This is my last blog before my hols. I’ll be back on Monday 19th July and will continue my count to 100.
Some good news to close on for now, OSCR – the organisation which regulates Scottish charities, has been in touch about our application to become a SCIO. SCIO stands for Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation and is essentially one organisational structure with the same status as charity and company limited by guarantee but the accounts only need logged with OSCR and not Companies House. It means Portobello Central will be a charity, meeting those social enterprise aims we set out in our proposal.
There are a few clause numbering issues in our constitution which OSCR and SCVO have flagged but because we kept all the text standard, if we sort those (and Jon has his proof reader beady eye on the document) we should hear back soon that we’ve secured charitable status.
Everything is tracking as hoped.
Soon we’ll wind up Portobello Central Ltd to be replaced by Portobello Central SCIO. At that stage we hope you’ll join us as members on the same model as Action Porty, Friends of Porty Prom, Porty Community Energy to name but a few of those I know about. To be a member you need to live in the boundary of the organisation which is the Council ward but associate membership is available to those who live outwith that boundary and who want to be kept informed of our business. It is only members in the boundary who can vote at our AGMs and to whom the trustees are answerable.
Just for the record, Portobello Central’s charitable purposes are:
1) The advancement of citizenship or community development (including rural or urban regeneration
2) The advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science.
3) The provision of recreational facilities or the organisation of recreational activities with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities or activities are primarily intended.
Exciting stuff to end on, eh?
Bet you can’t wait for an AGM?!
See you with #33 on my return.
Jennifer’s blog #32.