Chair Is Part Of The Furniture!

[Guest]

Hi Everyone,

 

I wonder if anyone can advise please?

 

I am the supervisor of a nice little village preschool. We have a good staff team and generally we are lucky to have a flow of reliable committee members. Our Chairperson 'gets things done' as in delegates to EVERYONE in quite a condescending kind of way and a few of us, including staff get rubbed up the wrong way by her.

 

She has held the position of Chairperson now for over 3 years and as she has the last of her own children due at preschool in about a year, we are thinking that she is planning on staying FOREVER!!!!!!! AGM's that used to be a nice social event are dull, depressing and not a snack or drink or smile in sight!!!!! Policies are reeled off the PLA website and I continuously tell her that a policy is to be monitered and adjusted or adapted according to our preschool's personal needs but she sits at home constantly reeling off more and more irrelevant policies!! She is constantly reinforcing her status to one and all and we are all a little tired of it.

 

How long can a Chair or other committee member stay in their named role at preschool or are there no rules?

 

Thanks so much

Tintin

[Rea]

This is taken from the PLA model constitution, looks like you have her for a wjhile yet unless she isnt elected at the next AGM.

5.5 (a) The Officers and Committee members in 5.2(a) and 5.2( shall be elected for one year at the Annual General Meeting. Retiring Officers and Committee members are eligible for re-election unless they have already served on the Committee in any capacity for ten consecutive years.

[HappyMaz]

What does it say in your constitution? I wonder if there is a limit on the number of years people can hold the same office? I know that the PLA branch committee constitution made people change positions every few years (can't remember whether it was three or five), but that was long ago and far away.

 

Does she have children in the pre-school at the moment? I know that some constitutions don't allow people who don't have children in the group to be on the committee (although they can still be co-opted, of course).

 

How do other committee members feel about the situation? Would anyone be willing to stand against her for the post of chair at your next AGM?

 

Sorry but I don't have a lot of advice to offer - sounds like a grim situation!

 

I've just seen Rea's reply so maybe my idea of a bloodless coup is the way forward!

[Guest]

This is taken from the PLA model constitution, looks like you have her for a wjhile yet unless she isnt elected at the next AGM.

5.5 (a) The Officers and Committee members in 5.2(a) and 5.2( shall be elected for one year at the Annual General Meeting. Retiring Officers and Committee members are eligible for re-election unless they have already served on the Committee in any capacity for ten consecutive years.

 

 

Thanks Rea

OUCH! I don't think she plans on going anywhere and I have a feeling other committee members are a little too scared........

[Rea]

When you have your AGM, give out nomination forms, I found one on the Governance site. It allows for more people to really think about taking part in the group and you might find someone else would really like the role of chair.

 

She will have to resign and be re-elected so thats when people can not propose her.

If you've adopted the PLA con of 2008 staff are allowed to go onto the committee, but not hold a trustee role or vote on certain things like wages. Would that help in a vote?

 

For now though do you have a role of committees, code of conduct for committee members or a conflict of interest document? All might help to stop her being so bossy.

[SazzJ]

Check the consitution or even ofsted but i am sure it's 4 years max xx