Functions and Authority

• The function of the Properties Committee is the operational management, revenue generation and marketing of properties owned by An Taisce and the acquisition of new properties.
• The Properties Committee is a Organisational Subcommittee of the Board as defined in the Articles of Association.
• The Properties Committee does not have a specific budget or it’s own bank account. Properties Committee will use the An Taisce No 2 bank account, within which certain ring-fenced funds are held. These are recorded in the Membership System and Annual Accounts. Expenditure will go through the regular An Taisce approval processes.
• Local committees raise funds for local projects.
• Properties Committee has the authority to conduct day-to-day business without involving An Taisce’s Board. However, Properties Committee must not bind An Taisce to any obligations, financial or operational, without prior approval. Items that require notification and approval from the Board include but are not limited to:
  • Changes to the Properties Committee membership
  • Legal cases
  • Acquisition of new properties
  • Involvement with any significant monies
• Properties Committee must clear any request for work to be undertaken by AT staff members with the AT Chair. The request should be raised at the 10am Monday morning AT staff meeting.

Membership

• Current membership and current names of office holders are available at http://www.antaisce.org/publications/who-are-an-taisce
• Members need to be active and add value to the Properties Committee in order to retain their position, but there is no maximum term for a member of the Properties Committee
• Members must also be members of An Taisce in Good Standing
• New members are approved by the Board, and membership is reviewed each year at the Properties Committee AGM in September
• Members must attend at least one meeting a year. However, this is subject to review in exceptional circumstances. E.g. If updates are received, but the member lives too far away for attendance to be expected
• Members have one or more properties assigned to them. Members are responsible for management of each assigned property, and must write an update for the Property Committee report each year in January

Chair

• Chairs are elected every year at the AGM, and can remain in role for a maximum of five years
• The role of the Chair is:
  • Responsible for general management and strategic direction of the Properties Committee
  • Update Council on the running of the Properties Committee
  • Primary point of contact for the Properties Committee

Secretary

• Secretaries are elected every year at the AGM, and can remain in role for a maximum of five years
• The role of the Secretary is:
  • Take minutes for each meeting, circulate these, and agree minutes of the previous meeting at the following meeting.
  • Circulate a draft agenda and meeting notification 10 days prior to a meeting, asking for agenda items. Circulate a final agenda with any pre-read no later than four days before a meeting.
  • If the Secretary is unavailable for a meeting, it is their responsibility to find a substitute Secretary
• The Secretary acts as the second point of contact should the Chair be unavailable

Meetings

• The Properties Committee meets bi-monthly (i.e. six times a year), on the first Friday of each month, at 12:00. (This was agreed as it’s the week before the Board meeting)
• One of these meetings is the AGM, which is on a Saturday morning instead, on the same day as the Council meeting in September (from 2016 onwards).
• The Secretary is responsible for liaising with AT staff to plan the Properties Committee meetings for the coming year
• Meetings last for a maximum of two hours
• Meetings are for discussion, rather than transmitting information. To this end, any documents are submitted for pre-read no less than four days prior to the meeting date
• Meetings start on time, once four people are present. Members are encouraged to arrive slightly early for meetings to ensure a prompt start

Reporting

• Properties Committee reports to the AT Council via the Properties Committee Chair at each Council meeting
• The Properties Chair will send a report to Board as and when required.

Approved by Council on 10th October 2015.