The IHBC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held as usual after the Institute’s key training event for the year, the Day School of our Annual School, at 5.30 on 22 June 2012, in the Guildhall Winchester, and as the AGM will see the election of the trustees and directors for coming year, all IHBC members are encouraged to contribute to this important constitutional process.
Each AGM elected posts are open to competition by Full Members of the IHBC in accordance with our Memorandum and Articles of association and guidance adopted by Council in September 2011. The IHBC’s trustees consist of elected Officers, including Committee Chairs, as well as Branch-nominated representatives. When officers are elected at the AGM they must be ready to be the legal trustees of the organisation because, as trustees they have substantial duties and obligations to the Institute as a registered charity and company. These are summarised below under the item Essential information for Trustees.
For the 2012 AGM Jo Evans, our Chair, Sheila Stones, Vice Chair, Treasurer Richard Morrice and Secretary Eddie Booth, are standing for re-election, as are the Chairs for the Committees for Membership & Ethics (Paul Butler), Policy (Mike Brown) and Communications and Outreach (Charles Strang).
As announced in our Membership e-letter in December, the Institute’s Education Secretary John Preston will not be going forward for re-election to Council in 2012. In line with a new procedure agreed by Council in September 2011 for piloting with new post-holders, following assessment and recommendation of candidates by a nominations panel, Council now formally recommends new nominees for election at the AGM.
Following advertisement of the post to our membership, David McDonald, currently London Branch Chair and representative on council, has been recommended by Council for election as our new Education Secretary. David is already a member of the Education, Training and Standards Committee, and so has a good familiarity with the current issues.
Branch nominations for Council are selected at the Branch’s own AGMs and elected at the national AGM.
Essential information for Trustees
Council members of the IHBC are elected annually at our Annual General Meeting. Elected members then become the legal trustees and directors of the organisation and, in that role, have substantial duties and obligations to the institute as a registered charity and company.
Trustees’ duties include a requirement to operate in line with our Code of Conduct for Trustees, which specifies the high standards the IHBC demands of its trustees. These standards have been developed in line with the Nolan Committee’s ‘Seven Principles of Public Life’.
The IHBC’s Code for trustees may be summarised under the following headings:
Selflessness: a duty to act in the best interests of the Institute as a whole.
Integrity: not placing themselves under other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them, and avoid any appearance of improper behaviour, or accepting gifts and hospitality that might influence judgment.
Objectivity: ensure that decisions are made solely on merit.
Accountability: comply with the law on all occasions and be accountable to the public, funders and service users, and submit to appropriate scrutiny.
Openness: including confidentiality for individuals and being open about decision processes.
Honesty: declare interests and resolve conflicts in favour of the trustee role.
Leadership: leading by example and respecting the role of the Chairman, staff and other trustees.
All trustees must sign up to and be bound by the IHBC’s Code for trustees. Failure to observe the trustees’ Code of Conduct is a breach of the IHBC’s professional Code of Conduct, and will threaten IHBC membership.
To ensure a proper observance of standards and codes, and as preparation for any role on the IHBC’s Council, all IHBC members and supporters are encouraged to develop their understanding of the Institute’s voluntary and professional activities by getting actively involved with their IHBC Branches and/or relevant national Committees.
Nomination forms may be downloaded from the web site. As we are currently preparing current job descriptions for the existing posts, please contact the Secretary Richard Morrice, or incumbents, for descriptions of the roles of officers. Full lists of the nominees, as well the Annual Report, will be circulated to members as part of our AGM papers.
The business papers, structure and operations of the IHBC, as well as the legal and ethical duties of trustees, are identified in the business papers and links listed at: LINK
For those interested in serving as Branch nominees further details on Branch operations are available at: LINK
Download a council nomination form HERE
