Banking
For detailed information about banking arrangements, please refer to the Scheme for Financing Schools and the following sections of the Financial handbook for Schools which is accessible from:
Part III, Financial Regulations, Section 6, Banking Arrangements and Cash Holdings
Part IV, Guidance, Banking Arrangements and Cash Holdings
 Please note: documents on this page are only accessible from within a Hertfordshire school connected to the Hertfordshire Internet and Connectivity Service (HICS).
Schools Banking with Barclays
under HCC Contract
Banking with Barclays - Contact Details
Barclays contact details – for banking queries contact:
Billy Wells
Barclays
London Service Centre
PO Box 69961
1 Churchill Place
London E14 1NP
Email: billy.wells@barclays.com
Direct line 0845 366 9069
Fax 0870 909 5580
For security reasons, Barclays will only discuss the school account with either the authorised signatories or staff who have been delegated authority through the key contacts form.
The Barclays Client Service Team will be able to respond to queries in relation to the following banking issues:
- Bank account balances
- Bank statement entry details
- Ordering cheque books and paying in books
- Cancellation of direct debits, standing orders and cheques
- Open credit arrangements
- Banking arrangements for non HCC accounts (fund etc)
- Any other general bank queries
Serco contact details – contact for Amendment to signatories for Current and FIBCA accounts and Purchasing cards
Karen Gibbs
Post point CHN501
County Hall
Hertford SG13 9BD
Email: schoolsbanking@hertfordshire.gov.uk (email contact preferred)
Tel: 01992 555254 SERCO
For opening a general account and transitional issues only please email School Funding csf.sfu@hertfordshire.gov.uk
HCC Current and FIBCA Accounts
The General current and FIBCA accounts are ultimately owned by Herfordshire County Council (HCC) therefore HCC is required to confirm any changes to these accounts.
Schools banking with Barclays will have a current account and a linked interest bearing (FIBCA) account. These accounts can be identified by the title ‘HCC re school name’. These accounts are set up to automatically transfer all cleared funds at the end of the day into the FIBCA account.
If funds are needed for payments from the General Current account, these will be transferred to ensure the current account does not go overdrawn. Schools are not permitted to go overdrawn. However, if the school does go into an overdraft position, Barclays will contact the school in the first instance to rectify the position immediately. If the school is unable to rectify the position, please contact the School Funding team.
1. Changing signatories to your bank accounts
For fund accounts and other non HCC accounts, please see the fund account section below.
To change the signatories on General Current account and FIBCA accounts please complete the form below. This is specific to these two accounts and is not to be used for any other accounts. For other accounts, please see the Fund Account section. This form needs to be signed by the authorised signatories of the school account and also by the Chair of the Governing Body in accordance with the resolution of the Governing Body.
Schools Mandate - General
The Amendment to Signatories form needs to be sent to
Schools’ Bank Mandates
Serco Global Services
Post Point CHN501
County Hall
Hertford SG13 9BD
Changes will take place 7-10 days after receipt by Serco of a correctly completed form.
2. Bank charges
Free banking was available for the first six months of the contract. From December 2012, the charges listed below will apply.
Barclays Bank Charges
3. Opening and closing accounts with Barclays
Please contact School Funding on csf.sfu@hertfordshire.gov.uk if you wish to either open a new general account or close your existing general account with Barclays.
For Fund accounts and other non HCC accounts, please see Fund Account section.
4. Contacting Barclays
This form needs to be filled in if you wish anyone other than a signatory to be able to access details from the bank.
Key Contacts Form
5. Collecting cash from the bank
A cashing facility enables nominated members of the school staff who are not authorised signatories to withdraw cash from a local Barclays branch. They will be required to sign the reverse of the cheque which the bank will then match against those they have on record for the open credit facility. We recommend that this is restricted to a maximum of two nominated members of staff. In addition, the arrangements and financial controls associated with the cashing facility should be fully documented and communicated to all relevant staff. To set up a cashing facility, please complete the form below and send to:
Client Service Executive Team
Barclays
London Service Centre
PO Box 69961
1 Churchhill Place
London E14 1NP
You will need to complete an Open Credit form for each branch you wish to collect cash from. A list of Hertfordshire Barclays branches is given below. You may also use branches outside Hertfordshire.
Please ensure the Open Credit form is signed in accordance with your mandate by the Headteacher and a joint signatory.
Open Credit Form
Open Credit Form Guidance
Barclays Branches
Depositing Cash
Wisepay
The preferred way of collecting income is by electronic income collection. The Authority has a contract for the provision of these services with Wisepay. If you would like to know more about this, please go to:
Drop and Go
Barclays Drop and Go is a secure and quick method of paying in cash and cheques at Barclays bank branches. To register for this service please contact your local branch.
Barclays Drop and Go
Banking Couriers
If schools wish to use a banking courier, the contract needs to be arranged by the school directly with the courier and it must comply with Barclays requirements.
Banking Courier for Schools
Please can schools ensure that all cheques banked have been stamped on the reverse side with the school stamp.
Purchasing Cards
Schools may wish to have a purchasing card, for example for internet purchases. The Authority’s contract for the provision of purchasing cards is with RBS/NatWest, and is for a product called Government Procurement Cards (GPC) which have no annual fee. Please note that schools are not permitted to have a credit card as this constitutes a facility for borrowing. Cash withdrawals from purchasing cards are not permitted.
Schools who currently have One Account cards will have these transferred to GPC card terms. This does not involve any physical changes to the card but does reduce the annual fee to £0. During this transition period, schools will be contacted by School Funding to advise actions required.
For schools who wish to apply for a purchasing card or amend cards currently held, please contact schoolsbanking@hertfordshire.gov.uk for the appropriate application forms and guidance.
Barclays.net Online Banking
Barclays.net gives schools online access to bank accounts.
HCC Guidance for Barclays.net
This will give you information on
- security
- training
- registration process
- setting up the system
- assigning roles to staff
- features
- how to record details in school
- Word 2003, 551kb/28 pages, 16/04/2013, schools_barclaysnet_comms.doc
Within Barclays.net there is the facility to export files directly form your accounts software. We have produced guidance for both the RM Finance and FMS6 software:
Using RM Finance to Produce BACS files
Using FMS6 to Produce Barclays.net Files
If used to the full capacity, amongst other processes, you will be able to
- make a number of payments in one run, thus negating the need for writing cheques and leads to easier bank reconciliation
- have live access to balance information
- run up to date statements
We have received positive feedback from schools who piloted the system.
Fund Accounts, VA Capital Accounts and Non HCC Accounts
The money in Schools private, governors and PTA accounts is not the responsibility of HCC and HCC has no involvement in the opening, closing or operation of these accounts.
The offer from Barclays relates to school accounts over which Hertfordshire County Council has statutory responsibilities, ie your general account. However, Barclays have agreed to apply the same transactional charges to schools’ private accounts (fund accounts etc).
If you wish to operate a Barclays account for the school’s non HCC funds, please contact Kirsty Freeman on 0207 116 8864
For information on school’s private accounts, change of signatory mandate and a template letter for closing a Nat West fund account, please see below.
School Fund Accounts and Other Non HCC Accounts
Fund Account Mandate
NatWest Fund Template
Schools wishing to change the authorised signatures on their fund/private account will need to use the above form and not the General Current account and FIBCA account’s form and send to Kirsty Freeman at Barclays once completed. Instructions for completion of this form are given in the School Fund and other non HCC accounts document.
Transitional Issues
This gives guidance on the exit arrangements with NatWest:
Closure of NatWest Accounts
Background to Contract
Following a joint procurement exercise involving HCC, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire County Councils, Barclays have been awarded a five year contract, starting on 1 June 2012.
Barclays offers significant opportunities for reducing bank charges for both the schools and the corporate business. HCC believes Barclays offers a comprehensive and attractive service to schools and recommends that you take up their offer, to benefit from:
- Reduced charges you pay for processing of cash and cheque transactions
- Beneficial Interest rate on FIBCA accounts which are linked to the General account.
- Comprehensive support team which is available Monday to Friday 8am-6pm
- A fixed tariff of charges over the life of the contract (the other banks incorporated year on year increases in line with the Retail Price Index)
- Comprehensive branch network
- Internet banking for £1 per account, per month.
G14 Barclays Corporate School Proposition
Please note that the offer from Barclays relates to school accounts over which Hertfordshire County Council has statutory responsibilities, ie your general account. However, Barclays have agreed to apply the same low transactional charges to schools’ private accounts (fund accounts etc).
Schools with Non Barclays Bank Accounts
Banking Outside the HCC Barclays Contract
General account
HCC is ultimately the owner of the funds in the General account of any maintained HCC school. If you wish to change your General account banking arrangements, you must contact School Funding on csf.sfu@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Fund/VA Capital/PTA/Other accounts
As these accounts do not contain HCC funds, it is the school’s responsibility to manage these accounts. This includes opening and closing accounts as well as changing signatories. These accounts are legally owned by the Governing Body of the school, who should ensure these accounts are properly managed. HCC has no involvement with these accounts.
Banking with NatWest
Schools that did not change from Nat West to Barclays under the new HCC contract in 2012 will have their existing General account changed to a new Nat West account as the pooled banking arrangements no longer apply.
As the ultimate owner of maintained schools funds, HCC will be contacting schools to arrange the transfer of the General account to a new Nat West account when the banking arrangements detailed in the previous section Schools with Non Barclays accounts will apply.
If schools wish to close, open or amend the General account, please contact School Funding email: csf.sfu@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Other private accounts can remain with Nat West. It is the school’s responsibility to manage these accounts and arrange for any changes as necessary.
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