[foundation-board] Draft Notes from 12 November 2013 Board Meeting

[Rufus Pollock]

Hi All,

Below are draft notes including actions from the board meeting on 12
November. These are also available in a google
doc<https://docs.google.com/a/okfn.org/document/d/10_qkNYblbaILM44_mCyyhplvD_rQw625tr1G2FeTXL4/edit#>.
This is *not* a formal request for approval but is for your information and
to check actions (some of which are for specific board members).

Regards,

Rufus

## Draft Notes

A meeting of the board of directors of the Open Knowledge Foundation was
held at the Omidyar Offices, London on Tuesday 12th November 2013.

Present:

* Board: Karin Christiansen, Tom Cobbold, Chris Marshall, Jane Silber

* Board observer: Martin Tisné

* Management team: Laura James, Rufus Pollock

Apologies:

* James Casbon, Paula Ledieu, Helen Turvey, Ben Laurie

## ACTIONS

ACTION: [Leadership] to produce updated draft of 18m and 6m plan

action: [Laura+Rufus+Martin] potentially separate meeting with Martin to
discuss “crunchiness” of targets

ACTION: [Finance Group] finance group to review end of year finances before
next board meeting (and before end of year)

ACTION: [Laura] formalise risk register

ACTION: [Laura+Rufus] consider NCVO membership

ACTION: [finance group] to look at risk register

ACTION: [Karin] Laura & Rufus role descriptions

ACTION: [finance group] to discuss VAT issue and response

ACTION: [Finance Advisory Group + Helen + Martin + Karin]  to prepare some
options re charitable status and present to the board in January.

ACTION: [Rufus] look at whether or not we want to do EC employment

ACTION :  [Laura/Rufus] to schedule  a mtg then dinner to “on-board” new
board members

## Review of Minutes and Actions

The minutes were approved with some minor wording changes.

## Recap of Strategy

The current strategy was briefly reviewed with the board as context for
subsequent discussion in the meeting

## Review and discussion of new 18 month plan and 6m priorities

* Laura and Rufus presented the draft 18 month plan for Open Knowledge
Foundation “Central”

* Board feedback was positive (though recognizing this as a draft that will
be iterated)

* Board members emphasized need improved set of goals and metrics at
“top-level” (perhaps 3-6 items) and less need for lower level information

* Agreed that Leadership Team would produce an update of the plan and share
with the board in the next few weeks

## Consideration of appointment of Finance Advisory Group

* Discussed appointment of a subgroup of the board to advise and review
finance matters - the “Finance Advisory Group”

* It was agreed to form this group consisting of: Laura James, Chris
Marshall, Tom Cobbold

* Group should meet before next board meeting

## Review and discussion of management accounts

* The management accounts were discussed

* Issues around VAT were discussed

* Issues around EC project overheads were discussed

* Update on finalization of 2012-2013 accounts for submission to Companies
House and HMRC. Now early there but there has been a delay here due to VAT
etc

## Discussion re personnel issue

* Board discussed a personnel issue. The issue is now resolved

## Discussion of employment plan

* Board was provided with an update on employment plan. We are accelerating
activity in the UK. An EU plan in progress but ROW remains unknown.

* Some board members flagged complexity of employment outside of UK and
that proper evaluation should be done before making commitments

## Discussion re charitable status

* There was a brief discussion of ongoing question of Charitable status.

* Finance group plus Helen and Karin and Martin to discuss and prepare a
paper

*Martin Tisne left the meeting due to a prior engagement*

## Update on planned evaluation

* Karin reported on discussions with Martin re an evaluation. Have not yet
identified suitable assessor as proposed assessor has become unavailable

* Reiterated that it was important that assessment be valuable both to the
organization and funders

## AOB

* Rufus Pollock is becoming an Ashoka fellow

* Rufus Pollock to join Open Healthcare UK board
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