Draft Terms of Reference

Note: the following draft Terms of Reference were updated following the planning meeting on 1st October 2007 (which elected provisional officers) and again in March 2008 (to reflect  the change of name to "Crocus") and in April 2008 (to clarify how people or groups become members) but are still subject to agreement by a full Crocus meeting.

1.   Purpose

Crocus — Croydon's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Network — exists to improve the lives of LGBT people who live or have an interest in Croydon.

Crocus is a collective of LGBT people and groups collaborating on issues of common interest to be the voice of LGBT people in the borough.

2.   Aims

Crocus will:

• Provide a coordinated platform for the representation of LGBT people of Croydon
• Provide an environment for open discussion, information sharing, learning and development on LGBT issues
• Encourage collaboration between Croydon LGBT groups and individuals
• Research and analyse the needs and issues of LGBT people in order to address these needs by working together
• Strengthen, assist and enhance local LGBT specialist groups without duplicating or undermining their work
• Undertake projects as identified by members of Crocus

3.   Values

Crocus will work to Community Development Values:

• Social Justice – enabling people to claim their human rights, meet their needs, and have greater control over the decision-making processes that affect their lives.
• Participation – facilitating democratic involvement by people in the issues that affect their lives, based on full citizenship, autonomy, and shared power, skills, knowledge and experience.
• Equality – questioning the attitudes of individuals, and the practices of institutions and society, that discriminate against and marginalise people.
• Learning – recognising the skills, knowledge and expertise that people contribute and develop, by taking action to tackle social, economic, political and environmental problems.
• Co-operation – working together to identify and implement action, based on mutual respect of diverse cultures and contributions.

4.   Membership & Representation

4.1   Membership

Crocus Membership will:

• Comprise primarily members who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
• Be reflective of Croydon's LGBT population
• Include all those interested in LGBT issues including individuals, groups and friends. For clarification membership of Crocus is therefore open to:
  • People who live, work or socialise in Croydon and are identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender
  • Carers, friends or relatives of people identified as LGBT
  • Voluntary and community organisations working in the LGBT support sector or having an interest in working with LGBT people

People and groups may become members by applying to the Secretary of Crocus. They will be accepted subject to ratification by the Officers of Crocus, who will also have the right to terminate membership for inappropriate conduct or other breaches of the Terms of Reference.

4.2   Statutory sector partners

Statutory sector partners (Council, Health, Police etc) and businesses participate through invitation and are required to contribute in line with these Terms of Reference.

4.3   Elected Representatives

Elected Representatives will:

• Be elected by majority vote every two years with interim representatives co-opted when posts are unfilled
• Have attended at least one full meeting of Crocus before standing for election
• Participate in the Crocus Steering group while holding the position of Crocus representative
• Be elected to attend Partnership Group (PG) meetings and other relevant committees and sub groups relevant to the work of Crocus, to represent the views of Crocus members to influence local decisions
• Provide feedback from the PG and other sub groups to Crocus, and feed Crocus members' views to the PG and respective groups
• Be offered training and support in their roles
• Be reflective of the diversity of Crocus
• Sit as representatives on no more than two Partnership Groups
• Be co-opted as required onto Partnership Groups for specific meetings, depending on what is on respective Partnership Groups' agendas

4.4   Steering Group

The Steering Group will:

• Be made up of volunteer members of Crocus and elected representatives of Crocus
• Include representation from Croydon LGBT groups
• Oversee Crocus's membership procedure
• Steer the direction and guide the development and planning of Crocus.

5.   Operation

Crocus will aim to operate as follows:

5.1   Ground Rules

All members will:

• Be committed to work towards meeting the aims of Crocus
• Endeavour to protect and act in the best interests of Crocus
• Adhere to the community development values listed in Paragraph 3.
• Declare any conflict of interest, and withdraw from discussions when requested
• Actively promote and practice freedom of speech
• Respect difference of opinion and create a safe and supportive space for sharing views
• Acknowledge and respect diversity
• Make decisions collectively
• Sensitively respect confidentiality and anonymity
• Respect time constraints
• Respect that no one or more individuals are to dominate any meeting

5.2   Facilitation & Support

Day-to-day management of Crocus, subject to decisions of the Steering Group and general meetings of Crocus, will be delegated to the following officers, who will be elected by a general meeting of Crocus:

• Chair
• Vice-chair
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Webmaster.

Election of a Treasurer may be deferred until there are significant financial transactions to be recorded.

For an interim period, Croydon Voluntary Action will have control of all monies assigned to Crocus, but will exercise this control as requested by the Steering Group.

5.3   Meetings

Crocus  will:

• Work to the ground-rules listed in Paragraph 5.1
• Hold Crocus meetings quarterly
• Hold six Steering Group meetings every year
• Hold all Crocus meetings in accessible venues
• Hold meetings at venues and times democratically agreed by Crocus members
• Hold meetings that are informal, friendly and interactive.

5.4   Agenda and Notes of Meetings

The agenda for any meeting will:

• be planned ahead and sent out seven days prior to meeting
• address specific themes
• be written in clear and jargon-free language
• be circulated widely
• include sufficient comfort breaks.

Members are encouraged to add agenda items.

Notes of key points and action agreed at any meeting will be circulated to Crocus members and those in attendance within one month of the meeting.

Feedback on progress will be provided at each Steering Group and Crocus meeting.