A small not for profit business with two directors wishes to expand its board but the founding directors want to retain control of major decisions - should they seek non executive directors? Should these be paid ? Or can they set up a board but retain the controlling interest in some other way?

About 12 months ago I resigned from the staff of a church (a registered charity), where I had been the general operations manager and part of the senior leadership (but not a trustee). I have continued to serve as part of the leadership as a volunteer. Due to a number of changes within the leadership over the past 18 months, I am now being asked to stand as a Trustee.

Can you advise what responsibility I would be accepting as a Trustee and whether my past relationship and employment with the organisation would have a bearing on those responsibilities? (e.g. actions/decisions by past trustees, in particular during my previous period of employment). Many thanks.

A small charitable organisation is paying an accountant to be their Treasurer. I understand that this is acceptable to the Charity Commission if in the best interests of the charity and they have no other suitable person to do the job. If this person is Treasurer should they then also be a trustee and are there likely to be any other issues in this situation? Many thanks

Our organisation is constituted as a Company Ltd by Guarantee and has 5 directors. Our Chair also works for a company which provides PR Services to us under contract. We have a register of directors' interests under which her other company is stated and we also have an agreement that if any discussions arise regardign PR issues in Directors' Meetings, Anna will take no part in the discussion so as not to have any influence. Anna has been told by third parties that she's in a potentially "difficult" position. I don't want to lose this very good supportive director. What can I say to reassure her?

Our committee is a 'family affair', is this ok ? We have the Chair, who's the mother-in-law of the treasurer; the vice chair is the chair's sister; they 'run' the whole operation themselves, we have no regular meetings, the chair takes it upon herself, with the treasurer, to recruit staff & handle other staffing issues, keep the accounts, annual returns, etc.... Oh and the chair is also employed by the 'committee' too,... so basically she (as part of the committee) employs herself, while they supervise her issues (i.e performance management) so we don't get a say if she, let's say 'starts to slack' in her role, she's just left to get on with it & god forbid if any of the committee dare to try & speak up against it.......... Do you have any suggestions ??

Hi Charlie What are the ethics/protocol of paying a director of a company limited by guarantee who is also a headteacher? Do you have any views/comments Thanks

Can you suggest a set of Terms of Reference for a Board of Trustees?

We are a registered charity providing studio space to artists since 1977. We and have just been informed that our Trustees (or their relatives/associates) can't lease studio space from us at below market rent. Is this true? I hope so because having these beneficiaries on our Board is not a positive thing! This affects 4 out of 9 Trustees.

What exactly are the legal limitations of influence that members of a company may have on the board? The organisation in question has all of its new board members nominated from a very strong membership, then voted for by the same group. There are potential issues over conflict of interest when the elected members become board directors too. Any advice on legal limitations?

My Board is about to engage on recruiting a company secretary who would be a board member/trustee. We are a charitable company limited by guarantee. This is an urgent requirement as the previous secretary has sadly died recently and no other board member or employee has the capability to perform the company secretary function. Are you aware of any lists of persons (preferably based in the north east of england) who may be interested in such a position on a voluntary basis.