Charity Trustee Responsibilities

1) Charity trustees can make any plans they wish no matter what the constitution says

2) A charity may employ people (staff) and also have volunteers.  It is okay to just dismiss volunteers because they don’t have employment rights.

3) You are a Trustee.  Your son is an electrician.  Is it OK to make sure your son gets the job of rewiring the church and halls?

4) Who is responsible for making sure a record of charity funds is kept?

5) What does “OSCR” stand for?

6) How many SPECIFIC duties does a trustee have?

7) A Trustee can remain a trustee even if they stop attending meetings

8) Charities do not have to follow laws like Data Protection or Health & Safety

9) How often should Trustees review the charity’s plans?

10) There are five specific duties charity trustees must do.  Which one is NOT correct?

11) What is a charity “constitution”?

12) Which statement best describes a “conflict of interest”?

13) Some of the requirements upon trustees indicated in the Guidance may seen unfamiliar to those who are trustees in the church setting of a C of S congregation.  Why do you think this might be? Tick the answer you think is most likely to apply.

14) Once a year Trustees should look at what the charity has done well and what it needs to do better. True or False?

15) Charity Trustees need to keep up with changes in the Law.  How would trustees of a church best do that?

16) Charity Trustees have a number of duties – these are things you must do.  How many GENERAL duties does a trustee have?

17) Charity Volunteers do not need to be treated fairly as an employee would be

Who can the Session appoint to take part on committees?

What is the name of the body that can make changes to or replace the Unitary Constitution?

There may be more than one correct answer!

The members of the Session are regarded as the Charity Trustees.  Who are the people who make up the Session?

A Session Clerk may or may not be a member of the Session.  True or False

What happens if the Session becomes too small to be quorate?

The Session creates a Property Committee and gives it authority to spend up to £5,000 per annum on repairs without asking for permission.  Is that OK?

The Kirk Session can gift funds to another C of S congregation but not to any other denomination or cause.  True or False?

OSCR encourages Trustees to review the Charity’s Constutution and amend it as necessary.  A Session must do this to.  True or False?

A Session can create committees to focus on areas of congregational life.  True or False?

If the Session had to borrow money, where would it go for a loan?

Cheques written on church accounts are signed and countersigned.  How many signatories can there be in addition to the Treasurer?

A Clerk is appointed at the pleasure of the Session.  What does this mean?

A Session is able to enter into contract of employment.  True or False?

It is the duty of the Kirk Session, not the congregation, to ensure the Congregation’s giving meets all the financial needs.  True or False?

In what circumstances can the Session remove someone from membership of the Session?

A quorum is the minimum number of people required to hold a meeting of the Session.  How many people are required?

1) Which of these methods of donation carries most risk?

2) In the church setting a Personal Conflcit of Interest may be the most likely to occur. Which statement best describes Personal Conflict?

3) Page 12 of the guidance highlights how many legal duties? And how many good practice points?

4) Not everyone can be a Trustee of a Church of Scotland congregation.  Check the answers that are correct.

5) If someone asks for a copy of the church accounts and constitution we don’t have to provide them.  True or False?

6) Is it good practice to make accounts and constitution available on the church website?

7) Good practice is to have not less than three Trustees.  How many is the minimum number or quorum in a Church of Scotland Kirk Session

8) Remuneration means any payment received for services provided to the charity either as a charity trustee or under a contract of employment with the charity and includes people connected with the charity trustee. Is this statement True or False?

9) If you are a signatory on charity bank accounts is it okay to sign a cheque where the amount and payee are not yet completed?

10) The key to any governing document and to the overall governance of the charity are the charity’s purposes, which are the reason the charity exists. True or False?

11) Trustees have a duty to put Financial Controls in place. Which of these are examples of Financial Controls?

12) If a trustees fails in their duties this is known as…

13) A Trustee can be fully responsible for how a charity is run but not be involved in the day-to-day running. True or false?

14) Which of these in your opinion are most likely to give rise to a conflict of interest?

15) What is a Register of Interests?

16) When all Trustees share responsibility equally what is it called?

17) Jim is a painter and decorator.  Jim is married to Doreen. Dorren’s father Tom is a member of the Kirk Session.  The Kirk Session agree a contract with Jim to paint and decorate the Manse.  What kind of issue does the Kirk Session need to look out for?