Governance at Midcounties Co-operative

Board of Directors

The Society is governed by a Board of 16 directors elected by and from the Society's members - a
fundamental principle of any co-operative enterprise. A list of the Society's current directors can
be found at the end of this page.

The Board has certain key responsibilities of which two stand out in particular. First, the Board
sets the Society's overall objectives and strategy and monitors progress against these; second, the
Board seeks to ensure that the Society operates and adheres to the co-operative values and
principles set out by the International Co-operative Alliance.

To help deliver these imperatives and its other responsibilities the Board has:
  * a set of Guiding Principles which provide the framework and expectations for the way directors
interact with one another and with others with whom they have business, and
  * a formal schedule of matters reserved for its decision as the Society's rules prescribe that
certain duties and responsibilities can only be decided by the Board.



The Board has also delegated some of its other responsibilities to various Board committees (all
elected by members):

Audit and Risk Committee

Remuneration Committee

Membership and Strategy Commitee





How do I become a director?
  *  We ask for nominations during July/August. You will see posters displayed in our stores and
branches.
  *  To stand for election, you will need to complete a nomination form and be nominated by 2 other
members of the Society. You will also need to write 250 words about why members should elect you as
a director of the Society - this will be published in the candidates' address booklet and
circulated to members with their voting papers
  *  As noted above, elections are held in September/October when we ask members to vote on those
candidates nominated for election
  *

What does being a director involve?

In terms of practicalities you should be aware of the following:
  *  Meetings - 11 Board meetings are held each year. 7 meetings are held on a Monday evening from
5.00pm until approximately 9.00pm and 4 are held on a Saturday usually lasting until late
lunchtime, with presentations and discussion sessions on the Friday evening beforehand.
  *  Meeting venues - meetings are held at the Society’s Head office in Warwick. Transport can be
provided if required, and the costs of childcare/elderly care are also reimbursed
  *  Preparation work - Board papers are circulated several days in advance of each meeting. You
will need to commit time to read these and prepare fully to maximise your contribution to the Board
  *  Training - directors are given the opportunity to develop their skills through training
courses if they wish
  *  Fees - directors are paid a fee which currently stands at £7,139 per year
  *  Term of office - the term of office is 3 years. After then you will need to seek re-election

As regards the overall role, you should note that the role of a director is an important one.
Directors represent the Society's members and take all the Society's key strategic decisions, so
are ultimately responsible for the success of the Society.