Trustee Recruitment Pack

Index of Contents:

  1. Message from Bonnie Twiss, Chair of the Trustee Board
/ Page 2
  1. Introduction
/ Page 4
  1. Aims & Principles
/ Page 4
  1. What The Role Can Offer You
/ Page 4
  1. Trustee Role & Responsibilities
/ Page 6
  1. Time Commitment
/ Page 10
  1. Trustee Person Profile
/ Page 10
  1. Biographies - CEO & ServingTrustees/Directors
/ Page 11

Message from Bonnie Twiss – Chair of Trustee Board

I am delighted that you are interested in exploring more about Citizens Advice Peterborough [CAP]and trustee opportunities at the charity. The role description and the person profile in this information pack will tell you a lot about the Trustee role and our website: will tell you about the work of the charity and the services we deliver.

CAP serves the community from offices in central Peterborough and has outreaches at Peterborough Combined Courts and Cambridge Court together with a debt clinic at Anglia Rainbow Credit Union. A visit to our office will give you a clear sense of the commitment, professionalism and dedication of our staff and volunteers as soon as you walk in. We currently employ just over 30 staff, most of who work on a full-time basis, and we have over 50 volunteers in client advisory and administration roles. In the year, 2014-15 over 7,600 unique clients came to our offices or contacted us by telephone or email and collectively brought to us more than 19,000 issues and problems they wanted help and guidance with. In the year, financial gains for clients were just under £2.5 million, debts written off £914k and repayments rescheduled of £210k. The main areas of enquiry are debt, benefits, employment, relationships and housing.

As a member of national Citizens Advice, which consists of a network of 360 individual federated charities operating under the Citizens Advice brand, CAP has fully adopted the aims, principles and values of that organisation. These are:

  • To provide the advice people need for the problems they have
  • To improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives
  • The service is free, independent, confidential and impartial to everyone on his or her rights and responsibilities. It values diversity, promotes equality and fairness and challenges discrimination.
  • We focus on clients, achieve results and continuously look to improve by valuing each other and working together.

CAP works closely with partner agencies to provide linked up solutions to clients problems, currently our key active partnership is the Peterborough Community Assistance Scheme [PCAS] where we work with Carezone, Peterborough Foodbank, Peterborough Credit Union, Peterborough City Council and DWP to actively assist those who are destitute or incrisis. Help consists both with practical pragmatic help and assistance but also with advice and advocacy to ensure no reoccurrence of the issue.

Given the prevailing economic climate which is seeing decreasing funding for national and local services, together with major changes in benefits and social welfarearrangements, the health service and education – all of which impact the lives of the vulnerable and those most in need. We have to look at developing collaboration and partnership working with other voluntary and community sector organisations in order to enhance our profile, make our service stronger, more accessible, more resilient and flexible. Our main partners in this enterprise are our core service funders, Peterborough City Council, without whose support we would be sorely pressed indeed.

I am privileged to be joined on the Board by a committed, experienced and skilled team of seven other Trustees who share a clear vision for the future. The Board and its sub-committees are hardworking and operate within a clear understanding of the different roles of the executive staff and Trustees. The Board look to ensure that it provides appropriate leadership and support for the Chief Executive and senior staff whilst properly exercising its governance responsibilities.

We are now looking for two or three people to join the Board to enhance its breadth of experience and diversity. In particular, we are keen to hear from you if you have skills and knowledge in one or more of the following areas: finance, human resources management, marketing and fundraising, health and safety,

I hope you find the information we are providing in this pack helpful and clear. If you believe you can bring the necessary skills, knowledge and passion to serve your community, we would very much like to hear from you.

Bonnie Twiss

Chair of Trustees

2.Introduction

Citizens Advice Peterborough [CAP] is an independent registered charity and a company limited by guarantee serving a large urban area of the city of Peterborough and its surrounding areas.We have a main office, at St Mark’s Street in central Peterborough.We help people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing information and advice, and by influencing policy makers through local campaigning and research.Our staff are specially trained to help with many different issues and if we are unable to assist, we can provide contacts to give expert advice, or to signpost / refer to other organisations that can provide further assistance.

We help people on all levels. Individual problems are dealt with through face-to-face advice, on the telephone via the National Adviceline number and by email, accessed via our website, We also campaign locally and nationally for improvements to services and the law.More informationonourwork and the services we offercanbefound onourwebsite.

We are member of the National Citizens Advice charity.

3.Our Aims and Principles

Our aims are:

  • To provide the advice people need for the problems they face.
  • To improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives

Our principles are enshrined in the following statement:

“The Citizens Advice service provides free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. It values diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination.”

4. What the Role of Trustee Can Offer You

In joining us at CAP, you will also be joining the Citizens Advice service, one of the largest and most well regarded voluntary organisations in the UK.To be responsible for the governance, strategic planning development of our organisation as a Trustee, is both challenging and rewarding.You will be part of a team and work with your colleagues on the Trustee Board, in order to help steer the organisation towards fulfilling our aims.As a Trustee you can hope to:

  1. Work for a well-known and nationally respected organisation, within an existing but

developing structure.

  1. Work within a team & learn from other members of the Board
  2. Learn new skills and gain experience of putting them into practice.
  3. Work collaboratively in order to achieve the desired outcomes of the Board and ourpartners.
  4. Act as stewards of the resources of the organisation and help to develop suchresources in order toimprove & enhance it.
  5. Receive training.
  6. Contribute to the local community and have the opportunity to make a positive
    difference to it.
  7. Have the opportunity to share your knowledge and skills with others.

Trustees are volunteers and do not receive remuneration, but reasonable out of pocket expenses such as travel costs are met by the charity.Where appropriate, the charity will also support training and development opportunities that will benefit CAP through the enhancement of trustee skills.
We hope that you will choose to apply for the post of Trustee, and look forward to hearing from you.

6. TrusteeRole & Responsibilities

5.1The Charity Commission:“Trusteeshave,andmustaccept,ultimateresponsibilityfor directingthe affairsof theircharity,ensuringthat it is solventandwell-run,anddeliveringthe charitableoutcomesfor the benefitof the publicfor whichit was set up.” (Charity CommissionCC3 -The Role of Trustees)

5.2Therefore, Trustees are required to be aware of and act according to the following requirements :

With other Trusteesto hold the charity"in trust"for currentand futurebeneficiaries by:

  • Ensuringthat thecharityhas a clearvision,missionand strategicdirectionandis focusedon achieving these;
  • Beingresponsiblefor theperformanceof thecharityand for its "corporate"

behaviour;

  • Ensuringthat thecharitycomplieswithall legal, statutory andregulatory

requirements;

  • Actingas guardiansof thecharity'sassets,bothtangibleandintangible,and taking

all due care over their security, deploymentand proper application;

  • Ensuring thatthe charity’sgovernanceis of the highest possiblestandard;
  • Uphold our stated aims and principles.

6.3 Main duties and responsibilities

Each individual member of the Trustee Board has a responsibility to contribute to the discharging of the Board’s duties. They can do this by:

  • Maintaining an awareness of the business of the charity;
  • Taking responsibility for his or her own learning and development;
  • Regularly attending, preparing for and taking a full part in meetings;
  • Actively contributing to setting policy and strategic direction, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance ;
  • Monitoring whether the service complies with its governing document, whether it meets Citizens Advice standards and how well the advice needs of the local community are being met;
  • Monitoring the financial position of the charity and ensuring that it operates within its means and objects, and that there are clear lines of accountability for day-to-day financial management;
  • Supporting the development of the charity through participation in agreed projects;
  • Actively seeking to further the strategic objectives of the charity, and acting in the best interests of the charity at all times;
  • Maintaining confidentiality about any sensitive or confidential information received in the course of duties as a Trustee.

6.4Duties and tasks required to fulfil these key responsibilities:

A.To work in partnership with other Trustees, the Chief Executive, staff and
volunteers to ensure that:

1.The charity has a clear vision,missionand strategicplanthathavebeenagreedby the TrusteeBoardand thereis a commonunderstandingof theseby Trustees and staff;

2.The business,operationaland otherplanssupport the vision, mission and strategic priorities;

3.The Chief Executivesannualandlongertermobjectivesand targetssupporttheachievementof the vision,mission& strategicpriorities;

4.Trustee Board policiessupportthe vision,missionand strategicpriorities;

5.Citizens Advice Peterborough is operatingfor the benefit of the communities we serve.

6.There are effectivemechanisms:

  • To listento theviewsof currentand futurebeneficiaries;
  • To reviewtheexternalenvironmentfor changesthatmightaffectthecharity;
  • To re-assess the need for the services it provides, or could provide; and identify and meetany gaps in that service;
  • To review regularly its strategic plans and priorities.

B.Being responsible, with the other Trustees, for the performanceof the charity and the engagement, guidance, accountabilityand support of the CEO and to:

  1. Agree the method for measuring objectively the progress of the charity in relation to its mission, strategic objectives/priorities, business plans and annual targets, and toreceive regular reports on the performance of Citizens Advice Peterborough.
  2. To ensure that views of beneficiaries on the performance of the charity are regularly gathered and considered by the Board.
  3. To appoint the Chief Executive, to set his/her terms and conditions and to ensure that theChief Executive and the charity invest in the Chief Executive’s on going professional development.
  4. To receive regular reports from the Chief Executive on progress towards agreed

strategic priorities.

  1. To hold the Chief Executive to account for the management and administration ofthe charity.

  1. To ensure that the Chief Executive receives regular, constructive feedback on his/her performance in managing the charity and in meeting his/her annual and longer term targets and objectives.

7.To ensure that the Chief Executive develops learning organisation and that all staff, both paid and unpaid, review their own performance and regularly receive feedback.

8.To agree Board policies.

9.To ensure that there are mechanisms for beneficiaries, employees, volunteers,other individuals, groups or organisations to bring to the attention of the Trustees any activity that threatens the probity of the charity.

C.To be aware of and to ensure the charity complies with, all legal, regulatory and statutory requirements and to:

  1. Maintain familiarity with the rules and constitution that govern the charity, to
    ensure that the charity complies with its governing instruments and to review the
    governing instruments regularly.
  2. If the charity has powers to delegate, to agree the levels of delegated authority, to ensure that these are recorded in writing by means of minutes, terms of reference for Board committees and sub- committees, job descriptions for honorary officers, Trustees and key staff, etc., and to ensure that there are clear reporting procedures which are also recorded in writing and complied with.
  3. Ensure that the responsibilities delegated to the Chief Executive areclearly expressed and understood, and directions given to him/her come from the Board as a whole.

D. Being guardians of all the charity’s assets, both tangible and intangible, take all due care over their security, deploymentand properapplication and to:

  1. Ensure that the charity has satisfactory control systems and procedures for holding in trust forthe beneficiaries all monies, properties and other assets and to ensure that monies are invested to the maximum benefit of the charity, within the constraints of the law and ethical and other policies laid down by the Board.
  2. Ensure that the major risks to which the charity is exposed are reviewed annually and that systems have been established to mitigate or minimise these risks.
  3. Ensure that the income and property of the charity is applied for the purposes set out in the governing document and for no other purpose, and with complete fairness between persons who are properly qualified to benefit.
  4. Act reasonably, prudently and collectively in all matters relating to the charity and always to act in the interests of the charity.
  5. To be accountable for the solvency and continuing effectiveness of the charity and the preservation of its endowments.

  1. To exercise effective overall control of the charity's financial affairs and to
    ensure that theway in which the charity is administered is not open to abuse by unscrupulous associates,employees or volunteers; and that the systems of control are rigorous and constantlymaintained through regular evaluation and improvement in the light of experience.
  2. To ensure that intangible assets such as organisational knowledge and expertise, intellectualproperty, the charity's good name and reputation etc are properly valued, utilised andsafeguarded.
  3. To ensure that all income due to the charity is received and that all tax benefits are obtained and all rating relief due is claimed.

6.5 Ensuringthatthe charity’sgovernance is of thehighest possible
standardand:

  1. To ensure that the charity has a governance structure that is appropriate to a charity of its size/complexity, stage of development, and its charitable objects, and that enables the Trustees to fulfil their responsibilities.
  2. To reflect annually on the Board's performance and your own performance as a Trustee.
  3. To ensure that the Trustee Board has the skills required to govern the charity well, and has access to relevant external professional advice and expertise.
  4. To ensure that there is a systematic, open and fair procedure for the recruitment or co-option of Trustees.
  5. To ensure that there is succession plans for the Chair and Chief Executive.
  6. To participate in individual and collective development and training of Trustees.
  7. To abide by the code of conduct for Trustees.
  8. To ensure that major decisions and Board policies are made by the Trustees acting collectively.

6.6Uphold and actively engagewith and support and shape the Aims and
Principlesof Citizens Advice Peterborough in order to:

  1. To ensure the ethos, values and guiding principles of the charity are articulated and reflected throughout the charity.
  2. To support the work of Citizens Advice Peterborough on a personal and
    corporate basis.
  3. To engage with and articulate the values of Citizens Advice Peterboroughensuring these arereflected in personal contributions, decision making, operations and Trustee collective activity.
  4. To represent Citizens Advice Peterborough as appropriate to the general roleof a Trustee and to do so reflecting the values and ethos of the charity.

7. Timecommitment

The Trustee Board meets six times per annum in our central Peterborough office. Thereare also sub-committee meetings at least quarterly for the existing sub-committees of
Finance & GeneralPurposes. From time to time, extra working groups/ committees are
set up in order to conduct work for aspecific requirement.There is an Annual General
Meeting that is open to the public.

8. Trustee Person Profile

1. Personal skills and qualities

Each individual member of the Trustee Board brings skills and qualities to the Board. They add to the collective knowledge and experience by providing:

  • Commitment and availability to attend charity Trustee Board meetings;
  • Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussion;
  • Willingness to gain knowledge of local needs and resources;
  • Commitment to the aims, principles and policies of the Citizens Advice service, including those relating to equal opportunities, independence and social policy;
  • Willingness and ability to act in the best interests of the charity;
  • Ability to understand and accept their responsibilities and liabilities as Trustees and employers;
  • Willingness to participate in democratic process which develops Citizens Advice policies by area and nationally;
  • Numeracy to the extent required to understand the charity accounts with the support of a Treasurer;
  • Willingness and ability to learn, and to develop and examine their own attitudes;
  • Ability to think creatively and strategically, and exercise good, independent judgement;
  • Ability to work effectively as a member of a team but show a willingness to speak their mind contributing effectively and appropriately to decision making.

There is an excellent & varied skill set amongst our existing eight Trustees, but we are keen to recruit further Trustees with knowledge and experience ofone or more of the following: