Conflict of Interest Policy
All Trustees will strive to avoid any conflict of interest between the interests of TRCCA on the one hand, and personal, professional, and business interests on the other. This includes avoiding actual conflicts of interest as well as the perception of conflicts of interest.
The purpose of this policy is to protect the integrity of TRCCA's decision-making process, to enable our stakeholders to have confidence in our integrity, and to protect the integrity and reputation of Trustees.
Examples of conflicts of interest include:
1 A Trustee who is also a hirer who must decide whether fees from users should be changed.
2 A Trustee who is, or whose friend, family member or acquaintance is, a member of a hiring group, or is on the committee of a hiring group, and a dispute arises between TRCCA and the hiring group.
3 A Trustee who has a friend, family member or acquaintance who may be awarded a contract to do work or provide services for TRCCA.
4 A Trustee who is also on the committee of another organisation that is competing for the same funding.
5 A Trustee who is also on the committee of another organisation and may who face a temptation to steer Board decisions for the benefit of the other organisation.
6 A Trustee who has shares, or a financial interest, in a business that may be awarded a contract to do work or provide services for TRCCA.
In the course of meetings or activities, Trustees will disclose any interests in a transaction or decision where there may be a conflict between TRCCA’s best interests and the Trustees’ best interests or a conflict between the best interests of two organisations that the Trustee is involved with.
After disclosure, the Trustee may be asked to leave the room for the discussion and may not be able to take part in the decision depending on the judgement of the other Trustees present at the time.
Any such disclosure and the subsequent actions taken will be noted in the minutes.
Equal Opportunities policy
Statement of Equal Opportunities Policy
Thornton Road Community Centre Association is fully committed to the principles of equal opportunities in recruitment and employment and opposes all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination including those on the grounds of:
Age
Disability
Ethnic or national origin
HIV status
Marital status
Race
Religion
Gender
Sexual orientation
Thornton Road Community Centre Association aims to treat all volunteers, employees and contractors with dignity and respect and provide a working environment free from all discrimination. It will conduct its affairs at all times in a manner that is consistent with this aim.
Every possible step will be taken to ensure that all volunteers, employees and contractors are treated equally and fairly and that any decisions on recruitment, selection, training, promotion, pay and career development are based solely on objective and job related criteria. Individual volunteers, employees and contractors at all levels are responsible for ensuring that their own conduct, in the exercise of Thornton Road Community Centre Association’s affairs is consistent with this equal opportunities policy.
Thornton Road Community Centre Association will treat seriously any breaches of this policy and all instances of actual, or alleged inappropriate behaviour will be fully investigated and the appropriate action taken.
In order to achieve effective implementation of this policy, Thornton Road Community Centre Association will ensure that this policy statement is brought to the attention of all volunteers, employees and contractors.
Environmental Policy
Thornton Road Community Centre Association (TRCCA) as a voluntary sector organisation recognises that it has a responsibility to maintain an environmentally sensitive approach to the services it delivers internally and externally.
2. It recognises that in partnership with the wider community, both public and professional, that the quality of life in the longer term is dependent on the health and quality of the local and global environment.
3. As a small voluntary sector organisation the impact TRCCA has on wider, global environmental issues is limited. Nonetheless integrating a sustainable approach, and an awareness of environmental impact within the organisation, its services and practice is central to achieving TRCCA’s environmental objectives.
4. TRCCA will ensure that its activities are designed wherever possible to reduce any adverse impact on the environment and to use resources efficiently e.g.
- Ensuring lights, computers, printers are switched off when not in use
- Monitoring the use of heating
- Maintain an annual service contract with regard to the 30 solar panels and storage battery installed on the premises
- Delivering our ‘E-Bike Library’ which loans E-Bikes to members of the community to encourage the healthy pastime of cycling and active travel
5. TRCCA is committed to encouraging all volunteers, hirers and service users across the range of services it provides to maintain an awareness of, promote and maintain an environmentally friendly, sustainable approach to service delivery through the goods and services purchased by the organisation.
6. TRCCA as an organisation will wherever possible ensure that products, materials and energy purchased to support the organisation’s service delivery have been produced in ways which do not harm the environment or lessen the environmental impact. Additionally, recycling, repairing and reusing of products utilised on a day to day basis throughout the organisation is integral to the organisation’s environmental approach as demonstrated by:
· Recycling bins for waste paper in all services
· Shredding facilities for confidential waste
- Large quantities of confidential papers collected by approved operatives who shred and dispose appropriately
· Recycling of printer consumables
· Recycling of small electrical appliances
· Repairing of broken furniture
· Collection of garden waste for composting
7. TRCCA will seek to raise the awareness of all volunteers and hirers about environmental issues.
8. TRCCA as an organisation will ensure that its Board members and Committee Members of our associated Men’s Shed should take into account in all their decision-making the responsibility they have for managing and monitoring the environmental impact of their actions and services.
Public Access Policy
Thornton Road Community Centre is open and is available for public use. Members of the community are invited to hire space within it, or to join in the activities advertised on our notice boards and website, and any other media, from time to time. Please note, however, that a ‘first come, first served' basis will apply to all bookings.
TRCCA Reserves Policy
- TRCCA’s remit is to develop and manage the use of the Community Centre for the benefit of the community. We hire the premises to individuals, groups and organisations, who carry out activities for local people to take advantage of.
Currently, our main regular income streams are hall hire rent and an annual community grant from South Lanarkshire Council.
- The Trustees are mindful of certain actual and potential obligations that have to be met, or set aside, such as Restricted Funds, pending revenue (and other) costs, potential rent income loss, unexpected repair bills and the potential loss of the annual community grant.
- This Policy and Reserve level will be reviewed on a regular basis and updated when required.
TRUSTEE RECRUITMENT POLICY
1. Statement
TRCCA recognises that an effective board of trustees is essential if the charity is to be effective in achieving its objects. The board must seek to be representative of the people with whom the charity works and must have available to it all of the knowledge and skills required to run the charity. Individual trustees must have sufficient knowledge, both of trusteeship in general and of the Charity's activities, to enable them to carry out their role and to represent the Charity at meetings and other events.
This policy sets out how TRCCA intends to recruit a robust and effective board of trustees.
2 Recruitment
2.1 TRCCA seeks to have a maximum of 10 trustees on its board, elected at AGMs. Section 3 below applies to co-options and section 4 to elections. See constitution
3. Co-options – see constitution
3.1 When a need has been identified to recruit trustees an appointed sub-committee will manage the process. This will include the Chairperson and at least one other trustee together with any other people deemed appropriate by the trustees. The sub-committee will have responsibility for ensuring that the remainder of the recruitment and induction process is carried out.
3.2 Whenever a trustee departs a skills audit of the board will be done. Efforts at recruiting a replacement will take account of the skills audit and of the skills being lost by the departure. Consideration must be given to any specific roles or duties that the individual leaving the board was undertaking.
3.3 Once the ideal skill/experience profile has been identified a recruitment plan will be formulated. This will identify the most appropriate resources from which applicants might be found. Preference should be given to advertisement in the local media (including social media), volunteer bodies, and direct approaches to other voluntary organisations, as well as direct approaches do local people.
3.4 TRCCA seeks to ensure diversity in its board of trustees and consideration will be given to ways in which groups that are under-represented on the board might be reached and encouraged to apply. However, at the point of selection the board will not discriminate unfairly on any of the grounds listed in the Equal Opportunities Policy.
3.5 People enquiring to become trustees will be sent appropriate documentation (see below) about the charity, introductory material about trusteeship and will be asked to complete an application form. Arrangements will be made to assist any potential applicant with specific needs in relation to completion of the form or access to the supporting materials.
3.6 Applicants who appear suitable will be invited to attend a trustee meeting as an observer and will receive further information regarding the role of being a trustee. In the event of there being a large number of applicants those most closely matching the skills required will be approached at this stage in preference to less suitable applicants however, consideration will be given to appointing more than one suitable applicant. As a minimum, and if not sent earlier in the process, applicants will be provided with:- a copy of the latest accounts of the charity; Charity Commission Publication CC3- ‘Responsibilities of Charity Trustees’; a copy of the charity’s governing document; a copy of the minutes of the last three board meetings (edited to conform with the principles of data protection if necessary); a trustee ‘job description’; relevant policies including those regarding equal opportunities and conflicts of interest; a copy of this policy.
3.7 The applicant will then be interviewed by the recruiting panel and efforts will be made to answer any questions that they may have. The applicant will be asked to declare any conflicts of interest and will be required to provide two references which will be taken up prior to the next board meeting. The applicant will be required to sign a declaration that they are not disqualified from being a trustee as per BCVS/Policies & Procedures/Trustee Recruitment Policy 3 section 72 (1) of The Charities Act 1993. The requirement to attend trustee induction sessions will be described. It is the responsibility of the trustees on the recruiting panel to ensure that references are obtained and all other relevant checks are completed.
3.8 The applicant will be asked whether or not they wish to be appointed and will be given the opportunity to attend a further meeting as an observer should they wish to do so.
3.9 The observations and recommendations of the panel will be put to the following board meeting and a vote taken in accordance with the procedure for appointing co-opted trustees detailed in the governing document.
GAELIC POLICY
The association will support, as much as possible, the promulgation of Gaelic in the local area, by way of organising Gaelic Classes, or encouraging other Gaelic events to be held in the Centre.
