[okfn-coord] Minutes of last meeting

Fri Nov 6 16:58:05 UTC 2009

All

With apologies for the delay, please find minutes of the last Board
meeting below. They are also available at:
http://okfn.org/board/wiki/BoardMeetings/2009-10-20

I may have an appointment at 19:00 on 17 November (date of next Board
meeting) that I'd really like to make. Could people still make the
meeting if it was pushed to 18:00, instead of 18:30?

Cheers

Becky

Begin minutes//

== Summary ==

=== Present ===

  * JH, JC, PL, RP, BH, MK (dropped out due to battery)

=== Approval of minutes ===
  * The minutes were approved.

=== Finances and Cashflow ===

  * BH reported that before MK had dropped out of call, he had
mentioned that he had been unable to get information on some items (eg
invoices pending?) in order to complete a financial report from the
Board
  * RP gave a broad summary of finacial activity over the last few months.
  * RP flagged a potential cashflow issue where clients, particularly
public bodies, take a long time to settle invoices (<3 months) that
presents problems when OKF is contracting third parties to do some of
the work. Example given was CKAN/HMG where issue was being mitigated
by contractor relaxed about payment terms. But we cannot rely on this.
BH observed that once we have money from this project in the bank,
cashflow will become less of an issue.
  * BH expressed concern that a financial report was not available,
following action from previous meeting for one to be produced for the
Board.
  * PD suggested that a finacial report should be circulated to the
Board ahead of the Board meetings, so that Board members could study
it and come prepared to raise questions. This could make Board
meetings more efficient.
  * ACTION: RP and MK to produce financial report and circulate in
good time ahead of Board meeting.

=== Vision ===

  * PD apologised for not producing a report following the August
"vision" meeting. She flagged that ongoing committments to her new job
would make her unable to progress this for at least another two weeks.
  * RP agreed to get a one page statement on Google Docs so long as
other Board members would commit to review the document. They did.
  * ACTION: RP to get one page starter statement on vision on Google docs
  * ACTION: JC, BH, PD, JH to review and contribute to one pager.

=== Supporter Drive ===

  * The Board discussed the value of a supporter drive
  * After discussion, it was concluded that we should change emphasis
of supporter drive towards "badging" (getting as many people as
possible to identify with the OKFN as supporters) with a supplemental
ask for funding attached.
  * ACTION RP to move discussion of "network members" on list.

=== Project Updates ===
  * '''CKAN''' (report from RP): Excellent, exciting project which is
making good contribution to OKFN core funds.
   * Client-side issues are leading to a difficulty in predicting
longevity of project and managing cashflow. PD advises RP to ask what
the cap is, so we can alert them when they are reaching it and be
aware where the limit is.
   * JH pointed out that given complexity of some of this, it would be
right for RP or JG to be billing OKFN for project management time on
these sorts of contracts moving forward. The Board agreed.
   * PD observes that OKFN needs to maintain transparency around
public money.  We need to be doing the right thing - delivering value
- and we need to be confident that we are.  Should never be a
suggestion that we are not delivering even if we need to 'back manage'
govt. Board agrees
   * ACTION: BH to bake this into consultancy guidelines, and to
circulate work on guidelines to OKFN-coord.
  * '''farmsubsidy.org''' (report from JH) JH met with Jack  and put
together a draft recommendation on licensing.  For other deliverables,
we will deliver generic templates for licensing government data which
are already written.  Will send a draft over to him for feedback
tonight.
   * RP asks: since fees are upfront, what happens if the time is not
used?  We should make people aware when this happens.
   * PD we should be aware of the value that we're delivering rather
than the time, and take it on a case by case basis.  With a non profit
we can choose to do this.  This will work until we're at a scale that
requires guidelines.
  * '''WDMMG''' (report from RP): Money has finally been received from
Cabinet Office and contractors have been engaged. Prototypes are
already available for Board to look at.
   * ACTION: All to look at WDMMG prototypes
   * Progress with 4IP uncertain. RP and BH are meeting with 4IP in
November. Impression is that they remain unsure about ability to
deliver. PD suggests we send them a little update of what we've been
up to to reassure.
   * ACTION: BH to draft news update.
  * '''aidInfo''' (report from RP): RP The 10 days' work is complete,
and they are after another 25 days work. We have said we would do it
starting beginning November.  BH, JG and RP are committed to this.

=== New Board members ===
  * A discussion of new Board members was held over until the next meeting.
  * ACTION: RP to add this discussion to agenda of next Board meeting.

=== Publication of the minutes ===

  * The publication of minutes was raised. The Board restated their
desire for the minutes of Board meetings to be made public.
  * ACTION: BH to produce minutes for publication.
  * ACTION: RP to approach JG to handle minute publication process.

=== Next Board meeting ===

  * Will be held on 17 November. JH sends his apologies.

=== Actions ===

  * ACTION: RP and MK to produce financial report and circulate in
good time ahead of Board meeting.
  * ACTION: RP to get one page starter statement on vision on Google docs
  * ACTION: JC, BH, PD, JH to review and contribute to one pager.
  * ACTION RP to move discussion of "network members" on list.
  * ACTION: BH to bake transparency and value into consultancy
guidelines, and to circulate work on guidelines to OKFN-coord.
  * ACTION: All to look at WDMMG prototypes
  * ACTION: BH to draft news update to show to 4IP
  * ACTION: RP to add discussion of new board members to agenda of
next Board meeting.
  * ACTION: BH to produce minutes for publication.
  * ACTION: RP to approach JG to handle minute publication process.

//ends