Role Description
The Hightown Board determines the vision and strategy of the Association. It directs, controls and scrutinises Hightown’s operational activities while delegating day to day management to the senior officers and staff.
Board members are expected to share a commitment to Hightown’s objectives and to ensure that the interests of Hightown are placed before any personal interests.
Hightown Board members are unremunerated.
The Board has eleven elected members who meet around seven times a year in the evening and at two strategy afternoons a year. In addition, each Board member is expected to sit on two scrutiny Committees (see below) which each meet four times a year.
Members normally serve for a three year term which may be renewed for one further three year term (or exceptionally two further terms).
Board and Committee meetings would normally take place in the evenings at Hightown’s central office in Hemel Hempstead which makes it desirable that Board members will live or work in or near Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire.
Committees
The Board currently has four sub-Committees which scrutinise the activities of the Association and provide advice and guidance to the Board. These are:
- Operations Committee
- Development Committee
- Risk and Audit Committee
- Nominations and Remuneration Committee
Board members will be expected to serve on two sub-Committees.
Training for Board Members
All Board members will be invited to attend training events on relevant topics each year and to visit Hightown developments and projects.
In addition, members will be invited to attend appropriate courses, seminars and conferences run by the National Housing Federation and other bodies.
Where a Board or Committee member has specific training needs (for example, in a specialist area of Hightown’s work or where the member is a new member), these will be addressed.