Re: [Fsfe-uk] New Charities Bill

[MJ Ray]

Alex Hudson <address@hidden> wrote: [...]
> It's not necessarily a bad idea to re-look at things (see below), and
> the (somewhat) new Community Interest Company structure would also be
> worth examining.

I've seen some CICs mooted where they're not really appropriate, but 
AFFS may be one situation where the famed CIC 'asset lock' actually 
makes sense.

[...]
> The current issue - which you might be slightly aware of - is a
> practical matter of getting the Co-op Bank to obey instructions to
> change information on our account. This seems to be strictly a
> logistical matter, though getting help out of the Co-op seems to be like
> drawing blood from a stone. Their promises about free software internet
> banking have also buggered us for years (though, it seems, they released
> a new possibly free software friendly system a month ago?).

I've not had any trouble getting help out of the Cooperative Bank and I 
doubt that's only because I'm a Cooperative Group member.  I don't 
remember anyone else besides Marc Eberhard and myself setting up 
security codes and so on, so maybe that's the difference?

Just before leaving Norfolk, I gave signed paper forms to Adam Bower and 
an emailed cover letter explaining Marc's departure long ago.  AFAIK, 
these just needed to be taken to the branch at the top of London Street, 
Norwich.  If that hasn't worked somehow and you would prefer to fill out 
the other parts of the forms, then email them to me to take to the 
Bristol branch as the final leg and smooth out any problems, I can 
upload new blank forms.  These details need to be updated before post 
to the old address starts getting returned undelivered.  Let me know.

The free-software-accessible community banking probably should be the 
decider.  Other cooperatives and mutuals offer it, as does the 
Cooperative Bank's personal banking division, so if the new service 
still doesn't do it, this might be a good time to move.

Hope that helps,
-- 
MJ Ray - see/vidu http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html
Somerset, England. Work/Laborejo: http://www.ttllp.co.uk/
IRC/Jabber/SIP: on request/peteble