This policy aims to protect the integrity of the committee’s
decision-making process, enable others to have confidence in our
integrity, and protect the integrity and reputation of committee
members.
All members of the Committee are
obliged to declare any relevant personal, volunteer, professional or
business interests. The Chair shall be responsible for managing
conflicts of interest. Members may be excluded from considering
specific items they are interested in, which could be viewed as a
conflict of interest. This includes avoiding actual conflicts of
interest and perceiving conflicts of interest.
Examples of conflicts of interest include:
- A member who is also a user, i.e. parent of explorer/scout/cub/beaver, who must decide whether fees should be increased.
- A member who is related to a staff member, and there is a decision to be taken on staff pay and/or conditions.
- A committee member is seeking funding, and a decision has to be made.
- A member who has an interest in a business that may be awarded a contract to do work or provide services for the organisation.
Upon appointment, each committee member will make a full, written
disclosure of interests, such as relationships and posts held, that
could potentially result in a conflict of interest. This written
disclosure will be kept on file and updated as appropriate.
In the case of a conflict of interest arising for a member because of a
duty of loyalty owed to another organisation or person, the unconflicted
members may authorise such a conflict of interest where the following
conditions apply:
- The member who has declared the conflict of interest withdraws from the part of the meeting at which there is discussion of any arrangement or transaction affecting that other organisation or person;
- The member who has a conflict of interest does not vote on any such matter at the meeting;
- The other members who have no conflict of interest in this matter consider it is the charity's interest to authorise the conflict of interest in the circumstances applying.
Any such disclosure and the subsequent actions taken will be noted in the minutes.
This policy is meant to supplement good judgment, and members should respect its spirit and wording.