Membership and Chair

Up to eighteen people (plus a national treasurer if not otherwise elected) who are members of IWA.  Trustees are both trustees under the Charities Acts and directors under the Companies Acts, as IWA is a company limited by guarantee.  The trustees appoint one of their members as chair (who remains in office as chair until the start of the meeting of trustees following the next AGM).  This person is known as IWA’s national chair.

Term of office

Three years following the AGM at which they are elected.  The appointment or reappointment of trustees is at the recommendation of the trustees, subject to confirmation by the members at the AGM.  Maximum period of office is four terms before a compulsory break of at least one year.

Frequency of meetings

Trustees usually about six to eight times each year, with the majority of meetings by video conference call and a couple in-person.

Right of attendance at meetings

Only trustees have the right to attend trustees’ meetings.  The company secretary is expected to attend and the trustees may, as they consider appropriate, invite other people to attend in order to ensure that appropriate skills, expertise and knowledge are available.  There is currently a standing invitation for non-trustee chairs of national committees and region chairs to attend.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Overall responsibility for the running of IWA including succession planning.
• Setting IWA’s strategic objectives.
• Monitoring the achievement of strategic objectives.
• Monitoring the performance of IWA and its subsidiary companies.
• Agreeing policy.
• Approval of Annual Report and Financial Statements.
• Approval of Budgets.
• Determining the level of powers to be delegated.
• Acceptance of national committee and subsidiary company minutes.
• Oversight of the Chesham office.
• Compliance with Charity and Companies Acts, and other legislation.
• Appointment of the members of national committees.
• Appointment of directors of subsidiary companies
• Liaison with subsidiary companies on strategy.
• Review and ownership of the Risk Register

Reporting to

Trustees report to members and ensure that their decisions and requirements are appropriately communicated throughout IWA.

Reporting from

• Navigation Committee
• Finance Committee
• Waterway Recovery Group
• Remuneration Committee
• The Restoration Hub High Level Panel
• Other national committees and panels
• Senior employees

Other   

The Trustee Board may obtain such external advice as it considers is required to discharge its responsibilities.

Minutes should be produced within a maximum of 21 days of meetings, but with the aim of producing them within 10 days