ALCOHOL RESEARCH UK
FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE
TERMS OF REFERENCE
1. Overall Purpose of the Committee
Alcohol Research UK’s Finance and General Purposes Committee is tier of management below
the board of Trustees.
The Committee has been established by the board to maintain an overview of, and to provide
advice to it, regarding the financial and administrative affairs of the charity.
The Committee provides regular reports to the board on these matters and makes
recommendations for any changes that need to be made to policy and procedure. From time-totime, the board will give the Committee full delegated authority to make decisions on its behalf
and such delegation will be recorded in the minutes of board meetings. Such decisions must be
ratified by the Chair of the board.
2. Remit
Specifically, the Committee is responsible for:
a) safeguarding charity funds and ensuring propriety, efficiency and effectiveness in their use;
b) overseeing the appointment of investment managers and ensuring that funds are invested
effectively;
c) ensuring that financial reports and management accounts are accurate and adequate and
provide a good basis for financial planning;
d) ensuring that internal financial records and controls are adequate;
e) providing the board with draft annual budgets for its consideration;
f) reviewing on-going expenditure against budgets, viring funds between heads as necessary
and authorising additional expenditure (outside of agreed budgets) up to a maximum of
£5,000 per occasion;
g) advising the board with respect to the appointment, remuneration and terms and conditions
of service of staff
h) advising the board, Scrutiny and Review Committee and Grants Advisory Panel with the
respect to the financial efficiency of grant making
i)
ensuring that proper risk management is in place
2. Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference for the Finance and General Purposes Committee are:
a) trustees with relevant skills or knowledge (e.g. finance, administration, HR, charity law) will
be invited to join the Committee for the duration of their tenure as a trustee
b) no-one who is not a trustee may join the Committee, although non-trustees may be invited
to attend and/ or contribute to meetings in an advisory capacity. Senior staff will be
expected to attend meetings in an advisory capacity
c) membership of the Committee must be ratified by the board
d) a quorum shall be three
e) the Committee may delegate activities to individual members or to working groups of
members, provided that the extent of this delegation is made clear to the Committee
members concerned and that it is minuted properly
f) the chair will be elected by majority vote. The chair will be someone with a high level of
financial expertise and will be proposed to the board for appointment as Alcohol Research
UK treasurer.
g) all decisions will be made by a majority vote and in instances of there being no majority, the
chair will have the casting vote
h) the Committee will meet at least twice a year. At least one meeting will take place in
February or March each year, in order to propose budgets for the forthcoming financial
year. Virtual meetings may be held via phone or email at any time. The quorum rule will still
apply and, normally, at least 5 working days will be allowed from the start to the conclusion
of email meetings, in order to allow an adequate opportunity for all Committee members to
take part. Discussions and decisions made via phone or email will be minuted
i)
Committee members will be expected to attend at least 50% of “physical” meetings, unless
they are able to give good reason for not attending
j) an ‘emergency’ physical meeting of the Committee can be called at any time at the request
of the Committee chair, Alcohol Research UK chair or Chief Executive. At least 48 hours
notice must be given and the quorum rule will still apply
k) the chair of the Committee (or, in their absence, the Chief Executive) will report proceedings
to full board meetings
l)
members being aware that an item is contentious should advise the chair or a staff
representative in advance of the meeting
m) members of the Committee will abide by relevant policies, such as Equal Opportunities,
Guidance on Conflicts of Interest and Declaration of Gifts and Hospitality