Thank you to those who have already registered their interest in becoming a trustee as we invite candidates to stand for election to join the Trust’s Board.
A by-election will be held on the 6th May to fill a vacancy for the Priory Ward and the Trust is encouraging potential candidates to get in touch and register their interest.
The Trust is the charity that looks after the Hills and Commons and is governed by the Malvern Hills Acts. The Board of trustees is the body which is legally responsible for managing the Trust, with eleven of its trustees elected by the voters of Malvern, Guarlford, Colwall and Mathon.
The trustees are responsible for the strategic oversight of the charity, ensuring that it is meeting its statutory and charitable objectives. The Board meets at least 5 times a year, with most trustees also sitting on at least one of the 4 committees.
Candidates standing for the election do not have to live in the Priory ward but must be over 18 and registered to vote in, live in or work in one of the wards or parishes that pay the Trust’s levy (town of Malvern, parishes of Colwall, Guarlford, Malvern Wells, Mathon or West Malvern).
A spokesperson of the Trust said “Becoming one of our trustees is a privilege but also a significant responsibility. It is an opportunity to get involved in making some of the key decisions about how the Trust delivers its charitable objectives. These range from looking after the Hills and Commons which are managed by the Trust to financial control of the charity, health and safety matters and risk management.
“Candidates should be prepared to commit regular time to this important role. We would recommend anyone interested in standing has a look at the Board and Committee papers available on our website, in order to get a clear appreciation of the range of work they may be involved in such as land management, finance, charity governance or human resources.”
“One important point to note is that being a charity trustee is different from being elected to a local authority. Once elected, our trustees are legally obliged to act in the best interests of the charity and are not representatives of the voters.”
Potential candidates are invited to attend an online briefing session on the evening of 16th March. Those interested in taking part should contact the Trust on 01684 892002 or email info@malvernhills.org.uk to register their interest and book a place. The Trust also welcomes people to contact them for an informal chat to find out more about the organisation and becoming a trustee.
Nominations are expected to open on Monday 22nd March and close on 8th April. More information about the Trust can be obtained from their offices at Manor House, Grange Road Malvern.
