Trustee Code of Conduct & Committee Meetings

Members of the Committee are Charity Trustees. As such all trustees must meet the Charity Commission definition of fit and proper persons and complete and sign the declaration.

Individual Responsibility

1. Selflessness:
   The Kingston upon Thames Society Trustees have a general duty to act in the best interests of The Kingston upon Thames Society as a whole. They should not do so to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their friends or the organisation they represent, if applicable
2. Integrity:
   The trustees of The Kingston upon Thames Society:
   • should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their role
   • should, as well as avoiding actual impropriety, avoid any appearance of improper behaviour
   • should avoid accepting gifts and hospitality that might reasonably be thought to influence their judgement.
3. Objectivity:
   In carrying out their role, including making staff and trustee appointments, awarding contracts or commenting on planning proposals or other issues that fall within the objectives of the Kingston Society, the trustees of The Kingston upon Thames Society should ensure that decisions are made solely on merit.
4. Policies: All trustees must ensure that conduct is in accordance with all current policies of the Society.
5. Accountability:
   The trustees of The Kingston upon Thames Society:
   • have a duty to comply with the law on all occasions in accordance with the trust placed in them and in such a way as to preserve public confidence in The Kingston upon Thames Society
   • are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public, funders and service users and must submit themselves to scrutiny as appropriate to their role
6. Openness:
   The trustees of The Kingston upon Thames Society:
   • should ensure that confidential material, including that about individuals, is handled with due care
   • should be as open as possible about their decisions and the action they take and give reasons for their decisions and restrict access to information only when the wider interest clearly demand
7. Honesty:
   The trustees of The Kingston upon Thames Society:
   • have a duty to declare any interests relating to their trustee role and to take steps to resolve any conflicts that may arise
   • must resolve any conflict between his/her private interests and his/her trustee duties in favour of the trustee role
   • must make relevant declarations of interest in their different roles both within and outside The Kingston upon Thames Society
8. Leadership:
   The trustees of The Kingston upon Thames Society:
   • should promote and support the principles of leadership by example
   • must respect the role of staff and volunteers

Executive Committee Meetings – All meetings of the Committee will comply with the Constitution

1. Executive Committee
   • The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the management and administration of the Society. It shall consist of the Officers and not fewer than six and not more than twelve further members. All members shall be 18 years of age or over. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt further members, who shall attend in an advisory and non voting capacity. If equal votes are cast the chairman shall have a second or casting vote. The President and Vice-Presidents may attend any meeting of the Executive committee, but the President shall not vote at any such meeting.
   • Nominations for election to the Executive committee shall be made at or before the Annual General Meeting. Such nominations shall be in writing supported by a seconder, and the consent of the proposed nominee must first have been obtained. If the nominees exceed the number of vacancies, a ballot shall take place. Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting, and outgoing members may be re-elected.
   • The Executive Committee shall meet not fewer than six times a year at intervals of not more than two months, and the Hon Secretary shall give all members not less than seven days’ notice of each meeting. The quorum shall as near as may be, comprise one third of the members of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have the power to fill up to three casual vacancies occurring among members of the Committee.
2. Decision Making & Minutes
   • Committee decisions are based on consensus and are recorded in the Minutes together with any dissensions
   • The Committee’s decisions are confidential and should not be distributed to unauthorised persons.
   • The Committee is politically neutral. When speaking or acting for the Committee, personal political opinions should be avoided

3. Sub-Groups
   • The Executive Committee may constitute such sub-groups from time to time as shall be considered necessary. The chairman and secretary of each sub-group shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.
   • Members of the Executive Committee may be members of any sub-group. Sub-groups shall be subordinate to and may be regulated or dissolved by the Executive committee.
   • The sub-group may be comprised of trustees, members or other non-members with relevant skills and experience.
   • The sub-group must act within the Terms of Reference drawn up by the Trustees.
   • The sub-group chair/leader will report back to the Trustee chair on all activity, decisions and correspondence issued by the sub-group as soon as possible.
   • The sub-group chair/leader and members of the sub-group must agree to comply with all of the trustee obligations in this policy
4. Speaking / Writing on behalf of the Committee
   • When speaking or acting for the Committee, trustees should NEVER offer advice that could be construed to be legal advice, for example on planning matters. Instead trustees may SIGNPOST with the caveat that you are ‘not qualified’ and add that they should take professional advice if in doubt.
   • When establishing a Sub-Group, the Committee may choose to delegate to the Chair/Leader or members of the sub-group, the authority to ‘speak for’ or issue statements on behalf of the Society in relation to the matters covered by the sub-group. The delegated individual should, where possible, liaise with other sub-group members (and in particular the sub-group Chair/Leader) beforehand on a draft of comments.

Signed on behalf of Trustees Board ………Tony Lancaster……………..
Policy approved on ……..10 February 2025…………….
Date of Next Review ……..10 February 2027…………….