Scottish Hockey Organisational Review 2008
Following the Stakeholders meeting in September 2006 and further consultation with focus groups and districts in October 2006 through to March 2007, the 2008-2014 Business Plan was developed and ratified by Scottish Hockey’s Board this past November and went live in January 08.
Throughout the consultation process a clear message came through that Governance was a key issue that needed to be addressed. The Board developed this topic at a number of specific meetings and has come to the following conclusions:
Delivery: A clear focus on the delivery of the Business Plan requires a clear separation of roles and functions for the Board & Management Committee.
In this respect the Board recommends:
• Board composition- President, CEO and up to 7 Independent Directors. (We will be seeking more non-hockey independent directors.) The Board will elect a chairman from the independent directors.
• The Board will delegate authority to the Management Committee to run the sport. The function of the Board will be to: own & ensure delivery of the Business Plan; to ensure governance and probity; to set strategic direction; to approve the budget and any substantial change; to set financial authority limits and to oversee external relationships.
• The Management Committee will be accountable for the development and delivery of all aspects of the Business Plan. The Board, apart from participating in strategy development, will focus its attention on the independent review of the Management Committee’s plans and its delivery of these against an agreed set of performance measures.
• The Management Committee will manage the operational areas such as Competitions, Umpiring and Officials, Development, Coach Development, Membership Services, Youth Development and the International Programme by having a series of technical committees reporting to it.
An Executive Team (comprising the President and CEO), with delegated authority from the Board, will ensure the day to day running of the business on behalf of the Management Committee and will report to the Board.
The President will drive the Business Plan by chairing the Management Committee.
Communications: Members have expressed strongly that they felt distant from the decision making of the sport. The Board recommends, to address this, that the role of Honorary President be created.
• The Honorary President will be an advocate for the members and the voice and conscience of the sport.
• The Honorary President will sit on the Management Committee and have the additional responsibility for managing the complaint & appeals components of the Ethics Manual.
• The Honorary President will meet with the President 4 times per year.
• The President will bring any outstanding issues from these meetings to the Board’s attention and the Honorary President will be invited to meet the Board to resolve any such issues.
Finally, as a consequence of these changes, there will be some alignment of the technical committees’ roles and responsibilities which will be developed as an ongoing process.
This briefing document has been sent out to clubs for consideration. With the district’s permission, it will be discussed at the District AGM’s for comments.
Following a presentation of the updated document, the Board made the necessary changes to the Memorandum and Articles of the company, and formalised the role of the Honorary President. Resolutions were passed at the 2008 AGM to agree the changes, and an EGM was scheduled for December 2009 to elect an Honorary President.
Member clubs were asked for nominations for the Honorary President. The nomination process required a nomination to be supported by five member clubs, being affiliated to at least two districts.
Martin Boag was duly elected Honorary President at the EGM 2008. Hereafter the Honorary President will be elected at the AGM.