Case studies

When will they ever learn?

Governance | Sally Kirby | 1 Mar 2009

Penelope sighed heavily as she started the short drive back home. 10.30pm. What a day. Why is it that these trustees' meetings seem to get longer and longer each time, yet achieve less and less?

When she was asked to be a trustee she had no idea that the meetings would be five hours long - surely this was not the most efficient way to run a charity or the best use of time for busy trustees? Her commitment and natural enthusiasm had been severely tested this evening.

There had been warning signs even before she arrived. The date had been changed three times and confusion had resulted with some key trustees not being able to attend - the list of apologies seemed to get longer each meeting. How could the trustees collectively demonstrate that they were running the charity effectively?

Then there were the papers - or lack of. Some had come by post, some by email (which she couldn't even print off due to the complicated colour formatting which had disagreed with her printer). Perhaps most disappointingly, the chair had tabled two of the papers at the meeting itself - one of which was a 30-page key strategy document for discussion which surely required advance review and consideration? That part of the meeting had degenerated into a long, rambling collection of personal interests and opinions which had completely diverted attention away from the key strategic challenges for the charity. And why was it that, when they finally got to ‘any other business' (AOB), another five major issues were raised completely out of the blue?

She had also found it difficult to understand the purpose of some of the papers - for information, for discussion and decision? She certainly didn't feel in a position to agree the conclusions expected from her at the meeting and it concerned her that she and the other trustees would be struggling to fulfil their responsibilities to ensure the charity was meeting the needs for which it had been set up.

Penelope sank into her armchair. No more five-hour meetings - this was worse than being at work. She resolved to tackle the chair about it in the morning.

The way forward

There is clearly an issue here with effective organisation and chairing of meetings. Simple protocols should be agreed and adhered to, for example, setting the dates and times for trustee meetings in advance - perhaps the next four meetings on a rolling basis. Agree and stick to a consistent deadline for the distribution of the agenda and all papers to give ample time for trustees to consider before each meeting. Trustees and the executive should agree on the preferred way of distributing information, whether by hard copy or by email, with revisions to papers or tabled items being accepted in exceptional circumstances.

Agree a standard format for the agenda, to include standing items in an appropriate order (for example: declarations of any conflicts of interest; board policies for review; reports from chief executive, board committees etc.) with space for other special items as needed. The agenda and the related papers should make it clear whether the item is for information, for discussion or for decision. Insist items in AOB must be sent at least 24 hours before each meeting to the chair or scrap AOB altogether.

If certain topics consistently take longer to discuss than the full meeting allows, consider whether they would be best dealt with first in detail by a sub-committee of trustees (for example, budgeting, investment, risk or audit matters). If this is the case, ensure that the constitution allows for establishment of such committees, that there are clear terms of reference including clarity of delegated and reporting responsibilities. Remember that the trustee board as a whole will always retain the ultimate responsibility for running the charity, so the final decision whether to act or not on the committee's recommendations is for the trustees to take together.

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