British Hallmarking Council: Remuneration Committee standing orders
Updated 2 August 2022
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The Hallmarking Act 1973 makes provision for the constitution of the British Hallmarking Council at Schedule 4. Schedule 4 paragraph 16 provides that the Council may make standing orders for regulating the proceedings (including quorum) of the Council or any of its committees, from time to time as the Council thinks fit. These Standing Orders for the Remuneration Committee supplement the requirements of Schedule 4.
1. Purpose of the Remuneration Committee
The purpose of the Remuneration Committee is to recommend to the Council and monitor the remuneration of the BHC Chair, Secretary and any other role it is designated to consider, and fees paid to professional advisers and others.
2. Remuneration policy
Remuneration paid by the BHC shall:
- be fair and reasonable
- be appropriate for the skill and expertise of the individual
- reflect the roles undertaken
3. Duties
The Remuneration Committee will:
3.1 Equip itself with information regarding remuneration of the BHC’s Chair, Secretary, and any other role it is designated to consider, and professional advisers.
3.2 Monitor the level of remuneration of the BHC’s Chair, Secretary, any other role it is designated to consider, and the fees to be paid to its professional advisers, and review the ongoing appropriateness and relevance of the remuneration policy.
3.3. Take into account all factors which it deems necessary including the work undertaken, the level of responsibility involved, and any comparable roles for which information is available.
3.4 Oversee contractual arrangements with the Chair, Secretary and any other role it is designated to consider, professional advisers and others.
3.5 Agree the policy for authorising claims for expenses from the Chair, Secretary and any other role it is designated to consider.
4. Reporting responsibilities
4.1 The Remuneration Committee Chair shall report formally to the Council on its proceedings after each meeting on all matters within its duties and responsibilities.
4.2 The committee shall make whatever recommendations to the Council it deems appropriate on any area within its remit where action or improvement is needed.
5. Membership
5.1 The Remuneration Committee shall be made up of three members of the Council as follows:
- two Secretary of State appointed members
- one Assay Office appointed member
5.2 The BHC Chair may attend meetings by invitation.
5.3 The BHC Secretariat shall provide secretarial support.
5.4 The BHC Chair and Secretary shall absent themselves from discussions relating to their own remuneration and shall have no part in decision-making affecting their own remuneration.
6. Meetings
6.1 The Remuneration Committee shall meet when necessary for the efficient conduct of its business.
6.2 The location, date and time of meetings shall be decided by the committee members. The Secretary will send details of the meeting together with the agenda and papers to the committee members as soon as reasonably practicable prior to the meeting to ensure proper consideration of the matters to be considered.
6.3 The meeting shall be quorate where two of the members are present.
6.4 The committee may discharge its duties by email, telephone or other reasonable means of distance communication in which all participants may communicate simultaneously with all other participants and the provisions with regard to quoracy and decision-making as set out in these Standing Orders shall apply as if a physical meeting were to take place.
6.5 Only members of the committee and the BHC Secretary shall have the right to attend meetings. However any member of the BHC may request that they be permitted to attend a meeting as an observer without voting rights and such request should not be unreasonably refused. Any Council member attending meetings as an observer should not participate in any discussion in which he/she has an interest.
7. Voting
Any resolution put to a vote at a meeting shall be passed only where the meeting is quorate in accordance with paragraph 6 and where a majority of those present at the meeting vote in favour of the resolution. In the event of a tie, the chair of the committee shall have a casting vote.
8. Administration
8.1 The Secretary shall record a minute of the proceedings including the names of those present and in attendance.
8.2 The draft minutes of each meeting and list of action points from that meeting will be circulated to the committee within 28 days of the meeting.
8.3 Any conflict of interest shall be declared at the beginning of the meeting and minuted accordingly.
8.4 The committee shall provide a report of its activities at each meeting of the Council.
Sue Green
Secretary to the British Hallmarking Council
October 2020