Women's National Commission Constitution

This Constitution sets out the overall objectives and the operational framework of the Women's National Commission (WNC).

WNC remit

The WNC is an advisory non-departmental public body (that is a non-statutory body - i.e. no legal status), with a remit to act as the Government's official independent advisory body on women. Since its establishment in 1969, the WNC has operated under a remit "to ensure by all possible means that the informed opinions of women are given their due weight in the deliberations of Government".

Guiding values

The WNC will:

Functions

The WNC provides a two-way channel for effective communication between Government and women's organisations by providing advice to Government and being available for Government to consult. It has a duty to:

Activities

In achieving its goals, the WNC will provide a number of key services as follows:

In providing any of our key services we will be ready to identify other ways in which they might be delivered to better effect.

Public Service Values

The WNC, its Chair and Commissioners, will at all times:

The WNC has adopted the seven principles of public life recommended by the Nolan Committee. These are:

Selflessness

Holders of public office should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.

Integrity

Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.

Objectivity

In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

Openness

Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

Honesty

Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

Leadership

Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

The role of the Chair

The Chair is appointed by the Minister for Women and has responsibility for providing effective strategic leadership in:

The Chair shall ensure that the Board of Commissioners meets at regular intervals throughout the year and that the minutes of meetings accurately reflect the decisions taken and, where appropriate, the views of individual Commissioners.

Communication between the WNC's Board of Commissioners and the Minister for Women will normally be through the Chair, except where the Board has agreed that an individual Member should act on its behalf. An individual Member has the right of access to Ministers on any matter, which he or she believes raises important issues relating to his or her duties as a Commissioner. In such cases the agreement of the rest of the Board should normally be sought. The main point of contact between the WNC and the sponsor department on day-to-day matters will normally be the Director or another employee who is authorised to act on behalf of the WNC.

The Chair shall ensure that all Commissioners, when taking up office, are fully briefed on the terms of their appointment and on their duties, rights and responsibilities.

The normal term of office shall be three years. Reappointment shall be subject to satisfactory discharge of duties, and the procedures laid down in guidance issued by the Office for the Commissioner of Public Appointments (OCPA).

In the event of the resignation of the Chair, or her/his otherwise removal from office, the post shall remain vacant until such time that a substantive or temporary Chair shall be appointed by the Minister(s) for Women in accordance with the procedures laid down by OCPA. This should not normally exceed six months.

The Role of the Board of Commissioners

Members are appointed by the Minister for Women as individuals and not as the mandated representatives of any organisation or interest, and should be fully committed to equality of opportunity and the principles that underpin this.

Members will be selected on merit, in accordance with the procedures laid down by OCPA, based on their expertise in the policy issues within the WNC's remit. The Group as a whole will represent expertise over a wide range of the issues that are of key interest to the WNC's constituency of women's organisations and will reflect views from all parts of the United Kingdom, including members from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England. We will aim to achieve pro rata representation of minority groups.

Commissioners are responsible for:

The normal term of office shall be two years. Reappointment shall be subject to satisfactory discharge of duties, and the procedures laid down in guidance issued by the Office for the Commissioner of Public Appointments.

In the event of the resignation of a Commissioner, or her/his otherwise removal from office, the post shall remain vacant until such time that a substantive or temporary member shall be appointed by the Minister(s) for Women in accordance with the procedures laid down by OCPA. This should not normally exceed six months.

Delegation

Commissioners will serve on a part-time basis. Responsibility for the management of the WNC is delegated to the Director who in turn is responsible for ensuring that there are effective systems of management, delegation and control to ensure that the organisation delivers its strategic and operational objectives, and that the WNC's resources are deployed in an effective, efficient and economic way.

The Director is also responsible for the effective management of risk in the organisation and is accountable to the Board of Commissioners for this.

The Board may decide to delegate responsibility for specified matters within its own terms of reference to individual Members and working groups. Decisions taken by individual Members or working groups under delegated powers should be recorded in written minutes available to the Board as a whole.

Responsibilities of the Chair and individual Commissioners

The Chair and individual Commissioners should be aware of their wider responsibilities as public appointees. They should follow the seven principles of public life recommended by the Nolan Committee, as set out on page 2.

The Chair and each Commissioner should ensure they understand their duties, rights and responsibilities, and that they are familiar with the function and role of the WNC.

The Chair and Commissioners are expected not to occupy paid party political posts or hold particularly sensitive or high profile unpaid roles in a political party, and not to engage in specific party-political activities on matters directly affecting the work of the WNC. When engaging in other political activities, members should be conscious of their public role and exercise proper discretion.

The Chair and Commissioners must not misuse information gained in the course of their public service for personal gain or for political purpose, nor seek to use the opportunity of public service to promote their private interests or those of connected persons, firms, business or other organisations.

Any complaint about a Commissioner should be referred to the Chair; any complaint about the Chair should be referred to the Minister for Women.

The Minister for Women may independently, or on the advice of the Chair, remove a Commissioner from office if they fail to perform their duties to the standards expected of persons who hold public office. Likewise, she may remove the Chair from office in similar circumstances.

Handling conflicts of interest

The Chair and Commissioners should declare any personal or business interests that may conflict with their responsibilities as members of the Board. Any conflicts of interest should be identified at an early stage and appropriate action taken to resolve them.

Personal liability of Commissioners

Individual Commissioners who have acted honestly, reasonably, in good faith and without negligence will not have to meet out of their own resources any personal civil liability which is incurred in execution of their functions as Members, except where the person has acted recklessly.

Openness and responsiveness

The Board of Commissioners and the Directorate should conduct all their dealings with the public in an open and responsible way.

Accountability for public funds

The Board of Commissioners will normally be advised on these matters by the Director (see below).

Annual report

As part of its responsibilities for the stewardship of public funds, the Board of Commissioners must ensure that it includes a full statement of the use of such resources in the WNC's Annual Report.

The Annual Report will be produced as a single document and copies will be placed in the libraries of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Annual Report should provide a full description of the WNC's activities; state the extent to which key strategic objectives and agreed financial and other performance targets have been met; list the names of current Commissioners and senior staff; and provide details of the remuneration of the Chair and staff in accordance with Treasury guidance.

The role of the Director

The Director has responsibility, under the Board of Commissioners, for the overall organisation, management and staffing of the WNC and for its procedures in financial and other operational matters including conduct and discipline. This involves the promotion by leadership and example of the values embodied in the Nolan Committee's Seven Principles of Public Life. Commissioners should support the Director in undertaking this responsibility.

The Director is responsible for the proper management of the WNC's resources and staff, for ensuring high standards of corporate governance, and for ensuring that Government guidance on regularity, propriety and value for money is complied with. The Director is responsible to the Accounting Officer of the sponsor department, via the Director of the Women and Equality Unit, who in turn is responsible and accountable to Parliament for the actions of the department in paying grant-in-aid to the WNC.

The Director has a personal responsibility for the propriety and regularity of the public finances for which s/he is answerable; for the keeping of proper accounts; for prudent and economical administration; for the avoidance of waste and extravagance; and for the efficient and effective use of all the resources in his/her charge. The Director has a responsibility to see that appropriate advice is tendered to the Board of Commissioners on all these matters. Satisfactory performance of these responsibilities is fundamental to the role of the Director.

Relationship with the sponsor department

The Minister for Women is answerable to Parliament for the WNC's policies and performance, including its use of resources and the policy framework within which it operates.

The Director of the WNC reports to the Director of the Women and Equality Unit of the Department for Trade and Industry on all financial, personnel and civil service matters. The staff of the Directorate are civil servants.

Situated in the Department for Trade and Industry, the WNC has adopted the following values.

Valuing Diversity

We will listen to, value and respect each other as individuals with a contribution to make.

Openness

We will be open, honest and realistic about our goals - celebrating our successes; admitting our mistakes; and learning from both.

Innovation and Creativity

We will be innovative and creative, recognising that this means trusting rather that blaming each other and managing risks.

Collaboration

We will work closely together to achieve our goals.

Encouragement and Development

We will encourage and support each other so that everyone has the opportunity to develop, progress and reach their full potential.

Service to customers

We will take pride in our work, striving for excellence and continuously improving the service we deliver to all our customers, internal and external.

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