Appendix 3: Levels of Delegated Authority for Executive Officers First created: October 2015 executive committee meeting, approved at AGM in October 2016 Purpose of document The purpose of this document is to set out the levels of delegated authority which is conferred to individual members of the executive committee. The objective is to try and strike the best balance between individual freedoms to carry out a trustee’s duty, whilst ensuring the principles of good governance. Description The following guidance sets out under which circumstances an executive committee member may make a decision independently, and under what circumstances the decision may only be made at Executive Committee level. Executive committee members are expected to inform the rest of the members, either via email, or formally through an executive committee meeting. This ensures that all trustees are aware of what has been agreed, and the decision can be logged by the Club Secretary. Executive committee members, should they wish to seek additional guidance and counsel from their colleagues, may put an item through as an executive decision even if they may be authorised to make it themselves. However, in the interests of efficiency, this should generally be avoided. In a limited number of circumstances, additional approvals may be required. Type of decision What an individual executive committee member can authorise themselves What must be authorised through a board meeting Additional requirements Financial or commercial Note: The guidelines for financial or commercial levels of delegated authority are supplemented by the club’s documented financial controls. Where these are contradictory, the financial controls take precedence. Any regular payment required for the smooth running of the club, provided it is not being made to another trustee or a person connected to them for goods and services Payments or transfers of cash required in order to enter crews for regattas and events Treasurer only: Urgent amendment of any policy or procedure as a reactive measure against any legislative changes or unforeseen issue which would put the financial security of the club at risk Any capital expenditure over the level of £500 that would not normally be made as part of the day to day running of the club Any contract that we sign with another organisational where there is a formal agreement for Leeds Rowing Club or one of its Trustees involving either services, responsibilities, or payments Any payment that is being made to a trustee or a person connected to a trustee for goods and services(1) Any decision that would require an amendment to the constitution, the executive committee Terms of Reference, or any annex/appendix of the Leeds Rowing Club constitution
Risk Any decision that is line with agreed mitigation plans on the club’s corporate risk register or British Rowing risk assessment Secretary and chair only: objective amendment, initial estimation/scoring, and restatement/rescoring of risks as and when they emerge or change, following any breaking news events or liaisons with British Rowing, Leeds City Council the Charity Commission or any other governing/legislative body Any decision that would be contradictory to, or increase the mitigated risk score (2) of a known risk on the corporate risk register Any decision that is contradictory to risk management plans agreed with British Rowing as part of a water safety assessment Any decision that could reasonably be construed as raising an issue relating to conflict of interest Any written commitments of the club (even if unsigned) relating to the conduct of the club if that document could reasonably be obtained and used to hold the club to account by British Rowing, Leeds City Council the Charity Commission or any other governing/legislative body Process and procedure Director of Rowing only: Routine changes to boathouse management, boat configuration, training schedules, strategic training plans and any other operational decisions provided they do not trigger any other clauses in the preceding sections Anything that directly contradicts a previous board decision Any policy or procedural change that, whilst has no overall net effect on the club, may affect the individual contributions of club members Changes that have an impact upon boat repair or repairing facilities should be made in consultation with any parties who assist Leeds Rowing Club with boat maintenance Footnotes: In line with CC29, the executive committee has a responsibility to manage conflicts of interest, ensuring that it acts only in the best interest of the charity. In the corporate risk register, risks have an unmitigated and a mitigated risk factor, graded from 1 to 10. The overall score is calculated by multiplying probability and impact. Any decision that increases either the mitigated possibility or the mitigated impact (even if one goes up, the other goes down, and the overall score is lower) must be taken at the executive level as this may impact or influence the decision that is taken.