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POST OFFICE ADVISORY COUNCIL — TERMS OF REFERENCE
PURPOSE
The Post Office Advisory Council (Council) exists to provide a forum for Post Office
stakeholders and other experts to discuss issues of interest and importance that impact on
customers, stakeholders and their communities.
The Post Office Board of Directors provides the primary governance of Post Office Limited
(Post Office).
ROLE
The role of the Council is to:
e provide a two-way channel of communications between the Post Office and its
stakeholders
e provide a mechanism for stakeholders and experts to offer views and advice to
Post Office Board and the Group Executive on subjects brought to it
«increase understanding and strengthen relationships between Post Office, its
stakeholders and wider interest groups
«provide a community for advocacy and communication of Post Office issues
The Council
e is not part of the formal governance arrangements of the Post Office
e is not a representative body
e has no decision-making authority
e may provide advice and views on matters brought before it but neither the Post
Office Board nor the Group Executive is required to act on that advice or those
views
MEMBERSHIP
The Chairman will be appointed by the Post Office Board and will be one of the Board Non-
Executive Directors.
there shall be about twenty members plus two Non-Executive Directors of Post Office.
Other attendees will be members of the Group Executive (as required by the agenda), and
guests as may be invited from time to time at the discretion of the Chairman.
In the absence of the Chairman, a Council meeting may be chaired by any Post Office Non-
Executive Director in attendance who is appointed to act as Chair by the members.
Members will be selected to provide a diverse and balanced mix of skills, experience and
stakeholder representation. Selection will be through a mix of invitations for nominations
from key stakeholder groups and advertised competition, with interviews to ensure the
membership has a strong mix of skills, and fully reflects the geographical, stakeholder,
social, community and commercial interests. The aim is to ensure members represent views.
from the following broad categorisation of areas.
Geography Diversity Experience
England Young Commercial
Scotland Later life Financial Services/Banking
Wales Carers Marketing
Northern Ireland Ethnic groups Retail
Rural areas SME
Urban areas Social
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Disadvantaged areas Community
Affluent areas Government
Mails
Initial appointments will be for periods of two, three or four years to ensure continuity of
membership. Thereafter members will generally be appointed for a term of four years,
renewable upon application for further terms of one year at the discretion of the Chairman.
There is no right to renew membership and renewal may be refused on any reasonable
grounds including the need to refresh membership in order to stimulate fresh debate.
Membership will be terminated if a member misses two meetings within the term of their
appointment.
CONDUCT OF MEETINGS
All members will be given reasonable written notice of meetings.
Meetings will be held three times a year, and will last a full morning. Meetings-will generally
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Members cannot send deputies except in the case of corporate members whose attending
member is unavailable. No deputy shall be allowed to attend unless approved in writing in
advance by the Post Office.
Members cannot bring guests unless approved in writing in advance by the Post Office.
All meetings shall be treated as confidential unless otherwise specified.
Recording of meetings on any form of media is not permitted.
Any member may be requested to leave a meeting if in the absolute discretion of the
Chairman he believes the member's conduct is or is likely to be detrimental to the purpose of
the Council and the overriding objective of a constructive exchange of views and debate.
The Chairman will feed back the views of the Post Office Board and Group Executive at each
meeting.
Following each Council meeting, the Chairman will provide feedback to the Post Office Board
and Group Executive as appropriate.
EXPENSES
Members will not be paid, but will be reimbursed reasonable out of pocket expenses for
attending meetings upon production of written receipts for the expenses incurred. If there is
any dispute as to the extent of any expenses to be recovered, the Chairman’s decision will
be final and binding.
GOVERNANCE
The Post Office Secretariat will attend all meetings, and take a note of proceedings and
discussions at meetings.
Agendas and a summary of minutes of Council meetings will be published, redacted where
appropriate to protect confidential information and circulated to members.
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The agenda will be set by the Post Office. Requests for items to be included on the agenda
should be made to the Chairman in writing (including emailte—inclkude—electronic
cemmunications). The Chairman is not obliged to accept any item on to the agenda.
If the Chairman does accept an agenda item, he may request that the point under discussion
be supplemented or supported by an accompanying document or documents. Failure to
supply any supporting documents reasonably requested by the deadline given will lead to
withdrawal of the item from the agenda.
February 2015
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