Governance Manual

APPENDIX B. ToR - The Master’s Council

Terms of Reference

 

THE MASTER’S COUNCIL

Terms of reference

Membership: The Master of Faculties*

Registrar*

Deputy Registrar*

Chief Clerk*

Deputy Chief Clerk

Chair of the Advisory Board

Financial Manager

Additional members may be invited as appropriate to the content of the meeting

*these are also directors of the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury delivery company

Purpose of body:

  1. To make policy
  2. to keep the Master informed about Faculty Office work, the work of the boards and audit committee, the inspectors, notarial disciplinary cases etc.
  3. to set and monitor the budget, approve accounts and appoint auditors
  4. monitor KPIs, the Master’s annual priorities and regulatory standards
  5. for the Master to make decisions in consultation with the Faculty Office
  6. for the Master to set and monitor the work of the Faculty Office where appropriate
  7. to serve as the meeting of the directors of the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury delivery company where business of the company is to be transacted

When does it meet: Quarterly. Meetings may be in person or by electronic means.

Papers and minutes: papers to be circulated by the Registrar to Chief Clerk and a minute is taken

Publicity: agenda, papers and note of meeting are published on the Faculty Office website (following approval of the Council) with confidential matters redacted. The meeting itself is not open to the public.

Procedure: Master to chair. There are no votes. Decisions are made by the Master (unless operational matters) but usually by consensus, and with the Master receiving the advice and recommendation of officers.

Quorum: None, but the Master and one officer must be present. For company meetings the quorum is two directors.

Standing committee: the Master and the officers of the Faculty Office to meet approximately monthly to keep abreast of business between meetings but formal decisions are to be made or recorded at the Master’s Quarterly Council.

When acting as the directors of the Faculty Office company: there is a degree of overlap but for formal decisions requiring directors’ approval (eg approving accounts), the minutes will identify these decisions as being director’s decisions or resolutions. In these cases the memorandum and articles of the company will apply and each director may vote on resolutions.