Every member of a committee has an important role to play and a contribution to make. However, there are some key posts or offices which need to be filled to ensure the committee can operate effectively:
The Chair
The role of the Chair is first and foremost to be the figurehead of a group and to control the meetings.
Sometimes the Chair takes on so much responsibility that the power of the group shifts towards the Chair and away from the whole group. It is up to other members of the group to make sure that they do not let this happen. It is too easy to sit back and let one person do everything.
Role of the Chair
| What the Chair should do | What the chair should NOT do |
|---|
| Draw up an agenda, with the Secretary |
Hog the meeting |
| Ensure the venue is suitable - local, accessible, loop system, childcare etc. |
Allow people to talk amongst each other |
| Start the meeting on time, follow the agenda, summarise decisions and create action points |
Let people move away from the agenda items |
| Ensures everyone gets a chance to speak |
Allow people to talk at once or over each other |
| Make sure the purpose of the meeting is achieved and members know what is expected of them as a result |
Allow people to dominate any discussion |
| Ensuring the meeting keeps time |
|
Qualities of a good Chair
- Organised
- Confident
- Assertive, but not aggressive
- A good listener
- Firm, but fair minded
- Encouraging
- Committed
- Positive
- Self-disciplined, but flexible
- Objective
- Familiar with procedures
Other tasks carried out by the Chair
- Making sure that the group makes clear priorities
- Acts as its main spokesperson and represent the group outside
- Makes urgent decisions between meetings
- Making sure that meetings are conducted properly
- Controlling the discussion without doing all the talking
- Dealing effectively with problem situations and people.
The Secretary
The Secretary’s primary role is to keep people informed so that they feel involved and able to join in with what the group does.
The secretary also:
- Types up and distributes the minutes of meetings
- Keeps an up-to-date contact list of members
- Keeps a record of contact details for possible guest speakers
- Writes letters on behalf of the group
- Help the Chair draw up an agenda
- Makes sure that items from previous meeting have been followed up
- Let’s people know when and where the next meeting is
- Invites speakers to attend the meeting, making clear what they are being asked to speak about
- Writing and receiving letters on behalf of the group
- Keeping members informed of all correspondence sent out or received.
Some groups have a different Secretary for different roles such as Minutes Secretary, a Correspondence Secretary and/or a Membership Secretary. It just depends on the size of your group, the amount of time people have available, the skills people have and what people like doing.
The Treasurer
The position of Treasurer can sometimes be the hardest position to fill, as the issue of funds can be sensitive and daunting for some people.
The primary role of the Treasurer is to keep an eye on the money and to look after the finances for the group. This includes:
- Keeping accurate financial records
- Paying the bills and collect receipts
- Keeping group members informed of the financial situation
- Enter income/expenditure in a ledger
- Prepare financial statements for meetings
- Prepare accounts for inspection at the Annual General Meeting
- Collect the subscriptions, if applicable
- Bank cheques and cash.
The responsibility for the group’s finances should not totally fall on one person. The finances of a group should be open, honest and transparent. To shift some of the responsibility from the Treasurer, it is essential that the Treasurer has the opportunity to report on the finances at every meeting. This way there can be no suggestion of wrongdoing as everyone is kept up to date. The Treasurer should take the accounts to each meeting so people can look at them if they wish. Ensure bank statements are filed and kept safe in date order.
If the above is followed there will be no arguing or accusations of abuse of funds. It will also be easier to plan for future spending.
Committee Member
Committee Members are sometimes seen as unimportant, because they do not have a specific role. It is important to remember that there are generally more Committee Members on a group than there are all the other positions put together.
The role of Committee Member is to support everyone else. It may be that they cannot give enough time to hold a specific position, but they want to help when they can.
If you think of a whole committee as blocks in a pyramid, typically the Committee Members will be on the bottom row. If there are no Committee Members supporting the rest of the group, the whole thing will collapse. Committee Members are just as important as the Chair.