Governance > Terms of Reference > Board Committees > Neighbourhood House Committee - Terms of Reference
Authorised by Board of Directors
Revised Date: 21 March 2024
Purpose
The Kyeema Board Neighbourhood House Committee (‘the Committee’) is a subcommittee of the Board of Directors (Board). The Committee will report and provide advice and recommendations to the Board in accordance with this charter and is responsible for planning and reviewing programs of the Portland Neighbourhood House (PNH).
The Subcommittee’s objectives:
•Be key participants in assisting Kyeema’s Board to develop and implement strategies relating to the Victorian state DFFH-funded Neighbourhood House Program managed by Kyeema Support Services
•Implement, monitor and evaluate the PNH service delivery plan
•Support the Neighbourhood House Coordinator in implementing actions that meet the goals of the Neighbourhood House program, as outlined in the signed Service Agreement from DFFH (Department of Families, Fairness, Housing)
•Ensure that reporting requirements to DFFH are undertaken
•Support the Neighbourhood House Coordinator in ensuring the program meets community needs and expectations and ensures quality and diversity
•To ensure the program meets all standards and legislative requirements
•Monitor income and expense as per the annual Neighbourhood House budget
•Monitor PNH key performance indicators
•Advocate on behalf of the consumers and community of the Neighbourhood House programs
•Assist with the identification and delivery of staff and workforce training needs, including those of volunteers.
The PNH committee is responsible for providing decision-making that ensures the financial sustainability of the PNH.
Relationship with other Kyeema Committees
Issues of finance, risk, quality, safety and performance are inextricably linked across the organisation.
Thus the PNH Committee’s interests will align with several other Board committees and such operational committees and functions as the OH&S Committee and Quality Assurance activities.
Duration of Meetings
Meetings will be held quarterly, with dates and times to be determined by the members of the Committee.
Functions, Roles and Responsibilities
•The Committee is authorised by the Board to provide the Board with proposals in line with agreed current and future strategy
•The committee has no delegated powers other than those specified in these Terms of Reference
•The committee is authorised to obtain independent professional advice as necessary in accordance with these Terms of Reference
The Committee shall:
a) Ensure the upholding of policies, procedures and protocols
b) May act as an advisory group for grant applications
c) May act as an advisory group for planning future expenditure
d) Receive reports through the quality management systems, audits, peer reviews and consumer feedback for Neighbourhood house themes
e) Monitor and maintain risks within the Risk Register
f) Develop an annual delivery plan for programs and services which is reported to the Board for endorsement
g) Evaluate programs to ensure the quality and diversity of programs are meeting strategic objectives
Duties
The Committee will receive, develop and review reports concerning the Neighbourhood House including:
1. the development and implementation of the Neighbourhood House Annual Delivery plan;
2. Data and trends in programs, feedback and outcomes to provide assurance to the Board on performance and undertake appropriate review of incidents as appropriate at the discretion of the Committee;
3. Promote a culture of open and honest reporting of any situation that may threaten the sustainability of the neighbourhood house program; and
4. Ensure that appropriate action is taken in response to complaints and that learning from these is disseminated within the PNH program and beyond if appropriate.
Membership
The Committee shall be appointed by the Board and will comprise:
•One Board Director
•Kyeema’s Corporate Services Manager
•Four or five community members, including user-group representatives, with appropriate skills. This will be via an expression of interest submitted to the group
•Other persons, both internal and external, may be invited to attend meetings at the request of the Chairperson to provide advice and assistance.
•The Neighbourhood House Coordinator will be a non-voting member
•Membership will be reviewed at the first meeting after the Annual General Meeting annually.
Recruitment of consumer members will occur via an open expression of interest to the community including the Neighbourhood House user-groups.
Chairperson
The representative Board Director will be responsible for chairing the meetings or delegating to another.
Responsibility for calling meetings will rest with the committee Chair
Secretary
The Corporate Services Manager, or delegate, will be the Secretary of the Committee with the responsibility of:
•Preparing agendas and issuing notices for meetings in conjunction with the Board Director representative
•Ensuring all documentation for discussion or comment is attached to the agenda before distributing
•Distributing the agenda at least one week prior to the meeting
•Taking notes of proceedings and preparing the minutes of the meeting for circulation
Quorum and decision making
A quorum will consist of a simple majority of members of the Committee. The Neighbourhood House Coordinator does not have voting rights on the committee
Declaration of Interests
•All members must declare any actual or perceived conflicts of interest relevant to the work of the committee, which shall be recorded in the minutes.
•Members should exclude themselves from any part of the meeting in which they have a material conflict of interest.
•The Chair will decide whether a declared conflict of interests represents a material conflict.
Reporting
The Committee reports to the Board, with minutes of the Committee included in the Board agenda papers for consideration.
Minutes will also be circulated to PNH Committee members.
Frequency of meetings
Meetings are to be quarterly, unless a greater frequency is required and agreed upon.
Review of Committee Performance and Terms of Reference
The committee will carry out an annual review of its own performance against the Terms of Reference and report to the Board any recommendations for change.