Mercurial > hg > rsof
diff 7vt/fmh_2009-05-01.xml @ 23:4b8c50cd1b4b
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| author | ht |
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| date | Sun, 03 May 2009 11:14:41 -0400 |
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--- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/7vt/fmh_2009-05-01.xml Sun May 03 11:14:41 2009 -0400 @@ -0,0 +1,137 @@ +<?xml version='1.0'?> +<?xml-stylesheet type='text/xsl' href='../../../lib/xml/doc.xsl'?> +<!DOCTYPE doc SYSTEM "../../../lib/xml/doc.dtd" [ +<!ENTITY pound '£'> +]> +<doc> + <head> + <title>Future of 7 VT working group: Tenth meeting</title> + <author>This informal summary by Henry S. Thompson, Convenor</author> + <date>Held at 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh on 1 May 2009, 5:30 p.m.</date> + </head> + <body> + <div> + <title>Attendance</title> + <p>Present: Alison Burnley, Sue Buxton (in part), Anthony Buxton (in part), Madeleine Harding, +Phil Lucas, Brian Mayes, Laurie Naumann +Eileen Schott, Henry Thompson (in the clerk's chair)</p> + <p>Prevented: Rufus Reade</p> + </div> + <div> + <title>Discussion with Meeting House Managers</title> + <p>SB began by showing us the Staff Handbook—57 pages of guidance for +our staff, as a counterweight to suggestions that we don't need staff, or that +volunteer staff could do as well as paid staff.</p> + <p>SB shared her view of what her tasks were, although a 'typical' day doesn't +really exist. Although the Manager role is notionally a job-share, it is often the +case that both SB and AB are here, along with Tom Nisbet sometimes. Rough +distribution of responsibilities is</p> + <list> + <item>office: AB;</item> + <item>maintenance and AV invoicing: +TN;</item> + <item>bookings and public face: SB.</item> + </list> + <p>Through the day with SB: 0745: open up, check kitchen if hot water needs to be turned on; +0800 Early-bird meeting; +0830 Prepare for 0900 entries (some days three groups, some days none); +0900 Group arrival, catering (catering drinks for a group takes a number of +tasks, at roughly 1.5/2 hour intervals. +[Caterers may arrive any time after 0900 for 1300 lunch, in which case stuff +may need refridgerated and then taken out and served.]</p> + <p>Also during the morning, with help from assistant, work through booking +requests from phone, email overnight.</p> + <p>Trying to close between end of day lettings and evening staff opening is +rarely possible.</p> + <p>Post-group cleanup has been simplified since no food in Meeting Room, but +even there sometimes hovering is required/usually done.</p> + <p>The evening staff like to have a set of tasks, e.g. ironing, for when they have a lull, +but if a group keeps them busy they don't get to them.</p> + <p>The bookshop takes time, as we are now recognised as a bookshop by +Friends House bookshop</p> + <p>SB cleans the kitchen on a regular basis.</p> +<p>Window displays: we do try to put a topical display up for a big group, and sometimes that +needs staff help, for instance finding materials: Jane Angel does a lot, but +sometimes gets help.</p> + <p>Kitchen stock taking, and ordering. Similarly for cleaning and toilet supplies.</p> + <p>BM reported that Sheffield meeting has 4--6 full-time staff, plus +part-timers. What is the right full staffing level for 7VT? S & A said the +flexibility of the part-timers works well, because it allows them to balance +staffing with demand from lettings. HST suggested to clarify that it's the +full-time appointment that matters. AB said that in fact they are both working +full-time 8 1/2 hours a day for four days (M--Th). Originally they were working +alternate Sundays to make it up to 36, but that has been stopped, and SB said +that has improved her engagement as a member of the Meeting. Using temporary +staff as primary staff on Sunday.</p> + <p>There is one paid cleaner in 6 days a week early in the mornings, mostly +toilets and floors, but not the kitchen.</p> + <p>AB spends most of his time in the office: email takes a lot of time (30+ +a day, more on Mondays). Some is forwarded, but a lot is enquiries. This is +where all the Festival stuff comes in. At certain times of year that can be a +very time-consuming task. Fringe admin involves a lot of liaison work with both companies and +volunteers, as well as liaison 'upwards': with the Fringe committee and the +association of independent venues. Oversight of all the maintenance work, and, +for work that TN doesn't do, dealing with quotes/contractors/etc. CCTV, Lifts, +Doors, Dishwashers,. . . are all on contract. Recycling (which we pay for). Financial work: bills and invoices for the running of the Meeting +House. During building work, AB was involved with a lot of co-ordination. Chases all late payers for lettings. All the general practical correspondence.</p> + <p>While AB and SB are on holiday, some things are suspended (including most +email processing), but most work +gets done by the Assistant Manager. Obviously there is both preparation in +advance and extra work on return.</p> + <p>Quaker presence: Displays in the Foyer, keeping the website up-to-date, brochures.</p> + <p>We came back to the FTE question. 9am to 10pm 6 days a week open, plus 5 +hours on a Sunday. HST pointed out that between SB&AB working roughly +34/wk each, and TN doing 3 days a week, we are well over two 'permanent' staff, +in addition to the casual labour which is adjusted to meet demand. Cathy, +McCarron, Andrew +Farrar, Lee Marlow, Emma Dumment, Mike Stokes, Amy Naumann, Philip Davis are +all in for differing amounts of time.</p> + <p>MH asked if this was substantially different from how things were before +the Buxtons arrived. There is more staff, somewhat less lettings/other us, transfer of work +from Treasurer. Under-staffing does not seem to be directly responsible for any +reduction in lettings.</p> + <p>We will have to return to this when we come to the report, as the +question of sustainability of our current lettings/staffing/usage policy for +our discussion of options and their costs and benefits.</p> + </div> + <div> + <title>Form followup</title> + <list type="defn"> + <item term="Lettings comparison">ES has gotten some more info re +smaller out-of-town sites, no large ones available. HST has this and will feed it in to the report.</item> + <item term="Quaker groups">MH has re-circulated an updated tabulation. +Library C'ttee will reply this week.</item> + <item term="Central Edinburgh">HST has circulated a tabulation of the replies, and is still working on copying the individual comments.</item> + <item term="Local meetings">PL has had replies from Midweek Meeting, East Lothian and +Central Fife, pretty much as expected. Kelso will reply this week.</item> + <item term="MH staff">PL has circulated a "discerned corporate response" +from a meeting of MH staff, as well as an individual one from AF.</item> + </list> + </div> + <div> + <title>First open meeting review and second open meeting preparation</title> + <p>A general feeling was expressed that the meeting went well, with a good +atmosphere.</p> + <p>PL and MH reported that the outlying meetings were generally positive, +appreciate the building and what was offered, +but not terribly engaged with the issue.</p> + <p>"We may be impartial, but we're not neutral".</p> + <p>We see no need for Monday's arrangements to be any different than +originally planned:</p> + <list><item>HST to introduce</item> + <item>LN to take notes</item> + <item>PL, MH, BM, ES will also attend.</item></list> + </div> + <div> + <title>Actions review and new actions</title> + <p>HST to circulate via email a proposal for report-writing responsibilities.</p> + </div> + <div> + <title>Next Meetings</title> + <p>Our next meeting will be at 7 Victoria Terrace at 5:30pm on Friday 15 May +[RR apologies]. We +tentatively agreed on Friday 29 May 5:30pm [apologies MH, ML] for our next (and final) meeting after that.</p> + <p>We currently expect HST, PL, BM, ES, AB, MH at Area Meeting in Fife on 6 June</p> + </div> + </body> +</doc>