Management
  Alternatives Pty Ltd
  ABN 23 050 334 435

Formats
0 - Format examples
Tables of contents
1- CRC Manual
2- Refuge Manual
Values and principles
3. Client rights and
     responsibilities
4. Staff rights and
     responsibilities
5. Board rights and
     responsibilities
6. Beliefs and
    commitments
Governance
7. Board
8. Management
   committee
9. CEO job
   description
Service models
10. Supported
   accommodation
Legal frameworks
11. Duty of care
12. Privacy
Aspects of
service process
13. Worker security
    on home visits
Human resources
14. Disputes and
     dismissals
Evaluation
15. Evaluation

Example 7: The Board's Role and Code of Conduct

This is an example of the roles of a Board of management.

Board Roles

The principal roles of the Board are:

• Develops a plan for the future of the service. The plan should include what is to be achieved and how it is to be achieved.
• Approves a budget
• Sets priorities
• Holds staff accountable for carrying out the plan.
• Acts as a sounding board for staff ideas
• Monitors the implementation of the plan.
• Revises the plan as appropriate.
• Employs staff
• Ensures staff have adequate support and training.
• Determines organisational policy
• Ensures adequate financial and statistical records are kept.
• Ensures adequate financial resources are available to maintain the service, eg, through ensuring the continuity of funding.
• Ensures systems are in place so that the service operates by best practice.
• Conforms to the relevant legal requirements.

In general the Board does not deal with operational issues - but rather questions of policy. In general operational issues are dealt with by staff, either at a staff meeting or individually.

Principal roles/responsibilities of the Board members as individuals are to:

• Have a commitment to The Service's objectives
• Read material for meetings in advance and any other relevant preparation
• Attend Board meetings
• Participate in discussions
• Participate in decisions

The Board includes the following roles Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer

Board Meeting Processes

The Chairperson discusses with the Administrator the Board meeting agenda, specific items, recommendations and priorities for discussion prior to the circulation of the Board papers.

The Board Papers usually include:

Agenda

Recommendations (Recommended decisions for consideration for each item to be discussed)

Background papers where appropriate.

The Board Minutes normally record decisions and the reasons for those decisions.

The Board normally meets monthly.

Chairperson

The chairperson:

Draws up an Agenda with the Administrator.

Ensures meetings of the Board are held.

Ensures that legal responsibilities of the The Service are met.

Ensures that meetings are run in accordance with the The Service constitution, etc.

The Chairperson has a facilitating role which involves ensuring that there is effective participation and decision making at Board meetings. This role includes:

• Working through the agenda.
• Making sure that all at the meeting participate.
• Clarify the decision (and wording where appropriate) for the Secretary and the Board as a whole.
• Sign the minutes after they have been confirmed as a true record of the previous meeting.

Secretary

The secretary:

• Ensures that adequate Board Papers are prepared and circulated prior to the Board Meeting - this may involve checking with the Administrator that the papers have been prepared and sent out.
• Ensures accurate minutes are taken of Board Meetings and other meetings of the organisation - the minutes should include the decisions and reasons for those decisions.
• Receives and submit to the Board all applications for membership
• Ensure the corporate seal is only used on the proper authority.

The Secretary must sign any legal documents that require the signature of the Secretary of the organisation.

Treasurer

The treasurer is responsible for oversighting the organisation's finances and budget.

The staff are responsible for keeping the accounts and preparing financial reports to the Board.

The treasurer is responsible for oversighting that

Adequate books of account are kept.

The budget is produced.

An audit is prepared.

The treasurer is responsible for ensuring the board receives adequate financial advice.

Code of Conduct*

Board members have a responsibility to:

1. Act honestly and in good faith

2. Ensure that the organisation carries out activities within its purpose.

3. Disclose potential conflicts of interest as soon as they arise. This includes financial, political or personal benefit from:

• other business or professional activities
• employment or accountability to other people or organisations
• membership of other organisations
• ownership of property or other assets.

4. Where there is a conflict of interest remove themselves from particular discussions, decisions or votes, or resign altogether from the management group.

5. Not use their position and information for personal benefit or advantage at the expense of the organisation.

6.. Act in the best interests of the organisation. The interests of the organisation are the members as a whole, not any particular member or group of members. For example, representatives should act for all members, not just those they represent.

7. Exercise powers for their proper use.

8. Ensure that duties they delegate to staff are carried out properly by competent people.

9. Respect the privacy and confidentiality of information obtained in the course of their participation and not share information that refers to staff members or members of the management group to any group or individual outside the organisation.

Board/Executive Officer Decisions

The following clarifiesl the boundaries between the Board and the Executive Officer.

The Board

1. Appoints the Executive Officer

2. Confirms the appointment of other staff on the recommendation from an interviewing panel (appointed by the Board).

3. At each meeting reviews a list of all payments and ratifies payments.

4. Approves the yearly budget

5. Approves staff training expenditure.

6. Approves the quarterly reports to the funding body.

7. Board members in the first instance refer all complaints about services to the Executive Officer.

The Executive Officer

8. May authorise expenditure of any amount already approved in the budget.

9. Must circulate a list of all payments to the Board meeting.

10. Prepares the budget.

11. May authorise expenditure up to $500 if within budget.

12. Opens all correspondence and ensure that the Chairperson and staff receive all relevant correspondence for action.

13. Works with the Chairperson in developing the Agenda for Board meetings.