Operations Group

Remit, responsibilities and procedure

Remit

The aim of Operations Group (Ops Group, OG) is to ensure the smooth, inclusive and effective running of BBP. It does this by providing a regular time and space for all areas of the project to share information and consult with each other.

Responsibilities

It is responsible for making operational decisions on issues that affect more than one area of the project. By ‘area’ we mean things like the shop, community workshop, particular programmes, DIY sessions, volunteer sessions, courses, admin and finance staff and working groups.

It uses our advice principle to determine what to discuss and what to delegate

It is not responsible for day-to-day decisions which can be made by individual staff or areas of the project on things that fall within their respective remits and don’t impact other areas

It is not responsible for the type of higher level decisions that are made by the Directors.

It is not responsible for making changes that affect the overall direction of the project, its culture or reputation, its secondary rules (the co-op handbook) or its policies and procedures. These will be passed to a general meeting of the co-op membership, along with anything else OG decides needs wider consultation.

Procedure

Meetings

OG meetings are held monthly at a time that ensures the greatest number of OG members can attend.

A meeting is quorate if 4 members are present. If OG is not quorate a discussion can take place but no decisions can be made.

Membership

All staff on payroll are permanent members. Not all staff will be expected to attend every meeting if their area (such as the shop) is represented. But all staff are required to attend at least once a year.

Two other OG members will be elected from the co-op membership. The longest standing OG member will stand down at each AGM. They will be eligible for re-election.

The OG can co-opt any member of the co-op to fill a vacancy until the next AGM where the co-opted member/s will stand down. They will be eligible for re-election.

The OG can invite any other member or volunteer to attend an OG meeting without voting rights.

Decision Making

OG will primarily attempt to reach decisions by consensus.

If this is not possible an individual or working group will be tasked with bringing a solution to the next OG meeting. This may involve consulting all OG members. If consensus is still not reached at the subsequent meeting a raised hand vote will be taken with more than 50% of votes carrying the proposal. If the vote is split equally then the proposal will be taken to the Directors for a decision or they may take it to a general meeting of the co-op.

Why, when and how are things brought to Ops Group?

Any member of staff or OG member can add questions, proposals or requests to the project’s monthly reporting spreadsheet. This is used to create the agenda for each OG meeting.

Any volunteer can bring things to the Volunteer Coordinator or any other OG member for the OG meeting.

The Directors can also pass issues or decisions to the OG.

However, all individuals and areas of the project should use the advice principle to consider whether items need to be brought to the OG or whether they can make an autonomous decision. OG will prioritise items that have arisen due to disagreements between areas of the project or items that have been specifically brought to OG because they need consultation across the project.

Why, when and how are things taken from OG to individuals, the Directors or Membership?

Items can be delegated to staff or volunteers. The minutes’ actions will state who is going to pass this on.

Items that fall within the Directors’ remit (including the approval of any non-shop trade expenditure for over £250) will be passed to them using the Monthly Reports spreadsheet.

Using the advice principle, items that affect the overall direction of the project, its culture or reputation, its secondary rules (the co-op handbook) or its policies and procedures will be taken to a co-op general meeting.

Communication

The OG minutes will be added to the Monthly Reports spreadsheet and the Co-op Handbook online. Key discussions, decisions and actions taken by the OG will be reported to each Co-op General Meeting.

Last updated by resolution at the co-op general meeting 15/10/2024