Ultimately, it is the Board of Trustees that is responsible for ensuring the Hall which is set up as a charity has the right policies, and that these are being complied with. That includes ensuring that trustees are aware of their responsibilities and the board has any policies it needs to ensure it governs itself well.

Trustee Responsibilities & Duties

Trustees have the following six main responsibilities:

To ensure the charity is carrying out its purposes for public benefit.

To ensure that the organisation works in line with the governing document

To ensure the staff and Trustees are accountable for their actions

To act in the best interest of the Hall its clients and its community

To manage any resources responsibly

To act with care and skill to ensure the health and safety of users

Governance and Operation of the Board

The governance document for the charity was set up on 22nd April 1924 when the Trust was established to manage the Hall for the use of the Billingshurst community.

The Deed of Trust states that it should be ‘used in perpetuity as a place or recreation, education and social intercourse and as a place for meetings connected with women’s institutes, mother’s unions, child welfare and other subjects and matters affecting the moral or social welfare of women and their families’. The Trustees were also given powers to extend and develop the hall to meet the needs of the time.

The governance of the Hall and wider site has developed over the years and although its name remains, the hall is now used for all sections of the community but is still rooted in its original purpose as a place of recreation, education and social interaction for its local community.

The current governance arrangements are:

The Board of Trustees has a Chair and a Treasurer and one of the trustees acts as the company secretary.

The Trustees manage the business through a monthly meeting where they are also joined by the caretaker of the Hall for the majority of discussions.

The Chair or their representative carry out an inspection of the hall and site as a minimum on a monthly basis and the report of the inspection/s is/are presented to the monthly meeting of the Board.

An Issues log is available in the Hall for the use of any users and issues raised are reported to the board and action taken if they have not been able to be resolved immediately.

The caretaker inspects the site and the playground on a daily basis and reports any issues requiring resolution to the Chair of the Board in an ongoing way. A record of the playground inspections are kept by the caretaker and the record is presented to the Chair for ratification or action at the monthly meeting.

Any complaint or whistle-blowing issue should be reported to the Chair in the first instance who will involve other Trustees in accordance with the complaints and whistle-blowing policy.

Trustees must act in the best interest of the charity at all times and any trustee who may not be able to do so because of a relationship outside the board will be excluded from discussions and associated decision making and this will be recorded in the minutes. Generally, a potential conflict of interest will occur when a board member has a connection to another organisation or person that the charity has a financial, or other working arrangement with.

Policies and Procedures

The Trust Board ensures that we have effective policies and procedures, to meet our needs, and these are reviewed regularly, with key policies approved by the Board.

Policy requirements are communicated through this policy summary which is available on the Website and policies are also integrated into hirer agreements for users. Policies are also made available to others who may need to know this, such as users, volunteers, beneficiaries, contractors and the public.

Our organisational policies are clear, understandable and applied pragmatically to ensure they do not create unnecessary work or prevent us from getting the job done.

Health & Safety Policy

The Women’s Hall does not have more than five employees and thus is not required to have a written Health and Safety at work policy. However, we do have a policy for managing health and safety which sets out our general approach to health and safety and explains how we manage health and safety, who is responsible for what and what is expected of our users.

We expect all users who employ staff to have their own Health and Safety policy and if they have more than five employees they should have a written policy for Health and Safety at Work. They are asked for confirmation of this as part of the booking process.

We do have a Women’s Hall Health and Safety Policy which identifies our process for ensuring that the site is safe and the responsibilities and procedures that are in place to ensure that is the case.

Safeguarding Policy

The Charity does not of itself work with children or vulnerable adults but some of its users do and thus should have their own safeguarding policy which we ask for confirmation about during the booking process. The policies should identify how they will:

Protect people from harm.

Make sure people can raise safeguarding concerns.

Handle allegations or incidents.

Respond, including reporting to the relevant authorities.

We do have a Women’s Hall Child Protection Policy which is available to all users of the Hall which identifies our expectations of users and how we would behave if alerted to an issue arising on the site.

Whistleblowing

The Women’s Hall has a Women’s Hall Whistleblowing policy (Public Disclosure Act), with the whistleblowing contact details available to all users. As the Women’s Hall is not a significant employer the whistle-blowing and complaints policy use the same procedure. It is also expected that users also have their own whistleblowing policy. They are asked for confirmation of this as part of the booking process.

Food Handling Policy

Although the Hall has a kitchen it does not process or handle food itself. We accept that it is an offence to supply food that is unsafe or harmful. Even if it’s just a one-off event we, therefore, endeavour to ensure that those who use the Hall:

Keep themselves and the working area clean and wear suitable, clean protective clothing.

Store, prepare and display food at safe temperatures.

Do everything possible to protect food from contamination.

We do not have a specific policy ourselves on this area apart from the above and our expectation of any user of the Hall for an activity which supplies food is to be registered and approved to do so. This is stated as part of the booking process.

Employment Policy

A written statement of employment is given to staff and contains terms of employment and refers to disciplinary rules and procedures. The duties of the postholder/s are set out clearly and reviewed on an annual basis or more frequently if required.

The trustees ensure that HR procedures are applied in a consistent and fair way, and without avoiding addressing issues or unreasonably delaying the process.

The current situation is that the caretaker is the only employee of the charity and he is line managed by the Chair on behalf of the Board of Trustees.

All tasks outside the expectations of postholders are agreed by Trustees and commissioned to external contractors in line with the finance policy. External contractors will be supervised by the caretaker and will be responsible for their own employment policies and insurance.

Charity Finance And Reserves Policies

The funding for the Women’s Hall comes from the fees for the hiring of the space and also from bids to funding agencies when these funding streams meet the needs of the charity.

The Hall has its own finance policy The Women’s Hall Finance Policy, which also contains its reserves policy to ensure we maintain adequate free reserves to enable us to manage any reasonably foreseeable contingency.

Our policy sets out:

How much our charity needs to hold in reserve and why.

When our charity’s reserves can be spent.

How frequently the reserves policy will be reviewed.

The revenue and reserves are reported to the Trustees at every meeting and decisions are taken on the basis of the information presented. The Treasurer implements systems and regular checks to safeguard cash and other assets, including in areas such as cash handling, banking, claiming expenses and online fraud.

The Board of Trustees is required to authorise the opening or closing of any bank, deposit or other account. There is not a single person with access, substantial payments require 2 signatures or full board authorisation and the bank account is reconciled on a monthly basis.

Risk Management Policy

There is an effective risk register and Trustees monitor risks at their monthly meetings with a formal annual review to ensure these are implemented consistently across the organisation. Women’s Hall Risk Register.

Data Protection Policy

The charity holds information about the Trustees which is a matter of public record and available on the Charity Commission’s website. It does not hold information about those who book the hall beyond the time of their booking. Information submitted by individuals when booking the Hall is only used for that booking and data is not retained or passed to any other organisation.

Environmental Policy

The Trustees have a strong commitment to the local community and to the wider local and global environment and so although there is no requirement to have an environmental policy it has developed a Women’s Hall Environmental Policy to demonstrate this commitment. The Hall is located in a conservation area and has been identified by the Parish Council as a building of local significance and thus takes its responsibilities seriously in this regard.

If any user or stakeholder would like to see the policies identified on this summary sheet they should contact the Secretary of the Women’s Hall Trustees at billingshurstwomenshall@gmail.com

To be activated in the event of Fire, Bomb Threat or Utility Failure.

The Hirer is deemed to be the responsible person to activate this plan and shall be on the premises for the duration of the hire period.

The postcode address of these premises is:- The Women’s Hall, 81 The High Street, Billingshurst, RH14 9QX

The Hirer must consider how to contact the emergency services when carrying out the event risk assessment prior to the commencement of the hire period. The emergency services can be contacted from a personal mobile (if there is sufficient signal) or by speaking to the caretaker if available or the homeowner in the immediate vicinity.

MUSTER POINT: The front of the Hall

This plan contains:

1. Responsibility of Hirer if an emergency is declared

2. How to warn event attendees of the emergency

3. Persons responsible for summoning the emergency services

4. Evacuation procedure

5. Identification of vulnerable persons and those especially at risk and their evacuation arrangements

6. Identify organisers with special duties such as Fire Marshals

7. Identify the Fire Assembly Point

8. Liaising with the emergency response co-ordinator on arrival and notifying of significant risks

9. The shutdown of equipment or power supplies that require isolation

10. Training that may be required by event organisers and their helpers

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1. Responsibility of Hirer if an emergency is declared

In the event of an emergency as specified on the front cover of this document the hirer, who is designated as the ‘Responsible Person’ shall implement the Emergency Action Plan, using any additional control measures identified on their event risk assessment.

They must ensure:

I. That the alarm is sounded, by operating a call point if necessary or shout “fire” in the event of a system failure.

II. Ensure fire marshals direct all occupants to the safe exits and inform them to congregate in the area of the large swings in the Mothers Garden.

III. Nominate an individual to contact the required emergency service and liaise with the Officer in charge when they arrive.

IV. Fight any fire if trained and it is safe to do so.

V. Conduct a roll call of persons attending the event.

VI. Ensure key helpers have a clear understanding of their role and provide instruction if required.

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2. How to warn event attendees of an emergency

This is a small site and thus use of the fire alarms is the best way to do this.

Individuals may activate the Fire Alarm System by operating the call point adjacent to any emergency exit. The fire alarm is an instruction to all occupants to evacuate the building without delay.

In the event of accidental activation, the responsible person should reset the call point using the provided key and follow the fire panel reset procedure as required.

Report all incidents to the caretaker.

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3. Persons responsible for summoning the emergency services

The nominated person should provide:

I. The name of the building – THE WOMEN’S HALL

II. The postal address – 81 The High Street, Billingshurst, RH14 9QX

III. The telephone number being used

IV. Brief details of the incident

V. Location description and access notes

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4. Evacuation procedure

Make your way to the nearest fire exit and proceed calmly to the assembly point in the playground near the large swings.

Do not re-enter the building until authorised by the emergency services.

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5. Vulnerable persons

Consideration must be given to mobility, hearing, or sight-impaired persons, including children, wheelchair users, and elderly persons. Assisted evacuation may be required.

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6. Fire Marshals

A maximum of 120 persons are permitted in the building at any one time. Two fire marshals or stewards should be nominated per 100 people.

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7. Fire Assembly Point

The designated assembly point is in the playground adjacent to the large swings. A roll call must be completed by the event organiser.

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8. Liaising with emergency services

The nominated person must meet the senior officer on arrival and provide all relevant incident information and site knowledge.

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9. Shutdown of equipment

Directions to the power isolation point at the back of the stage must be provided if required.

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10. Training

The responsible person must ensure appropriate training is in place for themselves and any persons with special duties.

The Billingshurst Women’s Hall is set up as a Charity and is registered as such with the Charities Commission Charity No: 208927. The hall was gifted to the women of Billingshurst in 1923 by two sisters who lived in the village to provide a safe space for women to meet. Over time the hall and wider site has extended its remit to be available for all sectors of the community.

Funding for the upkeep of the Hall comes from the fees from hiring out the space which provides non-designated funding which is used to invest in the maintenance and upkeep of the facility. The Trustees also make bids for funding for improvements to the facility from funding agencies when these funding streams meet the needs of the charity. Any funds secured in this way will be designated for the defined purpose for which the bid will be made.

The Women’s Hall is governed by a group of Trustees who are all volunteers. There is a Chair with overall accountability for the work of the Charity and a Treasurer who is responsible for the appropriate and accountable use of the funding. All Trustees are involved in decisions about income and expenditure and key decisions are made at their monthly meetings.

The following processes are used to manage the finances associated with the hall and the site:

1. The trustees will manage the assets of the charity in accordance with the Women’s Hall Trust Deed dated 22nd April 1924.

2. The trustees will insure the Trust Property with a reputable Insurance Company on an ‘All Risks’ basis for its full rebuild value; the sums insured shall be reviewed at each policy renewal.

3. Financial records will be kept to ensure that The Women’s Hall meets its legal and other obligations under Charity Law, Revenue and Customs and common law with income and expenditure reported to Trustees on a monthly basis.

4. The financial year ends at the end of December and accounts for each financial year are drawn up by the treasurer and approved by the Trustees prior to being presented to the independent auditor.

5. The accounts will be independently examined by an auditor or examiner of accounts appointed by the AGM before being submitted to the Charity Commission.

6. The trustees monitor financial performance at every meeting.

7. All funds are held in accounts in the name of The Women’s Hall at such banks and on such terms as the trustees shall decide. The Full Board is required to authorise the opening and closing of bank accounts. All cheques and transfer documents shall require the signatures of two trustees authorised by minute of a Committee Meeting.

8. The treasurer shall present a financial report to every meeting of the trustees: the format and content of the report to be decided by the trustees.

9. All expenditure shall be properly authorised and documented; all income shall be paid into the bank without delay.

Financial Procedures

1) Financial Records

The following records shall be kept up to date by the treasurer:

a) A cashbook analysing all the transactions in the Women’s Hall bank accounts.

2) Payment Procedure

a) The treasurer will be responsible for holding the cheque book (unused and partly used cheque books) which should be kept under lock and key.

b) Blank cheques will never be pre-signed.

c) The relevant payee’s name will always be inserted on the cheque before signature and the cheque stub will always be properly completed.

d) No cheques should be signed without original documentation (see below).

e) BACS payments will be made to contractors on the basis of the estimates agreed and approved at the Trustees meeting. Variations of 10% or more will be represented to the full Board for approval before payment.

3) Income Procedure

a) All income will be paid into the bank without deduction.

b) Cash is to be counted by the treasurer and placed in a bag with a pay-in slip showing source, date, and amount collected; the cash shall be handed to the Bank who should count the cash in the presence of the treasurer and confirm the amount.

c) Hiring agreement forms showing conditions of hire, date, purpose of hire, the rate per hour if applicable and total due must be signed by the hirer on booking and the deposit paid. The hirer will pay the outstanding balance, at the time of collecting the keys, to the Caretaker, who will account for the income and notify the treasurer on a monthly basis.

4) Payment Documentation

a) Every payment out of the bank accounts will be evidenced by an original invoice. The cheque signatories should ensure that the invoice is referenced with Cheque number, Date cheque drawn and Amount of cheque.

b) Petty cash. There will be a clear trail to show the authority and reason for EVERY such payment.

c) All payments for services will be authorised by the Trustees at their meeting and shall be minuted. Any significant expenditure (over £100) to be required between meetings will be authorised by a Trustee over e-mail and records kept.

d) Petty cash, for ongoing replaceable materials, will be maintained on the system whereby the Caretaker is entrusted with a float as agreed by the Trustees and will account for expenditure at monthly meetings.

e) Expenses/allowances. Women’s Hall Treasurer will, if asked, reimburse expenditure paid for personally by the caretaker or trustees on behalf of the charity as incurred, providing it is evidenced by original receipts and no cheque signatory signs for the payment of expenses to themselves.

5) Revenue and Reserves

a) The Women’s Hall funds will all be spent on the upkeep and improvement of the facilities to meet its original purpose of providing a community facility for local people.

b) The Trustees will hold a small reserve to enable them to manage any reasonably foreseeable contingency.

c) A reserve of three months operating cost has been set as a requirement. This would enable staff and suppliers to be paid and deposits and pre-payments to be returned to those involved in using the hall if for any reason the hall had to cease hiring the facilities.

d) The revenue and reserves are reported to Trustees on a monthly basis and income and expenditure monitored and managed.

March 2023

This charity code of conduct applies to all trustees, other volunteers, employees, contractors, and third-party representatives of [Charity Name] (the “Charity”). Its requirements should be reflected in other policies and procedures, agreements and contracts, as necessary.

Staff & Volunteer Code of Conduct

You must:

Act with integrity and honesty.

Ensure that you are aware of and comply with the charity’s policies.

Undertake any necessary training for your role.

Listen to and respect other staff, volunteers, beneficiaries and other stakeholders.

Promote relationships that are based on openness, honesty, trust and respect.

Treat everyone fairly and without prejudice or discrimination.

Ensure language is appropriate and not offensive or discriminatory.

Ensure any equipment is used safely and for its intended purpose.

Challenge any unacceptable behaviour and report any breaches of this Code of Conduct or any concerns without delay to a trustee.

Report any allegations/suspicions of abuse or fraud.

Respect everyone’s right to personal privacy and ensure that any personal information is kept secure and not disclosed.

Volunteers are not obligated to work at specific times, but if you commit to doing something and are unable to, ensure that the charity is made aware as soon as possible.

Staff & Volunteer Code of Conduct cont’d

You must not:

Allow concerns or allegations to go unreported.

Develop inappropriate relationships such as contact with children or vulnerable people that is not a part of the work of the Charity or agreed with the trustees.

Share your personal contact details (mobile number, email or address) or have contact with a beneficiary or vulnerable person via a personal social media account.

Make sarcastic, insensitive, derogatory or sexually suggestive comments or gestures to or in front of anyone.

Act in a way that can be perceived as threatening or intrusive.

Make inappropriate promises to young or other vulnerable people, particularly in relation to confidentiality.

Charity Trustee Code of Conduct

Charity trustees are ultimately responsible for the charity, so additional guidelines support them in this.

As a board, collectively and individually, we will:

Act legally and properly – by acting with integrity, honesty, within the law and our governing document, and in the charity’s best interests at all times.

Create a safe space – in which everyone is encouraged and feels able to speak.

Positively challenge – each other, but avoid being confrontational – saying ‘no’, ‘that won’t work’.

Instead, we ask open questions that will help us work together to explore or test an idea or suggestion – who, what, when and how, but not why.

Think, then speak – what can I say succinctly that will most help the Board?

Feel able to ask the questions that need to be – there is no elephant in the room or, if there is, we are working together to address it.

Act strategically – by thinking externally and longer term.

Understand that operational delivery is the remit of the CEO – recognising that it is not our role to manage operations, but to ensure these are led and managed well.

Focus on solutions – by learning from the past and focusing on what we can do.

Welcome differing viewpoints – respecting each other’s right to hold a different opinion.

Do not make assumptions – respond based on facts and content.

All contribute – everyone has something to give and something to learn.

No one person should dominate the conversation to the exclusion of others.

Be slow to take offence and quick to apologise.

Give permission – to remind each other when we stray from these principles.

Accept responsibility – for ensuring fairness, respect, and safety.

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Feb 2024