Balancing a Budget

I’m married to a teacher and so have been very close to what has been going on in the media as a result of Budget changes for schools.  I must say, I really feel for the schools.  As Gary Sweeney alluded to at a recent NZAIMS conference, the current issue is not about Teachers wages or contracts, it is about budget cuts affecting their ability to do the job they were charged with – teaching children.  It appears that Intermediate schools will no be doing everything they can to voice their displeasure and bring pressure to bear on the Ministry.  I believe this is a sensible approach to highlight policy decisions that will have a negative impact on what must surely be the most important thing we do as a country – the education of our future generations.

What saddens me is that there is no discussion around what other areas could be cut back.  Balancing a budget as a country is vital.  Just look at Ireland, Greece, Spain and Portugal to see what happens if you throw caution to the wind and borrow to fund a lifestyle beyond our means.  We have short patience for any one who does it personally, let alone a country that should know better.

Fine, campaign to stop the attempted $43million savings the Government are pursuing in a admirable attempt to balance the budget, but rather than whinging with your hand out, say what you are willing to give up to make it possible.  Suggest the areas that the Government could save money to offset the Educational Spending.  To the protesters, contribute more than clever banners and poorly sung Pink Floyd songs.  Start some meaningful dialogue rather than singing rhymes.  Show some of the maturity you are supposed to be passing on to the youth you are seeking to protect.

To avoid being a hypocrite, I should say what I would do.  What about:

• Treating prisoners in Prison as though they are there to be punished.  Drop the perks provided (under-floor heating, personal TVs, etc.) that would be denied to our Elderly in their homes
• Get rid of Tertiary Institutions that teach no courses of value (and “steal” funding from those that do)
• Get rid of funding for PC initiatives that bring no value other than promotion of “diversity” in society – if they were so valuable we would be doing it ourselves
• Remove the option of being a beneficiary as a lifestyle choice (I have a wonderful view of the Pukekohe Courts, and I can see where your tax-payer dollar is going)

No I don’t have a perfect answer, and I know there are people who would take exception to my suggestions above, but for us to be a country that is proud of the way we teach our children, we still need to balance our budget.

Till next time.

The Same, yet different

The cat is out of the bag. CTCW will no longer be CTCW on 1 April 2012.  Campbell Tyson will be the name replacing Campbell Tyson Cooper White, something Jacqui our receptionist is greatly looking forward to.  Have you ever heard someone rattling off a seven syllable name before she even gets to hers up to a couple of hundred times a day?  Exhausting!

It does raise an interesting point, how important is a name?  We believe it is very important for us.  Campbell Tyson celebrated its 90th birthday on 1 March 2012.  Admittedly, the name has changed many times over the years, but the Campbell name has been there longer than most.  That cornerstone name has provided the impression of gravity and stability that the firm has stood for.  The Tyson name has, through shared “real estate”, taken the same connection.  The Cooper White aspect, not given up lightly, has contributed significantly to our culture, and while the names may not be on the letterhead, they still influence what we do and how we do it.

How will the name change affect what we do?  It won’t.  We will still be striving to go beyond what our clients expect in terms of performance and service.  We will continue to be “thinking forward” rather than focusing on historical data, looking for opportunities for our clients.

You will no longer see a list of the Partners of the firm on our letterhead.  Our Team approach to supporting our clients means that everyone on our staff is integral to the service we provide.  Putting 56 names on our stationery would be over the top, however!

What you will see is different signage, different colours, a different motif and easier phone introductions in your dealings with Campbell Tyson.  Same great service!

Till next time.

And back again…..

Hello again

Been away from the blog for a few weeks now as I have been finishing off the Icehouse Owner Manager Programme. It’s been a great few months, and although we will be meeting up for a couple more implementation sessions, I really enjoyed meeting some wonderful people and learning some interesting things about me and my business. Part of the course focused on developing a growth plan for Campbell Tyson Cooper White.

My growth plan centered on many issues I have been raising in my blog. It’s about being relevant, adhering to a value proposition for clients, being true to our values:
– Personal – relevant to the client
– Inquisitive – wanting to know more
– Enthusiastic – not being a disinterested accountant!
– Future Focused – not being lost in the past we frequently report on
– Outcome Orientated – substance over form

The thing that excites me is that we have the staff to achieve this. CTCW has staff who are very interested in what their clients do, they look on and assist as though it was their business they are fighting for. They care passionately about results and know they provide value to our clients. What we need to get better at is conveying the message to those we help. And that we perhaps our greatest challenge moving forward.

Catch you again soon.

Off the Radar

Accountants call it the silly season.  We’re in the middle of the busiest part of the year for Accountants.  Our clients have ordinarily got all their information together and are itching to know what the tax result was for the last year.  Its a trick to manage it so that clients are getting the information when they need it, but from experience I find that the best approach is to have up-to-date management systems that present the information to the decsion makers without waiting on an Accountant to put it together. 

There are some wonderful packages available out there now, like Xero (www.xero.com – a personal favourite), Banklink (www.banklink.co.nz – great, low cost cash flow management tool that covers GST to), Saasu (www.saasu.co.nz – Xero on steriods) as well as the good old MYOB (www.myob.co.nz).  One package I think is losing ground is Quickbooks (www.quicken.co.nz).  One of the more complex shrinkwrap options, their recent response to the GST changes has been rather poor.  Unless you want to bring your version up to the latest, you’re not supported at the 15% GST rate.  This lack of options strikes me as somewhat “don’t care” and heavy handed.  All of the other packages I have mentioned have rushed to find working solutions across the board.  Plus no word on a Saas solution, which appears to be where the other packages are all heading.

We’re running courses on GST changes and some of the other fun tax changes the Government bundled in to their 20 May 2010 budget.  Our next one is a breakfast function on 15 September 2010 at the Racetrack in Pukekohe.  Make sure you know what you need to do before 1 October rolls around.  Your financial well-being may depend on it!

Till next time.

Lincoln

One persons junk is another persons treasure.

CTCW Garage Sale

As I have mentioned in a previous blog our staff have made South Auckland Health Foundation our principal charity for the 2010 financial year.  Although we contribute to many other worthwhile causes, our staff were keen to throw as much behind this excellent cause as possible.  We have undertaken many worthwhile projects so far, such as bucket rattling at the Auckland Warriors’ matches, knitting garments for newborn babies, cake and sweet sales in our offices, and pestering our clients for donations to our general cash fund which will be used to buy new equipment for the Pukekohe Maternity Hospital.  We aim to raise over $7,500 by 31 March next year ($4,100 collected so far).  Our latest initiative to generate more cash for this wonderful cause was a garage sale and sausage sizzle on Saturday, 31 October.  As well as being a great opportunity to pick up some excellent bargains, we had some super people helping by contributing funds to the baby phototherapy wrap for Pukekohe Maternity Hospital.  It kicked off from 8.00 am (although the bargain hunters were there from 6.45!) in the car park behind our building on 17 Hall Street.  Our staff made an amazing effort and we have raised close to $3,000 from the garage sale alone!!!  Thank you to all those who contributed their time, goods and cash.

Watch this space for an update on our target!

Lincoln

A Stitch In Time, Saves Lives.

Choosing just one charity to support when there are so many worthy causes is not an easy task.  For us, South Auckland Health Foundation (SAHF) answered a lot of our criteria.  The Foundation raises funds which assists the community in which we live and is committed to improving all areas of health.  It is a charity that was established by the late Terry Harris (an ex-Partner of our Firm) and our ability to be involved has special meaning to a lot of our staff.   It is also a Charity where our support could be more than just financial.

 SAHF has a knitting programme and we have a small but dedicated number of staff (see our last MyAccountant newsletter!) who knit hats, booties and cardigans, supporting SAHF’s effort to ensure new born babies leave South Auckland Hospitals with warm clothes.

 Generalisations aside, our largely female staff contribute many pre-loved magazines to the cause.  These are used in waiting rooms in an effort to provide current reading material.

 SAHF is able to undertake some large fundraising events and is supported by the Auckland Blues and the Warriors.  Volunteers to “shake buckets” or assist at these events are always wanted.  CTCW staff have been able to volunteer their time at an Auckland Blues game and coming up will volunteer at a local event – “Kids in Cars” to be held at Pukekohe Raceway on 11 October 2009 (see our “Upcoming Events” on our website).

 CTCW are also committed to raising $7,500 this year to provide our local maternity hospital with much needed equipment.  We are achieving this by organising bake sales at work, a very successful auction and have a few projects in the pipelines, including a garage sale.

 Supporting SAHF allows all the staff at CTCW to contribute to our community and in doing so, fosters a sense of pride in what we are able to achieve.  IF you would like to join our effort, get in touch with our coordinator, Diane McLaughlin and see what we can do together.

 Have a great week.

Lincoln

And the Cow jumped over the moon.

I went to the Harrisville School Calf Club Day on Saturday and was blown away by the effort and enthusiasm that not only the children and parents throw in to the event, but also the local community.  It seems that everyone rolls up their sleeves for the Big Day and mucks in.  The kids clearly love it as they get to take Mum and Dad to school, show off their artwork and parade their pets in public. Not even the weather could dampen spirits, people moved in to the Hall to look at the artwork, further bolstering the sales of the stalls as people took shelter. 

It is this community spirit and goodwill that has enabled the Franklin District to come through the Recession largely intact.  It also means we can look forward to the good times as well.  Our staff who attended the Day clearly enjoyed themselves and got involved.  Congratulations to Niki’s daughter Madisyn for her ribbons won on the day and good luck for the next event. 

Our staff get involved in many local community events, most obviously where directly involved as a Member.  It’s the beauty of living in the community we work with. 

We also contribute regularly to public causes such as South Auckland Health, the Cancer Foundation, Area Schools, Local Community Trusts and many other worthwhile causes.  In my next blog I will talk about our current initiative for South Auckland Health. 

Look forward to seeing you around town.

Lincoln