Committees

Committees are an inevitable part of any group. When you set up a new group it is usual to elect a steering committee to get things off the ground. The group will already have an idea of what it is trying to achieve and will have some idea of the commitment that its’ members will be able to give. The steering committee will be responsible for drawing up the constitution, will need to plan for the future activities of the group and decide upon the roles and responsibilities of the committee members.

There are various different types of committee. A Management Committee is formed to control or manage, and some other committees will be set up to deal with a particular task or project, such as organising a village Gala. Others may be established to evaluate or monitor something, such as the needs of a particular group within the community.

Whatever the reason, every committee must have certain office bearers who have specific roles, and these people are elected, nominated, appointed or invited to sit on the committee and contribute to the running of the group.

Roles

The Chairperson

In most situations, the Chairperson has the ultimate responsibility for the group and generally sets the tone. The Chairperson is usually elected or appointed and holds office for a set number of years.

The Chairperson has a number of responsibilities:

- Before a meeting, he/she sets up the Agenda usually with the Secretary. The Chairperson must be aware of all the issues to be discussed, and of their relative importance.

- At a meeting the Chairperson welcomes and introduces new members and signs the Minutes of the previous meeting. H/she then introduces the items to be discussed and summarises any background information that may be relevant.

- The Chairperson must be in control throughout the meeting, ensuring that all items are discussed fully and fairly. He/she must be able to prevent some from talking too much while encouraging others to talk more!

- He/she must know how to draw discussions to a close, summarising the “fors” and “againsts” on any issue, and must be aware of the time factor throughout.

- After the meeting, the Chairperson must ensure that any decisions made are followed through – this is usually done in conjunction with the Secretary.

- The Chairperson may be called upon to represent the group to other bodies.

All in all, the Chairperson holds a very responsible position, involving a considerable amount of work, so he or she must be committed to the job!

The Vice-Chairperson

The Vice-Chairperson deputises for the Chair in their absence, and assists with the overall work of the group or organisation.

The Secretary

The Secretary is the administrator for the group and plays an important role in the smooth running of the organisation. The Secretary has a number of jobs:

- Before meetings the Secretary draws up the Agenda along with the Chairperson, and sends this out to all committee members. It is important to give the members enough time to read through this and familiarise themselves with the issues to be discussed.

- He/she ensures that the meeting room is booked and that it is set out correctly. Usually the secretary is responsible for ensuring that any refreshments are organised.

- At the meeting, the Secretary should bring along spare copies of the Agenda and any correspondence that needs to be discussed, having previously spoken to the Chair about its’ contents.

- Probably the most important job of the Secretary is to take the Minutes. These form the official record of the meeting and must subsequently be written up and distributed to all the committee members. This must be carried out as it keeps a record of any decisions that may have been taken.

- After the meeting it is the Secretary’s job to write any letters that may need to be sent.

- Keep accurate records of any paperwork received or sent out by the group, along with a file of all the Minutes taken. The Secretary will often be contacted between meetings and needs to have this information to hand.

Again, this is an important job and requires someone who is well organised.

The Treasurer

If a committee has to handle money in any way, it must have a Treasurer, and although this person does not need to be a qualified accountant it is important that they are financially competent! The finances of any organisation must be carefully handled as any irregularities reflect badly on the group as a whole.

The duties of the Treasurer are related to all the financial transactions of the group and includes the following:

- the keeping of accurate financial records for the group which involves the recording of receipts, invoices and any other expenses made or monies received.

- he/she must keep the petty cash and should keep the chequebook.

- the Treasurer will always be one of the four signatories nominated when the group opens a bank or building society account

- the Treasurer is responsible for paying approved invoices on time, and must pay any agreed salaries or expenses.

- at Committee meetings the Treasurer should be able to give a report stating the current bank account and outlining any proposed expenditure.

- He/she should be able to prepare a budget and be able to give the group financial advice when required.

- It is the Treasurers responsibility to produce the Annual Accounts for the group. These audited accounts are presented at the groups’ Annual General Meeting, and must show the total income and expenditure throughout the year. These accounts must also show how much money is in the bank account and the petty cash, and should outline any money that the organisation owes or is owed at the end of the financial year. Preparing these accounts can be quite time consuming so the Treasurer must give him/herself plenty of time to get together all the information needed.

As you can see, the Treasurer plays a very important role in the running of the group and must have the competence required to keep the money matters of the group in good order.

The Committee Member

The main office bearers duties have been outlined, but no committee would survive without the ordinary Committee Members who get a lot of the day to day jobs done.

It is ideal to have Committee Members with differing skills and backgrounds. However, in reality this is not always the case. It is quite usual to be voted on to a committee simply because you happen to be at the A.G.M.!

A good Committee Member should be able and willing to attend meetings on a regular basis, should be familiar with the Agenda before the meeting starts, and be able to take part in any discussion. It is important to keep the aims and objectives of the group in mind and be supportive of other committee members. A willingness to volunteer for various tasks is essential.