Building resources, investment and community knowledge

Governance Cardiff Why are we talking about it? Legal responsibility Funders need to have security Best way to deliver a successful project

What is Governance? The way an organisation is managed The way the organisation is steered to fulfilling their vision The accountable body Governance is important to ensure that your organisation is able to deliver its vision and meet the challenges along the way. The governing docs outline the AGM, meetings, number of trustees, mentioned rotation The board is responsible for outlining the vision and working to deliver it Its the compliance body as far as statutory agencies are concerned (NB: ensure you have their governance docs before doing the session to understand what they say and who they would be accountable to) Mention that Good Governance is important to highlight to external parties that you are to be trusted to delivery

What Governance is not Something to ignore until your AGM An impediment About the day to day running of the organisation

Good Governance Principles The Board will provide good governance by: Understanding their role Ensuring there is a clear deliverable vision Being effective as a team, not just as individuals Exercising control over the project Behaving with integrity Being open and accountable What induction do you offer? Has their been training, social events for your board? Do they ALL understand the aims of the group? Test it! Are they all involved? Why important (funders)

Key Principles for your project Know what you are aiming to do, and why As a board, having an agreed vision and purpose is crucial. This will also ensure that everybody involved in the project works towards the same goal and that people outside the project can understand it. Agree a route map for achieving your objectives Identify the activities you need to undertake in order to make your vision a reality. Prioritise the importance of these activities - there is no point attempting to take on a project manager before you have undertaken an options appraisal. Identify when an idea has run its course and a change in approach is needed. Take decisive action to make changes if necessary. If everyone understands what needs to be done… skills audit!

The Board The board rules will all be in the governing document of the organisation. A good board will allow and encourage rotation of role and membership A good board will have a clear understanding of their role and their responsibility Keep the appointments transparent The Chair must offer neutral, strong leadership and will change throughout the project. They can be changed, if required, but should be followed at all times. They are there for a reason. Bang it home and make sure you get a set of the docs beforehand. Don’t just reappoint people, consider if the board needs to change and make those changes. Expertise can be retained in the form of working groups, volunteers and others Talk about JD’s for board members Public advertisement is preferred by all. You don’t know who is out there until you let people know what you want.

Project Development and the Board At each stage of the project you will need different skills on the board. A campaigning board looks very different to a development phase board which is different to a delivery board and a board which considers ongoing management of a finishes project. EG: in delivery phase the board would need to delegate to the Prof team and may feel a little divorced but they can concentrate more on PR and community engagament Annual review

Skills Audit The Trust will need to undertake and review regularly the skills it has on board against those the project needs. The project will need different skills at different times of the project. On a regular basis the Trust should: Identify the skills required to take the project forward All Trustees should independently fill in a questionnaire to capture their skill set. Each Trustee should reference the time available to help. An independent helper should compile the responses into a table which will highlight the skills required. There is a print out example with numbers in and a blank one. Its not useful to do it at the workshop, people feel pressurised. But you can talk through the headings which may make up the audit sheet for that specific project

Recruitment Once you have undertaken a skills audit, you will be able to identify skills that would be useful at present. Agree and write a role outline for the skill set you are seeking, this may be a Trustee or an Advisor Include an idea of the time commitment Advertise the post publicly – or with charity umbrellas Interview and appoint the shortlisted candidates Tell them to be realistic about time commitment Advertising doesn’t have to cost money – facebook, website, local newspaper as an article, local radio, local shops, Friends newsletter Make sure they are a team player

Communication Effectively tell your board what’s going on Ensure board members are informed of progress. Ensure roles and responsibilities are understood by board members and those responsible for tasks. Ensure that the board is fully aware of opportunities and risks to be able to make informed decisions enabling them to adapt their approach if necessary.

Best Practice Create an annual timetable for the legal commitments Undertake an annual review of the Skills Audit Review quarterly the vision for the project and its route map Recognise and encourage Board change Regularly review the delegation borders where you have working groups or sub committees Chartity commission, company house but also accounts Bang it home that is a mobile document. Can change with Trustees but will also change with stages of the project. Board are there to monitor and review that vision The campaigner is not necessarily the development mover who is not necessarily the best person to deliver a project. Keep control!

Governance and Management Simply put Governance is the strategic directing of project, Management is dealing with the day to day operating strategy The board needs to be clear about what the terms of reference are which have been delegated outside of the Board. And when decisions need to be referred up to the Board. Give some examples: Change of building use Application to a funder or a change in the funding strategy Appointment of a professional team Change of partner are all Board decisions affecting the strategic development of the project Change of window cleaner Change of use in a room are day to day management

Issues to review Do your Board members have the time to contribute meaningfully? Are there conflicts of interest? There will always be a learning curve and people will develop new skills. A review does not necessarily mean a change Your Governance needs to be professional and appropriat Its not one person’s job, it’s a team effort If they don’t move them to another role Record them and decide how to deal with them -------- Funders look at Governance. Why give £5m to an organisation that cant govern itself? Don’t let one person dominate the team.

And finally Your Board must be in COLLECTIVE control of the projects direction The skills that you need WILL change Contact PRT Heritage Helpline

Thank you! Laura Norris Laura.norris@princes-regeneration.org Web www.princes-regeneration.org Twitter @PrincesRegen Facebook /PRT-BRICK Keep in touch…