===== 2016/08/09 BOTLab Committee Meeting ===== **Date/time and location:** 7pm, 9 August 2016 at the Hackspace ===== Agenda ===== * BOTLab accounts FY2014-2015 - hopefully to be approved before submission to Companies' House by 31 August * Policy on children in the hackspace - review proposed changes * Induction tracking system * Nic's CNC router booth proposal * Bristol Mini Maker Faire * Electricity - possible supplier change for improved prices ===== Attendees ===== DH, TS, DW, AA Apologies from RD, IS ===== Topics discussed ===== * **Proposed changes to policy on children in the hackspace** * Clause 2.II: Agreed to change policy to require an email/paper confirmation of having read the policy rather than a face-to-face meeting * Clause 2.II: Agreed that emergency contact details for child's parent/guardian should be provided, and these should be held by the responsible adult * Clause 2.II: Discussed how parents can confirm they have read the policy - decided that a simple email was sufficient, with example wording appended to the policy * Clause 4: Rather than banning under-16s from G10, O Humpage proposed a modification to allow them to be allowed into G10 under controlled circumstances. Discussed how to amend this clause - based on supervising children more thoroughly if other users are present. **Action:** DW to amend draft policy accordingly and carry forward for review at next members' meeting * **BOTLab accounts FY2014-2015** * Need to be submitted to Companies' House by 31 August * All present agree to find an accountant to prepare accounts and clarify corporation tax situation for next financial year * Decided that a note should be added to explain the change to the previous FY accounts, but otherwise approved - **Action:** DW to submit to Companies' House * AGM: discussed timing. AGMs have drifted to more-than-yearly intervals and so have got out of sync with reporting year. Ideal timing would be approx Feb to give time to prepare accounts for approval; given present situation where some directors have experienced significant changes in their personal circumstances, moving it forward e.g. to Oct would allow opportunity for directors to step down if they wished to. However, overall resolved to move AGM to Feb but make it clear to all directors that they can step back if desired. **Action:** DW to communicate this. * Modification to voting system for electing committee: deferred until future discussion in a members' meeting, closer to the AGM * AA suggests streamlining the New Members form; DW explained current system and workflow. AA will look at taking over some of this, time permitting. * **Induction tracking system** * TS has written a form to record inductions - works on paper or electronically * Would prefer to capture all such records electronically rather than on paper - how to store? ideally in the membership database (under construction) * DH would like to have a scanner in the space to scan paper forms * Could have a form on the website to allow people to record inductions - DW: how do we authenticate that an induction has actually taken place? Through a workflow: user states they have been inducted, inductor confirms they attended induction. * **Action:** AA to research Wordpress plugins for workflows, and for calendars to book items (e.g. the laser cutter) * **Nic's CNC router booth proposal** * DH: In general all proposals should specify the benefit to Hackspace members from the proposal - this is implicit in most proposals otherwise members would not support it, but should be made explicit. **Action:** DW to update guidance for preparing proposals. * In this case the benefits would be improving the environment in G10, with the potential for Hackspace members to use the router in the future * Feedback to Nic on proposal: **Action:** DH will draft response & circulate to committee for feedback. Topics to cover: fair usage policy around use of router by NM vs Hackspace members, fire retardance. Should encourage other supporters to contribute to planning work. * **Bristol Mini Maker Faire**: this is being organised by Libby, Barney and Richard and is not a specific responsibility of the committee :-) * **Electricity supplier** * TS: Now that G11 electricity situation is clarified, potential exists to change supplier/tarriff for improved prices. Currently ~£1100/yr on E.On, alternatives ~£700-£1000/yr on 1-year fixed contracts with EDF or E.On; Ecotricity are an alternative, ideologically sound and potentially cheaper by reputation. **Action:** TS will obtain quote from Ecotricity and circulate to committee with a view to gaining consensus to change supplier. * **Other business** * Insurance assessor: TS: No date for this yet, underwriter non-responsive. * Laser cutter usage tracking: Could do with getting this sorted. In principle could have an amnesty up to some point.