The role and duties of ALT's Trustees

1. The general duties as the Trustee of a charity like ALT are to:

• ensure that the organization complies with its governing documents, charity and company law and other relevant legislation or regulations;
• ensure that the organization pursues its objects as defined in its governing document;
• ensure that the organization applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects;
• give firm strategic direction to the organization; setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets;
• safeguard the good name and ethos of the organization;
• ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organization;
• appoint the chief executive officer and monitor his/her performance.

2. Specific activities of Trustees in ALT include:

• attending meetings of the Central Executive Committee (normally three per year);
• participating in policy discussions and the production of consultation responses;
• contributing to the drafting and monitoring of the three year ALT strategy;
• chairing sub-committees of ALT (currently Membership Services, Publications, Research, and Further Education Committee) or task groups which are set up from time to time.
• helping to promote the Association.

3. Nominees for Trustee Positions should be aware of the following points:

1. Trustees in ALT personally hold legal and financial responsibilities on behalf of the charity.
2. Trustees are governed by English Law as it relates to Charity Trustees and work in line with the Charity Commission Guidelines (see http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/)
3. ALT’s permanent staff are appointed into the employ of Oxford Brookes University so the Trustees do not hold direct responsibility as an employer.
4. ALT provides indemnity insurance for its Trustees, in keeping with good practice for the management of charities.

This is a web-based version - with minor edits only - of the document approved by ALT's Trustees in April 2006.