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3.7 The Role of Board Committees
To function efficiently and effectively, a Board must put some thought into how business will be conducted. It must adopt processes for getting through business in a constructive way. Many Boards establish committees to deal with particular areas of interest outside main Board meetings, such as:
- Remuneration Committee;
- Audit Committee; and
- Area or Regional Boards.
Committees may also be set up to deal with specific aspects of the Board's role, the most common of which are:
- Staff Governance;
- Finance;
- Policy;
- Development; and
- Clinical Governance (in the NHS).
The advantage of a committee structure is that it allows for specialist areas to be debated in detail by members with the appropriate knowledge or skills. The key points can then be presented to the full Board for ratification, making more effective use of scarce time. It is very important, however, that it is not merely the minutes of Board Committees that are reported to the Board. The Board cannot be expected to understand the issues dealt with by the Board Committee from the minutes alone. The Board has to have a substantive report from the Committee. That report will summarise not just the decisions but also the issues and the debate.
In some circumstances, the Board may invite individuals with specific skills and/or expertise to serve on Board Committees as co-opted members. However, co-opted members must never constitute a majority of the membership of any Board Committee.
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