An advisor to our board of directors has suggested that it would be inappropriate for an employee to become a trustee/director until 6 months has elapsed from the end of her employment with the charity. I have scoured the mems and arts and ‘The Essential Trustee: What you need to know’ and under F3 I can fully understand the limitations of a trustee wanting to become an employee, but I see no such restrictions on an ex-employee wishing to become a trustee.

In fact, I would say that they are perhaps better placed than any trustee in understanding the gaps and shortfalls of the directorship, having been governed by them during their period of employment!

Please can you comment on the advisors understanding, and confirm whether or not an employee whose contract has ended and now receives no financial benefit from the charity cannot immediately apply to become a trustee/director.

I sent an enquiry on 17 June and to date have not had any response. My query was I need to write a finance policy for our organisation and wondered if there is a model/template or recommendations as to what I should include?

Have you heard about the new Funding Central database from NCVO? Do you have further details?