Old Park Farm Garden Holders Association

This is a draft document and for information purposes at this stage

If you have any comments, please send them to Dave (opfgha.treasurer@gmail.com) or John (opfgha.secretary@gmail.com)

Thank you

Dave

CHAIR

The role of the Chair is to deliver a first class Committee to the Association.  Obviously, this can

only be done with the support of the other Committee members and this reveals the dual nature

of the Chair’s role; it is to act as both servant to and leader of the Committee. Without

ever losing sight of his or her accountability to the Committee, it is essential that the Chair

ensures that leadership is provided to the Committee to successfully accomplish its role, ensuring that the Association’s rules, policies and procedures are followed, and also reviewed, updated and shared.  In addition, the Chair ensures that the Committee focuses on its aims and objectives as identified in the Development Plan agreed by members of the Association.

Executive Authority – The Chair has no executive authority except as delegated by the

Committee.  However, in addition to the routine Chair matters specified below, the

Committee may authorise the Chair to act on its behalf in an emergency, which

action must, if at all possible, be with the knowledge and support of the other officers.

The Chair has the following specific responsibilities:

1. The Committee – Make sure that the Committee fulfils its role of ensuring that the site is

run efficiently and effectively for tenants, in line all the locally agreed policies, procedures and rules as well as legal and local authority tenancy requirements.

• Housekeeping – Ensure that the Committee has agreed a programme of meetings, that

papers are produced to a professional standard and distributed in sufficient time, and

that meetings are held in a convenient and comfortable place without distraction.

• Agenda and Papers – in consultation with the Secretary, prepare the agenda of the

Committee, being sensitive to the wishes of other Committee members without allowing

the agenda to be cluttered with trivial or irrelevant issues. Ensure that the papers are

written and circulated in advance.

•  Chairing – Chair the meetings to a high standard, striking an appropriate balance

between the inclinations of the individuals present and the needs of the society.

• Minutes – Ensure that minutes are produced to a professional standard and circulated

promptly.

• Committee Members – Ensure that all Committee members fulfil their roles as part of a team.
•  Identifying – Ensure that missing skills in the Committee are identified and that suitable

Committee members are found and recruited.

•  Development – Ensure that all Committee members are appropriately inducted and

developed, and that the Committee as a whole has opportunities to learn to improve its

performance.

• Team Building and Co-ordination – Ensure that Committee members in their executive

roles work together effectively and efficiently as a team without unnecessary gaps or

overlaps and without friction.

1. Monitoring – Monitor the performance of Committee members and lead the process of

improving or removing failing Committee members.

SECRETARY

The role of the Secretary is to deal with tenants and manage the allotment site.

1. Plot Letting – In accordance with the Lettings Policy. deal with enquiries for plots, maintain the waiting list, sign up and induct new tenants, issue keys and take deposits (cash to Treasurer).  
2.  Rents – With the Treasurer, issue rent invoices and ensure the rents are collected.
3.  Records – Keep up-to-date records of enquiries, waiting lists, tenants’ contact details

and keys issued and any other information required by the local authority in the annual report and return.

•  Site and Plot Inspections – Organize regular site and plot inspections and report to the

Committee.

• Liaison – Liaise with tenants, deal with complaints and, when necessary, terminate

tenancies when authorized by the Committee.

• Site Rules – Take the lead in monitoring the relevance of the site rules, policies and procedures for tenants, revising them when necessary for Committee and AGM approval.
• Site Maintenance (including Health and safety) – Manage the site maintenance and/or the Site Maintenance Team

TREASURER

The role of the Treasurer is to protect the Association’s financial integrity and assets, monitor the financial affairs of the Association and report on these to the Committee and Statutory Bodies

1. Financial Strategy – Advise the Committee on its long-term financial strategy and planning, and how this impacts on annual budgets
2. Income and Expenditure – Receive all income and pay it into the bank, hold the cheque books and make all payments.
3. Bookkeeping – Write up the income and expenditure, reconcile this with the bank statements, store these records and report financial performance.
4. Budgets – Prepare an annual budget for the Committee’s approval.
5. Operational Oversight – Oversee the finances of trading operations, site maintenance and capital works where these are managed by other people. Monitor the collection of rents and other charges
6. Annual Accounts – Prepare the annual accounts, arrange for their independent inspection or audit if required and present them to the Committee and AGM for approval. Present these to the Statutory Bodies (see below).
7. Financial Systems – Advise the Committee on rules for spending money and monitor that these are observed to minimize the opportunity for negligence, abuse, theft or fraud. ¨

Statutory Bodies

1. Financial Conduct Authority

2. Companies House

3. Nottingham City Council

ORDINARY COMMITTEE MEMBER

Ordinary Committee members support the officers in running the Committee and the site.

1. Attend Committee meetings regularly.
2. Provide input to discussions, including information, ideas and views of their own and other tenants helping to make decisions and communicate those to non Committee members. 
3. Where appropriate, keep discussions confidential but explain agreed decisions as minuted.
4. Represent non Committee members by raising their issues, concerns and ideas  
5. Provide practical support to the Committee, e.g. undertaking delegated tasks such as interviewing potential tenants, participating in plot assessments, working parties, attending external meetings, drafting documents etc.
6. Provide a positive example to other tenants through their behaviour, following Policies and Procedures and  the management of their plots.