REN Governance

REN's GOVERNANCE

We want REN to be transparent and, in order to achieve this, we have provided information about, our makeup, direction and funding arrangements. This includes our goals and objectives (in line with positive outcomes), our strategic management plan drawn up by the REN Co-ordinator and agreed by the Management Committee.

Our Strategic Purpose

Vision

Our environment protected and enhanced by people thinking globally and acting locally for themselves and the future generations.

Mission

To enthuse and empower local residents, community and charitable groups, and organisations to live more sustainable lives and protect the environment by identifying solutions and delivering change.

Goals and objectives

Goal one: to improve the capacity of local third sector* environmental and sustainability organisations, and to provide advocacy for them.

To provide advice and support to organisations, particularly in regard to fundraising;

To arrange networking meetings to increase shared learning;

To spread information among organisations by e-newsletter;

To act as advocate for the sector and its organisations.

Goal two: to increase communication with the public, and promote involvement in environmental issues and related voluntary activity.

To provide event and activity listings for local media;
To communicate with the public through our website;
To attend local fairs and use them to engage public interest in environmental issues;
To arrange networking meetings and discussions/consultations on particular issues.

Goal three: to protect, conserve and increase biological diversity.

· To host and provide support to the Biodiversity Group. The Group, which comprises local interested parties and landowners, writes and implements action plans to protect, conserve and enhance habitats and species deemed at risk;

· To provide support to working groups writing and implementing plans.

Goal four: to promote the prudent use of resources within third sector organisations, schools and the wider community.

To provide environmental audits of buildings owned or leased by third sector organisations and schools;
To disseminate information and provide support in promoting energy efficiency, the prudent use of resources, micro-renewable technologies and other ways of increasing sustainable living

* this includes social enterprises/social businesses

Culture

REN is working towards becoming an organisation that fully embraces a culture of organisational learning. Pedler, Boydell and Burgyne define this as 'an organisation which facilitates the learning of all its members and continually transforms itself'. This is to ensure REN learns from its macro environment and beneficiaries to shape the services it provides as affective and responsive umbrella body.

The Management Committee is made up from representatives from each of the partner organisations in REN and the REN Co-ordinator.

Colin Cooper – REN Co-ordinator (staff)
Manages the REN, with direction from the Management Committee and Steering Group and the experience of REN's Volunteers in their specific areas of expertese and work. Colin previously worked within retail project management and procurement. Colin has completed studies in Ecological Building at Richmond upon Thames College and Community Leadership at Birkbeck College, University of London and is currently undertaking a MA in Charity Management St Mary's University College.

Jason Debney Jason Debney – Co-ordinator, Thames Landscape Strategy
Jason has considerable experience in waterside management and facilating projects in large partnerships and multiple stakeholders.

(Photo coming
soon)

Vicky Phillips - Co-optee Member as the previous Steering Group Chair.
A former Non Executive Director of Friends of the Earth England, Vicky is a Lawer and has worked for a leading solar energy company as well as being a previous Co opted Member of the Council's Environment Overview and Scrutiny Panel (this performs a scrutiny role of the Council's actions). Vicky is also a leading Member of Richmond and Twickenham Friends of the Earth with a specific interest in planning issues.

(Photo coming
soon)

John Anderson - Trustee, Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames
A former career civil servant woring in the Department of Heath in a number of senior posts directly responsible to and advising ministers on policy. Most recently John worked at Ealing Council in Social Services and then in a major busines transformation programme. In a recent career change John qualified in garden design.

Advisory / Steering / sector liaison

After five years of successfully supporting the environmental sector, providing representation and delivering innovative projects, we have reviewed our structure and activities as part of a strategic planning exercise in developing our Strategic Management Plan 2009 - 2012. The Plan has adopted two strategic options; consolidation and growth.

A key focus within consolidation approach is our move to fully adopting (we have been flirting with it for a year) a culture of organisational learning and in particular how our beneficiaries and stakeholder are represented and their ability to shape and evaluate our services. A first step was dissolving the old Steering Group on the 11th September 2009 which has been replaced with a new Advisory Group, comprising of exclusively REN's beneficiaries, which is obviously more than the body it replaces. It's first meeting was 20th July 2010. We have also launched an affiliation scheme for groups, school groups and social businesses to become affiliated to REN strengthening our collective voice.

In 2010 a new Strategic Management Plan was written, developing on the old version but taking into account the changed micro environment. We shall be shortly publishing our Strategic Management Plan 2010 - 2013

Members of the Steering Group and Management Committee & staff, from the left to right, Marina Pacheco, Eve Risbridger, Cllr Elengorn, Angela Kidner, Jason Debney, Sara Black and Lucy Black previous Steering Group Chair
Steering Group – a photo of some of the members of the Steering Group and Management Committee during a quarterly meeting in 2005. Starting from the left, Marina Pacheco (has since left), Eve Risbridger, Cllr Elengorn, Angela Kidner, Jason Debney, Sara Black and Lucy Black (has since left).

Steering Group Member's share a joke at the July 2006 meeting. The day was warm enough to move the meeting to outside Grove Gardens Chapel rather than being inside. From the left (and with her back to the camera) Carrie Marples (has since left), Vicky Phillips, Cllr Elengorn, Cllr Bouchier (standing in for Cllr Marlow), Sara Black, Eve Risbridger and Angela Kidner.

REN's Memorandum of Agreement between the Partners (PDF document)

REN's quarterly reports (These are compiled by the REN Co-ordinator, then circulated to other member of the REN Management Committee and then Steering Group. Those highlighted in blue are available to download)

Jan to Mar 2010

REN's Steering Group Meeting Minutes/Notes (every quarter)

The Steering Group was disbanded in Sept 2009 in line with a review of REN's governance (this was an action stemming from implementing our Strategic Management Plan)

(period April to June 2009)

May 2009 Meeting (period Jan to March 2009)

February 2009 Meeting (period Oct to Dec 2008)

November 2008 Meeting (period July to Sept 2008)

September 2008 Meeting (period April to June 2008)

May 2008 Meeting (period Jan to March 2008)

February 2008 Meeting (period Oct to Dec 2007)

November 2007 Meeting (period July to Sept 2007)

August 2007 Meeting (period April to June 2007)

April 2007 Meeting (period Jan to Mar 2007)

Febuary 2007 Meeting (period Oct to Dec 2006)

October 2006 Meeting (period July to Sept 2006)

People and organisations we wish acknowledge their support

	Colin Cooper – REN Co-ordinator (staff) Manages the REN, with direction from the Management Committee and Steering Group and the experience of REN's Volunteers in their specific areas of expertese and work. Colin previously worked within retail project management and procurement. Colin has completed studies in Ecological Building at Richmond upon Thames College and Community Leadership at Birkbeck College, University of London and is currently undertaking a MA in Charity Management St Mary's University College.
	Jason Debney – Co-ordinator, Thames Landscape Strategy Jason has considerable experience in waterside management and facilating projects in large partnerships and multiple stakeholders.
(Photo coming soon)	Vicky Phillips - Co-optee Member as the previous Steering Group Chair. A former Non Executive Director of Friends of the Earth England, Vicky is a Lawer and has worked for a leading solar energy company as well as being a previous Co opted Member of the Council's Environment Overview and Scrutiny Panel (this performs a scrutiny role of the Council's actions). Vicky is also a leading Member of Richmond and Twickenham Friends of the Earth with a specific interest in planning issues.
(Photo coming soon)	John Anderson - Trustee, Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames A former career civil servant woring in the Department of Heath in a number of senior posts directly responsible to and advising ministers on policy. Most recently John worked at Ealing Council in Social Services and then in a major busines transformation programme. In a recent career change John qualified in garden design.