Policy Document

BURRINGTON PARISH HALL

AND

RECREATION AREA

Charity number: 274490

General Information and Policies

Reviewed and accepted by The Full Committee.

23.4.14, 13.4.15, 19.4.16

18.4.17, 08.04.19

Contents:

1. Overview

2. Policies

a) Equal Opportunities Policy

b) Health and Safety Policy

c) Financial Policy

d) Hire and Use Policy

e) Election of Committee members and recruiting staff policy.

f) Environmental Policy

g) Activities involving Children Policy

h) Policy for encouraging new groups to be represented on the committee.

i) Expenses for Training of committee members.

j) Communication, Email and Social Media Policy

k) Financial Controls Policy

l) Investments Policy

m) Reserves Policy

n) Data Protection Policies and Procedures

1. Overview

Burrington Village Hall aims to provide a beneficial facility for the residents of Burrington and the neighbouring parishes. It is available for meetings, recreation, educational and leisure usage and works in conjunction with the adjacent Multi Use Games Area (MUGA).

Charity:

The Hall and MUGA are a registered charity (No. 274490). Our constitution is laid down in the Model Deed as supplied by the Charity Commission and updated annually. A management committee are responsible for the day to day running.

Management committee:

This is made up of voluntary trustees, consisting of:

Representatives from the permanent organisations from within the Parish – 8 places.

7 elected members.

2 co-opted members if required.

Committee meetings:

There are normally up to 4 per year or more as necessary. Meetings are open to any interested parties.

Property:

The building and land is owned by the Charity and is registered at the Land Registry in the name of the Burrington Parish Council as they are a corporate body.

Staff/Contractors:

Caretaker/cleaner and one other cleaner.

2. Policies

a) Equal Opportunities Policy

We ensure that all people have equal access to an environment free from prejudice and discrimination.

We value, support and help individuals to develop their full potential. Where selection processes are used they are reviewed regularly to check that they remain relevant and free from bias either in content or scoring.

We respect and promote positive attitude to all individuals with disabilities and those who are different in gender, race, ethnic origin, colour, sex, sexuality, religion, marital status, age or social class. We oppose all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination.

This statement will be adhered to and kept under review.

b) Health and Safety Policy

First Aid kits are available in the kitchen, cloakroom and clubroom.

A regular maintenance schedule is adhered to and the caretakers & committee regularly inspect the premises for any damage which may become a safety issue.

Any accidents are reported in the accident book placed in the cloakroom.

We ask hirers to report any damage or concerns to the caretaker or committee immediately. The Hall Committee will report any incidents in accordance with the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).

Hirers play a key role in maintaining a healthy and safe environment by operating in a way that is sensible and relevant to their usage. The points below seek to support hirers in maintaining this standard and they are responsible for their own health & safety during their use of the facilities.

Calls to ‘999’ emergency services can be made on a mobile phone from a person present. Nearest public phone is in the centre of the village.

The entire building is non-smoking at all times.

No activities are allowed which involve danger to the public.

No obvious fire hazards are allowed on the premises.

No unauthorised heating appliances are to be used.

No hazardous substances (as regulated by COSHH) are to be used or stored in the hall.

No highly flammable substances shall be brought into or used in any part of the premises.

Regarding Safe Escape in the event of a Fire
Hirers should acquaint themselves with all exits (normal & emergency) and these must be kept clear (internal & external) at all times such as not to impede emergency evacuation. All fire doors are marked and must not be wedged open. All exits must remain unobstructed.
Hirers are responsible for their own fire drills and ensuring their hirers are familiar with emergency evacuation procedures.

In the event of an outbreak of fire however slight, the building must be evacuated immediately – fire extinguishers are provided at all exits to assist in clearing a path for emergency exit only. Wherever feasible and safe to do so, doors and windows should be closed to reduce the spread of the fire. The Fire Service should then be called on 999.
The map reference of the Hall is on the main notice board SS 638 168
Postcode:EX379LA
Assemble in the playing field opposite.
The alarm sounds as a long continuous siren.

Risk assessments are carried out on a regular basis.

Regarding the use of the Kitchen

Any hirer intending to provide catering (beyond cold or hot drinks and cold proprietary packaged biscuits/cakes) must ensure there is a person responsible for food preparation who complies with current legislation.

Children are only allowed in the kitchen under the supervision of a responsible adult.

Rubbish: Hirers must remove all food waste at the end of their booking. Wheelie bins are provided outside the bar area. Excessive rubbish created, such as by parties, should be removed by the hirer.

A hand wash facility is provided near the green cooker.

Cleaning facilities are provided. Please leave the kitchen tidy.

Further general points

No safety equipment must be tampered with. If any faults are observed they must be reported as soon as practical to the Committee.

In the event of a power failure – an emergency lighting supply is automatically triggered to illuminate exit routes.

First Aid boxes are located in the kitchen, cloakroom and the club area. Hirers are asked to advise the caretaker, if any items have been used, so they can be replaced.

A qualified First Aider is not provided by the hall facility. Hirers are advised to consider and provide their own First Aid requirements.

Children are to be supervised at all times.

Hirers are responsible for the safe operation of their own equipment.

The Hall’s electrical facilities are regularly inspected by authorised personnel and a certificate issued. (WH Buckingham)

Certain rooms/cupboards are generally locked for authorised access only – as stated on the doors.

Designated parking for disabled use is available at the front of the building.

Due to the Hall being in a residential area we request all hirers to respect our neighbours and to keep noise levels to a minimum.

Risk assessments are carried out on a regular basis

c) Financial Policy

The Charity has an Internal Financial Controls Policy governing its financial transactions and procedures. The Charity also has separate policies governing both investments and recommended reserves. These policies are reviewed by the Trustees annually.

(Refer to Policies k, l and m).

Accounts are subject to external examination annually, as required by the Charity Commission.

The Treasurer presents a financial report at each meeting and the adopted accounts are presented at the AGM.

A subcommittee (Finance and General Purpose) are empowered to have meetings as necessary and then report back to the full committee. They have a spending limit, without requiring authorisation from full committee, to a maximum of £700, as per the Financial Controls Policy.

All cheques are signed by two authorised committee members.

d) Hire and Use policy

Please see Conditions of Hire for more details.

All areas of the hall are available for hire, as a whole or as individual rooms and areas (except billiard room by special arrangement with the Comrades Club secretary).

The management committee reserves the right to refuse a booking of hire without explanation.

No one under the age of 18 years old can hire the hall.

All hires are subject to the Conditions of hire and Public Entertainment License.

Payment is required in advance and a deposit may be required against damage.

e) Election of committee members and recruiting staff policy

Committee -

The representative members are elected annually by their organisations and their names are put forward at the Hall AGM.

The 7 elected members are elected at the Hall AGM.

The two co-opted members are elected if necessary at any committee meeting following the AGM.

Members are given a copy of the constitution and asked to sign the membership declaration.

Employee -

Should there be a vacancy for an employee; the position will be publicly advertised, followed by interviews held by members of the committee. The equal opportunities policy will be adhered to.

f) Environmental Policy

The Trustees of Burrington Parish Hall recognise that our activities and those of our hirers, impact upon the environment. Consequently, we embrace the principles of sustainable living and are committed to environmental improvement and pollution prevention. We undertake to comply with environmental laws and seek to promote sound environmental practice in our activities.

Aims

Ensure compliance with relevant regulatory requirements

Promote awareness of our environmental policy to hirers

Minimise waste through reuse and recycling

Minimise energy and water consumption and promote the efficient use of resources

Improve current equipment when and where possible (installation of Solar Panels 2009 & Air source heat pumps 2010)

Minimise and Conserve

We will make every effort to reduce the resources we consume, including energy and water and minimise the amount of waste we produce.

Recycle and Reuse

Where practicable and affordable, we will reuse materials, recycle waste and procure recycled products.

Measure and Monitor

The Trustees will review this policy annually.

Inform and Communicate

We will make our Environmental Policy publicly available and will promote recycling and re-use through the Terms and Conditions of our hall hire.

g) Activities involving Children policy

We aim to provide hirers with appropriate safety and protection whilst in the hall and to ensure hirers are aware they have responsibility to ensure all activities involving children comply with current relevant legislation.

The MUGA is available for use by children outside of school times, this area is unsupervised.

h) Policy for encouraging new groups:

All groups that use the hall are currently represented and if a new group is initiated, a member of the hall management committee would approach the new group and encourage representation on the hall committee.

i) Expenses for Training of committee members

If a committee member attends a course relevant to the management of the hall, the committee would pay

.for the course and travel expense at an agreed rate.

j) Communication E-Mail and Social Media Policy

We aim to provide a committee environment sensitive to the diversity of our members; therefore, please do not use communications including and not restricted to email or social media, in an offensive or disrespectful manner, to any member of the community when addressing Parish Hall issues.

(Adopted by full committee 12.10.16)

k) Internal Financial Controls Policy

1. Introduction

1.1. Why do we have this policy?

We have this policy so that funders and other agencies and organisations that we work with, together with trustees, employees, volunteers and other stakeholders are aware of the procedures we follow to minimise the risk of fraud and to protect the assets of the Organisation.

1.2. What are Internal Financial Controls?

The aims of internal financial controls are:

· To protect the charity's assets;

· To identify and manage the risk of loss, waste, theft or fraud;

· To ensure the financial reporting is robust and of sufficient quality; and

· To ensure that the trustees comply with charity law and regulation relating to finance.

Internal financial controls are rules or procedures that inform everyone at our Charity how the Organisation’s finances should be dealt with. These controls should be firmly administered but not impractical. If these controls are followed the risk of error or fraud occurring are perceived to be reduced.

The Charity’s Trustees have a legal duty to ensure that the assets of the Charity are appropriately used to achieve its charitable objectives. They therefore need to ensure that all income that is received is banked and that all expenditure is appropriate and properly authorised and recorded.

The Charity believes that it has established a suitable structure to ensure that financial accountability is maintained at an appropriate level. The key parameters under which internal financial controls are implemented are detailed in the remainder of this policy.

2. Expenditure

2.1. Framework

Any expenditure can only be made provided that it is within the following framework:

Within Charity and Company law,
Within the rules, policies and procedures of the Organisation,
In accordance with the Charity’s aims & objectives
With regard to the Charity’s contracts and commissioners wishes and expectations where applicable.

2.2. Limits of authority

Within the framework the Trustees may authorise any level of expenditure provided that the expenditure is approved by majority (in accordance with written committee procedures), committed and recorded at a quorate trustee meeting.

In addition, the standard limits of authority are as follows:

Level 1 – expenditure in excess of £700. Within the framework the Board of Trustees must authorise, together with a minute raised to record the authority;
Level 2 – expenditure up to a maximum of £700. Within the framework of the Finance & General Purposes Committee must authorise;
Level 3 – bar stock up to a maximum of £500 & all other expenditure items up to a maximum of £100. Within the framework any one of the following office holders may authorise:
- The Charity’s Treasurer
- A member of the Finance & General Purposes Committee

Specific exceptions to the aforementioned limits of authority and with reference to the above authority levels are as follows:

· Payments appertaining to staff salaries and other contractual staff obligations, together with the remittance of payroll deductions to statutory authorities within the framework may be authorised at Level 3 and above;

· Payments within the framework in respect of the Charity’s insurance policies, utility contracts or relating to the fees of the AGM approved independent auditors/independent examiners, may be authorised at Level 3 and above;

All expenditure must be supported by adequate documentary evidence with a clear indication of authorisation as defined by the levels of authority above.

3. Financial vehicles (bank accounts etc)

The following procedures must be followed with regard to the operation of the Organisations financial vehicles and the processing of transactions appertaining thereto.

3.1. Mandates

· The Charity will establish financial vehicles with a view to ensuring the best usage of available funds whilst ensuring an acceptable level of risk. Any proposed changes to providers of these facilities require the approval of the Trustees.

· The Trustees should review and approve the mandates in place for each financial vehicle at least once a year to ensure that they are practicable yet meet the required level of security.

3.2. Online banking

· Access to online banking must be restricted to the following individuals and at the level designated.

o Chair of Trustees - payment set up & processing, transfers between accounts and account enquiries;

o Treasurer - payment set up & processing, transfers between accounts and account enquiries.

3.3. Cheque and their signatories

· The Organisation’s bank mandate must designate that all cheques issued require any two signatures from the following three office holders:

o Chair of Trustees;

o Vice-chair of Trustees;

o Treasurer

· Blank cheques (where no valid payee has been inserted) should never be signed.

· Where the beneficiary of a cheque payment is also a cheque signatory (e.g. for expenses) that person should not sign the cheque concerned.

3.4. Cash transactions

Only the Chair of Trustees or the Treasurer should be authorised to make cash withdrawals.
Any cash floats should be controlled by one designated person and should be counted on a regular basis with a signed declaration of accuracy completed and signed by the person designated.
Where possible cash advances for payments should be avoided. If this is necessary, the advance should be authorised and signed for. The Charity does not allow borrowing out of cash floats under any circumstances.

The Charity should avoid paying any wages in cash.

3.5. Scrutiny and security

Bank statements should be checked and reconciled at least once per month.
Bank account information, cheque books and bankcards must be kept securely in a locked environment.
All income must be deposited into the Charity’s authorised bank account at the earliest opportunity.
Incoming monies from charitable events & the provision of bar facilities must be independently counted by at least two individuals and a document signed & dated to this effect confirming that the two count totals concur. Any disparities arising from these counts must be fully noted on the aforementioned document & the Treasurer of the Charity notified as soon as possible.

4. Financial records & documentation

4.1. Financial year

The Charity’s financial year end shall be set as 31 March.

4.2. Financial Reports

The Treasurer should prepare an annual budget & supporting associated information as required to be presented to the Trustees for approval in good time prior to the commencement of the plan year. This should include the following:
- Landfall projection for the previous year;
- Budget for the plan year.
The Treasurer in consultation with the Chair of Trustees should present financial reports and budgets to the Board of Trustees in order that they may review the activities and future plans of The Charity.

4.3. Restricted and Designated Funds

The Charity must keep an accurate record of all restricted funds showing a description of each fund, its opening balance at the beginning of the Charity’s current financial year, a total of receipts to the fund and of payments made from the fund in the current financial year, together with the current balance held by the fund.
Any current overspend in a restricted fund must be highlighted and a note made of both the reason for the overspend, together with how and when the overspend is likely to be corrected.
Designated funds are those set aside from unrestricted funds to meet a perceived or expected financial cost. Restricted funds may not be used for this purpose.
The Trustees of the Charity should review the level of any designated funds on at least an annual basis to ensure they are adequate to cover the level of expenditure anticipated for that fund.

4.4. Assets

The Charity should keep a register of the fixed assets it owns and have regular yearly checks on their existence and condition.

4.5. Data backups & security

· The Charity should ensure that full data backups of financial records are taken at least weekly. As well as a backup of any dedicated accounting software, this should also include any other programs where supporting financial data or documentation is held.

· The Chair of Trustees should nominate responsibility to a member of staff to ensure this task is performed.

· The Charity should consider locating a version of its backups with a trusted outside agency, e.g. the Organisations’ Independent Auditors/Examiners or its legal advisors.

· All financial data or information exchanged by the Charity’s trustees, staff or volunteers to external destinations by email attachment etc. should be protected by an agreed password.

· All financial data and records must be retained for a minimum of six financial years prior to the current financial year.

5. Payroll and personnel

The following procedures must be adopted in respect of source documentation prior to payroll processing and in the keeping of personnel records.

Before payroll processing, employee timesheets must be signed by the employee concerned as a true record, then countersigned as authorised by either the employee’s appointed Line Manager or in their absence, either the Chair of Trustees or an appointed officer of the Charity.
The Chair of Trustees is ultimately the responsible officer for maintaining adequate and up to date records in respect of sickness, maternity/paternity/adoption leave, annual leave and other granted periods of absence. The operational maintenance of this requirement may be delegated at the Chair’s discretion;
The Chair of Trustees should authorise by signature a copy of the payroll calculations and all other employee remuneration payments that are processed through the Payroll, prior to the payments being processed;
The Board of Trustees should authorise any salary changes.

6. Risk Assessment

Should the Trustees of the Charity decide at any time that an independent financial risk assessment is necessary, they will seek expert advice from the Organisations current independent Auditors/Examiners, who’s appointment was approved at the last AGM.
The Charity will continue to review its Financial Controls policy in line with its review structure.
The Charity will strive to deliver good practice in its financial management systems.

7. Misappropriation and fraud

· Upon discovery, all incidents of fraud, suspected misappropriation of funds or any other suspected mis-use of the Charity’s monies should be reported to the Chair of Trustees without delay (or to the person deputising for the Chair in their absence).

· Upon being made aware of the above and having confirmed that a reportable incident has occurred, the Chair of Trustees (or one to whom their authority has been deputised) should notify:

o The appropriate Crime Agencies;

o The Charity Commission;

o The Charity’s Board of Trustees;

o Any further agencies or bodies affected.

8. Insurance

The Charity shall annually review its insurance policy(ies) at Trustee level to ensure cover is both continuous and adequate for the Charity’s requirements.

9. Staff Training

The Charity shall ensure that all Trustees, staff & volunteers receive adequate training and support to ensure that they are sufficiently skilled to enable them to carry out their duties in relation to financial management.

10. External Financial Requirements

The Trustees are ultimately responsible for the submission of the Charity’s annual accounts in the required format to the Charity Commission and any other statutory filing requirement required from time to time.
The Charity’s annual accounts must be approved by the Trustees and then recommended to the Members for approval at the AGM prior to statutory submission.

Prepared by: S Aldridge	Policy No: k
Dated: March 2019	Last Reviewed: 8 April 2019
Review: Board of Trustees	Next Review: March 2020
Signature Chair of Trustees Graham Short Date 8 April 2019	Signed and noted in the Trustee meeting minutes of: 8 April 2019

BURRINGTON PARISH HALL

AND

RECREATION AREA

Charity number: 274490

General Information and Policies

Reviewed and accepted by The Full Committee.

23.4.14, 13.4.15, 19.4.16

18.4.17, 08.04.19

22 pages

Contents:

1. Overview

2. Policies

a) Equal Opportunities Policy

b) Health and Safety Policy

c) Financial Policy

d) Hire and Use Policy

e) Election of Committee members and recruiting staff policy.

f) Environmental Policy

g) Activities involving Children Policy

h) Policy for encouraging new groups to be represented on the committee.

i) Expenses for Training of committee members.

j) Communication, Email and Social Media Policy

k) Financial Controls Policy

l) Investments Policy

m) Reserves Policy

n) Data Protection Policies and Procedures

1. Overview

Charity:

Management committee:

This is made up of voluntary trustees, consisting of:

Representatives from the permanent organisations from within the Parish – 8 places.

7 elected members.

2 co-opted members if required.

Committee meetings:

There are normally up to 4 per year or more as necessary. Meetings are open to any interested parties.

Property:

The building and land is owned by the Charity and is registered at the Land Registry in the name of the Burrington Parish Council as they are a corporate body.

Staff/Contractors:

Caretaker/cleaner and one other cleaner.

2. Policies

a) Equal Opportunities Policy

We ensure that all people have equal access to an environment free from prejudice and discrimination.

This statement will be adhered to and kept under review.

b) Health and Safety Policy

First Aid kits are available in the kitchen, cloakroom and clubroom.

A regular maintenance schedule is adhered to and the caretakers & committee regularly inspect the premises for any damage which may become a safety issue.

Any accidents are reported in the accident book placed in the cloakroom.

Calls to ‘999’ emergency services can be made on a mobile phone from a person present. Nearest public phone is in the centre of the village.

The entire building is non-smoking at all times.

No activities are allowed which involve danger to the public.

No obvious fire hazards are allowed on the premises.

No unauthorised heating appliances are to be used.

No hazardous substances (as regulated by COSHH) are to be used or stored in the hall.

No highly flammable substances shall be brought into or used in any part of the premises.

In the event of an outbreak of fire however slight, the building must be evacuated immediately – fire extinguishers are provided at all exits to assist in clearing a path for emergency exit only. Wherever feasible and safe to do so, doors and windows should be closed to reduce the spread of the fire. The Fire Service should then be called on 999.
The map reference of the Hall is on the main notice board SS 638 168
Postcode:EX379LA
Assemble in the playing field opposite.
The alarm sounds as a long continuous siren.

Risk assessments are carried out on a regular basis.

Regarding the use of the Kitchen

Children are only allowed in the kitchen under the supervision of a responsible adult.

Rubbish: Hirers must remove all food waste at the end of their booking. Wheelie bins are provided outside the bar area. Excessive rubbish created, such as by parties, should be removed by the hirer.

A hand wash facility is provided near the green cooker.

Cleaning facilities are provided. Please leave the kitchen tidy.

Further general points

No safety equipment must be tampered with. If any faults are observed they must be reported as soon as practical to the Committee.

In the event of a power failure – an emergency lighting supply is automatically triggered to illuminate exit routes.

First Aid boxes are located in the kitchen, cloakroom and the club area. Hirers are asked to advise the caretaker, if any items have been used, so they can be replaced.

A qualified First Aider is not provided by the hall facility. Hirers are advised to consider and provide their own First Aid requirements.

Children are to be supervised at all times.

Hirers are responsible for the safe operation of their own equipment.

The Hall’s electrical facilities are regularly inspected by authorised personnel and a certificate issued. (WH Buckingham)

Certain rooms/cupboards are generally locked for authorised access only – as stated on the doors.

Designated parking for disabled use is available at the front of the building.

Due to the Hall being in a residential area we request all hirers to respect our neighbours and to keep noise levels to a minimum.

Risk assessments are carried out on a regular basis

c) Financial Policy

(Refer to Policies k, l and m).

Accounts are subject to external examination annually, as required by the Charity Commission.

The Treasurer presents a financial report at each meeting and the adopted accounts are presented at the AGM.

All cheques are signed by two authorised committee members.

d) Hire and Use policy

Please see Conditions of Hire for more details.

All areas of the hall are available for hire, as a whole or as individual rooms and areas (except billiard room by special arrangement with the Comrades Club secretary).

The management committee reserves the right to refuse a booking of hire without explanation.

No one under the age of 18 years old can hire the hall.

All hires are subject to the Conditions of hire and Public Entertainment License.

Payment is required in advance and a deposit may be required against damage.

e) Election of committee members and recruiting staff policy

Committee -

The representative members are elected annually by their organisations and their names are put forward at the Hall AGM.

The 7 elected members are elected at the Hall AGM.

The two co-opted members are elected if necessary at any committee meeting following the AGM.

Members are given a copy of the constitution and asked to sign the membership declaration.

Employee -

Should there be a vacancy for an employee; the position will be publicly advertised, followed by interviews held by members of the committee. The equal opportunities policy will be adhered to.

f) Environmental Policy

Aims

Ensure compliance with relevant regulatory requirements

Promote awareness of our environmental policy to hirers

Minimise waste through reuse and recycling

Minimise energy and water consumption and promote the efficient use of resources

Improve current equipment when and where possible (installation of Solar Panels 2009 & Air source heat pumps 2010)

Minimise and Conserve

We will make every effort to reduce the resources we consume, including energy and water and minimise the amount of waste we produce.

Recycle and Reuse

Where practicable and affordable, we will reuse materials, recycle waste and procure recycled products.

Measure and Monitor

The Trustees will review this policy annually.

Inform and Communicate

We will make our Environmental Policy publicly available and will promote recycling and re-use through the Terms and Conditions of our hall hire.

g) Activities involving Children policy

The MUGA is available for use by children outside of school times, this area is unsupervised.

h) Policy for encouraging new groups:

i) Expenses for Training of committee members

If a committee member attends a course relevant to the management of the hall, the committee would pay

.for the course and travel expense at an agreed rate.

j) Communication E-Mail and Social Media Policy

(Adopted by full committee 12.10.16)

k) Internal Financial Controls Policy

1. Introduction

1.1. Why do we have this policy?

1.2. What are Internal Financial Controls?

The aims of internal financial controls are:

· To protect the charity's assets;

· To identify and manage the risk of loss, waste, theft or fraud;

· To ensure the financial reporting is robust and of sufficient quality; and

· To ensure that the trustees comply with charity law and regulation relating to finance.

2. Expenditure

2.1. Framework

Any expenditure can only be made provided that it is within the following framework:

Within Charity and Company law,
Within the rules, policies and procedures of the Organisation,
In accordance with the Charity’s aims & objectives
With regard to the Charity’s contracts and commissioners wishes and expectations where applicable.

2.2. Limits of authority

In addition, the standard limits of authority are as follows:

Level 1 – expenditure in excess of £700. Within the framework the Board of Trustees must authorise, together with a minute raised to record the authority;
Level 2 – expenditure up to a maximum of £700. Within the framework of the Finance & General Purposes Committee must authorise;
Level 3 – bar stock up to a maximum of £500 & all other expenditure items up to a maximum of £100. Within the framework any one of the following office holders may authorise:
- The Charity’s Treasurer
- A member of the Finance & General Purposes Committee

Specific exceptions to the aforementioned limits of authority and with reference to the above authority levels are as follows:

All expenditure must be supported by adequate documentary evidence with a clear indication of authorisation as defined by the levels of authority above.

3. Financial vehicles (bank accounts etc)

The following procedures must be followed with regard to the operation of the Organisations financial vehicles and the processing of transactions appertaining thereto.

3.1. Mandates

· The Trustees should review and approve the mandates in place for each financial vehicle at least once a year to ensure that they are practicable yet meet the required level of security.

3.2. Online banking

· Access to online banking must be restricted to the following individuals and at the level designated.

o Chair of Trustees - payment set up & processing, transfers between accounts and account enquiries;

o Treasurer - payment set up & processing, transfers between accounts and account enquiries.

3.3. Cheque and their signatories

· The Organisation’s bank mandate must designate that all cheques issued require any two signatures from the following three office holders:

o Chair of Trustees;

o Vice-chair of Trustees;

o Treasurer

· Blank cheques (where no valid payee has been inserted) should never be signed.

· Where the beneficiary of a cheque payment is also a cheque signatory (e.g. for expenses) that person should not sign the cheque concerned.

3.4. Cash transactions

Only the Chair of Trustees or the Treasurer should be authorised to make cash withdrawals.
Any cash floats should be controlled by one designated person and should be counted on a regular basis with a signed declaration of accuracy completed and signed by the person designated.
Where possible cash advances for payments should be avoided. If this is necessary, the advance should be authorised and signed for. The Charity does not allow borrowing out of cash floats under any circumstances.

The Charity should avoid paying any wages in cash.

3.5. Scrutiny and security

Bank statements should be checked and reconciled at least once per month.
Bank account information, cheque books and bankcards must be kept securely in a locked environment.
All income must be deposited into the Charity’s authorised bank account at the earliest opportunity.
Incoming monies from charitable events & the provision of bar facilities must be independently counted by at least two individuals and a document signed & dated to this effect confirming that the two count totals concur. Any disparities arising from these counts must be fully noted on the aforementioned document & the Treasurer of the Charity notified as soon as possible.

4. Financial records & documentation

4.1. Financial year

The Charity’s financial year end shall be set as 31 March.

4.2. Financial Reports

The Treasurer should prepare an annual budget & supporting associated information as required to be presented to the Trustees for approval in good time prior to the commencement of the plan year. This should include the following:
- Landfall projection for the previous year;
- Budget for the plan year.
The Treasurer in consultation with the Chair of Trustees should present financial reports and budgets to the Board of Trustees in order that they may review the activities and future plans of The Charity.

4.3. Restricted and Designated Funds

The Charity must keep an accurate record of all restricted funds showing a description of each fund, its opening balance at the beginning of the Charity’s current financial year, a total of receipts to the fund and of payments made from the fund in the current financial year, together with the current balance held by the fund.
Any current overspend in a restricted fund must be highlighted and a note made of both the reason for the overspend, together with how and when the overspend is likely to be corrected.
Designated funds are those set aside from unrestricted funds to meet a perceived or expected financial cost. Restricted funds may not be used for this purpose.
The Trustees of the Charity should review the level of any designated funds on at least an annual basis to ensure they are adequate to cover the level of expenditure anticipated for that fund.

4.4. Assets

The Charity should keep a register of the fixed assets it owns and have regular yearly checks on their existence and condition.

4.5. Data backups & security

· The Chair of Trustees should nominate responsibility to a member of staff to ensure this task is performed.

· The Charity should consider locating a version of its backups with a trusted outside agency, e.g. the Organisations’ Independent Auditors/Examiners or its legal advisors.

· All financial data or information exchanged by the Charity’s trustees, staff or volunteers to external destinations by email attachment etc. should be protected by an agreed password.

· All financial data and records must be retained for a minimum of six financial years prior to the current financial year.

5. Payroll and personnel

The following procedures must be adopted in respect of source documentation prior to payroll processing and in the keeping of personnel records.

Before payroll processing, employee timesheets must be signed by the employee concerned as a true record, then countersigned as authorised by either the employee’s appointed Line Manager or in their absence, either the Chair of Trustees or an appointed officer of the Charity.
The Chair of Trustees is ultimately the responsible officer for maintaining adequate and up to date records in respect of sickness, maternity/paternity/adoption leave, annual leave and other granted periods of absence. The operational maintenance of this requirement may be delegated at the Chair’s discretion;
The Chair of Trustees should authorise by signature a copy of the payroll calculations and all other employee remuneration payments that are processed through the Payroll, prior to the payments being processed;
The Board of Trustees should authorise any salary changes.

6. Risk Assessment

Should the Trustees of the Charity decide at any time that an independent financial risk assessment is necessary, they will seek expert advice from the Organisations current independent Auditors/Examiners, who’s appointment was approved at the last AGM.
The Charity will continue to review its Financial Controls policy in line with its review structure.
The Charity will strive to deliver good practice in its financial management systems.

7. Misappropriation and fraud

· Upon being made aware of the above and having confirmed that a reportable incident has occurred, the Chair of Trustees (or one to whom their authority has been deputised) should notify:

o The appropriate Crime Agencies;

o The Charity Commission;

o The Charity’s Board of Trustees;

o Any further agencies or bodies affected.

8. Insurance

The Charity shall annually review its insurance policy(ies) at Trustee level to ensure cover is both continuous and adequate for the Charity’s requirements.

9. Staff Training

The Charity shall ensure that all Trustees, staff & volunteers receive adequate training and support to ensure that they are sufficiently skilled to enable them to carry out their duties in relation to financial management.

10. External Financial Requirements

The Trustees are ultimately responsible for the submission of the Charity’s annual accounts in the required format to the Charity Commission and any other statutory filing requirement required from time to time.
The Charity’s annual accounts must be approved by the Trustees and then recommended to the Members for approval at the AGM prior to statutory submission.

Prepared by: S Aldridge	Policy No: k
Dated: March 2019	Last Reviewed: 8 April 2019
Review: Board of Trustees	Next Review: March 2020
Signature Chair of Trustees Graham Short Date 8 April 2019	Signed and noted in the Trustee meeting minutes of: 8 April 2019

) Investments Policy –

1. Introduction

1.1. Burrington Parish Hall and Recreation Area (the Charity) is an unincorporated charity registered with the Charity Commission under reference number 274490.

1.2. The management and activities of the Charity are governed by a Committee of Trustees appointed at the Charity’s Annual General Meeting.

2. Criteria and aims

2.1. This policy is intended to set out the broad investment policy of the Charity, having due regard to the suitability of investments and their diversity.

2.2. The Charity’s overriding priority should be to maintain a positive bank balance and to comply with the terms of its Reserves Policy. Where there is any conflict between this Policy and the Charity’s Reserves Policy, the Reserves Policy takes precedence.

2.3. The purpose of this Policy is to provide a formal and approved structure determining how the Charity shall invest its surplus funds.

2.4. Before any term investment commitments are made, the Charity should ensure that it has considered any immediate spend requirements of its Area of Benefit as defined by its governing document.

2.5. In defining an Investment Policy, the Trustees have in mind their duty to efficiently manage any surplus funds that the Charity might have in the Charity’s best interests.

3. Governance and Management

3.1. The overall responsibility for the Charity’s investment strategy will rest with the Charity’s full committee of Trustees.

3.2. The Charity’s full committee may appoint an Investment Sub-committee and delegate the day to day administration of the Charity’s investments to it.

3.3. The investment sub-committee through the Treasurer will report to the full committee at their meetings and take responsibility for dealing with any matters which the Full Committee members may raise. The Finance & General Purposes sub-committee (FGP) is an occasional meeting group and it is part of their remit to discuss investments.

3.4. The Charity’s Honorary Treasurer will automatically be a member of both the FGP and Investment Sub-committees. “The Treasurer will have the sole authority to implement the investment decisions of the Full Committee”.

4. Terms of reference

4.1. The Charity Trustees currently have a policy of low risk when defining its investment strategy. Accordingly investments will only be considered if they comply with the following credit ratings:

4.1.1. Standard & Poor – at least A1; and/or

4.1.2. Moody’s – at least P1.

4.2. The Charity Trustees should have regard to other factors that will influence the level of return, such as the environmental and social impact of the companies invested in and the perceived quality of their governance

4.3. The Charity Trustees shall be aware that some investments may have tax implications for the Charity

4.4. The Charity Trustees will decide, agree and minute the adoption of an investment strategy which takes into account the Charity’s ethical, socially responsible or mission related approach to investment and ensure that it can be justified.

4.5. Any sums which are placed with a deposit taker will not exceed the amount covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

4.6. Any liquid funds of the Charity which are defined as restricted may only be held in a financial vehicle where the entire value of the investment is covered by FSCS.

4.7. This policy will be reviewed at least annually.

Version dated:	October 2018
Approved by the Charity Trustees on:
Signed on the Charity Trustees behalf:
Signature name/position in the Charity:

m)Reserves Policy –

1. Introduction

1.1. Burrington Parish Hall and Recreation Area (the Charity) is an unincorporated charity registered with the Charity Commission under reference number 274490.

1.2. The management and activities of the Charity are governed by a Committee of Trustees appointed at the Charity’s Annual General Meeting.

2. Criteria and aims

2.1. The Charities Commission SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice) defines reserves as that part of a charity’s income funds that is freely available to spend. Reserves therefore exclude endowment or restricted income funds which have particular restrictions on how such funds may be used.

2.2. The Trustees of the Charity have formulated their Reserves policy with the following central aims.

2.2.1. To facilitate financial transparency & accountability;

2.2.2. To provide a framework for good financial management;

2.2.3. To provide guidance on evaluating the reserves requirement & on what basis this level should be periodically reviewed;

2.2.4. To outline the statutory requirements for reporting reserves.

3. Defining the need for reserves.

3.1. The Charity needs reserves to:

3.1.1. Meet contractual liabilities should the Charity have to close. This includes statutory employee payments, amounts due to creditors and any other contractual commitments.

3.1.2. Allow for an orderly and efficient winding down of the Charity’s activities in the event of closure with a view to minimising any negative impact of closure on beneficiaries and service users.

3.1.3. Meet unexpected running costs to ensure the continuation of its service & to keep any interruptions to a minimum.

3.1.4. Facilitate a capital replacement program.

3.1.5. Provide working capital in the event of reduced funding or where funding is paid in arrears.

3.1.6. Ensure that where there are planned commitments that cannot be met by future income alone (e.g. plans for a significant project) the charity can provide 'matched funding' as long as the Charity’s reserves are at the recommended level.

4. Current & future funding.

4.1. The Charity’s incoming resources currently consist of the following streams.

4.1.1. Local authorities. The funds granted are decided by the individual funder on an annual basis upon application & are not guaranteed.

4.1.2. The hire of the Charity’s facilities to outside bodies.

4.1.3. Ad hoc fundraising, legacies & donations from a variety of sources.

4.2. The Charity’s Trustees are committed in proactively sourcing additional funding streams in order to ensure the future continuity & quality of its facilities to its end users.

5. Level of reserves.

5.1. The Charity’s Trustees believe that currently the following parameters are appropriate & prudent in assessing the Organisation’s reserves requirement. When evaluating the level of reserves required, the circumstances detailed in items 5.1.1 to 5.1.5 inclusive below are taken into consideration.

5.1.1. The Charity aims to have reserves equivalent to 26 weeks of its budgeted operating costs for the current year. This is designed to cover the loss of material funding and/or the interim period between a decision to cease operations & the actual effective date of closure.

5.1.2. In the event that the Charity were to cease its operations, it would likely incur certain winding up costs, many of which might be statutory in nature. The Trustees aim to include full coverage provision for these costs in its reserves.

5.1.3. Reserves should also aim to include a provision for potential costs associated with premises upkeep.

5.1.4. Where appropriate an equipment replacement reserve should be included to be assessed in line with the Charity’s current depreciation policy and with regard to a specified rolling replacement program to be determined by the Trustees.

5.1.5. Assuming the Charity is operating on an ongoing basis, there are other events that could occur during a year that are generally not budgeted for and would be typically funded from reserves. This element is to be termed a Contingency Fund and to be evaluated based on current need up to a limit of £10,000, the requirement to be agreed by the Trustees annually.

5.2. Financial summary of aimed reserves

Aim #	Aim type	Aim parameter	Aim value £
5.1.1	Budgeted operating costs	26 weeks equivalent	£3000
5.1.2	Cessation provision	Assessed closure costs	£1500
5.1.3	Premises upkeep	Assessed provision	£ 500
5.1.4	Capital replacement	Assessed provision	£1500
5.1.5	Contingency fund	Assessed provision (max. £10k)	£3500
Total recommended reserves provision			£10000

5.3. Where the Charity wishes to plan for any additional specific expenditure which the Trustees regard to be of significant value, further reserves may be accrued but will be placed in a separate fund specifically designated for the planned activity concerned.

6. Restricted Funds

6.1.Any funds held at any time by the Charity which carry a designation as restricted or which carry a restriction on usage will by definition not be available to cover the core reserves requirement evaluated in this policy.

7. Maintaining a prudent level of reserves.

7.1. The Trustees will follow the following policy guidelines if they believe the positions described below are likely to arise in the interim period before the next scheduled review of this policy.

7.1.1. In the event of there being insufficient unrestricted funds to meet the Charity’s reserve target, the Trustees will aim to restore the reserves to the target level as soon as is practically possible. It will aim to achieve this either by sourcing additional funding, increasing fundraising activity, reducing expenditure or by a combination of all three.

7.1.2. If reserves exceed the current target level by more than 25%, the Organisation will review its future financial planning & activities to ensure best value for its stakeholders & end users with the following factors in mind.

7.1.2.1. a risk assessment of its current & foreseeable funders & their likely future level of support;

7.1.2.2. the likelihood of material future increases in expenditure levels;

7.1.2.3. widening participation & involvement with a view to enhancing the profile of the facility.

8. Monitoring and reviewing of reserves.

8.1. The authority of the Trustees is required prior to the use of any funds set aside as reserves.

8.2. The Trustees will monitor the level of actual reserves against target on a regular basis.

8.3. The Trustees will re-evaluate the level of reserves required on an annual basis when setting the budget for the forthcoming year.

9. Statutory issues.

9.1. The Charities Commission SORP requires all charities preparing accruals-based accounts to set out their reserves policy in their Trustees Annual Report. This policy is designed as the basis for this requirement should it be necessary.

Version dated:	October 2018
Approved by the Charity Trustees on:
Signed on the Charity Trustees behalf:
Signature name/position in the Charity:

n) Data Protection Policy and Procedures

Introduction -

We are committed to a policy of protecting the rights and privacy of individuals.

We need to collect and use certain types of data in order to carry on our work of managing Burrington Parish Hall. This personal information must be collected and handled securely.

The Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) and General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) govern the use of information about people (personal data).

Personal data can be held on computers, laptops and mobile devices, or in a manual file, and includes email, minutes of meetings, and photographs.

The charity will remain the data controller for the information held. The trustees, staff and volunteers are personally responsible for processing and using personal information in accordance with the Data Protection Act and GDPR. Trustees, staff and volunteers who have access to personal information will therefore be expected to read and comply with this policy.

Purpose -

The purpose of this policy is to set out the Burrington Parish Hall commitment and procedures for protecting personal data. Trustees regard the lawful and correct treatment of personal information as very important to successful working, and to maintaining the confidence of those with whom we deal with. We recognise the risks to individuals of identity theft and financial loss if personal data is lost or stolen.

The following are definitions of the terms used:

Data Controller - the trustees who collectively decide what personal information Burrington Parish Hall will hold and how it will be held or used.

Act means the Data Protection Act 1998 and General Data Protection Regulations - the legislation that requires responsible behaviour by those using personal information.

Data Protection Officer – Burrington Parish Hall is not required to appoint a DPO.

Data Subject – the individual whose personal information is being held or processed by Burrington Parish Hall for example a donor or hirer.

‘Explicit’ consent – is a freely given, specific agreement by a Data Subject to the processing of personal information about her/him.

Explicit consent is needed for processing “sensitive data”, which includes:

Racial or ethnic origin of the data subject

Political opinions

Religious beliefs or other beliefs of a similar nature

Trade union membership

Physical or mental health or condition

Sexual orientation

Criminal record

Proceedings for any offence committed or alleged to have been committed

Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) - the ICO is responsible for implementing and overseeing the Data Protection Act 1998.

Processing – means collecting, amending, handling, storing or disclosing personal information.

Personal Information – information about living individuals that enables them to be identified – e.g. names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses. It does not apply to information about organisations, companies and agencies but applies to named persons, such as individual volunteers.

The Data Protection Act -

This contains 8 principles for processing personal data with which we must comply.

Personal data:

Shall be processed fairly and lawfully and, in particular, shall not be processed unless specific conditions are met;

Shall be obtained only for one or more of the purposes specified in the Act, and shall not be processed in any manner incompatible with that purpose or those purposes;

Shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to those purpose(s);

Shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date;

Shall not be kept for longer than is necessary;

Shall be processed in accordance with the rights of data subjects under the Act;

shall be kept secure by the Data Controller who takes appropriate technical and other measures to prevent unauthorised or unlawful processing or accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal information;

Shall not be transferred to a country or territory outside the European Economic Area unless that country or territory ensures an adequate level of protection for the rights and freedoms of data subjects in relation to the processing of personal information.

Applying the Data Protection Act within the charity -

We will let people know why we are collecting their data, which is for the purpose of managing [the hall], its hiring and finances. It is our responsibility to ensure the data is only used for this purpose. Access to personal information will be limited to trustees, staff and volunteers.

Correcting data

Individuals have a right to make a Subject Access Request (SAR) to find out whether the charity holds their personal data, where, what it is used for and to have data corrected if it is wrong, to prevent use which is causing them damage or distress, or to stop marketing information being sent to them. Any SAR must be dealt with within 30 days. Steps must first be taken to confirm the identity of the individual before providing information, requiring both photo identification e.g. passport and confirmation of address e.g. recent utility bill, bank or credit card statement.

Responsibilities -

Burrington Parish Hall is the Data Controller under the Act, and is legally responsible for complying with Act, which means that it determines what purposes personal information held will be used for.

The Management Committee will take into account legal requirements and ensure that it is properly implemented, and will through appropriate management, strict application of criteria and controls:

Collection and use information fairly.

Specify the purposes for which information is used.

Collect and process appropriate information, and only to the extent that it is needed to fulfil its operational needs or to comply with any legal requirements.

Ensure the quality of information used.

Ensure the rights of people about whom information is held, can be exercised under the Act.

These include:

i) The right to be informed that processing is undertaken.

ii) The right of access to one’s personal information.

iii) The right to prevent processing in certain circumstances, and

iv)The right to correct, rectify, block or erase information which is regarded as wrong information;

Take appropriate technical and organisational security measures to safeguard personal information;

Ensure that personal information is not transferred abroad without suitable safeguards;

Treat people justly and fairly whatever their age, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation or ethnicity when dealing with requests for information;

Set out clear procedures for responding to requests for information.

All trustees, staff and volunteers are aware that a breach of the rules and procedures identified in this policy may lead to action being taken against them.

Data Controller will be responsible for ensuring that the policy is implemented and will have overall responsibility for:

Everyone processing personal information understands that they are contractually responsible for following good data protection practice;

Everyone processing personal information is appropriately trained to do so;

Everyone processing personal information is appropriately supervised.

Anybody wanting to make enquiries about handling personal information knows what to do.

Dealing promptly and courteously with any enquiries about handling personal information.

Describe clearly how the charity handles personal information.

Will regularly review and audit the ways it holds, manages and uses personal information

Will regularly assess and evaluate its methods and performance in relation to handling personal information.

This policy will be updated as necessary to reflect best practice in data management, security and control and to ensure compliance with any changes or amendments made to the Data Protection Act 1998.

In case of any queries or questions in relation to this policy please contact Mrs Sarah Bonner.

Procedures for Handling Data & Data Security -

Burrington Parish Hall has a duty to ensure that appropriate technical and organisational measures and training are taken to prevent:

Unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data;

Unauthorised disclosure of personal data;

Accidental loss of personal data.

All trustees, staff and volunteers must therefore ensure that personal data is dealt with properly no matter how it is collected, recorded or used. This applies whether or not the information is held on paper, in a computer or recorded by some other means e.g. tablet or mobile phone.

Personal data relates to data of living individuals who can be identified from that data and use of that data could cause an individual damage or distress. This does not mean that mentioning someone’s name in a document comprises personal data; however, combining various data elements such as a person’s name and salary or religious beliefs etc. would be classed as personal data, and falls within the scope of the DPA. It is therefore important that all staff consider any information (which is not otherwise in the public domain) that can be used to identify an individual as personal data and observe the guidance given below.

Privacy Notice and Consent Policy -

The private notice and consent policy are as follows:

Consent forms will be stored by the Secretary in a securely held electronic or paper file.

Operational Guidance -

Email: all trustees, staff and volunteers should consider whether an email (both incoming and outgoing) will need to be kept as an official record. If the email needs to be retained it should be saved into the appropriate folder or printed and stored securely;

Remember emails that contain personal information no longer required for operational use, should be deleted from the personal mailbox and any “deleted items” box;

Phone Calls: phone calls can lead to unauthorised use or disclosure of personal information and the following precautions should be taken:

Personal information should not be given out over the telephone unless you have no doubts as to the caller’s identity and the information requested is innocuous;

If you have any doubts, ask the caller to put their enquiry in writing;

If you receive a phone call asking for personal information to be checked or confirmed be aware that the call may come from someone impersonating someone with a right of access.

Laptops and Portable Devices:

All laptops and portable devices that hold data containing personal information must be protected with a suitable encryption program (password);

Ensure your laptop is locked (password protected) when left unattended, even for short periods of time;

When travelling in a car, make sure the laptop is out of sight, preferably in the boot;

if you have to leave your laptop in an unattended vehicle at any time, put it in the boot and ensure all doors are locked and any alarm set;

Never leave laptops or portable devices in your vehicle overnight;

Do not leave laptops or portable devices unattended in restaurants or bars, or any other venue;

When travelling on public transport, keep it with you at all times, do not leave it in luggage racks or even on the floor alongside you.

Data Security and Storage:

Store as little personal data as possible on your computer or laptop; only keep those files that are essential;

Personal data received on disk or memory stick should be saved to the relevant file on the server or laptop. The disk or memory stick should then be securely returned (if applicable), safely stored or wiped and securely disposed of;

Always lock (password protect) your computer or laptop when left unattended.

Passwords:

Do not use passwords that are easy to guess;

All your passwords should contain both upper and lower-case letters and preferably contain some numbers;

Ideally passwords should be 6 characters or more in length.

Protect Your Password:

Common sense rules for passwords are: do not give out your password;

Do not write your password somewhere on your laptop;

Do not keep it written on something stored in the laptop case.

Data Storage:

Personal data will be stored securely and will only be accessible to authorised volunteers or staff;

Information will be stored for only as long as it is needed or required by statute and will be disposed of appropriately. For financial records this will be up to 7 years. For employee records see below. Archival material such as minutes and legal documents will be stored indefinitely. Other correspondence and emails will be disposed of when no longer required or when trustees, staff or volunteers retire;

All personal data held for the organisation must be non-recoverable from any computer which has been passed on/sold to a third party.

Information Regarding Employees or Former Employees:

Information regarding an employee or a former employee, will be kept indefinitely. If something occurs years later it might be necessary to refer back to a job application or other document to check what was disclosed earlier, in order that trustees comply with their obligations e.g. regarding employment law, taxation, pensions or insurance.

Accident Book:

This will be checked regularly. Any page which has been completed will be removed, appropriate action taken and the page filed securely.

Data Subject Access Requests:

We may occasionally need to share data with other agencies such as the local authority, funding bodies and other voluntary agencies in circumstances which are not in furtherance of the management of the charity. The circumstances where the law allows the charity to disclose data (including sensitive data) without the data subject’s consent are:

Carrying out a legal duty or as authorised by the Secretary of State Protecting vital interests of a Data Subject or other person e.g. child protection

The Data Subject has already made the information public

Conducting any legal proceedings, obtaining legal advice or defending any legal rights

Monitoring for equal opportunities purposes – i.e. race, disability or religion

We regard the lawful and correct treatment of personal information as very important to successful working, and to maintaining the confidence of those with whom we deal.

We intend to ensure that personal information is treated lawfully and correctly.

Risk Management:

The consequences of breaching Data Protection can cause harm or distress to service users if their information is released to inappropriate people, or they could be denied a service to which they are entitled. Trustees, staff and volunteers should be aware that they can be personally liable if they use customers’ personal data inappropriately. This policy is designed to minimise the risks and to ensure that the reputation of the charity is not damaged through inappropriate or unauthorised access and sharing.

The Data Protection Policy and Procedures was approved and agreed at the meeting of the F & GP held on 6 June 2018.