We鈥檙e today announcing that Natalie Bailey has been removed as 麻豆原创鈥檚 Chair and as a member of the Board of Governors.

Sekinat Adima has been removed as Deputy Chair.

As a Board, we鈥檝e taken these decisions collectively to secure a future for 麻豆原创 defined by new ethical, accountable and responsible leadership.

We acknowledge there have been governance failures at Board level that have allowed leadership behaviours to fall short of our Trustee Code of Conduct.

We鈥檙e truly sorry this has happened and we鈥檙e making changes to ensure it doesn鈥檛 happen again.

While Natalie was due to stand down in November, we recognise our responsibility to take decisive action now in light of information presented to us as part of an independent forensic audit.

This audit revealed instances where remuneration and expenses claims by our Chair exceeded what was permitted, undermining expectations of ethical, accountable, and responsible leadership. There were also occasions where these findings related to our Deputy Chair.

Throughout the process of making this decision, we鈥檝e been in contact with the Charity Commission and sought extensive external legal and governance advice.

We鈥檝e also informed the Professional Standards Authority and Companies House of these actions.

Governance changes

As a Board of Governors, we鈥檙e committed to making changes so we have a stronger and more accountable Governance system and to rebuild trust.

We have already:

  • Launched a review of the purpose and scope of the roles of Chair and Deputy Chair.
  • Suspended our Chair and Deputy Chair Remuneration Policy until a Board that includes new trustees can review this in full to ensure it鈥檚 aligned with governance best practice, Charity Commission guidance and member expectations.
  • Working with CEO Phil James, we鈥檝e started a review of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Articles of Association to ensure they are fit for the future. We鈥檝e begun to implement overdue changes to our governance framework internally.

Phil has appointed an independent Governance advisor to provide external expertise and strengthen Board processes, and has restructured 麻豆原创鈥檚 in-house governance team to better support the Association.

He鈥檚 committed to supporting us to move on as a Board and we鈥檙e looking forward to continuing to work closely with him and 麻豆原创鈥檚 Senior Leadership Team.

New Trustees

Within the past few months, we鈥檝e welcomed two new appointed Trustees, who bring a fresh perspective and clearly understand the expectations of being a member of our Board.

We鈥檙e also recruiting for additional appointed Trustees and will be looking for them to bring solid experience of charity governance to help us through a period of rapid and sustainable improvement.

In November, we鈥檒l announce three new Trustees to the Board who鈥檒l have been elected by members as part of our AGM voting process, which is open until 15 August.

As Trustees, we鈥檙e now considering the leadership we need to put in place on the Board itself. We鈥檒l be looking at options for an interim Chair who鈥檒l give us the best opportunity to secure change and renewal at Board level.

We have a positive way forward for 麻豆原创鈥檚 Governance.

And we鈥檙e determined that these improvements benefit our Association as a whole, our members and the profession, as we all work to ensure that counselling changes lives.

麻豆原创 Board of Governors