Standing orders and operational guidance

Roles and responsibilities

Published
10/09/2018
Last updated
19/08/2026

Values and Ethics

All members of the Executive and Standing committees, should support and 
be informed by, the CLD Values and Code of Ethics. 

Fundamental Principles of Committee Life

The Scottish Government’s Guide for Members of Statutory Boards sets out “three fundamental principles of Board life”, which can be adapted to provide guidance for members of the Standards Council Executive and Standing Committees: 

Principle 1 – Corporate Responsibility 

While Executive Committee or Standing Committee members should be ready to offer constructive challenge, they must also share collective responsibility for decisions taken by the respective committee as a whole. If they fundamentally disagree with the decision taken by the committee, they have the option of recording their concerns in the minutes. However, ultimately, they must either accept and support the collective decision of the committee, or resign.

Similarly if members of a Standing Committee fundamentally disagree with a collective decision made by the Executive Committee, they have the option of recording their concerns in the minutes. However, ultimately, they must either accept and support the collective decision of the Executive Committee, or resign. 

Committee decisions should always comply with statute and take account of the objectives of the Scottish Government as appropriate (noting that the CLD Standards Council is required to demonstrate independence as a separate membership-based organisation). 

Principle 2 – Confidentiality 

All committee members must respect the confidentiality of sensitive information shared with them in writing, verbally or by electronic means. This includes commercially sensitive information, personal information and information received in confidence by the organisation. It is also essential that debate of a confidential nature inside the committee room is not reported outside it.

All committee members will strive to avoid any conflict of interest between the interests of the organisation on the one hand, and personal, professional, and business interests on the other. This includes avoiding actual conflicts of interest as well as the perception of conflicts of interest. Upon appointment each committee member will make a full, written disclosure of interests, such as relationships, and posts held, that could potentially result in a conflict of interest. This written disclosure will be kept on file and will be updated as appropriate. 

On receipt of the meeting agenda and background papers, committee members should notify the Chair of any conflicts of interest in advance of the meeting. In the course of meetings or activities, committee members will disclose any interests in a discussion or decision where there may be a conflict between the organisation’s best interests and the committee member’s best interests, or a conflict between the best interests of two organisations that the committee member is involved with.

Principle 3 – Conduct 

Concerns about the manner in which the organisation is being managed and/or governed should be raised with the Chair in the first instance. If the concerns relate to the conduct of the Chair, these should be discussed in the first instance with the Director of the CLD Standards Council. If the concerns are not satisfactorily resolved, the committee member can escalate the concerns to the Chief Executive Officer of the host organisation.

The Role of the Executive Committee

The three main functions of the Executive Committee are to:

  • Provide strategic leadership, ensuring that the organisation delivers on its responsibilities, as set out in Section 3 above;
  • Ensure that the Standards Council manages the resources available to it effectively; and
  • Hold the Director of the Standards Council to account for their role in relation to the first two points.

In its strategic leadership role, the Executive Committee:

  • Oversees the development of, agrees and keeps under review, the business plan and its effective implementation.
  • Ensures that the business plan aligns with the stated purpose, remit and functions of the CLD Standards Council.
  • Monitors the implementation of the Framework Agreement.
  • Ensures that any issues in which more than one of the functional committees has an interest, or that one of the functional committees refers to it, is dealt with in an appropriate way.
  • Seeks continuing improvement in the governance of the Standards Council, through development of statements of values, codes of conduct, systems for management of finances and risk as required and appropriate.
  • Focuses on the positive impact that the organisation is making in the outside world, i.e. the effects on Members and citizens. 

In ensuring effective management of resources, the Executive Committee: 

  • Prepares and submits an appropriate budget plan, directly aligned with the prioritiesof the CLD Standards Council, as per the host organisation’s guidelines.
  • Agrees and keeps under review, the Standards Council’s budget planning and expenditure.
  • Ensures that budget planning aligns with the purpose, remit and functions 
    of the CLD Standards Council.   

In securing accountability, the Executive Committee:

  • Ensures that the work programmes of the Director and staff team align with the purpose, remit and functions of the CLD Standards Council;
  • Recognises that it has no authority to instruct the Director, or any member of the staff team, on operational matters.

Individual Executive Committee members should contribute fully to Executive 
Committee deliberations and exercise a healthy challenge function. The Chair  will ensure that all committee members have an opportunity to contribute to  Executive Committee discussions. More information on the role of the Chair is 
provided below.

The Executive Committee will consist of eleven general members (excluding  the Chair), all of whom shall be members of the CLD Standards Council (at  Registered or Associate status). In addition, the three Standing Committee  Chairs, will be automatically appointed to the Executive Committee and will  have full voting rights.  Along with the Chair, the maximum number of voting  members of the committee will be fifteen. 

Committee meetings will be deemed as quorate with a third of the total appointed committee members, in addition to the Chair, being present.

In addition to the general executive committee members, a further four non voting members will be invited to take up a place on the Executive Committee. They will be invited to provide specialist areas of expertise relevant to the business requirements of the organisation, or to provide challenge from the wider CLD Sector. 

General executive committee members may be eligible to serve two terms of four years per term.  Committee members may be eligible for re-appointment after a one term break (four years) by taking into account the performance appraisal process.

The Role of the functional Committees

The Standards Council currently has three standing committees, each with responsibility for one of the core areas of the Council’s business remit:

  • approvals
  • registration
  • professional Learning

Each Standing Committee oversees and directs the work of the Standards Council in its area of responsibility. It is supported by the staff team to achieve the ambitions of the committee work plan.

The Standing Committees report to the Executive Committee in order to advise of work developments and progress; highlight issues of note or concern; and refer decisions that carry implications for the work or reputation of the CLD Standards Council. Each Standing Committee should liaise with the others on issues of shared interest.

Each Standing Committee should nominate a Chair and a Vice-chair, with the option of appointing two Vice-Chairs if appropriate. On receipt of the nomination details, the Executive Committee will confirm the appointments at the next available executive meeting date, or may convene a single item agenda to undertake appointment activity. 

The Chairs of the Standing Committees are automatically appointed as members of the Executive Committee, and they are responsible for reporting and communicating achievements, areas of concern and amendments to work plans. If the Chair of one of the Standing Committees is unable to attend a meeting of the Executive, the Vice-Chair may attend and participate in the discussion. 


The period of office to be served by the Chair and Vice-Chair of a Standing Committee will be an initial four year period with an optional consecutive second term consisting of a maximum of four years. This allows for a maximum consecutive period of eight years to be served in these offices, and can be served in addition to the general committee terms of office as stated at 4.25.

On completion of a period of office a previous Chair or Vice-Chair of a Standing Committee can be re-appointed following a break of one term of office. 

Individual members of Standing Committees should contribute fully to committee deliberations and exercise a healthy challenge function. The committee Chair will ensure that all committee members have an opportunity to contribute to committee discussions.

Standing Committees will consist of a maximum of fifteen members appointed from within the CLD Standards Council membership body. General committee members will be eligible to serve two terms of four years per term. On completion the general committee member has the option to serve as a member of another Standing Committee for a further period of one full term. 

Committee meetings will be deemed as quorate with a third of the total appointed committee members, in addition to the Chair or Vice-Chair being present. 

The Executive Committee may establish additional committees, practitioner networks or working groups to direct or develop particular areas of work. If it does so the Executive will determine the way in which the committee or working group will relate and report to it.

The Role of the Chair of the Standards Council

The Chair of the Standards Council is appointed, and re-appointed, through a formal process by Scottish Government. This will be led by the Chief Executive, or other senior Civil Servant, as identified by host agency.

The Chair will serve a maximum of two consecutive terms of office, consisting of four years per term. On completion of the term of office, they will not be eligible for re-appointment at any future date.

The key role of the Chair is to provide strategic direction for the Standards Council, representing and promoting the Council effectively within the sector and to partners and policy makers at senior and strategic levels across Scotland. 

The Chair’s specific responsibilities are to:

  • Establish and articulate a clear, well evidenced strategic direction for the Standards Council.
  • Lead the Executive and Standing Committees in monitoring and reviewing the delivery, quality and impact of the Standards Council’s work programme and achievements.
  • Ensure that the organisation acts in accordance with the Civil Service Code, the Code of Ethics for CLD, its Vision and Mission Statement, its role and responsibilities as set out in the Framework Agreement with Education Scotland and relevant legislation.
  • Liaise and build relationships with Scottish Government, Education Scotland, CoSLA officials and other key stakeholders as required in the context of CLD Standards Council business.
  • Report annually to the Scottish Government, the host organisation and the sector on the impact of the Standards Council’s work.
  • Undertake an annual review process with the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of the Standing Committees and the general members of the Executive Committee to support a model of succession planning and talent development across the membership, as a means of supporting future recruitment to both the Executive and Standing committees.

The Role of the Director of the Standards Council and the Staff Team 

The Director of the CLD Standards Council and other members of the Standards Council staff team are Scottish Government employees.

The Director of the CLD Standards Council is responsible for operational delivery of the Council’s strategic objectives, liaises with the Chair and is the principal adviser to the Board on all matters.

Members of the staff team have responsibility for working with the Standing Committees and the Executive Committee, to develop and deliver specific aspects of the Standards Council’s remit, including approvals of courses and qualifications, registration of practitioners, professional learning, members services and policy input and awareness. 

Executive Committee members have no authority to instruct the Director or other members of staff who are Scottish Government employees on operational matters.