Lay Trustee Appointments Information for Applicants RC Diocese of Southwark Contact for enquiries Simon Lloyd, Director, NFP Consulting M 07961 988 523 E [email protected] 1 Archdiocese of Southwark Lay Trustee Appointments – Information for Applicants Welcome Thank you for your interest in joining my trustee colleagues and I in the important work that the Board does in the management of the Archdiocese. These are new and important appointments as we seek to deliver on our commitments to the parishes, the communities, the families and the individuals we serve. Lay trustees will have been appointed through an open, objective and fair process in accordance with Charity Commission guidance. It is the first time in our history that we are making lay appointments to the Board, but we recognise that a broad range of skills and expertise will strengthen our governance considerably. Our ultimate purpose is the Proclamation of the Gospel in today’s world and the messages of hope that it brings. The proper and efficient management of our finances, assets and resources makes this possible and underpins our spiritual work. Our financial systems are incredibly complex and they require us to take a careful and astute approach to their stewardship. Of course stewardship goes beyond money; you will have experience in corporate governance, best practice in management and in the specific challenges faced by organisations such as ours. The Diocese is not immune from the political and economic challenges of modern times and this demands of us that we look afresh at how we do things and that we make sure that what we do represents the very best use of the resources that we have available. My trustees and I are seeking to appoint up to four lay trustees who can join with us in our endeavours and apply their efforts and expertise to the worthwhile and vital work that we are engaged in. I look forward to hearing from you. The Very Reverend Peter Smith Archbishop of Southwark 2 Archdiocese of Southwark Lay Trustee Appointments – Information for Applicants Lay Trustees x 4 £ Unremunerated, expenses paid London, Lambeth North The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark covers the geographical area of the whole of London south of the Thames, all of Kent and the eastern parts of Surrey. With currently 180 parishes, 171 schools and 450 employees it is one of the largest dioceses in the UK. The Diocese Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) is run by a Board of Trustees, who are responsible for determining the strategic direction of the Diocese, management of the assets, the smooth running of the day-to-day administration and the legal discharge of its responsibilities. It is the first time that lay trustees are to be appointed to the Board and it reflects both the need and the desire to have the range of skills and expertise brought to bear for the management of what is in practice a hugely complex operation with a multiplicity of stakeholder accountabilities. The responsibilities of the Board cover the day-to-day operation, including legal and fair employment, as well as guiding the Diocese on investments, acquisition, disposal and major capital projects. The Diocese is seeking to secure the appointment of individuals with the following skillsets: Governance / Finance Legal Property Safeguarding Experience within the education sector may be helpful. It will be important that candidates are able to demonstrate an understanding of the accountabilities of the Diocese as a charity and an appreciation for its spiritual and pastoral role in the lives of the people and communities it serves. It is essential that Lay Trustees are able to demonstrate a highly credible level of understanding of the beliefs, structures and traditions that underpin the work of the Catholic Church in the UK. How to apply Application is by way CV initially. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact: Simon Lloyd, Director, on 07961 988 523 or email [email protected] Interviews are scheduled for 27th September. 3 Archdiocese of Southwark Lay Trustee Appointments – Information for Applicants About the Diocese The Diocese covers the whole of Greater London south of the Thames and all of Kent. We currently have 180 parishes across 20 deaneries and 171 schools. In addition we have the following agencies: Centre for Catholic Formation – based in Tooting Bec Education Commission – based in Orpington Marriage Tribunal – based in Westminster Bridge Road, London Safeguarding – based in Westminster Bridge Road, London Youth Service – based in Whitstable We employ around 450 staff, mainly in part time roles. The current challenges The present economic climate is a difficult one for the Diocese. The very low rates of interest available on bank deposits have had a very significant adverse impact on income levels in recent years. At the same time financial markets remain volatile. The trustees therefore need to balance readily accessible funds to meet cash flow requirements whilst endeavouring to ensure that the capital base of the Diocese is protected. At 31 December 2014, the total net assets of the Diocese stood at £81.5m. Of this £38m consists of fixed assets in the form of Churches and other property required for the purposes of the Church, without which the work of the Church could not continue. Investments, at £33.7mamount to approximately 12 months' expenditure, a level consistent with the Trustees' policy of holding one to two years' expenditure in reserve. It has been prudent for the Diocese to hold reserves in the form of immediately available cash, because of the risk factors in building works. It is very difficult for our charity to get major financing of building projects, and so sufficient sums have to be accumulated from parish collections and other sources before there is any commitment to building. Central Diocesan funds had net current assets of £2.54m compared to £1.38m at the end of 2013. The net current assets of parishes represent an average of around £40,000 per parish. Download our latest Accounts Our commitments and plans for the future The Diocese will continue to maintain and develop both networks of schools and parishes in accordance with existing policies. We will aim to preserve the character and longevity of our schools, increasingly through academy status as national policy develops in that direction. For more information, please visit The Education Commission website: http://www.educationcommission.org.uk/ With the parishes over the next few years we expect to see some more amalgamations and reductions in active clergy. We are continuing to review the impact that this will have on Diocesan resources both pastoral and financial. 4 Archdiocese of Southwark Lay Trustee Appointments – Information for Applicants Governance Structure Board of Trustees Council of Priests Standing Committees* Financial The Parishes Secretary Finance Education Safeguarding Justice and Peace Diocesan Marriage Tribunal Office Youth Service Centre for Catholic Formation *Some are Commissions or have additional specialist support 5 Archdiocese of Southwark Lay Trustee Appointments – Information for Applicants The Role of the Lay Trustee Being a Trustee of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Southwark includes all the general duties and responsibilities as outlined in The Essential Trustee guidance issued by The Charity Commission of England and Wales. Download an extract of the General Requirements of Trustees. Download the Full Guidance The Roman Catholic Diocese of Southwark is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). This charitable structure places specific demands on trustees in terms of regulations, accounting and reporting. The Trustees shall manage the affairs of the CIO and may for that purpose exercise all the powers of the CIO with the approval of the Archbishop. Rules and Regulation In addition to the General Requirements of Trustees, a number of other points apply in this instance: Lay trustees will work alongside clerical trustees Trustee meetings will take place at least once a quarter. Lay trustees must attend a minimum of 3 meetings a year. In year 1 there will be additional induction and planning meetings. Lay trustees will have been appointed, in part, because they hold a particular skill or type of experience (e.g. legal, property, safeguarding, etc). It is an express term of being a lay trustee that if called upon to do so, the trustee with the appropriate experience, will represent the Diocese as an expert witness or some other expert way in legal proceedings or other official or professional hearing/presentation. Given the nature of the organisation lay trustees will need to give due consideration to the particular issues which arise because of its’ religious nature. To be available to give advice on an ad hoc basis. To play an active role in the development of the Diocese within the community it supports 1. Lay Trustee Selection Process Lay trustees can be nominated from various sources and/or can apply to advertised positions. When the Diocese requires any new lay trustees they will, as a minimum, advertise their requirements on the Diocesan website and through the parish network. 6 Archdiocese of Southwark Lay Trustee Appointments – Information for Applicants As a general rule the Diocese will be looking for lay trustees with specific areas of expertise such as finance, property, safeguarding and governance. Any specific requirements will be stated in the advertisement. In addition, the lay trustees