[Nick Stiven]

Ruth

Our Warden has an Enhanced DBS check.

If your Warden acts as a general welfare officer—meaning she supports the general wellbeing of the elderly residents but does not provide hands-on personal care, financial handling, or medical treatment—she is not in Regulated Activity.However, if she acts as a Welfare Officer on call 24 hours a day to assist vulnerable elderly residents, she is still in a “Position of Trust” under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act Exceptions Order.This makes her eligible for an Enhanced DBS check (Adult Workforce), but without the authority to check the Barred List.This will still reveal her full criminal history and any relevant local police intelligence.

I’m also checked at the same level, because the residents tend to trust what a Clerk says, and they (and the Trustees) need to know that I’m not a ‘wrong ‘un’.

Nick Stiven
clerk@stjohnswilton.org.uk

[Nick Stiven]

Sam

We don’t have a questionnaire that tackles this question, but I wondered if Goggle AI could help you.

It can!

If you Google: ‘Design an annual resident survey that provides information on what beneficiaries feel is the true impact of living in our almshouses’, and ask for an AI response, you will get a suitable framework report (which I have emailed to you).

We’re too small to want to do any of this via a report—we just ask the residents on a one-to-one basis!

I hope this helps

Nick Stiven
clerk@stjohnswilton.org.uk

[Nick Stiven]

Chris

I recommend that you use AI.

Simply open ChapGPT or a Google Search bar in your browser.

Type in the following text:

‘We are a 70 unit almshouse charity in London, a Charitable Company limited by guarantee, with 12 trustees including a chair and vice chair. We wish to develop a succession plan, principally to prepare ourselves should our chair decide or become unable to remain in post. What form should this succession plan take?’

With ChatGPT press the ‘up-arrow’, and with Google, press ‘AI mode’.

Whichever you choose, 5 seconds later, job done! Pretty much … .

If you choose Google, a bonus is that the answer will also come with a panel to one side, with the websites from where Google sourced its information, which you can dive into.

For example, Google quotes from board-room.org’s site and their ‘Board Portal’ offers a free ‘Board of Directors Succession Planning: Process, Policy & Free Template [2026]’ download.

What’s not to like?

Nick Stiven
clerk@stjohnswilton.org.uk

[Nick Stiven]

You could start, of course, by looking at the Training Matrix (https://www.almshouses.org/training-seminars/) …. .

Nick Stiven
clerk@stjohnswilton.org.uk

[Nick Stiven]

Hello

This is a huge subject, best conducted off-line. There is an optimal order to any training (basically moving from general orientation to filling specific, identified, skills and knowledge gaps) – but everybody is different, with unique skills and experience, and with unique gaps in both.

I can help you, however, if you email me with your name, contact details and a brief overview of your working career to date.

Nick Stiven
clerk@stjohnswilton.org.uk

[Nick Stiven]

Joanne

No, you cannot preserve or “backdate” the date on an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) the way you can with a gas safety certificate.

While landlords can renew a Gas Safety Certificate up to two months early and retain their original expiry date (like an MOT), electrical regulations do not have this grace period.

Nick Stiven
clerk@stjohnswilton.org.uk

[Nick Stiven]

Neill

‘An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a formal UK safety document assessing the condition of a property’s fixed wiring, fuse boards, and electrical accessories. Conducted by qualified electricians, it is a legal requirement for private landlords to obtain one every five years.’

Google, quoting Gov.uk

Nick Stiven
clerk@stjohnswilton.org.uk

[Nick Stiven]

‘conSERvation team’, obviously. Wretched, sneaky, auto-correct … !

🤣

[Nick Stiven]

Christina

The ‘model’ answer is, ‘Yes, you should get an opinion from your local authority conversation team’.

On the other hand, if your modifications can easily be 100% reversed, you shoukd be fine. For example, you screw your grab handles into a wooden doorframe – and could simply unscrew the handles afterwards, plug the screw holes and repaint the doorframe – then no harm is done.

Similarly, handles fastened to the mortar between stone blocks or brickwork should be acceptable. You can even be creative by fastening wood panels/planks to stonework or brickwork via screws/bolts in the mortar lines – and then fasten the grab handles to the panel/plank (thereby always protecting the building structure from irreversible damage).

But if you are in any doubt, consult your local authority.

Nick Stiven
clerk@stjohnswilton.org.uk

[Nick Stiven]

Jennifer

We asked ourselves the same question. However, if, like us, you:

• Own a small number of properties already properly vested in trustees (or the Official Custodian),

• Have no borrowing or development plans,

• Have stable governance, and

• Don’t employ staff (or only minimal clerk support),

then a CIO is probably a solution in search of a problem!

I’d be surprised if your insurance doesn’t already (or could if asked to) offer trustee indemnity insurance.

Nick Stiven
clerk@stjohnswilton.org.uk

[Nick Stiven]

Tina

I wonder – having completed your Level 4 qualification, obviously you are more knowledgeable than you were before. But do you feel you are now a more effective almshouse Clerk?

If so, can you elaborate, please?

Genuine question!

Nick Stiven
clerk@stjohnswilton.org.uk

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