Eastern Counties Rugby Union

1. Strategy

The Financial Strategy of the ECRU is to ensure that all budgetary expenditure is targeted towards developing and supporting those areas of work identified as key priorities by the England Rugby Football Union in its current Strategic Plan and further defined in the corresponding E.C.R.U. 5 Year Strategic and associated Annual Action Plans.

The principles and processes underpinning the financial management and review mechanisms are defined in the remainder of this protocol.

All those involved in the development of rugby football within the E.C.R.U. must have a clear understanding of their financial responsibilities and accountability

2. Finance Committee

Introduction
There will always be a Finance Committee in existence – it will meet at least quarterly so that the Executive and General Management Committees of the ECRU receive written financial review reports and up to date information from the Honorary Treasurer on which to base any advice to the General Management Committee about decisions requiring remedial or other corrective action.

Terms of Reference

1. The Financial Committee will comprise of the Honorary Treasurer who will act as Chairman, one representative from each of the Sub Counties and an additional representative from the ECRU Executive Committee. The Committee will have the delegated power to invite others to attend where specialist or specific advice is required – any such invitees will have no voting authority.
2. The Finance Committee will provide up to date written reports to the Management and Executive Committees
3. The Finance Committee will make recommendations on policy on all aspects of funding the game
4. The Finance Committee will review the financial stability of member clubs and make recommendations on grant and other award applications as necessary.
5. It will review and approve the Annual Budget, based on the action plans received, and a system of budgetary control.
6. It will monitor, review and control all expenditure.
7. It will manage and administer any RFU conditional funding scheme for Clubs.
8. It will ensure through its Honorary Treasurer that all approved invoices/expenses are paid by the end of the month in which they are received or within 28 days of their receipt.

3. Budget Managers

All Budget Managers will be identified and they will each be responsible for the following tasks:

Budget Managers Terms of Reference

1. Submitting an Annual Action Plan proposal to the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer by the end of February using the Standard Template provided for this purpose
2. Receiving the agreed budget from the Honorary Treasurer following approval of that Budget by the Management Committee at its first meeting after the E.C.R.U. A.G.M.
3. Maintaining an up to date account of their allocated budget - this will be centrally maintained by the Honorary Treasurer and communicated to the budget holder for review and comment on a quarterly basis
4. The approval and verification of all invoices and items of expenditure submitted via email or the E.C. Office Administrator for settlement by the Honorary Treasurer.
5. Regularly reviewing their expenditure forecast against the proposed timescale and the actual spend.
6. The provision of a written up to date account to the Honorary Treasurer of expenditure against budget for each Quarterly Finance Committee meeting
7. The provision of expeditious information to the Finance Committee of any budgetary concerns.
8. Attendance at Budget Managers Induction Meeting.

The following posts should become Budget Managers:

• Chairman of CBRDP – There is an expectation that this responsibility be delegated to the various sub divisions e.g. Coaching, Age Groups, Schools of Rugby but the ultimate accountability remains with the Chairman of CBRDP. The Chair of the C.B.R.D.P. will identify the Budget managers that fall within his/her sphere of responsibility.
• Chairman of Club Eastern Counties
• Chairman of Community Rugby – All ‘Tool Kit’ budgets must be identified in the Honorary Treasurers Annual Account and reviewed each Quarter by the Finance Committee.
• Presidents Budget.
• Governance.
• Marketing, Sponsorship and Communication.
• Safeguarding /Child Welfare.
• Girls/Women Rugby Development.
• Over time other areas of work may be identified by the General Committee as being appropriate for a specific Budget and they will be subject to the same processes that have already been outlined.
• A system of Annual Salary Review will always be in place for all paid staff for whom the ECRU is responsible and this will include a regular process of formal staff Supervision and Appraisal by an identified Line manager.

The ultimate responsibility for the Financial Management of the ECRU lies with the General Management Committee to whom the Honorary Treasurer is a most important, qualified advisor concerning the financial affairs of the Union. In order to expeditiously, effectively and efficiently discharge its financial obligations to its stakeholders it is vitally important that the Management and Executive Committee be in receipt of up to date financial information so that E.C.R.U can most properly exercise its supervisory duty to make appropriate and responsible decisions.