The Council
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Girlguiding UK is governed by The Council which:
- is responsible for upholding the aims of the Association
- maintains an overview of the Association in relation to
contemporary society, taking a considered view of broad issues
outside the Association
- concerns itself with the future development of Girlguiding UK
in the light of these issues.
The way the Council is constituted ensures its membership
represents all those who are engaged in the work of the
Association. There are four categories of membership:
- ex-officio voting members
- nominated and elected voting members
- voting members with unexpired terms on the Executive
Committee
- non-voting members.
No member who is under the age of 18 may vote.
Membership:
Ex-officio voting
members
The ex-officio members include the:
- President
- Chief Guide
- Deputy Chief Guide(s) (if appointed)
- Treasurer
- Chief Commissioners for the Countries and Regions of the United
Kingdom
- Commissioner for British Guides in Foreign Countries
- International Commissioner
- Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee
- Chairman of the Guiding Development Committee
- Chairman of the Marketing and Communications Committee
- Chairman of the Membership Support Committee
- Chair of the Forum for Young Women (if aged 18 or over)
- Chairman of the Trefoil Guild (or her alternate).
Nominated and elected voting
members
- Three members are nominated and elected in each of the
Countries and Regions of the United Kingdom.
- One member is nominated and elected by BGIFC.
- One member is nominated by the Chief Guide on behalf of the
Branch Associations, the nomination being ratified by the Council
at the next Annual General Meeting.
- Up to ten members are nominated and elected by the Council. A
nominated and elected Council member serves initially for one term
of three years but is eligible for re-nomination and re-election
for a second term. After a second term she is not eligible for
nomination or election until a further three years have
elapsed.
Voting members with unexpired
terms on the Executive Committee
These are members of the Executive Committee who have completed
their term on the Council but not on the Executive Committee. They
continue to serve as members of the Council for the remainder of
their current term on the Executive Committee.
Non-voting
members
These members comprise not more than five senior salaried staff
of the Association, as specified from time to time by the Executive
Committee and the Chair of the Forum for Young Women (if aged under
18).
Chairman
The President of Girlguiding UK is Chairman of the Council.
Meetings
The Council holds an Annual General Meeting and usually one
other meeting a year.
Vice-President(s)
Vice-Presidents are not members of the Council but are invited
to attend Council meetings.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee, the Forum for Young Women and the
Trefoil Guild report directly to the Council. All other groups
ultimately report to the Council through the Executive Committee.
The Forum for Young Women and Trefoil Guild also have reporting
lines to the Executive Committee.
Membership
Ex-officio voting
members
- President and Chairman of the Council
- Chairman of the Committee (if appointed)
- Vice-Chairman of the Committee (if appointed)
- Chief Guide
- Deputy Chief Guide(s) (if appointed)
- Treasurer
- Chief Commissioners for the Countries and Regions of the United
Kingdom
- International Commissioner
- Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee
- Chairman of the Guiding Development Committee
- Chairman of the Marketing and Communications Committee
- Chairman of the Membership Support Committee
- Chair of the Forum for Young Women (if aged 18 or over).
Elected voting
members
The Council elects six of its own members onto the Executive
Committee.
Non-voting
members
- Chair of the Forum for Young Women (if aged under 18)
- Chairman of The Trefoil Guild (or her alternate)
- Not more than five senior salaried staff of Girlguiding UK as
specified from time to time by the Committee.
Sub-committees
A chairman of a sub-committee of the Executive Committee:
- is nominated by the Chief Guide
- is invited to undertake the role by the Executive Committee for
a term of three years
- may have the role extended for a further period of up to two
years, but this is not automatic.
The groups reporting in to the Executive Committee form the
second level of Girlguiding UK's structure. They are:
- the Finance and General Purposes Committee
- the Marketing and Communications Committee
- the Guiding Development Committee
- the Membership Support Committee
- the Country, Region and BGIFC Executive Committees
- the Awards Committees.
Reporting to these committees are:
- the Counties, Divisions, Districts, units etc, whose work is
overseen by the Country, Region, BGIFC and Branch Association
Executive Committees
- task groups, which report into the Guiding Development
Committee
- the management groups of Girlguiding UK's Training and Activity
Centres, the ICANDO Centre and Girlguiding UK's Trading Service,
whose activities are overseen by the Finance and General Purposes
Committee.
Secretary
Under the terms of the Royal Charter and Bye-Laws of Girlguiding
UK, the Executive Committee appoints a Secretary of the Committee
and of the Council. It may also, from time to time, appoint a
temporary substitute for the Secretary. The Secretary may be, but
need not be, the Chief Executive.
Page last updated: 12/22/2011