Trust partner roles and responsibilities
Each trust school is unique. Schools and organisations work
together to build a partnership to create the most effective trust.
The level of involvement that an organisation has with a trust
school depends on the needs of the trust and the resources
available.
At its most basic level, the role of the trust and its trustees
is to hold the assets of the school on trust and to appoint
governors. There is significant scope, however, for organisations
involved in trusts to take on a fuller role in supporting the
school and helping to create a culture of innovation and
enterprise.
The extent of the role which a particular organisation is
willing to play should form part of the initial discussions with
the school. What matters is to find a model which is right both for
the school and for the partners involved in the trust.
Responsibility for the day-to-day management of the school, the
land and assets, staff employment remains with the governing body.
Trust schools remain funded by the local authority. There is no
requirement or expectation that Trusts will contribute financially
to the schools that they support.
Trust Partner, Trust Member and Trustee – What is the
difference?
Trust partners
A trust partner has no
legal status within a trust, but organisations can be invited to
work with the board of trustees. They can attend meetings, either
occasionally or regularly and contribute to the work of the trust.
They have no decision making powers or voting rights. It is
important to distinguish between this role and the differences to
that of a trustee.
Trust members
Trust members can be individuals or organisations such as
businesses, local authorities and other public bodies and
charitable organisations.
The trust member will be responsible for appointing trustees.
Local authorities must represent no more than 20% of the trust
members nor hold more than 20% of the votes of Trust members.
Trust members take decisions about the organisation of the trust
and are able to make changes to the trust’s ‘constitution’, as set
out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association. Trust members
decide how trustees are to be appointed and will each have a right
to appoint a certain number of trustees. Trust members hold
trustees to account. They act as guarantors for the trust. The
financial liability of members is limited to the sum they guarantee
when they join the trust, usually the sum of £10.
Trustees
Charity trustees are the named
individuals who serve on the governing body of a charity. Charity
trustees are responsible for the general control and management of
the administration of a charity. Local authority officers must make
up no more than 20% of trustees. Together the Trustees will chose
and appoint the foundation governors who sit on the governing body
of the school. Trustees should appoint at least two foundation
governors to the school’s governing body or more if requested
Trustees are responsible for the day-to-day management of the
trust ensuring it is solvent, well-run and delivering the
charitable outcomes for which it has been set up. All decisions by
the trustees concerning a charity are taken by all the trustees,
acting collectively and as a team.
The charity trustees (deciding as a group) may wish to invite
non-trustees to some of their meetings (see trust partners).
No-one, apart from the charity trustees, can vote at trustees'
meetings or make decisions. Charity trustees cannot delegate their
responsibilities in this area and cannot ask someone else to vote
on their behalf. Trustees always have the ultimate responsibility
for running their charity.