The Role of the Charity Secretary

A one-day introduction to the unique responsibilities of the charity secretary. 9am - 4.30pm. Central London.

Next course: 29 January 2020
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If you need any further assistance or advice, please call +44 (0)20 7580 4741 or contact us

Overview

Charity secretaries serve a critical role – but it is easy for newcomers to feel overwhelmed. Trustees. Regulators. Beneficiaries. Each generates their own needs and requirements.

But you are not alone. Kirsty Semple is a Chartered Secretary who has worked with charities for more than ten years. Start on the right foot (or refresh your knowledge) with this concise, practical course.

What you get

By the end of the day you will have:

The confidence to undertake the core duties of the charity secretary
Insight into the relationship with trustees, regulators and beneficiaries
A concise overview of the Charities Act 2006, the Companies Act 2006 and the legal requirements of public benefit
Advice on practical skills like meetings and decision making (see Full Programme)

You will also receive:

A Delegate Pack containing notes and presentation slides
A certificate to show you have attended the course
6 months complimentary professional subscription of the Chartered Governance Institute (see below)
6 hours credit towards your Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Your complimentary 6-month Professional Subscription

We support our attendees long after they complete the course. Your professional subscription includes a subscription to G+C Magazine, as well as access to briefings, discounts and our knowledge base.

Get your copy of Charity Handbook, 4th edition and Charity Checklists, 2nd edition

Delegates to this course get the opportunity to buy the accompanying books. For more info about our books, please visit our book shop.

Programme

Please expand the dropdown to see the course programme timetable and highlights.

9:00 Registration & tea/coffee

9:30 Charities

What is a charity; charitable purposes and public benefit
Charities Act 2006
Different legal forms
Different roles in a charity; beneficiaries; members; trustees and staff
Subsidiaries and branches

The charity constitution

What is it, and what does it contain?
Importance of complying with the constitution
Amending the constitution

11:00 Tea/coffee

11:15 The secretary

Understanding and approaching the role
Annual timetable
Ongoing work and reviews
Reporting lines

The legal framework

Understanding the legal framework
Oversight of obligations
Land and property
Contracts
Seals

12:45 Lunch

13:30 Charity regulation and compliance

The Charity Commission – role and powers
Charities that operate in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Other regulators (e.g. Companies House)
Annual returns, reporting and accounts, and event driven filing
Records, registers and document retention
Names and stationery

Trustees

Recruitment and selection
Duties and liabilities
Benefits and payments; conflicts of interest

15:15 Tea/coffee

15:30 Meetings and decision making

General meetings
Board meetings
Delegation; monitoring and control
Committee meetings
Alternatives to meetings

16:30 Close

Course leader

Kirsty Semple

Kirsty is a Chartered Secretary in Public Practice and director of Semple Associates Ltd, formed in 2001. Specialising in corporate governance and compliance, she has provided consultancy, training and support to the boards of a number of voluntary sector organisations for ten years.

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