/ Document History & Version Control Principles
Version: 1
Last Amendment: 06/10/17 / Approved By:
Date:
Contact Officer: John Byrne / Next Review: October 2021

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE

Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sport (LRS) Board

  1. LRS Board

These terms of reference set out the governance arrangements and key tasks of the LRS Board. They have been developed and agreed by the Board and are reviewed every 4years.

1.1General Role, Functions and Structure:

In addition to making decisions about the work and future direction of LRS, the Board provides leadership, takes account of partner’s interests and is accountable both for its own decisions and the actions of the organisation as a whole.

1.2Role of the Board

The collective overarching role of the LRS Board shall be:

To ensure the work of the Partnership is planned, developed and implemented in order to pursue the Partnership’s vision, outcomes,ambitions and foundationsas defined by the sub-regional physical activity and sport strategy documents2017-21.

To develop the Partnership in such a way that maintains its status as an exemplar and leading CSP.

To ensure that the adopted Guiding Principles of Fair Physical Activity and Sport; Safe Physical Activity and Sport; and being Customer Focussed drive the decisions that the board take in relation to our work.

1.3The Functions of the Board:

The Board’s functions are strategic: focusing on strategy, setting ambitions,overseeing the development of a business plan, monitoring and evaluating progress towards achieving those ambitions and being accountable for the final outcomes.

Generic functions of the Board shall be:

1.3.1Leadership:

Adopt, develop, monitor and review the vision, outcomes, ambitions and guiding principlesas set out in the sub regional physical activity and sport strategy documents (2017-21 and any subsequent documents).

Oversee therole and core functions of the LRS team and ensure they are aligned with local and national targets.

Oversee the role and core functions of any subsidiary company or charity established to further the ambitions of the LRS board and partnership.

Influences the work of the County Sport Partnership network to support the sustainability of local networks for physical activity and sport, ensuring that national policy/investment is delivered in local ways.

Advocate LRS’s long term commitment to: widening; increasing; sustaining and extending participation in sport and physical activity.

Provide a lead for the LRS Director and LRS Core Team and address any relevant performance related issues through a robust performance management framework for the CSP Director.

1.3.2Advocacy and Outward Looking:

Represent and consider the interests of the wider partnership.

Use their own networks, to promoteLRSto wider partners and other agencies, particularly local and national agencies.

To continually consider the changing national and local environments that the physical activity and sport sector operate in and determine the best strategic direction for LRS.

To ensure that LRS is a forward facing, dynamic organisation that is able to respond to anticipated future priorities and changes in the policy environment.

1.3.3Innovation,Entrepreneurship, and Sustainability

A key function of the Board will be to find innovative and enterprising solutions to ensure sustainability such as: engaging with the private and commercial sector; makingnational physical activity and sport programmes and policies work in local ways complimentary to local ambitions and aspirations.

1.3.4Accountability:

The Board will take decisions on a collective basis about the strategic direction of LRS and seek to influence LRSkey partners to: develop policy and action that builds in (not bolts on) equity; createssafe environments for participation; raises standards; increases resources; drives performance improvements and promotes physical activity and sport to all of our communities.

Creates a risk aware environment that drives improvement as opposed to a risk averse culture that might serve to limit progress.

Ensure that a robust performance management system is in place to that enables the Board to monitor the progress made against delivering the strategic priorities of the CSP.

Reporting and where appropriate celebrating key achievementsof key partners and stakeholders.

That all Board Members observe the Nolan Committee’s “Seven Principles of Public Life”.

1.3.5Division of Roles

The Board shall delegate authority to the LRS Director to implement the LRS Physical Activity and Sport Strategy and Business Plan. The LRS Director has responsibility for the overall organisation, management and staffing of the partnership and for its procedures on financial and other matters including conduct and discipline of staff. These will be carried out in accordance with host authority procedures.

1.4Specific Matters Reserved for the Board

1.4.1LRS Physical Activity and Sport Strategy

The LRS Board will be responsible for establishing the strategic direction for the CSP. It will ensure that the strategy is based on insight and oversee a robust consultation process and consider its findings. The Board will determine the CSPs vision and agree and approve its strategic priorities for action.

1.4.2LRS Business Plan

The LRS Board would delegate authority to the Senior Management Team to produce a business plan which would respond to delivering the strategic priorities for action set out in the LRS Physical Activity and Sport Strategy. The Board shall be responsible for approving the business plan and overseeing its delivery.

1.4.3Staffing Review

The LRS Board supported by the LRS Director shall as appropriate be responsible for ensuring the that the CSP core team is fit for purpose and able to deliver the strategic priorities for action as set out in the LRS Physical Activity and Sport Strategy. Should a staffing review be deemed necessary, the LRS Board would be responsible for leading this process but would be supported by the LRS Director and host authority.

1.4.4Risk Strategy

The LRS Board will shall maintain and update a risk strategy. It will review risk factors periodically and advise the Senior Management Team regarding appropriate mitigating actions.

1.4.5Budget and Financial Management

The LRS Board shall be responsible for overseeing the establishment of annual budgets and the production of 4 year financial projections. The Board shall appoint an independent Board Member to oversee the core teams financial management arrangements. This Board Member shall take a lead responsibility for monitoring and evaluating financial performance. The LRS Board shall be responsible for approving the annual budget.

1.4.7. Succession and Continuity Planning

The Board shall maintain an up to date Succession and ContinuityPlan in place to ensure orderly appointments to the Board and to key positions within the LRS Core Team can be made. It is important that there is a clear approach to ensuring gender parity and greater diversity on the Board to ensure representation by under-represented groups, for example, but not limited to BAME groups and people with a disability.

1.4.8.Policy Review

Supported by the LRS Director the Board shall maintain an internal control system. The Board shall consider and shape key policies and approve them for use by the LRS Core Team.

1.4.9Appointment of sub-committees

The Board reserves the right to establish (and wind up) sub-committees to assist it carry out its business, for example a Nominations Committee and Audit Committee. Sub-committees would normally be chaired by a Board Member, but the Board shall be able to co-opt Associate Members and the LRS Core Team as ex-officio members to support the business of the sub-committee. The Board shall produce a Terms of Reference for each sub-committee established. All sub-committees will be required to update at the Board on progress via regular written or verbal reports. Sub groups will from time to time have delegated authority to respond to and deal with emerging issues.

  1. The Membership, Recruitment & Voting Rights

2.1Membership:

It is anticipated that themake up the Board Membership will consist of representatives from some or all of the following sectors/organisations:

  • Health
  • Voluntary
  • Local Authority
  • Community Safety/Regeneration
  • Children Services/Trusts/Schools
  • Private/Commercial
  • Higher/Further Education
  • Professional/Amateur Sport (including National Governing Bodies)
  • Equity organisations

Board Members will be appointed on the basis of their skills, knowledge, experience, influence and capacity. Board Members should preferably be representative of the communities they serve and ideally have an interest/knowledge and passion for physical activity and/or sport.

LRS is committed to achieving a minimum of 30% of each gender represented on its Board – however it is important that Board Members have the necessary skills to carry out the role specified in the job description. There should be a minimum membership of 6 members, but the size of the Board shall not exceed 12 persons.

There are two categories of Board Members – “Representative and Independent”. 25% of Board Members must be defined as independent, that is, they are free from any close connection to LRS. Examples of a ‘close connection’ include:

(A)They are or have within the last four years been actively involved in the organisations affairs, e.g. as a representative of a specific interest group within the organisation such as a sporting discipline, a region or a home country;

(B)They are or have within the last four years been an employee of the organisation;

(C)They have close family ties with any of the organisations directors or senior employees.

Board Members will be identified as per the table in 2.3. Board members willbe able to serve for a maximum of 9 continuous years.

2.2Recruitment:

The Board structure should wherever possible, aim to reflect the diversity of the LLRsub-region.The Board shall ensure that it recruits new Members following the guidelines set out within its recruitment policy (see appendix 3). Should the roles of Chairman or Vice Chairman become vacant, the Board should appoint a temporary Nominations Committee to lead the recruitment of those positions.

In line with current best practice, the maximum length of service allowed by any Board Member will be limited to a maximum of 9 consecutive years. At least four continuous years must be spent off the Board before a Member is eligible to return to the Board and that any period off the Board of less than four consecutive years will count as service on the Board.

The Board will have the right to co-opt specialist Associate Members for specific meetings or time periods. Co-opted Associate Members will only be invited at the request of the LRS Board and will have no voting rights. In addition, the Board shall appoint 2 ex-officio members, namely the incumbent LRS CSP Director and a representative of the host authority. Ex-officio members will have no voting rights.

In exceptional circumstances, a Board Member maybe co-opted onto the Board if it is deemed necessary to ensure that the Board has the skills and/or experience necessary to fulfil its role.

The roles of Chairman and LRS CSP Director should not be occupied by the same individual.

Board Members should deliver the key duties as set out in the Board Member job description (see appendix 4) and adhere to the Nolan Committee’s “Seven Principles of Public Life (see section 3.2). Board Members will be expected to reaffirm their commitment to comply to the Nolan Principles on an annual basis.

2.3The Board will consist of the following members with voting rights:

Member / Number / Route to M’ship / Period of Office
Full voting members
NON-EXECUTIVE INDEPENDENT BOARD MEMBERS - OPENRECRUITMENT ROUTE (min 25% of membership)
Chairman (It is not mandatory that the Chairman be independent) / 1 / Via open recruitment (supported by a Nominations Committee) / Initially 3 years. (Max. 3 terms of office
Senior Independent Director(known as Vice Chairman) / 1 / Via open recruitment (supported by a Nominations Committee) / Initially 3 years. (Max. 3 terms of office
Independent Members / 0 to 2 / Via open recruitment appointed by Chairman supported by LRS Director / Initially 3 years. (Max. 3 terms of office
REPRESENTATIVE BOARD MEMBERS
LOCALITY GROUPS / 2 to 4 / Via Local Sport and Physical Activity Alliances through a network meeting or postal vote / Initially 3 years. (Max. 3 terms of office)
Network Groups / 2 to 4 / Via the Children and Young People, NGB Sport CommunityChampion Groups or via the Cultural Services Chief Officer Partnership / Initially 3 years. (Max. 3 terms of office)
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS – (Non-voting)
Host Agency / 1 / Identified by the organisation / As required
LRS Director / 1 / Identified by the organisation / As required
CO-OPTED ASSOCIATE MEMBERS AS REQUIRED (Non-voting) – for example
Sport England / 1 / Identified by organisation / As required
Others as required/identified to meet gap / As required and agreed by the LRS Board / As agreed in advance by board

2.4 Chairman – (Headline role of)

In addition to the tasks outlined in the Board Member job description, the Chairman would be expected to carry out the following functions:

  • Lead the Board and provide strategic leadership.
  • Ensure that the Board carries out an annual evaluation of its own skills and the performance of individual Board Members.
  • Ensure that the CSP Director is subject to annual appraisal in-conjunction with the host authority.
  • Ensuring that the board appoints an auditor (or equivalent) to conduct external evaluation of the Boards effectiveness every 4 years.
  • To create an environment that fosters open discussion, creates time to consider critical issues and allows collaborative decision making to take place.

2.5 Senior Independent Director (Headline role of)

In addition to the tasks outlined in the Board Member job description, the Senior Independent Director would be expected to carry out the following functions:

  • Provide a sounding board for the Chairman to support addressing complex issues.
  • If necessary act as an intermediary between the Chairman and other Board Members.
  • Act as an alternative contact for stakeholders and partners should the Chairman be unavailable.
  • Undertake the Chairman’s annual appraisal.
  • On occasions, deputise for the Chairman to ensure that key tasks are completed.
  • To Chair and lead the Business, Oversight and Audit Committee.

2.6 Equity:

Accountability for equal opportunities is established at Board level with LRS achieving and maintaining the Equality Standard at Preliminary Level (or equivalent) as a minimum operating level.

Applications for Board Membership will be positively encouraged from all sections of the community and particularly from those sections often under-represented at a strategic level in sports administration roles.To reinforce this, the Board should ensure it makes a commitment to achieving gender parity and diversity across its membership and this will be published on the LRS website within an Equality Action Plan.Progress against the Equality Action Plan will be reported on the LRS website annually.

2.7 Sub-Groups:

The establishment of all sub-groups will be agreed by the Board and all sub-groups will be required to update at the Board on progress via regular written or verbal reports from the portfolio and officer lead. Sub groups will from time to time have delegated authority to respond to and deal with emerging issues.

2.7.1The Board shall specifically appoint a Business, Oversight and Audit Committee which will provide advice and guidance on policy, finance, risk management, governance and performance management related issues. (See appendix 1 for the committee’s Terms of Reference).

2.7.2It would be advantageous for a qualified accountant to be a member Business, Oversight and Audit Committee.

2.7.3The Board shall as required appoint a nominations committee for leading the process for Senior Board and Executive appointments and make subsequent recommendations to the Board.

2.8 Frequency:

The Board will meet formally at least 3times a year (it may need to meet on other occasions in order to provide authority for the implementation of specific strategic issues or for an extra-ordinary matter). However, there will also be a Business,Oversight and Audit Committee that will take a key role and will meet a minimum of3 times a year:

Board Members are expected to attend a minimum of 2 of 3 Board Meetings each year.Likewise, Members of the Business, Oversight and Audit Committee are expected to attend a minimum of 2 of 3 meetings each year. Board meetings would typically be held in February, May and October, with the Business, Oversight and Audit Committee meeting held 4 weeks prior to the full Board meeting.

Members of the Board are also expected to attend Board level Continuous Professional Development events and represent LRS at other events and functions.

2.9 Quorum:

A quorum of 33% of members plus one is necessary to convene a Board meeting (equates to 3 Board members).

2.10 Voting:

Each full member of the Board shall have one vote; a majority of all voting members present shall be required for any decision. The Chairman will have a casting vote if votes are tied.

  1. Other

3.1 Delegation of Authority

Delegated authority is required for the following activities:

Authority to enter into a spending commitment on grants, goods and services and on gifts and hospitality above the thresholds outlined below.

Approval of applying for and accepting external grants and other awards above the thresholds outlined below.

Funding Agreement with partners / Goods and Services / Accepting of Grants and other external funds
Chairman of Board/ Host Authority / Over £100,000 / Over £100,000 / Over £100,000
Chairman of Board/Host Authority / CSP Director / £80,000 to £100,000 / £80,000 to £100,000 / £80,000 to £100,000
L&R CSP Director / Up to £80,000 / Up to £80,000 / Up to £80,000
Budget Managers / Up to £10,000 / Up to £10,000 / Up to £10,000
Budget Holders / Up to £5,000 / Up to £5,000 / Up to £5,000

Decisions may be required between the Board meetings. Where this is the case the Chairman and Vice Chairman supported by the LRS Director may make a decision and report it to the next available meeting.