Why have you carried out a review and what did it involve?

In order to achieve our strategic aims of a more effective engagement and awareness raising of social enterprise, the current Board carried out an analysis of our existing governance position.

As a result on 2 December 2008, at the Coalition's annual AGM, the following proposals were passed unanimously:

• It was agreed upon that the Coalition will now have a smaller, more strategic, Board, reducing its 29 members to 12.
• The creation of a larger Council elected by the membership. The Council will be a route through which some Board members are elected and will be a powerful forum that allows the membership to engage with the Coalition more actively to help shape major policy positions and campaigns.
• It was agreed that the Coalition can go forward with a re-classification of our membership to ensure that we continue to reflect the social enterprise movement and accurately represent it at a national level.

 

What has happened as a result of this review?

The governance of the Coalition has now changed. The new Board will consist of 12 members and an elected council of 46 members. This will allow the Board to focus on strategic issues for the Coalition and the council will contribute to the development of policy agenda.

The Board will be made up of 12 members, 10 non-executive and 2 executive directors, and will comprise:

• An independent chair - who must be a social enterprise practitioner
• 6 members - elected from the council - of whom three must be social enterprise practitioners
• 3 members - selected through open advert - of whom two must be social enterprise practitioners
• 2 executive directors - the chief executive and the finance director of the Coalition.

The Council will be made up of 46 members, including the Chair of the Board and will comprise four electoral colleges:

• 23 members - elected from social enterprises
• 12 members - elected from regional and national networks
• 6 members - elected from social enterprise umbrella organisations
• 4 members - elected from partner organisations

 

What is the role of this new Council?

The Council will:

• Inform and advise the Board of issues
• Contribute to the development of the Coalition's policy agenda and reporting from forums and working groups
• Help promote awareness-raising and advocacy campaigns for the Coalition and its members
• Help disseminate the results of policy dialogue to policymakers, practitioners and to wider stakeholders
• Contribute to the formulation of advice to Government

 
How does one get elected to the Council and who gets to vote?

Members wishing to stand for election will be invited to complete a 2-page outline of their suitability as a council member - this will be used as their election material.

All members are eligible to vote for all candidates running in the four different electoral colleges. A first-past-the-post system will be used to determine the winning candidates in all elections. 

 

Will this new structure affect my membership of the Coalition?

No. The new governance structure will allow more members to become actively involved with the Coalition.

 

What happens next - when will the Council be elected, when will the new Board be elected?

We will call for nominations for election to the Council via email. This will allow all members the opportunity to nominate for one of the 4 colleges of the Council - social enterprise, regional and national, umbrella and partnership.

All members will receive electoral papers via post, and once results have been finalised, the Council will convene to elect members to the Board.

 

Who do I contact if have questions and want more information?

Please contact the Coalition's Membership and Services Manager Richard Startari at richard.startari@socialenterprise.org.uk