Resident trustee

[Victoria Duke]

We have 40 properties and our trustees have agreed to appoint a resident trustee to the board. Has anyone got experience of this and if so can give advice on how to manage this and avoid conflict of interest/privacy issues? For example we have a shared drive off all documents but as this contains residents private information we can’t allow access to this like we would for other trustees, we plan instead to forward any necessary documents on. Are there certain issues they would not be able to vote on, for example the setting of WMC’s due to a conflict of interest?

[Lesley@rogersalmshouses.org.uk]

Hi Victoria, A couple of our residents had asked us about having a resident as a trustee on several occasions. We had concerns about conflicts of interest and confidentially and our scheme didn’t allow it. However as this kept being raised I decided to discuss this with our fellow trustees and come up with a response that we could email to these 2 residents. I am guessing you have now agreed to have a Resident Trustee but if you would like me to send a copy of the email we sent to the residents, I am happy to do so. At our last Residents meeting we discussed a Residents Forum, for Residents only to attend and feedback to our pastoral sub group. The 2 Residents were initially keen to organise this but then decided not to go ahead. Personally I feel that having a Resident Trustee would be very difficult as throughout our meetings, individual circumstances are often discussed which it would be totally inappropriate for another resident to hear. Also it is possible that a Resident keen to be a Trustee may not be the bast person to represent their fellow residents. Have you considered a Residents Forum instead ? Best wishes Lesley

[thesmac]

Hi Victoria,
I am not sure how having a resident Trustee attending meetings is feasible given that s/he would have to declare an interest in the great majority of matters discussed. Whilst I understand that your Trustees wish for the residents to be involved in the management of the almshouse, the practical side of things and the key element of conflict of interest plus privacy aspect make it rather impractical.
Best wishes, Anne

[clerk@salisburyalmshouses.co.uk]

We don’t have Residents attending Board meetings for all the reasons laid out above. We do, however, have a Residents’ Forum twice a year where a representative from each of our sites can meet with two Trustees, our Buildings Maintenance Officer and me to discuss any recommendations/suggestions. The Forum may discuss any aspect of the services and maintenance provided by the Charities, but not items which fall within the remit of the Wardens or which would be covered under the complaints procedure. The Forum will not discuss matters pertaining to specific individuals other than as an example of a wider concern.

It has been relatively successful. The Residents from the different sites get to meet one another, they also get an understanding of how much we actually do at the different sites and how much money it costs. If nothing else, they feel that they are being listened to.

Susan Coen
Salisbury City Almshouse & Welfare Charities

[William Clemmey]

We have a resident on our Properties Committee and it works well – she has a lot of skills having spent her life working on historic buildings.

We have another resident who is interested in becoming a trustee and is a trained accountant which meets one of our trustees skills gaps.
All trustees sign confidentiality agreements so I dont see it being a problem having a resident as a trustee. We are trying to move away from engaging trustees in the day to day joys of residents lives and they are instead involved in the strategic decisions about redecorating a residents home rather than whether they are in hospital or not.
When running youth charities I would aim for 25% young people on the Board so I dont see why it cannot be the same for Almshouses.

William Clemmey
chiefofficer@municpal-charities.org.uk

[Tina LL]

We have had residents on the board for years. Resident board members are excluded from the parts of the meeting where other residents are discussed

[William Clemmey]

Tina
Please can you email me with numbers and your view on how it is working having residents as trustees as I would like to broach the subject with our trustees
Many thanks
William Clemmey
Chief Officer Municipal Charities
chiefofficer@municipal-charities.org.uk

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