Summer Fete Treasurer Details

The following procedures are based on the Trust using HSBC. With a different bank, some details may change.

The Treasurer must organise the following.

Before the Fete

• Find out from the event organising team what stalls and side-shows, subsequently referred to as "attractions", will be operating and pricing details so that floats can be prepared.
• Update the float list to account for attraction and pricing changes and calculate how much cash and what combination of notes and coinage will be required.

• Get a cheque signed for the total float amount and notify the bank of denominations required and withdraw the cash. In 2022, to avoid the HSBC charge on cash withdrawals, the Treasurer met this need from her own bank which did not charge for cash withdrawals, but this option may not be available if all banks start charging for cash transactions. The Trust's new Lloyds account does not currently charge for cash withdrawals but this account was not available in time for the 2022 fete.
• Acquire fast paying-in bags and ordinary cash bags from the bank. HSBC uses fast paying in bags that can be filled with ordinary cash bags of approved amounts of specific denominations, with a paying-in slip inside and the total also written onto a tear-off tab on the outside. The sealed bag is delivered to the bank cashier who tears off the tab to return as a form of receipt to the depositor.
• Count out notes and coins in correct denominations according to the float list and allocate the correct float amounts to the labelled containers.
• Ensure there is a labelled cloth cash bag for each agreed attraction.
• Arrange for 2-4 tellers to assist with counting money on the day.
• Ensure there are blank notepads for each teller to use when tallying money.
• Prepare a spreadsheet for recording amounts received by each attraction.

On the Day - Before Gates Open

• Ensure that a long counting table, e.g. one with folding legs from the Granary is moved to the Gatehouse and erected.
• Ensure that there is a chair for each teller.
• Ensure there are pads and pens for each teller.
• Ensure there are rubber bands and clips for notes.
• Ensure there is a large bucket for holding counted amounts.
• Distribute floats to the volunteers running each attraction.
• Brief, and if necessary, train any new volunteer tellers.

On the Day - After Gates Open

• Collect cash from attractions in the appropriately labelled bag.
• Deliver cash in labelled bags to the tellers in the gatehouse.
• Count money from bags using the Fete Telling Process.

Fete Telling Process

• Labelled bags containing cash from one attraction are counted separately.
• For each bag, the teller will:
  • empty the bag and record the number of each denomination in their telling notebook below the name of the attraction recorded on the supplied bag.
  • calculate the value for each denomination by multiplying the count and denomination.
  • total the values for each denomination to derive a total amount that was in the bag.
  • transcribe this total to the equivalently labelled column in the attractions spreadsheet.
  • cross through their tally in the teller notebook to flag that they have transcribed the total.
  • add each notes denomination to the current clip containing notes of that denomination.
  • add the coin denominations to a pool in the centre of the table.
  • when the numbers for any coin denomination in the pool in the centre of the table are sufficient to make up a cash bag, transfer the correct number of that denomination to a bag, seal the bag and drop it in the bucket.

On the Day - Reconciliation

• The count of cash bagged up should reconcile with the total of amounts recorded on the recording spreadsheet.
• If these reconcile, a rough total can be communicated to all of the volunteers.
• If these do not reconcile, then the Treasurer will need to await the bank's count of the money and then analyse all of the telling notepads to identify mistakes. Typical mistakes can include:
  • Incorrect addition for a bag tally in the tally notebook.
  • Failure to transcribe a tally total to the attraction receipts spreadsheet.
  • Error in transcription.
  • Miscounting in a cash bag.

On the Day - End of Counting

• The bagged up coins and notes need to be put into fast-pay bags and the labels written.
• A paying in slip needs to be written and put into each fast-pay bag,
• The fast-pay bags must be sealed and placed into a suitable bag for transit to the bank. The current treasurer has a suitcase for this purpose.

On the First Working Day After the Fete

• The fast-pay bags must be taken to the bank and paid in.
• The bank will recount the money which may lead to a revised total, if there are miscounted contents or forgeries encountered.