Royal Holloway who is keen to follow up with bringing Wikipedia as a standard part of the Classics course (esp. perception of the classics in the modern world); briefly reviewed with MLP.

Non-GLAM

• Transcript for the Joint Committee on Privacy and Injunctions only had minor transcript changes requested (Fae's blog post about it overdue)
• Review with Peter W. and Jon D. on approach for strategic/quality planning. PW will be proposed to support some specific preparation for PQASSO assessment Level 1, envisaged for a February/March initial internal review. A (challenging) milestone of September 2012 for a PQASSO Level 2 review was agreed, which will give enough time before the next fund-raiser to have level 2 in place if at all realistic. Level 2 would provide a Charity Commission "kitemark" for the WMUK website. A further day with Jon, Fae and Richard will workshop through the remaining plans required (others welcome to contribute, albeit in parts).
• Participation Grants Committee - reports remain weak/immature with no firm understanding of the benefit of moving more UK funds to this committee rather than leaving it to the 25k fund from the WMF (which WMUK supports indirectly). A number of recent issues with rejected or partial grants have left some individuals and chapters with grief about the current processes, indicating that there are issues still to be ironed out before throwing our hat in the ring.
• Holidays and unexpected non-productive issues have delayed progress elsewhere.

Actions (all open)

1. Fæ to compile a briefing for partners on issues and expectations surrounding in-residency projects.
2. MP/Fæ Blogs or reports from the recent India scholarships to be received and published, may require re-prompting.
3. Fæ/JD/PW Trustee training recommendation
4. Fæ/JD/RS Strategy 2 day
5. JD/Fæ Horniman Museum approach
6. Fæ with GTF 1 to establish GLAM Task Force 2 (it's time)

Martin Poulter (incl Education budget)

• Met with representatives of British Psychological Society/ History of Psychology Archive/ Wellcome Library, including two university lecturers (six people total). Discussed a range of events and activities for Spring 2012 onwards. Now following up.
• Spoke at social media lunch for scholarly societies in London. A lot of interest in training events. Now following up.
• Followed up on meeting with People's Voice Media: have passed on to Fae for follow-up.
• Invited to host a WMUK stall at the Association of Humanist Students conference in March
• Setting up a WIG (Wikipedia Interest Group) mailing list for UK Higher Education

Forthcoming

• Campus Ambassador meeting, Imperial College, London
• Delivering training at Bristol Girl Geeks Wikipedia event
• Training session for Oxford graduate students as part of a Wikipedia Educational Project

Actions

1. Strategy, publicity & event preparation for Wikimedia Universities Programme: aiming for a conference in the Easter holiday. A host institution has been identified: now waiting agreement from the institution on finances. Doing...
2. Follow up on scholarly society contacts, including Food Standards Agency (FSA will get back to us after they have recruited new staff): ongoing Doing...
3. MLP to put together a full proposal on a Wikipedia trainers course, assessment and accreditation program, in coordination with Fæ and Jon. - in progress Doing...
4. MLP to assemble a showcase of our work with scholarly bodies Done but improvements ongoing
5. MLP to talk to Candy regarding training the trainers Carried forward
6. MLP to finish off spreadsheet of education contacts and share with Jon in case MLP goes under a bus Carried forward

Steve Virgin (incl Wikimania Bid)

Actions

1. Seeking sign off for a Case Study for ARKIVE - thinking approach Andy Mabbett to write it if we get ARKIVE agreement Carried forward
2. Set up small scale Back Stage Pass Events based around Science Museum archive at Wroughton near swindon - purpose to find volunteers from the University of Bristol Societies that can work with this (open to all W'pedians of course as well) - attempting to use link up to consolidate the relationship with the Univ of Bristol and begin one with Science Museum (this end of M4) Carried forward
3. SV to request a document from Stone King on the documentation we need to receive from the WMF in return from the grant, and whether the lawyers are happy that an unrestricted grant to the WMF is charitable under UK charity law (via the charity commission's guidance). Done
4. JD and SV to redraft job description for Comms staff Done
5. JD, MP, SV and CK to assemble a first draft of the Annual Report by February for the Board to review it.
6. Worked with JB on Charity Commission rationale (vis sign off and publication of documentation) - 2-3 calls - JB - available to Board members in mail Done
7. Co-authored blog post on RS's appointment Done
8. Spotted another PR agency 'manipulating entries' from a non-Neutral Point of View - in discussion with RB and RS

Current Actions - Wikimania

1. Met with Destinations Bristol - http://visitbristol.co.uk/groups-and-travel-trade - specialise in organising conferences, events, hotels, accomodation and liaising with all parties involved in tourism in the city - Destinations Bristol have offered 100% support to a possible Bristol Wikimania 2013 bid for the city and have begun actively setting up meetings, contacting key parties to get 'a clear and unequival expression of interest' from the partner organisation in supporting a possible Bristol Wikimania 2013 bid
2. Futures Team at the council has offered support, Invest in Bristol offers support, University of Bristol offers support, Watershed offers support, UWE offers support, Leader of the City Council offers support as does the Cabinet member for Digital Strategy in the city
3. Meeting Bristol Airport 05/01 - to discuss a strategy to secure advanced discount rates on airfares, to discuss a specific welcome package for Wikipedians coming into the city on agreed charter flights - having an informal discussion and tour and hear about what is on offer - again - at this early stage 'it is based on an expression of interest' in supporting the bid
4. Visit Bristol has expressed an interest in coordinating/leading a QR Code project (along the lines of the Monmouth proposal) - this will be discussed by an intra-working party group in the city at the end of January

Volunteers

Andy Mabbett

1. AM to provide JD with an estimate for the costs of a web-streaming system.

Staff

Jon Davies (CEO)

Actions

1. RB, AT, JD to decide on success points on a successful Wikimania bid
2. JD/Office to look into a software solution to track actions and plans.
3. JD and SV to redraft job description for Comms staff
4. AT and JD to prepare a draft 2012-13 budget by 3 Jan
5. RB and JD to prepare a draft on Metrics by 3 jan
6. JD, MP, SV and CK to assemble a first draft of the Annual Report by February for the Board to review it.
7. JD to set up the process of a trustee induction for new trustees by February
8. AT and JD to organise the pensions scheme

Richard Symonds (Office Manager)

Actions

1. RS to assist with chasing and clearing the backlog of outstanding submission of expense claims. Carried forward
2. RS to include disputed transactions in the weekly backlog reports. (???? Victuallers 17:10, 3 January 2012 (UTC) Carried forward

Refers to paypal donations that have been disputed on paypal for some reason by the donor - e.g. if they accidentally donated twice. Mike Peel 18:50, 3 January 2012 (UTC))