From Martin Wood
As Vice Chair I received a letter yesterday criticising your committee’s arrangements for the supply of our new uniform.
The letter is unsigned and did not have a senders’ address on it. It comes from a group calling themselves The “Leigh Orpheus Charity Standards Sub Group” and advises that they will be referring LOMVC to the Charity Commission on the basis that they feel that the decision made over the supply of uniform was improper.
The LOMVC Committee had the opportunity to meet last night and have responded as follows:
1) If anyone believes that a matter is so serious that it needs to be referred to the Charity Commission then they are of course able to refer it. But the Committee feel that it would have been preferable for this group to talk, either individually with committee members, or, with the committee as a whole, before there is any referral to the Charity Commission. The Charity Commission is unlikely to take any complaint seriously if it has not previously been taken up locally by the aggrieved individuals and a satisfactory outcome found to be possible.
2) The Committee emphasises its desire to hear all points of view and underlines its willingness to talk with the aggrieved individuals in order to understand fully what the perceived problems are and look at ways of resolving them.
3) The Committee reassures members that it took its decision acting with due diligence and based on the information provided by the Uniform Sub Group. The Committee was unanimous in its decision and a member who might have had a conflict of interest did not vote.
4) The Committee believes that it is in the best interests of the choir to continue with the arrangements for a new uniform, using the agreed supplier. We are, after all, getting a suit that would retail at about £230 for £90. A local tailor with much experience, and to whom Trading Standards refer when there are disputes about quality of work, has looked at the suit and reports that it is an excellent suit, good quality, exceptional value and of a material that is fit for purpose as a new choir uniform. We need a new uniform in place as soon as is possible, especially given our forthcoming recruitment campaign and our concert at The Cliffs next January.
5) The Committee will keep members informed of any relevant progress and repeats its desire to talk with those who are unhappy about the decision. Obviously it is impossible for the committee to make the first move in any discussions if the individual or individuals calling themselves “The Leigh Orpheus Charity Standards Sub Group” do not identify themselves.
6) To be clear, this organisation has not elected or set up a “Leigh Orpheus Charity Standards Sub Group” and it would be wrong for any such group to claim it represents the Leigh Orpheus Male Voice Choir.