1. A Church of Ireland parochial accounts template
Rationale and update
following June meetings in
Moira, Dublin and Charleville

2. What happens now 457 parishes and parish groupings
Much higher number of Select Vestries
Every SV is monitoring income and expenses
Every SV is producing annual accounts
Every set of accounts is individual to the parish
Every set of accounts is individual to the Hon Treasurer

3. The strengths of the current system
Strong form of parochial financial governance
Annual Easter Vestry
Annual elections
Annual financial report
Annual report is audited/certified
Hundreds of Treasurers give their time and expertise
The system works

4. Changes Greater expectations of Treasurers More reports More analysis
Increased use of computers for parochial accounting
Charities legislation
More external scrutiny
Need for more consistency in reporting

5. Opportunity To respond to changing times
To respond to the demands of a more sceptical world
To develop a template for parochial reporting
To develop an IT tool to assist in parochial record keeping
To develop an IT tool to assist in producing reports and returns

6. What it might achieve
Provision of a clear audit trail for transactions
Ease of producing reports
Consistency of reporting
Easier handover to a new Treasurer
Inter parochial accounting support
The creation of a Church of Ireland ‘standard’ for financial reporting
Easy template for charity reporting
Would receive central support when being implemented

7. Outline of pack concept - I
Not spreadsheet
Too idiosyncratic
Too easy to corrupt
Inbuilt C of I chart of accounts
Every cheque/receipt would be ascribed to an ‘account’
An account is a description of what the transaction was for
All transactions filed under the relevant account
Every account automatically linked to a heading in the financial statements

8. Chart of accounts

9. Outline of pack concept – II
This would enable reports/financial statements to be produced on request
A number of standard reports would come with the pack - eg
A parochial report
A diocesan report – specific to the diocese
A charities report compliant with good practice

10. Outline of pack concept - III
Simple in concept
Not attempting to do too much
Simple to use
Not requiring any accounting knowledge
Not requiring any prior IT knowledge
Standardised for straightforward use
Easy to buy
Widely used
Flexible for the more advanced user
Can download to spreadsheets
Can be customised by user

11. Process RCB has been looking at possible solutions
Has demonstrated an option to Diocesan Secretaries re C of I package
Has demonstrated an option to Rectors/Treasurers at public meetings
Asked for written feedback at meetings

12. Feedback from meetings
Of written feedback received forms
97% supported the idea of a parochial accounting template
91% said that they would consider using a C of I package in their parish
89% thought that it would be possible to set up inter parochial support groups to assist with the introduction of a new computer accounting pack

13. What do you think Is it a worthwhile idea?
Would it help treasurers (or not) ?
Would it help the C of I in any way?
Do you think we should develop the concept
Would treasurers use it?
What support would they need?
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