Company Secretarial Services for Academies

Transcription

1 Company Secretarial Services for Academies

2 I have found the Company Secretarial Services invaluable for providing prompt and succinct responses to all my queries relating to compliance of the Academy following conversion and assisting me in filing changes to the Governing Body to Companies House within essential deadlines. The Company Secretary training I attended was hugely useful, providing vital information for this role and affording the opportunity to network with other novice Company Secretaries from newly converted Academies. As Clerk to the Governing Body, I feel confident I can turn to them to find out information requested by the Governors, who are only too aware of the importance of their role as Trustees and Directors. Clerk to the Governors, Thomas Keble School

3 Your obligations An Academy Trust is a company limited by guarantee and as such is subject to ongoing statutory obligations imposed by company law. It is for the Company Secretary (if there is one) and the Governors to ensure that the Academy Trust meets these statutory obligations and that it follows good practice in relation to matters such as Governors and Members meetings, the appointment and resignation of Governors and Members, filing annual returns and annual accounts, keeping the registers contained in the statutory books of the Academy Trust up-todate and maintaining up-to-date records at Companies House. How can we help? Our company secretarial team is here to remove the stress and anxiety you might otherwise experience. We help you comply with your obligations and avoid the fines and/or penalties that you could be subjected to. We can offer practical support and guide you through the process of discharging the administrative requirements and burdens imposed by company law and help you fulfil your Company Secretarial/ Governor s duties. We offer a range of services with fixed prices, from which you can select the most appropriate package to meet your needs.

4 Fixed Price Company Secretarial Packages The Bronze Service Package: 250 plus VAT p/a This package includes: (a) Preparing and filing of your Annual Return (an additional disbursement will be payable in respect of the Companies House filing fee); (b) Filing (but not preparation) of your Annual Accounts at Companies House; (c) Provision of template board minutes for common activities of the Academy Trust. The Silver Service Package: 500 plus VAT p/a This package includes all the services in the Bronze Service Package plus: (a) Preparing all documentation to effect the appointment of up to six Governors; (b) Preparing all documentation to effect the resignation or removal of up to six Governors; (c) Recording up to six changes of Governors details with Companies House and updating the statutory registers as appropriate; (d) Preparing all documentation to effect the appointment of up to six Members; (e) Preparing all documentation to effect the resignation or removal of up to six Members.

5 The Gold Service Package: 750 plus VAT p/a This package includes all the services in the Silver Service Package plus: (a) Holding the statutory books of the Academy Trust at our offices and ensuring that these are kept upto-date by regularly updating all statutory registers and records of documents filed with Companies House; (b) Harrison Clark Rickerbys Ltd being recorded as the single alternative inspection location at Companies House, so that we deal with any inspection requests on your behalf and provide electronic copies of the Academy Trust s registers upon request. Choosing the Right Package for your Academy Trust From our experience and the feedback we receive, most newly converted academies choose our Gold Service Package, so that Companies Secretaries and Governors are given the most comprehensive support and can rely on us as their safety blanket in that very hard first year. In consecutive years Company Secretaries and Governors may find that after having been through the processes with our support, they are ready to take on more responsibility themselves and subscribe for our Bronze or Silver Service Package. If you require assistance in choosing the right package for your Academy Trust, please do not hesitate to contact us and discuss your requirements.

6 Additional Company Secretarial Services As well as our Bronze, Silver and Gold packages, we offer a range of further packages and support services. If there is no standard fixed fee we will always provide an estimate and agree the fee with you before commencing any work. The Annual General Meeting Package: 375 plus VAT per AGM Depending on when you converted to an academy, your articles of association may require an AGM to be held each year. Even if not required by the articles, you may want to still hold AGMs in order to demonstrate transparency and encourage wider participation. This package is specifically designed to assist with AGMs and includes the preparation and provision of the following: (a) board minutes detailing the agenda and the resolution to call the AGM; (b) notice of the AGM to be circulated to all Members; (c) script to be used by the person chairing the AGM; (d) guidance notes on the process of the AGM; (e) minutes of the AGM detailing the resolutions; (f) filing the resolutions at Companies House. Appointing Us as Your Company Secretary For an additional fee of 200 plus VAT added to any of our fixed price annual packages you can appoint Harrison Clark Rickerbys Ltd to act as your Company Secretary. We will provide ongoing annual assistance, keep your statutory books up-to-date and assume the company law compliance burden. Governor Meetings and Resolutions We can prepare draft/bespoke board minutes and resolutions (as required) to achieve your specific objectives. General Meetings We can prepare minutes to call general meetings, notices of general meetings, proxy forms, poll vote cards and chairman s scripts for meetings and any other relevant documentation.

7 Adopting New Articles of Association We can advise on any changes you may wish to make to your articles of association and prepare all relevant documents and submit the associated filings at Companies House. Company Secretarial Training We run and present regular seminars and workshops for Academy Trusts covering company secretarial training. Contact us to enquire and/or book your place at our next training event. How it can go wrong Failure to file Annual Returns and Accounts Failure to file Annual Returns and Annual Accounts is a criminal offence, which can result in fines for individual Governors. The Academy Trust will also incur an automatic late filing penalty for late filing of accounts, even if the accounts are just one day overdue. The penalties range from 150 to 1,500 and the penalty will be doubled if the accounts are delivered late for two successive financial years. Failure to respond to a proper request to inspect statutory registers Where a request to inspect the statutory registers of the Academy Trust has been made, the Academy Trust has 5 working days to allow inspection or provide copies of the registers, or object to the request by making an application to the Court. Failure to do so could result in the Academy Trust and every Governor and the Company Secretary (if relevant) being liable to a fine.

8 Contact If you would like to register your interest in our legal services, or discuss how we can help you, please visit our website at or contact: Matthew Wolton Partner, Head of Academies and Free Schools T: +44 (0) E: Cheltenham T: +44 (0) Ellenborough House, Wellington St, Cheltenham, GL50 1YD Hereford T: +44 (0) Thorpe House, 29 Broad Street, Hereford, HR4 9AR Ross-on-Wye T: +44 (0) High Street, Ross-on-Wye, HR9 5HL Thames Valley T: +44 (0) Brook Drive, Green Park, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 6UB Worcester T: +44 (0) Deansway, Worcester, WR1 2JG Serviced Offices London T: +44 (0) Birmingham T: +44 (0)