The trustees of the ILA set the organisation's policies and oversee its work. Because the ILA is a registered charity, the trustees carry the ultimate responsibility for everything the ILA does.
The board of trustees usually meets every other month and trustees are also involved in occasional committee work and other meetings. They are volunteers and receive no payment for being trustees, except reimbursement of approved out-of-pocket expenses.
In some circumstances it is possible for charities to pay trustees for additional professional work outside their normal trustee duties, provided it complies with Charity Commission rules.
If you are interested in becoming a trustee of the ILA, contact the office and we will arrange for you to meet existing trustees.
Currently the trustees are:
- John Yeats (chairman)
- Margaret Pollexfen (secretary)
- Phillip Wright (treasurer)
- David Barry
- Ray Chandler*
- Liz Hewson
*As well being a trustee, for which no remuneration is paid, Ray Chandler is also contracted to the ILA for certain public relations and communications services, which is paid work.
Job descriptions exist for all board positions, and include the following requirements:
General trustee duties
- Fully support of the aims of the ILA as an organisation run by a majority of disabled people and operating within the social model of disability.
- Participate actively in board meetings and decision-making. This will involve gathering information, sharing it with other trustees and scrutinising relevant documents.
- Strive to ensure that the ILA achieves its aims, in particular by giving strategic direction, setting overall policy, defining goals and measuring performance.
- Help to ensure that the organisation operates within its constitution and policies, and within financial and legal requirements (eg within charity law, employment law etc).
- Jointly appoint the senior chief executive of the ILA and monitor chief executive performance to ensure the efficient and effective running of the organisation.
- Be involved in interview panels and discipline or grievance panels as required.
- Take part in welcoming and inducting new trustees.
- Act in a professional manner when representing and promoting the ILA to other organisations.
General trustee skills
- High level of disability awareness, covering all types of disability and impairment.
- Understanding of the social model of disability.
- Understanding of and support for the concept of independent living.
- Awareness of the issues of unpaid carers.
- Good communication skills.
- Ability to be concise and focus on key issues in meetings.
- Ability to identify information required, phrase questions and reach a view.
- Ability to ask questions and to challenge without attacking others.
- Experience of how organisations, particularly charities, work.
- Understanding of ILA structure (who does what).
- Awareness of ILA constitution and policies.
- Awareness of Charity Commission and other relevant legal requirements and trustee responsibilities.
For information about the legal responsibilities of charity trustees, visit the website of the Charity Commission (or alt.m)
Trustees
