Task Force Formed to Review Previous Task Force

Present: Eleven equity partners, two non-equity partners observing, and the Director of Operational Effectiveness, attending in an administrative capacity.

Apologies: Louise Finch, who was dealing with a client. The Chair asked that this be noted.

1. Purpose

The Chair welcomed members to the first meeting of the Committee Effectiveness Task Force, established to investigate why the previous Committee Effectiveness Task Force had not made the firm's committees more effective.

Members agreed that the previous task force had lacked the necessary seniority, despite comprising the same members.

2. Previous findings

The Director of Operational Effectiveness reported that the previous task force had recommended abolishing six committees.

The Chair asked who had authorised her to describe this as a finding.

The Director referred members to their approved report.

Members agreed that approval of a report should not be confused with agreement to anything in it.

3. Conflicts of interest

All eleven partners chaired at least one of the committees recommended for abolition.

This was considered helpful experience.

4. Resourcing

A proposal to obtain data on the time and cost of committee attendance was rejected as disproportionate.

A residential meeting at a country house hotel was approved so members could consider the question without distraction.

The Director would obtain three quotations. Members specified the hotel.

5. Recommendations

The Chair proposed a Steering Group to maintain oversight of the task force, an Implementation Group to consider any eventual recommendations, and a Liaison Committee to ensure the first two groups spoke to each other.

Approved unanimously.

The Director observed that this would increase the number of committees from nineteen to twenty-two.

Members asked that her concern be taken offline.

6. Any other business

The Chair thanked the Director for her support and reminded her that progress would form part of her annual appraisal.

Action: Director to explain why committee numbers continue to rise.

Owner: Director.

Deadline: Before the next meeting.