Q & A following Trustee Board presentation

Absolutely not.  The new Trust Deed ensures that the existing Playcentre philosophy is protected.

WHAKAMĀTAU /PHILOSOPHY
Playcentre Aotearoa is a whānau and largely volunteer based organisation which:
• Empowers whānau and tamariki to work, play, learn and grow together;
• Honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi and celebrates people’s uniqueness; and
• Values and affirms parents as the first and best educators for their tamariki:
So that whānau are strengthened and communities enriched. 

We will fight tooth and nail to ensure this doesn’t happen. Playcentre Aotearoa does have a very distinct culture and identity; we believe in the power of tamariki and their whanau learning and growing together, building great families and great communities. We know that families need a village for support, that adults deserve to feel empowered and valued in their role as first and most important educator of their children. This is our tika, that which is correct and true, and cannot be lost. In fact we believe that once we have our house in order, we can hold our head up high in Aotearoa and advocate for the power of our approach, standing strong against a rising tide of commercialisation in the Early Childhood sector. But there are some things about our tikanga, our actions, ‘the way we do things’, that yes we hope to lose. We hope to lose our reputation for burning people out. We hope to lose our inaccessability to many, many families who would love to join but feel they can’t for a variety of reasons. We hope to lose our ‘marginal’ confidence rating with one of our key funders. These are related to tikanga, ‘the way we do things’ and yes we need those to change to ensure a future for our mokopuna at Playcentre.

The Trustee Board will need to do more work on this. We are not ruling it out, but the reality is that we will need to see a solid, well-thought out commitment from the Centre in order to feel comfortable that any risks to the organisation are managed and our liability is suitably discharged, and short-term thinking would not give us that confidence.

We hope that all centres will make the decision to stay in the heart of the Playcentre whānau but did want to offer the option for those that don’t. The Trustee Board will need to do more work on this. We are not ruling it out, but the reality is that we will need to see a solid, well-thought-out commitment from the Centre in order to feel comfortable that any risks to the organisation are managed and our liability is suitably discharged, and short-term thinking would not give us that confidence.

In order to amend the Trust Deed, Clause 13 sets out the process leading to a remit at a General Meeting to be followed as per clause 10. 10.5 states “A resolution at a General Meeting will be passed if supported by 70% of those whānau voting in each of Tangata Tiriti House and Te Whare Tikanga Māori.” This means that for a remit to pass, it must have 70% from both whare demonstrating partnership.

Thank you for your feedback and we believe that this approach can work effectively with our values of cooperation, integrity and pono with willing, committed and passionate people throughout the organisation. We recognise the value of learning from other organisations experiences and take note of your specific references, thank you. We can hear the frustration with the idea of extra administration for centre members, and we assure you the goal of decreased administrative workload is at the heart of this plan. Yes, there are always ways that change can go wrong, but with the status quo there is a good chance we won’t be around much longer. We must think of our grandchildren and take action. We need your help to make this work. We would be happy to hear from you if you have other ideas of how we can address the challenges we face.

We have already begun the process with the Hon. Tracey Martin on our team.

As you know, the Ministry have concerns over Playcentre and the proposed new way forward addresses the concerns they have tabled.

Having staff is naturally more expensive than volunteers but given the parental burn out, the changes in volunteering, the pressures on whānau for two incomes and the ever rising tide of liabilities, compliance and regulations, we need these resources to be able to survive and grow.

For all the reasons stated, we need this to be successful and putting the clear logic to the Ministry and with careful planning, we believe we will be successful. If not, we will need to find another way as we are committed to the longevity of Playcentre in Aotearoa.

Clearly if we do nothing different, they will be no change. We are progressing both the proposal to change alongside the co-design process to bring both to fruition as soon as possible, given our current situation is not sustainable and we cannot afford to burn Playcentre resources to prop that up.

If they choose to come under the authority of the Trustees, then in the same way as centres.

They would need to make a decision as to whether they wish to come under the authority of the Trustees.

In time for centres to make an informed decision if the Trust Deed is approved so not before the SGM on 24th September.

Ki te pae tawhiti provides the platform for us to support rural centres, alongside the Kaimahi role and Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding.

Interestingly the records show that only a small number of centres are Incorporated Societies. If the Trust Deed vote is Yes and then a centre votes Yes to the second vote, then the administration for this will all be handled for those centres and the new Incorporated Society Act rules and administration will not apply to them.

The fiduciary duty on Trustees requires them to use the capital and income of a Trust for its charitable purposes and this proposal aligns that liability with the authority to act. In the Trust Deed the charitable purposes are all focused on Playcentre and so all money will be spent on achieving them. Furthermore, with flaxroots governance, the whānau of Playcentre have the direct control over the appointment of the Trustees. That is where the power over the organisation will reside if the Trust Deed is approved and they, the whānau at the flaxroots of our organisation, therefore are truly in control.

A constitution is commonly used more in Incorporated Societies. Playcentre Aotearoa is an Incorporated Charitable Trust with a Trustee Board which is responsible for using the trusts’ assets to achieve our stated charitable purpose. In order to achieve our charitable purpose, we must ensure that our actions and behaviours as an organisation are clearly and effectively focused towards this goal. The Trustee Board decided, after considering substantial legal advice, that a Trust Deed is best aligned with the structure of our organisation, and provides the best possibility of achieving our charitable purpose.

We do understand the pressure that parents are under and hence the proposal to relieve them of the burden of compliance and administration. We have made all the information available on the Ki te pae tawhiti webpage as the one source of information so they are best to start there.

As a centre you would need to establish a suitable constitutional structure such as an incorporated society, register with the charities service and IRD and then put in place all the elements for running your centre which would include but not be limited to meeting all your liabilities, managing your revenue and costs, meeting your licencing requirements, H&S, any employment you may have and statutory reporting. We would provide a brand management agreement but would like to ensure that whatever you put in place you will be able to sustain for the future.

Sorry to hear about your circumstances and they are sadly all too common these days. We are confident that the proposed new Trust Deed and our approach for the future will restore the joy of being in Playcentre to so many whānau with the burden of compliance and administration lifted from their shoulders.

You would need to put in place everything necessary to take your own responsibility for employment, HR, insurance, leases, financial management and reporting, H&S and PCBU management, all aspects of regulation compliance and all the other tasks and services associated with running a centre. We would then seek to agree a brand management agreement with you. While the Board has not yet determined what the terms of such relationships will be, they are likely to be relatively standard brand management arrangements requiring the contracted centre to be incorporated and to meet certain standards. To the extent those standards have health and safety obligations, there will likely be overlapping PCBU obligations with primary responsibility sitting with the contracted centre rather than Playcentre Aotearoa. If a centre chooses to operate interpedently, we would like to see how they will ensure their longevity as moving in and out of Playcentre Aotearoa is not sustainable.

This is about the alignment of liability to the authority to act to meet that liability and if a centre chooses to operate independently they need to take on all the liability for doing so and the responsibility for earning revenue and meeting their own costs. This would also include responsibility for employment, HR, insurance, leases, financial management and reporting, H&S, all aspects of regulation compliance and all the other tasks and services associated with running a centre. Centres would need to put in place their own support arrangements and meet the cost of them.

This is about the alignment of liability to the authority to act to meet that liability and if a centre chooses to operate independently they need to take on all the liability for doing so. Any services offered by Playcentre Aotearoa may create overlapping duties under the Health & Safety legislation and if any such arrangement were made, it would be done in such a way as to ensure that the local centre has the primary responsibility. If any such services were offered there would be an appropriate fee. The Board has not yet finalised how this risk would be managed if it was deemed to be acceptable nor on the design of the brand agreement.

Playcentres is a “broad church” with a range of views about different topics. Its great to have such diversity on the other hand it makes it difficult to provide a consistent brand promise to New Zealanders to encourage them to come to Playcentre. That being said, we want to continue to have centres customised to their local communities to the fullest extent that our guiding principles, our brand, the law, compliance requirements and meeting regulations allow.

This is exactly what the consultation is for, to receive feedback and ideas on the proposal. What suggestion would you like to make?

The Whānau Community at each centre is and will always remain, a critical part of our organisation and will, we are confident, continue to meet to build connection, share ideas, learn and grow together. This is enhanced by the introduction of Hapori to expand those connections beyond the centre. Centres, however won’t need the burden of a traditional AGM any longer.

If the vote for the Trust Deed is Yes and a centre then decides to operate independently, things would change for them as they would not be under the authority of the Trustees and will need to take responsibility and liability for all their own governance and operational needs.

Examples include Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 because the Trustees are unable to ensure the safe working environment for staff in centres over which they have no authority, COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021 because we were unable to provide the necessary details due to centres not having the resources for administration and the Trusts Act 2019 because Trustees have a duty to act for benefit of beneficiaries or to further permitted purpose of trust but our current constitution confers no such power on the Trustees. The core issue here is that liability lies with the Trustees and the authority to act lies with centres. They must be aligned, either with the Trustees which is enabled by the proposed Trust Deed where the power of appointment of Trustees is then given to the flaxroots of our organisation, the whānau in each centre or with the centres as is allowed for with the choice to act independently. Multiple options were considered and these two options are the ones that work while still enabling us to maintain our guiding principles.

Any centre that wants to operate independently will need to do exactly that and take responsibility for their education, leases, employment, etc. This is because this is about the alignment of liability to the authority to meet that liability. Any services offered by Playcentre Aotearoa may create overlapping duties under the Health & Safety legislation and if any such arrangement were made, it would be done in such a way as to ensure that the local centre has the primary responsibility. The Board has not yet finalised how this risk would be managed if it was acceptable. If a centre chooses to operate interpedently, we would like to see how they will ensure their longevity as moving in and out of Playcentre Aotearoa is not sustainable.

Thank you for such encouragement! Our value of Respect means that we value all contributions and we are pleased that you feel your contribution is valued.

This will be determined via the consultation over the finance policy but the principle is clear, the money will be moved to the Playcentre Aotearoa account and tagged to each centre.

This will be determined via the consultation over the finance policy but the principle is clear. Donations made to local centres will be deemed as fundraising and tagged to that local centre. Donations made to Playcentre Aotearoa will go into general funds to support all centres.

The Ministry have not said that explicitly however as identified in the presentations, MoE does have concerns about our viability alongside our other regulators and funders and they are looking for change from our current state as part of a co-design discussion.

We are working on other funding streams which could cover this or if the Ministry funding does cover everything we need can then add additional revenue to provide more benefits. This model is also designed to allow growth in centres where parents and volunteers are doing all they can but cannot devote any more time to centre growth, which the Kaimahi can then support. All charities face funding challenges which can vary at different times. Plunket have just closed one of their services because of a lack of funding but that may present an opportunity for us to grow our revenue. Under the new proposal we will be in a better position to seek out and deliver on growth in all areas.

The proposed detail of how finances will be managed is set out in the supporting documentation which is there for consultation. The Board want to recognise the hard mahi that has gone into centre fundraising, hence the tagging that will be done through the finance system with reports available to local centres. In practical terms, funds may be invested in such investments as are in the determination of the Trustees appropriate and consistent with the statement of investment policies and objects (SIPO) developed by the Trustees from time to time. They will be held safely and securely with all the national level layers of authorisation and security protocols to ensure they can only be spent on their designated purpose.

Ultimately yes because the Trustee Board is ultimately accountable for the use of Playcentre resources. It may also be the case that there is no one left in the centre to make any decisions so the Trustee Board would have to. We face this situation at the moment. The proposed way forward is designed to enable growth so that even if there is no Whānau Community, we would still have a Centre Kaimahi in place to work on getting the centre up and running again. The proposed new structure also reduces the likelihood that centres that are not viable will close because at the moment, centres have to stand or fall on their own. With the new proposed approach of Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding, we will be able to move funds around to sustain unviable centres whilst we work with the Whānau Community and Centre Kaimahi to make them viable. Even if we cannot get to the point of full viability for whatever reason, the principles of Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding will mean that we can sustain that. Currently, we cannot.

The current preference for volunteers to undertake the Playcentre education programme remains and the motivations for that remain the same. Centre choices remain the same as they do now.

The Trustees have done modelling to consider the financial viability of the proposed structure and believe that it can achieve financial stability. The financial modelling shows revenue of $31.284m, Expenditure of $30.879m and a Profit $0.405m when we reach a stable state of operation.

Feedback is open on the consultation document issued already and the next iteration will depend upon how much feedback is received and by when. We want to allow people time to absorb, consider and comment and so will be flexible to that need.

This will no longer be necessary.

The proposed new Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding will be a major benefit here as you are quite right, at the moment local centres who have longer term projects often never see them come to fruition. The proposed new approach would enable to release of funds held in lots of small silos to make a positive difference much sooner. The principles outlined in the discussion document on financial manage also show that we absolutely want to recognise local efforts and ensure those funds are tagged for local centres.

With a Kaimahi in place, the administration and support for hireage and hence the income would be accounted for in the local budget. That being said, a clear statement has been made about recognising the local volunteer input so if volunteers ran the hireage as fundraising and took on the costs necessary within that to create a net fundraised amount, then it is perfectly possible.

There is no cap-in-hand needed. The proposed principles of how finance is managed shows that there will be an approved budget for each centre and a process to develop that. This will include all the things necessary to support local centres including volunteer recognition, which is so important to do because they are a key part of our organisation. The centre Kaimahi will take on the burden of administration for things like broken toys or topping up ink supplies unless a volunteer would like to do so.

We want to get the best bang for our buck everywhere and there is more than enough flexibility to achieve that. We do want to look to getting more national deals by leveraging our collective buying power which in theory should save us money. If the theory doesn’t work out as it should, we have more than enough flexibility to adjust our approach to get the very best bang we can.

Yes, and this will be enhanced by the pooled approach with Playcentre Aotearoa Equity funding rather than the current silo approach.

No because in line with the answer on roll fluctuations in some years we may need more than others and our Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding approach provides for that.

As was explained in David’s presentation, if a treasurer colludes with another bank signatory to empty a centre bank account, then in practical terms, yes she can and there is nothing that can be done to prevent that, as was highlighted in the Audit Report. There would be implications as this could be classed as financial mismanagement and misuse of government funds. It would also have to be reported to the Charities Service as any money fundraised from the public would have been collected under the name of Playcentre for our charitable purpose and any grant providers would also have to be notified of the action. This would also potentially have consequences for all the other Playcentres, as MoE would be likely to lose further confidence in our ability to meet our compliance requirements. As we are currently heading into licensing re-negotiations with the Ministry, timing would be particularly unfortunate. Furthermore the public and grant providers would have no certainty that the money they provided under the Playcentre name and to support Playcentre charitable purposes would be used for those purposes and this would make future fundraising very difficult indeed. If the treasurer transferred the money into an account in her own name there would be serious personal implications. The good news is that there is no need for your treasurer to take this action and expose every centre and herself to all these risks because if centres do not wish to come under the authority of the Trustees, they can choose to operate independently in the second of the two votes.

It would be nice to not have to try and find and then train up a new Treasurer and then work though rearranging bank signatories and if the Trust Deed is approved we would look to move forward as quickly as possible however there will have to be a transitional period to realign the organisation. Our expectation is that we will develop the transitional plan in consultation with centres and the resources we will be able to put in place to come up with the best timetable possible.

All revenue would go into the main account and tagged for the Centre as per the proposed financial policy.

All revenue would go into the main account and tagged for the Centre as per the proposed financial policy.

All centres are on Xero.

All centres are on Xero.

It means that only 25% of centres are following the requirements set out on the Treasurers’ Guide. Centres get feedback every year through the audit process on what is required. Currently our National Finance Team is not resourced to the extent necessary to provide the level of support that centres have shown is needed

This is a throwback to the previous Association model which was not sustainable. Leaving finances to centres with increasing rotation of volunteers with reducing time availability has too great a risk with current financial reporting requirements, audit reporting and Trustee liabilities.

Fortunately none that we are aware of, however this is a significant risk noted by our auditors and by our funders.

This is precisely the reason behind the change as we do not know this information which creates a risk for all centres. If any financial irregularities or fraudulent actions were reported in the media, this would impact significantly on all Playcentres in terms of reputation and funding, as well as there being potential legal repercussions for Playcentre Aotearoa.

Given the lack of reporting from centres and the increasing rate at which volunteers are rotating, we do not know. We do know many centres have reported finding this role to be a huge burden on their centre.

The evidence shows that the old model is putting far too much administration burden on volunteers and is not compatible with accounting rules. The most efficient way to ensure that we can meet financial reporting requirements, manage the risk profile and relieve the burden on volunteers is the proposed way forward. Please remember that local volunteers will be actively encouraged to be involved whenever possible. From a perspective of fiduciary responsibility, it is not sufficient to be about to ‘see the money/transactions’, Playcentre Aotearoa must be able to act if necessary. Oversight means knowing what is happening and being able to make any changes necessary for compliance.

We have done initial estimates for the finance resources necessary and these will be further validated as we progress. With the improved finance resource, service standards will be established and monitored to ensure we deal with our suppliers professionally and this would include receipts for donations. Yes, we will invoice for all revenue as this must be declared as this is the legal responsibility of any organisation New Zealand and even more so for a charity.

Centres will have all the costs of operating met by Playcentre Aotearoa based on their agreed budget. The local centre will work in co-operation with the Kaimahi to make this process simple and effective with no burden to volunteers. The proposal on how finances will be managed sets out the budget process and we have said that volunteers are actively encouraged to be involved. There will be no sense of people being far removed as the Kaimahi will be based in the centre.

Under this proposal, centres would be freed up from the burden of having to manage spend unless any volunteer wishes to be involved. There will be standard reporting against budget available if that is the case.

This would only apply if centres has volunteers who wanted to take on this burden, otherwise it will all be done for centres.

We already operate on accrual accounting.

Yes

The original purpose of the amalgamation was to prevent the decline of Playcentre across the motu and this proposal will enable Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding which will address that, There is a separate Q&A on centres closing. The purpose of this proposal is not just that Playcentre will survive but will actually grow and expand so everyone can genuinely benefit from our philosophy.

The proposed way in which we would manage finances covers the detail on this. Any koha received by a centre will be tagged to that centre. We actually want to grow our donation income as a national charity.

Everyone has a role in managing costs and this proposal enables that with the potential for leveraging our national buying power. Both volunteers at local centres who choose to be involved and certainly the Kaimahi will be able to notice.

Our current model of effectively 400 uncoordinated spending centres does not allow this. Our proposed new model will which could deliver both improved service and reduced costs through leveraging our national buying power.

A national approach will enable this to happen easily and effectively without the ethical dilemma you are facing. For example, for an organisation of our size we can approach St. John or the Red Cross for a solution with our own national portal and preferential rate.

The current system means this can already happen for any number of reasons irrespective of this change. Playcentre people are values driven and we are confident that they would not be reckless or unwise.

Through an analysis of previous centre spending.

Grant providers are now more sophisticated than looking at the traditional small and poor. There are ongoing changes to fundraising and compliance reporting which will be increasing and it is our intention with the pooling of resources to be able to meet those demands. There will be ongoing changes for all grant providers and having the resources necessary to understand and meet this is enabled by this pooled approach.

As there will be close integration between the local centre, the Kaimahi, the National Finance Team and grant support, there won’t be an at arm’s length issue. Centres will no longer face the burden of this isolated approach to grants with national sharing of ideas, experience and initiatives.

Our current resourcing does not enable this however when we have become aware of successes, we have congratulated the centres. Sorry for any we have missed and we do congratulate all centres on their fundraising efforts.

This is not a question specific to Ki te pae tawhiti but in the interests of transparency, overall SPACE is very beneficial for many centres beyond just financial and we aim to continue to improve that.

This is not a question specific to Ki te pae tawhiti but in the interests of transparency we have regular meetings with Parenting Place so please pass the details of the rule breaking through to your current regional staff and we will follow up on that.

Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding is the mechanism to free up resources held in individual centre accounts and use them to support other centres which otherwise would be unviable or can be supported for growth which can then generate more revenue which can then be drawn back into the equity pool. It is a way of ensuring that Playcentres can cover the whole country through national cooperation.

We have put out a paper on financial management for consultation which outlines the principle and you can find the detail here. Our proposal is to free up funds locked away into individual accounts allowing for an initial 12 months period to retain funds tagged to centres so that centres can spend that money on any immediate needs that may have before the funds are freed up for Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding.

Freeing up funds held in separate centre accounts limits the ability for us to realise one of the key benefits of the amalgamation – Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding.

Thank you for your service to Playcentre and for all you have done for your local centre. The management of finances is beyond the local control of bank accounts as we need to enable Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding to provide support for centres across the motu. If the Trust Deed is accepted, then centres will be able to vote to come under the authority of the Trustees or to retain control of their own funds by acting independently.

The proposals are outlined in the financial management document out for consultation. We want to enable Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding hence suggesting a year period.

This is something we are consulting on as per the document on financial management. The basis for the 1 year to make sure that we can make full use of the Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Finding principle and free up any capital that is tied up at the moment. With our pooled funding approach, we will be better resourced to address those longer term project cooperatively rather than each centre being stuck in their own silo trying to fundraise for a project that is beyond their means alone.

There are a number of key benefits of Ki te pae tawhiti including matching liabilities to the authority to act, creating a way forward for a different funding model, addressing parental burn out, meeting the changing compliance requirements, providing for centres all across the country and securing our future to our centenary and beyond. If any local centre does not want to benefit from these and sees their way forward independently then the Trustees have created that option.

We will work with each centre to make sure that any specific local requirements are taken into account with the budget process and your scenario here is one that we would want to see continued and developed to maximise the potential. The principle of Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding means that resources can be moved around the country to support different centres with the underlying costs of each centre met and Whānau Communities actively engaged in fundraising with their local community.

This can all be managed through the finance system within which reconciliation is a standard function and linked to accountability. It’s the same principle just with a central account rather than a local one.

Because the Trustees need to be able to manage all the capital and income of the Trust to align with their liabilities as Trustees. In addition, we are removing the local burden of administration and compliance that is causing parents to burn out.

Quantitively we would consider all the relevant revenue and costs and then take into account the local circumstances linked to the overarching desire to grow Playcentre. The principle of Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding will play a vital role here.

The issue here is about aligning liabilities with the authority to manage them. Currently the liabilities lie with the Trustees and the authority to manage them lies with the centre. By adopting the new Trust Deed and for all centres who vote Yes to the second vote, this will align them both with the Trustees. If centres vote Yes for the Trust Deed and No for the second vote, then the liabilities and authority to manage them will all lie with the centre and they are welcome to choose that option.

Our document on how finances will be managed addresses this as all funds raised via local fundraising will be tagged for the local centre for the purpose of that
fundraising. Under the transition arrangements it is proposed that existing funds will be tagged and we will work with each centre to establish a plan for what those funds could reasonably be used for over the next year after which we will absorb the balance into Playcentre Aotearoa general funds to support future equity funding.

Hindsight is a great thing and with the proposal this is in effect what the Board are proposing to do now along with a raft of other measures all to designed to meet the changes in compliance and legislation and future proof the organisation to take us to our centenary and beyond.

We recognise that Treasurers are doing the best possible job they can and facing ever increasing levels of compliance alongside so many external family pressures. As you will know, reports from Xero are only as good as the information put into them whenever that is done. There is extensive resources available in the Guide for Treasurers however with ever increasing turn over in volunteers, it is becoming harder for them to get handovers. Continuing to pour more resources into such a difficult situation is not the best way forward and won’t address the need to align liability with the authority to act.

At this point it is not possible to run a theoretical budget process for 400 centres to give you an actual number. The principles of the budgeting process are however clear in the document on financial management which will help your understanding of what will be done to get to an actual number.

 It seems like you have volunteers who are ready, willing and really on to it and the proposal allows for those great people to continue to be involved to the same extent.

The easy answer for buying flour may be an account at the local New World or Pak n Save that voids the need for any reimbursement. If we can secure a national arrangement with New World or Pak n Save, the flour may even be cheaper. This is the sort of potential that the proposal opens up for us as we think about the collective buying power of our organisation.

Cleaning would be an operational cost within the budget and may be something that with more time some volunteers may be happy to do as there can be a certain satisfaction in doing it. The proposal allows for the freedom to choose.

As there is no other organisation quite like Playcentre, there is no one else to follow. Playcentre has always been a pioneering organisation and we are using well proven financial management methodology and have a CFO who has financial management experience in a distributed centre environment.

The financial modelling shows revenue of $31.284m, Expenditure of $30.879m and a Profit $0.405m when we reach a stable state of operation. The co-design work with MoE will be a principle source naturally and we are also exploring other revenue streams to supplement that.

You can find the answer in the document on financial management on the Ki te pae tawhiti webpage as tagging will be used.

The budgeting and payments processes are intended for this very purpose.

We will always comply with any conditions attached to grants.

As you will see in the paper on financial management we propose a very cooperative and consultative approach to budgeting.

Petty cash and indeed cash itself is being used less and less. Naturally we will be looking to streamline all our processes and having one national organisation will make that a lot easier. At the same time we also know what it’s like to be involved in centre life and will make sure that members will always be reimbursed.

Whilst we are clear that we want to encourage centres in their fundraising, that is the choice of the volunteers. This is not about shifting pressure as that is not a long term solution for our organisation. The intent of this proposal is to relieve parents from pressure and enable them to participate in the life of the centre, the growth of relationships and connections and enjoy being the first and best educators of their children to the fullest extent they want to.

The Fundraising Institute of New Zealand has a different view of the value and return on fundraising and done successfully it can yield very high returns as well engage local communities. The recent experience in Outram is a good example. It is hard to envision any charity in New Zealand not including fundraising but we are seeking to grow a range of revenue streams beyond our current ones.

As part of the budgeting process, we will take into account the local circumstances.

Fees/donations would be part of the budget setting process for each centre and can vary by centre. We want to see full centre involvement in that process with all the local knowledge they bring provided the local centre wants to as this is about freeing up centres from compliance and administration burdens.

Absolutely you will still be able to do this. We are encouraging the active involvement of volunteers in all aspects of centre life and we know that some really love the challenge of applying for grants and securing great results and will be encouraging them to do that and engage others in as well. As a charity we want o make the most of our charitable registration and maximise our fundraising efforts.

Naturally we will be looking to streamline all our processes and having one national organisation will make that a lot easier. At the same time we also know what its like to be involved in centre life and will make sure that members will always be reimbursed.

We will comply with any tagged funding requirements whatever they may be from time to time so under the current terms, yes.

We do not know how many centres are registered for GST as we are still waiting for the responses to our last survey which asked for this information. We know that so many centres are under pressure to manage their basic compliance and administration so this is understandable but nevertheless means we do not have the data we need. We are also helping a number of centres to deal with historic GST issues at the moment. You are quite correct that we will pay GST as we are operating as one organisation and will also be able to claim GST on all eligible expenditure. The proposed new approach will naturally increase costs and is equally designed to increase revenue. The objective is to move to a balanced budget with a small annual contribution to the balance sheet to enable us to maintain sufficient reserves and support Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding. Our goal is to move the current $2m deficit to a $0.4m surplus and this will naturally be dependent upon being able to achieve the revenue targets.

Centre will be able to operate within their budget so the local Kaimahi will be able to approve purchases within that budget. As part of the budget setting process something that is deemed to be important to centre whānau would be given priority. Local centres will be actively encouraged to continue to engage in fundraising just as they do now and we intend to provide more support for grants as part of strengthening the National Finance Team to support centres.

This can be handled the same way as it is now with immediate access available to information. Volunteers are still actively encouraged to be involved to the fullest extent possible however we need to be aware that more and more centres are struggling with parental burnout and finding volunteers to undertake roles at centres.

Sorry to hear about your photocopier. The situation you have outlined could depend upon the lease contract you have and other issues such as the availability of spare machines with the current supply chain issues. These are all independent of the Trust Deed. Under the proposed new way forward, you would have a Kaimahi who would be able to manage the burden for you. Any decisions would be made in full consultation with the centre to achieve the best outcome.

The incentive to fundraise will be the same as it is now, the incentive to be part of a group of families passionate about providing a fantastic learning environment for their tamariki, in a connected community committed to the guiding principles of Playcentre with a commitment the values such as manaakitanga and generosity of spirit and a passion to see Playcentre growing for the future. The principle of pooling funding is a proven methodology to move forward cooperatively in a way that cannot be done in separate silos with more results achieved earlier leading to improved revenue. The tagged funds would be managed under the financial management plans that are out for consultation and we certainly expect the strong connections that centres have with their community to continue.

Congratulations on your grant successes and thank you for all the hard work you have put into achieving them as we know it is not easy. Yes, we will be able to provide the financial reports necessary that are relevant for your centre.

We have talked about the one bank central bank account as the principle but in the way we do that, we can be smart and take into account circumstances like this to make sure we get every grant and donation dollar that we can. We will be happy to work through with TSB how we can make this happen.

Centres can do that right now anyway so it depends upon how they view the support that cash could provide to other centres through Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding. In many ways its about giving forward as you never know when you might have a wonderful and amazing project that you could never fund alone but working in cooperation, we can.

We agree that purchasing need to be fast, easy and simple. We are looking at more national account options that can be ordered on line with 24 hour delivery and automatic invoicing. We also see the need to have local access for purchasing. As we have said, there will be a transitional process for introduction and as a learning organisation we will learn from that process. We want to streamline all we do but as we have demonstrated with the Telecoms project, we are brave enough to freeze anything that is not working for centres and the look for better alternatives.

As there is no other organisation quite like Playcentre, there is no one else to follow. We are using well proven financial management methodology and have a CFO who has financial management experience in a distributed centre environment.

You are quite correct that different centres have different approaches to donations/fees and this can continue. Any donations/fees would be allocated to the income for that centre.

This would come from the budget set for each centre following the consultation process as outlined in the financial management document. We encourage all centres to fundraise to support this.

The Kaimahi will be on hand to ensure that all the financial processes including reimbursement work smoothly and effectively in each centre.

We cannot see any scenario in which we would be sending debt collectors to families. There will be a suite of financial reports made available and we can certainly add an outstanding contributions report to the list.

Parent and volunteers will continue to have a say. As a volunteer organisation, we want to encourage ongoing and active involvement from all our parents and volunteers with the local centre kaimahi acting as a safety net to ensure those functions are carried out and we meet all our compliance needs in the process. We are aware of volunteers who do a fantastic job in making sure centres have all the supplies they want and thoroughly enjoy doing so and we want this to continue to the fullest extent possible.

We cannot answer this question because any change that impacts upon staff would be the subject of a genuine consultation process with no pre-determined outcome. We are unable to enter into such consultation until we know the outcome of the SGM on the 24th September.

We cannot answer this question because any change that impacts upon staff would be the subject of a genuine consultation process with no pre-determined outcome. We are unable to enter into such consultation until we know the outcome of the SGM on the 24th September.

Recruiting staff with the skills and expertise needed is often a challenge, especially in rural areas. Our intention is to have a Kaimahi in each centre supporting a thriving and vibrant Whānau Community. There will be a transition to that point and along that journey we will most likely have to make decisions and adjustments dependent upon local circumstances. This may include sharing Kaimahi but we would prefer to find other solutions. We do think that the proposed Kaimahi role will be a very worthwhile and attractive one with many elements that will appeal to a range of people. We will work co-operatively with local centres to find solutions that enable us to provide the support and services necessary through the recruitment and retention of Kaimahi across the motu.

The outline of the role has been set out and work is underway to develop the detailed position description which will support the role objectives already stated. If the Deed is accepted it is likely we will then need to enter into formal consultation with staff and we anticipate the position description being made available then.

The principles have been set out in the Trustee presentation that compliance requirements will be managed by the Kaimahi along with administration that is a burden for local centres. The list of tasks may vary by centre as will the involvement of volunteers which we actively encourage, so we welcome feedback on this.

There is no doubt that recruitment and retention in our current roles and salary levels is challenging. The proposed new role will provide more opportunities for different skills and hours that will be attractive to a bigger pool of candidates. We also plan to offer salaries that are more viable than our current ones. As discussed in the presentation, we will need to transition through to the point of having a Kaimahi in each centre. Options we can consider if the Trust Deed is approved include a national recruitment campaign.

Absolutely yes!

We cannot answer this question because any change that impacts upon staff would be the subject of a genuine consultation process with no pre-determined outcome. We are unable to enter into such consultation until we know the outcome of the SGM on the 24th September.

We cannot answer this question because any change that impacts upon staff would be the subject of a genuine consultation process with no pre-determined outcome. We are unable to enter into such consultation until we know the outcome of the SGM on the 24th September.

Our current employee handbook covers this as follows: The attendance of a Centre-based employee’s child at the same Centre may be possible when the child is fully supervised by another person and they are not impacting on the work the employee is employed to perform, their employee duties and responsibilities.

If there is no other person responsible, then they will provide the safety net to meet compliance requirements

The intention is to have a Kaimahi in each centre but transitioning to this and local circumstances will have to be taken into account.

We cannot answer this question because any change that impacts upon staff would be the subject of a genuine consultation process with no pre-determined outcome. We are unable to enter into such consultation until we know the outcome of the SGM on the 24th September.

There is no perfect solution to recruitment however a well-structured role with good professional development and an appropriate salary provides the basis of a successful recruitment.

If this were to impact staff, we would enter into a genuine and good faith consultation process with no pre-determined outcome.

Each recruitment situation needs to be considered on its own merits. Good recruitment practice is to hire the right person for the role and any skills gaps or training needs would be considered as part of that decision. We aspire to invest in our people and want to take every opportunity we can to do so within the limitations of resources we face. What is very clear and very important is that we make sure any recruits are thoroughly inducted into Playcentre philosophy as is stated in the Trust Deed. That includes the active engagement and participation of the Whānau Community in the running and life of the centre. Our ongoing management of any staff will make sure that always remains a clear focus.

By considering a number of factors, first and foremost of which will be the views of the local centre Whānau Community. Other factors will include size and scale of the local centre, the number of sessions and enrolment numbers, the local community needs, the opportunities for growth and the budget.

The current practices of managing sickness would continue to apply.

Thank you for your insights on this as the local whānau community view is so valuable. There is already a policy about employees having tamariki on session in existence and we will make sure we consider this in the light of the potential new role and your feedback.

We understand the desire to retain our great staff because we feel exactly the same way! The principle of the Kaimahi may provide for the situation you outline here and present great opportunities for existing staff. Any situation involving potential impact on staff must go through a genuine consultation process with no pre-determined outcome. As a good employer we will follow that process.

In the finance management document which is out for consultation, in order to allow Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding we propose that funds that are not needed are made available to support centres across the motu.

They may come from any number of areas including the potential of a national recruitment campaign.

Salaries will vary by location and the skills and experience of each person. We are committed to ensuring that we pay our staff as well as we can.

We will assess each candidate individually and having the ability to meet licencing requirements will be a part of that. We want to offer an education programme that people want to do rather than have to do for compliance purposes as that is not a real incentive for so many volunteers.

There is no doubt that recruitment and retention in our current roles and salary levels is challenging. The proposed new role will provide more opportunities for different skills and hours that will be attractive to a bigger pool of candidates. We also plan to offer salaries that are more viable than our current ones. As discussed in the presentation, we will need to transition through to the point of having a Kaimahi in each centre. Options we can consider if the Trust Deed is approved include a national recruitment campaign.

One of the key skills will be working in cooperation with volunteers and this will be assessed as part of the recruitment process. We are purposefully not looking for a centre manager.

Kaimahi will report into the national management structure.

The provision of information, the sharing of ideas and performance in the role will be enabled by the employment root and disseminated more rapidly than via the current channels. The new Hapori will also enhance sharing between centres.

No doubt Kaimahi will want to interview and chose the centre they work with, even though people change with increasing frequency. We are keen to develop a process for kaimahi recruitment that supports centre engagement. For any clarity you need on employment policy please contact the HR team.

Any staff performance issues will be dealt with using our employment policies. The proposed new structure simplifies things for local centres with one point of contact who is in there centre.

Kaimahi are centre based and for those centres who do not have any office space we will work on individual solutions. All necessary equipment will be provided as necessary for them to undertake their duties. The current Telecoms project has been frozen in place as we have listened to what centres have said. More announcements will be made on IT and telecoms and we will make sure that the proposed new roles are fully taken into account. IT and telecoms need to be enablers for our organisation not limiters.

Recruitment can be a challenge but the opportunity to have an engaging and interesting role working in cooperation with a passionate and committed whānau community in a charity focused on our core philosophy is very appealing. We will work hard to make full use of all the recruitment avenues available including a potential national recruitment campaign. We also want to ensure there is full induction and training support available alongside a good line management structure to provide strong support for the Kaimahi to maximise the benefits to local centres.  And yes, I agree and I think once people start to see the potential, we will see strong support. 

The Kaimahi will be funded from the overall revenue of Playcentre and as part of that we are seeking funding under the co-design process, along with exploring other revenue streams. The initial reaction from MoE is favourable but of course there are no guarantees. If we don’t secure additional funding we will need to develop other funding streams. Resources are always tight for charities and we will take this into consideration through the transition process.

We want to look after all our valued staff and any changes that may impact staff will have a full consultation process with no pre-determined outcome. We will work with each centre to ensure any change is worked through a transition period and this would include the resourcing level necessary to support current and future centre needs. It is great to hear positive news about your centre.

Parents will be able to have as much involvement as they wish and we will continue to actively encourage that involvement at every level. We have mentioned the Treasurer role specifically. We know that many Treasurers are under pressure and find the administration burdensome to the extent that a number of centres have already asked us to take on the role and their bank accounts as they can’t find anyone willing and able. The Treasurer role is one that has a lot of burden that can be removed by the Kaimahi and the National Finance Team if so desired but we have also said that anyone who wants to be involved can be to the fullest extent possible.

If the Trust Deed vote is Yes and then a centre votes Yes to the second vote and comes under the authority of the Trustee Board, then a Treasurer role will no be required however we have made it very clear that we welcome any volunteers in this area. Centre members will still be encouraged to take on centre roles but they will not be as burdensome as before as the admin part of the role can be done by the kaimahi if that is what is needed/wanted. For example, enrolments officer may no longer need to complete the paperwork of enrolments but could continue to be in charge of centre orientation for new members and welcoming tikanga. Some administrative tasks that are required for compliance will be the full responsibility of the kaimahi but can be supported by centre members also. For example, a duty team may carry out the daily health and safety checks but the kaimahi will be responsible for making sure this has happened and paperwork required is complete, or the centre may decide that the kaimahi will carry out the checks as well as the paperwork so the duty team can focus on setting up areas of play and setting children. Each centre whānau community will work together with the kaimahi to determine the balance of centre member involvement.

Recruitment can be a challenge but the opportunity to have an engaging and interesting role working in cooperation with a passionate and committed Whānau Community in a charity focused on our core philosophy is very appealing. We will work hard to make full use of all the recruitment avenues available including a potential national recruitment campaign. We also want to ensure there is full induction and training support available alongside a good line management structure to provide strong support for the Kaimahi to maximise the benefits to local centres.

If centres say Yes to the decision at the SGM on 24 Sep, operational changes may happen after this date. The intention of the proposal is to better support and grow Playcentres and we envision an increased opportunity for paid employment in Playcentre. If change results from the SGM, as a good employer acting in good faith, we will enter into a genuine consultation process with any staff impacted driven by our values with no predetermined outcome. We do know we don’t want to lose great people.

There is no doubt that recruitment and retention in our current roles and salary levels is challenging. The proposed new role will provide more opportunities for different skills and hours that will be attractive to a bigger pool of candidates. We also plan to offer salaries that are more viable than our current ones. As discussed in the presentation, we will need to transition through to the point of having a Kaimahi in each centre. Options we can consider if the Trust Deed is approved include a national recruitment campaign.

Great to hear your feedback on this and the answer to your question is whatever roles you want to do. The proposal brings the freedom from compulsion and the opportunity to engage in any role that you wish, knowing the Kaimahi will take care of the compliance and administration. Even there, people can be involved if they so wish as many people really enjoy administration work. The beauty of this proposal it restores the joy of committing to Playcentre. The time freed up could be used to focus on education, learning to appreciate the full potential of parents as first and best educators. This could an outreach to the local community for parental study groups. Please feel free to release all your Playcentre creativity in coming up with ideas.

The change in approach enables us to engage in the co-design process with MoE which we anticipate will increase our funding. The financial modelling shows revenue of $31.284m, Expenditure of $30.879m and a Profit $0.405m when we reach a stable state of operation.

There is no doubt that recruitment and retention in our current roles and salary levels is challenging. The proposed new role will provide more opportunities for different skills and hours that will be attractive to a bigger pool of candidates. We also plan to offer salaries that are more viable than our current ones. As discussed in the presentation, we will need to transition through to the point of having a Kaimahi in each centre. Options we can consider if the Trust Deed is approved include a national recruitment campaign.

We hope so.

Allowing for the fact that we want to continue to have the fullest involvement possible for volunteers, the Kaimahi will provide the compliance safety net. We are working through the details of job descriptions however the key purpose of the role is clear.

As we are working cooperatively as one organisation, we would expect so.

We will use our current recruitment process. As Playcentre has the liability of the employment relationship, it needs to have control over the process. We will always seek to work cooperatively to the fullest extent we can to meet those obligations.

If centres say Yes to the decision at the SGM on 24 Sep, operational changes may happen after this date. The intention of the proposal is to better support and grow Playcentres and we envision an increased opportunity for paid employment in Playcentre. If change results from the SGM, as a good employer acting in good faith, we will enter into a genuine consultation process with any staff impacted driven by our values with no predetermined outcome. We do know we don’t want to lose great people and will do everything we can to make the transition a success. You were right in saying that this will be determined nearer the time and dependent on numbers but great to see your willingness to volunteer into other roles.

We have been very clear throughout that this is not about becoming a commercial ECE with everything done for parents but is about relieving ever more pressured parents of the burden of the compliance and administration of running their centres and enabling them to engage in the joyful and fulfilling parts of centre life. There is no swap as currently all the compliance and admin falls on parents shoulders in running a centre and we want to free them from as much of that as they want whilst still maintaining their full involvement as parents as first and best educators.

By working in cooperation with the willing and able volunteers in the centre. We are NOT moving to a teacher lead commercial ECE and volunteers will continue to play a vital role in the life of a centre. However, if the Kaimahi IS needed on the floor, attending trips, etc, the terms of their employment will be sufficient to ensure they can do both.

Thank you for your positive feedback and we are glad to hear that your session facilitator is providing great support. We cannot answer this question because any change that impacts upon staff would be the subject of a genuine consultation process with no pre-determined outcome. We are unable to enter into such consultation until we know the outcome of the SGM on the 24th September.

We cannot answer this question because any change that impacts upon staff would be the subject of a genuine consultation process with no pre-determined outcome. We are unable to enter into such consultation until we know the outcome of the SGM on the 24th September.

Yes.

We cannot answer this question because any change that impacts upon staff would be the subject of a genuine consultation process with no pre-determined outcome. We are unable to enter into such consultation until we know the outcome of the SGM on the 24th September.

If the Trust Deed is approved, the number of staff will change and this will mean a review of the regions. If this were to impact staff, we would enter into a genuine and good faith consultation process with no pre-determined outcome.

If the Trust Deed is approved at the SGM, any staff impacted by potential change will be properly consulted in line with our obligations as a good employer and as that is a genuine consultation, there is no pre-determined outcome.

In a number of ways. We have the experience from the past from which we can learn. We now have a very established HR function to support any change. We have improved recruitment practices, the principles of which can be utilised. We have also identified that our current training budget is minimal and it intended to increase this.

Whilst this is a plan for growth for Playcentre with an increased number of roles available, as a good employer acting in good faith we would enter into a genuine consultation with any staff who may be impacted and that outcome has no pre-determined outcome. We are very clear that any process will be aligned to our values and with the intent of doing everything we can look after any staff who may be impacted.

On any circumstances that may lead to staff being impacted, as a good employer acting in good faith we will enter into a genuine consultation process driven by our values with no pre-determined outcome. We love our staff so would take every circumstance into account that we can.

Great to hear the positive feedback about our staff, thank you. If centres say Yes to the decision at the SGM on 24 Sep, operational changes may happen after this date. The intention of the proposal is to better support and grow Playcentres and we envision an increased opportunity for paid employment in Playcentre. If change results from the SGM, as a good employer acting in good faith, we will enter into a genuine consultation process with any staff impacted driven by our values with no predetermined outcome. We do know we don’t want to lose great people.

Thank you for such great feedback. We know we have great people and it is so good to receive confirmation of that from our centres. If centres say Yes to the decision at the SGM on 24 Sep, operational changes may happen after this date. The intention of the proposal is to better support and grow Playcentres and we envision an increased opportunity for paid employment in Playcentre. If change results from the SGM, as a good employer acting in good faith, we will enter into a genuine consultation process with any staff impacted driven by our values with no predetermined outcome. We do know we don’t want to lose great people.

They did indeed and this applies at the national level where staff are not allowed to be involved in governance roles for the Trust. For decisions at local centres, if any employees have enrolled tamariki at their centre, their primary responsibility is under their employment agreement as a legal obligation and we can certainly look at managing any conflicts of interest through employment terms and conditions.

Our current employee handbook covers this as follows: The attendance of a Centre-based employee’s child at the same Centre may be possible when the child is fully supervised by another person and they are not impacting on the work the employee is employed to perform, their employee duties and responsibilities.

Yes there are. As indicated in the presentation, with the Kaimahi taking the compliance and administration burden, the proposed change will be to shift our Playcentre education from having to do education for compliance purposes to wanting to do education for its true benefit – helping parents to be the first and best educator for their tamariki.

Absolutely yes and is underway. The challenge back at the early stage has been that the rent is peppercorn in exchange for us having to manage the maintenance. This is an ongoing discussion and having the Hon Tracey Martin on our side of the table gives us confidence that we will achieve the best possible outcome.

Decisions about whether to repair or vacate a building will be made after a thorough investigative process by the Chief Executive in consultation with the centre. If centres disagree with the decision made, they can submit an appeal. This would then come to the Trustees who are responsible for ensuring that the income and capital is used appropriately to meet our charitable purposes. With our clear demonstration of a co-operative approach and in line with our Playcentre values of respect and integrity, any such decision would be based on the full facts with the views of the Centre Whānau Community having a priority. Suitable time will be taken to ensure that all elements of the decision are fully understood by everyone involved and all views clearly heard but for transparency and clarity, it is fair and right that the Trustees, who stand accountable, must be able to make the final decision. This thorough process demonstrates that any decision like this will be made very carefully.

As an aside, on the board we have had personal experience of this nature, with our various Playcentres shutting down for several years due to contamination, going into recess, and even closing. We know, with every fibre of our being, how absolutely gut-wrenching and incredibly stressful this can be. We sincerely hope that the changes to our structure will mean that centres have the support they need to navigate these challenges successfully.

Volunteers are actively encouraged to be involved in all areas of running local centres but if there is no one willing and available, the Kaimahi will. Rent is part of the operational budget so under the proposals would be funded.

If the Trust deed is accepted in Vote 1 and the centre chose to come under the authority of the Trustees in Vote 2, then we would need to take on the lease and any associated liabilities.

This has been answered in the Trustee announcement made on 19th May.

The condition survey was carried out by WSP and their credential can be found here: WSP New Zealand | WSP. Please raise any specific concerns with your Property Coordinator and we will take them up with WSP.

Any volunteers who wish to be involved will be most welcome otherwise this will all be handled for centres.

The second half condition survey will include maintenance plans for all centres and work plans will be developed in cooperation with the local centre.

Any repairs to non-Playcentre buildings will be considered in line with the local circumstances just as they are at present.

If the Trust Deed is approved, the Trustees would make that decision based upon the closest alignment to the achievement of the charitable purposes of Playcentre. This could be to give the community the opportunity to purchase.

Thank you for the positive feedback. As part of the $6m property commitment, we will be strengthening the Property Team to deliver on this. Going forward, having a member of staff on site will facilitate this area and yes, we would expect in person visits from our specialist staff as well. At the moment, there is very limited resource in this team and so sorry they haven’t been in touch.

We encourage centres to be involved in fundraising for a wide range of reasons. We do need to move away from the fixed contribution thinking as some centres can contribute way more than that and others way less and this is the principle behind Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding. We want to strengthen our fundraising and grant resource as we see this as a growth area linked to our charitable status which we can leverage for more funding to a greater extent than we do now.

We do acknowledge that and in practical terms the Kaimahi role supports that need. At the same time, we want to keep parents at the heart of our organisation as the first and best educators of their tamariki and we believe that the proposed approach will enable that.

Thank you for your feedback on this and we do know of larger centres who see the benefits of the proposal particularly that it enables Playcentre Aotearoa Equity Funding.

Thank you for your honesty and we appreciate the experiences you have shared as we have been on the same journey. We do now believe that we have the right people involved with Ki te pae tawhiti and as a Board we have seen that become more and more apparent as we have tested and queried every step extensively and all our initial doubts have been answered clearly, consistently and professionally.

Thank you for engaging in the process, all feedback is most welcome as part of the consultation. We agree that it is important to have kaimahi who not only support our centre whānau with administration and compliance but who have genuine relationships and connections with them. As Te Whānau Tupu Ngātahi we have always considered those that educate and care for our tamariki, whether volunteers or paid employees in centres, as part of that whānau. As we stated in our presentation, our vision for kaimahi is that they support where and as needed – our volunteers who wish to continue to contribute in roles are encouraged to do so. Our volunteers and their incredible mahi is what makes Playcentre the taonga it is today. We note that you feel our recommendations are a bad idea and are open to your suggestions on how we move forward, ensuring the mana of all is upheld.

Thank you for feedback on this and naturally we are saddened to hear that you are very disappointed with the recommendations we have made. We have provided a detailed explanation of the rationale but we ourselves initially found it difficult to face these realities so we can understand your response. We are consulting with all centres and rōpū through this process and we are pleased that you have chosen to engage in the consultation and provide your feedback. Regarding consensus, we absolutely expect each centre and rōpū to use consensus when reaching a decision on the proposed trust deed. And as noted in our presentation, if you should decide that this is not the best option for your centre, there will be the option to operate independently under the Playcentre brand, which we will support you with. We note you do not think our recommendations are the right ones, and we would be happy to hear from you if you have other ideas of how we can address the issues that have been presented by the Hon. Tracey Martin and our Chief Executive David Moger.

If the vote on adopting the proposed new Trust Deed is Yes, then there will be a transition period which will be planned in cooperation with the local centres.

Sorry that you had a bad experience with the launch of Discover. We are working with the system developers on enhancements. Having a Kaimahi in each centre will facilitate the roll out of any new systems far more effectively in the future.

The current Telecoms project has been frozen in place as we have listened to what centres have said. More announcements will follow as our view is that IT and telecoms need to be enablers for our organisation not limiters

Thank you for your feedback and we absolutely agree that our education programme needs to be engaging and accessible to all. The proposed way forward with support from the Kaimahi does enable that. Thank you also for the feedback on Kara which we will pass on to here for her encouragement.