Final board meeting minutes for 28th February 2026
Meeting opened 16:08
Chair: Martijn
Present: Elaine, Heta, Martha, Martijn, Richard, Trish
Special invitee: Chen, who will join the board tomorrow
No (other) observers
1. Approvals
1.1. Approval of the minutes of the Jan 2026 meeting as posted to the list on 24th Feb 2026
Carried, 6 for
2. Ratifications
2.1. Ratification of the decision proposed by The Treasurer that we pay £100 as settlement for image copyright violation to
PicRights on behalf of APA-Defacto Datenbank und Contentmangement GmbH, as posted to the list on 05/02/2026 (8 For)
Ratified, 6 for
3. Proposals
3.1. Elaine proposed we purchase a new mobile phone and allocate up to £200.
Rationale: Kacey has sent us the SIM card for the Autscape phone but the actual phone it was in belonged to them. We now need to buy our own phone. We could get a cheap standard phone but a smart phone is needed. It isn’t only used for phone calls and text messages. At the event in particular it may have to be used for email or googling something or look at the timetable. This should really be the info@ phone as well
Following some discussion and bearing in mind our finances it was thought £200 was too much and the proposal was changed to:
The Chair proposed that Autscape buy a new mobile phone and authorise an expense of up to £150 for this purpose.
Carried, 5 for, 1 against
3.2. Elaine proposed that we make £1000 available for bursary fund for Autscape 2026
Following some discussion and bearing in mind our finances it was thought £1000 was too much to commit all at once and the proposal was changed to:
Elaine proposed that we make £500 available for the bursary fund for Autscape 2026, with an option to extend by another £500 if sales go well enough, subject to another board vote.
Carried 6 for
3.3. Heta proposed that Autscape becomes a non funded Associated partner to the Erasmus project.
(Note: we previously agreed to be an active member of the Erasmus project but unfortunately being in the UK we are excluding from this. However, as this is a project we have already decided we are interested in it has been agreed that Autscape can stay involved but only as Associated partner. This means we will be acting more in an advisory role than taking on any project work that come from this.)
Heta explained that it would still bring indirect benefit through additional attendees at events and visibility at no cost to us. She was working on polishing the project proposal for Erasmus and hopefully sending it tomorrow.
Explanation of the project: The name is A-TENETS - Autistic-led Transnational Exchange for Neuro-inclusive Educational Events. It's an Erasmus+ Collaboration Partnership meant to run from Sep 2026 to Sep 2028. It involves EUCAP, three autistic people's organisations (FInland, Germany, Austria) and IMPACTsci, a social enterprise from Portugal. It aims to support the members to exchange knowledge and learn from each other, to develop materials that summarize current knowledge about autistic-led events. There is no risk to us. We will be advisory only but we keep our connections hence why the proposal is that we now take an advisory position. The proposal Heta is doing is the whole Erasmus proposal which details how we will advise. The suggestion was made that Heta and Richard check the proposal as a team, Martijn signs.
The proposal was rewritten as follows:
3.3. Heta proposed that Autscape submit a proposal to become a non-funded Associated partner to the A-TENETS Erasmus project, with Heta and Richard checking the proposal as a team, and Martijn signing it.
Carried, 6 for
4. Follow ups
None
5. Role reports
5.1.Chair
Martijn as Acting Chair said they had nothing to report
5.2. Company Secretary
Nothing to report atm
5.3. Treasurer
The treasurer said they would post something to the list
5.4. Event manager online 2026
Heta reported that the Event seemed to go reasonably well. We had about 100 people online throughout, which is pretty good attendance. No exact numbers but towards the end of the event someone mentioned that we got over £5000 in attendance fees. Heta did a quick poll at the end, and got 59 responses, most of them rating us 4 or 5 out of five, with a couple of lower ratings. Still to do: Confirm with speakers that materials don't contain copyrighted images. Talk to Eddie about the videos, see that they go to Youtube. Check mail for any questions from speakers. Summarize poll results and sort out quotes to use for fundraising materials.
5.5. Event manager Autscape 2026
Elaine reported that she was hoping to put the proposal in to kick off organising but needs to check a few things first so it will go on list. She also plans having a meeting soon to set the fees and budget. She has been gathering volunteers up to take on tasks and has contacted the venue so we can hopefully do a venue visit soon. By the end of next month things should be moving along.
5.6. Chair of Fundraising sub committee
No report received
5.7. Tech co-ordinator
Nothing to report at the moment
5.8. Membership secretary
Nothing to report
6. AOB
6.1 Lists Coordinator
A message from James (who just left the board): “There is an outstanding issue which is that I'm still Lists Coordinator, and the Board decided that was a Board role. Please tell them I could continue with the role if that rule were changed, or I'd be happy to continue as a moderator if someone else were appointed Lists Coordinator.”
6.1. The Chair proposed that the position of Lists Coordinator is delegated to James Pelham, enabling him to continue in the role after leaving the board.
Carried, 6 for
Closed part of the meeting
Chen joined this part of the meeting (a day before he joins the board) as there were no objections.
7. Nominations
7.1. Chair
(confidential candidate(s) and discussion redacted)
Martijn is elected as Chair
7.2. Vice Chair
(confidential candidate(s) and discussion redacted)
Heta is elected as Vice Chair
8. AOB (confidential part)
8.1
(confidential item redacted)
Meeting closed at 6:16pm.