Haslemere Community Station and Signal Box Trust (HCS&SBT)
Code of Conduct for Board Members (BM)
1 Selflessness
1.1 Board Members of HCS&SBT have a general duty to act in the best interests of HCS&SBT. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material or personal benefits for themselves, their family, their friends or the organisation they come from or represent.
2 Integrity
HCS&SBT Board Members:
2.1 Should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their role;
2.2 Should avoid impropriety and any appearance of improper behaviour;
2.3 Should avoid accepting gifts and hospitality that could reasonably be calculated to influence their judgement.
3 Objectivity
3.1 In carrying out their role, making appointments (including those of other Board Members), awarding contracts, recommending individuals for rewards and benefits or transacting other business, HCS&SBT Board Members should ensure that decisions are made on merit and ability.
4 Accountability
HCS&SBT Board Members:
4.1 Have a duty to comply with the law at all times in accordance with the trust placed in them and in such a way as to preserve public confidence in HSBT.
4.2 Are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public, funders and service users. They must submit themselves to what scrutiny is appropriate to their role.
5 Openness
HCS&SBT Board Members:
5.1 Should ensure that confidential material, including information about individuals, is handled with due care;
5.2 Should as far as possible be open about the decisions and actions that they take and restrict information only when the interest of HCS&SBT clearly demands it.
6 Leadership
HCS&SBT Board Members:
6.1 Should promote and support the principles of leadership by example;
7 Conflicts of Interest
HCS&SBT Board Members:
7.1 Have a duty to declare any interest affecting their role and to take steps to resolve any conflict that may arise. Where a private interest of a Board Member conflicts with their appointment, he / she must resolve this conflict in favour of the Board role;
7.2 Must make relevant declaration of interest in the different circumstances and roles they serve either within or outside HCS&SBT.
7.3 If a Board Member has any interest in the matter under discussion which creates a real danger of bias, that is, the interest affects him / her, or a member of his / her household, more than the generality affected by the decision, he / she should declare the nature of the interest and withdraw from the room, unless he / she has a dispensation to speak.
7.4 If a Member has any other interest which does not create a real danger of bias, but which might reasonably cause others to think it could influence their decision, he / she should declare the nature of that interest but may remain in the room, participate in the discussion and vote if he / she wishes.
7.5 If in any doubt about the application of these rules, a Board Member should consult with the Chairperson.
7.6 It is recommended that the Board Members’ interests are listed in a register.
8 Information to be given to a new Board Member
Haslemere Community Station and Signal Box Trust (HCS&SBT)
Steering Group / Board Member Declaration
I declare that:
Signed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[Name of Steering Group Member] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.1 Board Members of HCS&SBT have a general duty to act in the best interests of HCS&SBT. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material or personal benefits for themselves, their family, their friends or the organisation they come from or represent.
2 Integrity
HCS&SBT Board Members:
2.1 Should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their role;
2.2 Should avoid impropriety and any appearance of improper behaviour;
2.3 Should avoid accepting gifts and hospitality that could reasonably be calculated to influence their judgement.
3 Objectivity
3.1 In carrying out their role, making appointments (including those of other Board Members), awarding contracts, recommending individuals for rewards and benefits or transacting other business, HCS&SBT Board Members should ensure that decisions are made on merit and ability.
4 Accountability
HCS&SBT Board Members:
4.1 Have a duty to comply with the law at all times in accordance with the trust placed in them and in such a way as to preserve public confidence in HSBT.
4.2 Are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public, funders and service users. They must submit themselves to what scrutiny is appropriate to their role.
5 Openness
HCS&SBT Board Members:
5.1 Should ensure that confidential material, including information about individuals, is handled with due care;
5.2 Should as far as possible be open about the decisions and actions that they take and restrict information only when the interest of HCS&SBT clearly demands it.
6 Leadership
HCS&SBT Board Members:
6.1 Should promote and support the principles of leadership by example;
7 Conflicts of Interest
HCS&SBT Board Members:
7.1 Have a duty to declare any interest affecting their role and to take steps to resolve any conflict that may arise. Where a private interest of a Board Member conflicts with their appointment, he / she must resolve this conflict in favour of the Board role;
7.2 Must make relevant declaration of interest in the different circumstances and roles they serve either within or outside HCS&SBT.
7.3 If a Board Member has any interest in the matter under discussion which creates a real danger of bias, that is, the interest affects him / her, or a member of his / her household, more than the generality affected by the decision, he / she should declare the nature of the interest and withdraw from the room, unless he / she has a dispensation to speak.
7.4 If a Member has any other interest which does not create a real danger of bias, but which might reasonably cause others to think it could influence their decision, he / she should declare the nature of that interest but may remain in the room, participate in the discussion and vote if he / she wishes.
7.5 If in any doubt about the application of these rules, a Board Member should consult with the Chairperson.
7.6 It is recommended that the Board Members’ interests are listed in a register.
8 Information to be given to a new Board Member
- The governing document i.e. Memorandum and Articles of Association.
- Annual Report and Accounts.
- Minutes of the previous three or four board meetings.
- List of existing Board Members.
- Outline of relationships with other sector organisations.
- Board Member Declaration
Haslemere Community Station and Signal Box Trust (HCS&SBT)
Steering Group / Board Member Declaration
I declare that:
- I am over age 18.
- I am not an undischarged bankrupt.
- I have not previously been removed from the Directorship of a charity or Community Interest Group by a Court or the Charity Commission.
- I am not under a disqualification order under the Company Directors’ Disqualification Act.
- I am, in the light of the above, not disqualified by the Charities Act 1993 (Section 72) from acting as a charity Director.
- I undertake to fulfil my responsibilities and duties as a Board Member of HCS&SBT in good faith and in accordance with the law and within HCS&SBT objectives.
- I do not have any financial interests in conflict with those of HCS&SBT (either in person or through family or business connections) except those which I have formally notified in a conflict of interest written statement. I will specifically notify any such interest at any meeting where Board Members are required to make a decision which affects my personal interests, and will absent myself entirely from any debate and decision on the matter and not vote on it.
Signed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[Name of Steering Group Member] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .