Vacancies

These rules outline the procedures to follow when a vacancy arises in a Lead Volunteer or governance role. 

16.9.1 Lead Volunteers

16.9.1.1 Lead Volunteer vacancies – short-term appointment 
If a Lead Volunteer role becomes vacant, the role’s Lead Volunteer (for example the District Lead Volunteer for a vacant Group Lead Volunteer role) must appoint a Lead Volunteer on a short-term appointment, to ensure that the role’s responsibilities are fulfilled while a full recruitment process is undertaken.

Ideally this short-term appointment should not exceed six months and, if at all possible,  should not be undertaken by the appointing Lead Volunteer for the vacant role(s).   

It is recognised that there may be a short period of time when the appointing Lead Volunteer may be making arrangements for the appointment of a short-term role holder. It is important that the short-term appointment must be agreed and then recorded on the membership system as soon as is practicable. 

16.9.1.2 There is no Acting Lead Volunteer role 
There is no Acting Lead Volunteer role.

As indicated in 16.9.1.1, any volunteer appointed to carry out a Lead Volunteer role on a short-term basis assumes the full responsibilities and expectations of the role.

16.9.2 Governance roles

16.9.2.1 Chair and Treasurer roles must always be filled 
The Chair and Treasurer roles for each Trustee Board should always be filled.

16.9.2.2 Handling Chair and Treasurer vacancies 
If a Chair or Treasurer resigns before the next AGM, the vacancy must be filled as soon as possible. During the vacancy, all actions must be taken via a majority vote of the Trustees. The ex officio member(s) of the Trustee Board must be present at the meeting.  

Such appointments are short-term, until the next AGM.   

The Trustees must do one of: 

1. appoint a current Trustee to the role
2. co-opt a Trustee to take the role, in line with provisions in the charity's constitution for co-opting Trustees

16.9.2.3 Create Trustee Board for a new or merged Group, District or County 
When a new Group, District or County is formed, a process must be implemented to take the new charity to its first AGM.  This first AGM must appoint Chair, Treasurer and other Trustees. 

Similarly, when two or more Groups, Districts or Counties are merged, a process must be implemented to take the new charity to its first AGM where the Chair, Treasurer, and other Trustees will be appointed.  In effect a new charity is created from the merger. 

Advice may be sought from the Support Centre at UK Headquarters on how this process should be managed. 

16.9.2.4 Lead Volunteer undertaking role as Chair 
The relevant Lead Volunteer may act as Chair for a brief period but only where no one else offers to undertake the role and not beyond the date of the next AGM.

16.9.2.5 There are no Acting Chair or Treasurer roles 
There is no role of acting Chair or acting Treasurer. Any volunteer appointed to these roles on a short-term basis assumes the full responsibilities and expectations of the role.

16.9.2.6 No requirement for an Extraordinary General Meeting 
As a result of the previous rules in POR 16.9.2 there is rarely, if ever, a need for an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Group, District or County.