How we’re run
As a foundation trust, we are accountable to our members – local people who have joined our organisation because they take an interest in what we do. Our staff are also members.
We are accountable to members through our Members’ Council which is made up of elected members and also nominated members from key local partner organisations.
On a day to day basis, the Trust is run by our board of directors, our governing body who are responsible for setting the strategic direction of our organisation.
Our Trust Board
The Trust Board is our governing body and is responsible for setting the strategic direction of our organisation. It is made up of executive and non-executive directors, who are responsible for:
- The day to day running of the Trust
- Implementing the Trust’s long-term plans
- Meeting local/national standards and performance targets
Executive directors are employed full-time by the Trust. Non-executive directors are local people whose wide range of experience and skills contribute to the effective management and accountability of the Trust. They work closely with executive directors to ensure the Trust runs in an open and transparent way, providing high-quality services for local people who need to use them.
Our business is conducted through quarterly public meetings – you can find out more about these in our board meetings & minutes section.
Members’ council
Our members’ council is made up of elected representatives of members, including staff, and also nominated members from key local partner organisations.
The role of the members’ council is to make sure the board of directors, who are responsible for the day-to-day running of the Trust, are accountable to our local communities. The council’s role includes:
- Guardianship – making sure we comply with the terms of our authorisation.
- Advisory – acting as a channel for getting information to and from members and the community.
- Strategic – advising on the future strategic direction of the Trust and providing stakeholder input.
- Public and staff places on the members’ council are filled by an election process where members and staff vote for their preferred representative. All elections are by secret ballot and an independent organisation is used to run and validate the elections.
They also oversee the running of the Trust and help us shape future strategy as well as play a role in issues such as communications, diversity and involvement.