In 2015 the National Trust’s members supported a resolution which proposed a number of changes to our governance arrangements. This included a reduction in the size of the Council from 52 members to 36 members which will be achieved by 2018. The Council will continue to be made up of an equal balance of those elected by the members of the National Trust and those appointed by organisations whose interests coincide in some way with those of the National Trust.
The Council's main responsibilities are:
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appointing members of the Board of Trustees
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monitoring the performance of the Board of Trustees and holding it to account in its control and management of the administration of the Trust
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acting as advocates of the Trust among members, the wider public and a range of stakeholders
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holding the power to remove members of the Board of Trustees if required
You can find out more about the members of our council, along with a brief biography, in our guide to the members of the Council:
All members of the Council are elected or appointed for an initial term of three years and are eligible to re-stand. Members normally serve for two-year terms, in order to ensure a balance of continuity and freshness.
The breadth of experience and perspective which this mix of elected and appointed members brings enables the Council to fulfil its role of holding the Board of Trustees to account
The Council usually meets three times a year, including a visit to one of the Trust’s regions.
