Key Guides: The Board Secretary’s Handbook

Available to pre-order. Publishes Monday 9 February.

The role of board secretary in the voluntary sector is often additional to other tasks – you may have inherited it as part of your current responsibilities or subsequently had it tacked on to your main role. Yet, with the rapid growth in regulatory and governance expectations, it is an increasingly important function and integral to the good governance of charities. This handbook will equip you with the understanding you need to deal with any potential legal and practical pitfalls.

Who should buy this book?

A must-read for any current or prospective board secretary. This book will also be valuable reading for board members, staff, advisers and other representatives of voluntary sector organisations who want to learn more about what is involved in being a board secretary and what good governance entails.

What does it cover?

This handbook tells you what a board secretary is and why this role is important. It explains board secretaries’ duties and responsibilities depending on your organisation. It tells you everything you need to know about:

• Core skills and requirements of a board secretary
• Regulation, required records and relevant registers for different types of organisation
• Key governance codes and frameworks, and what good governance looks like
• The processes of meetings, decision-making and passing resolutions

Thorough on the law but practical on the application and with an invaluable series of checklists and examples, this book makes your job that much easier.

‘A practical and reassuring guide for charities, this handbook clearly explains the board secretary’s role in supporting effective decision-making, compliance and good governance. It is particularly valuable for those new to the position while offering fitting reminders for experienced professionals.’

Iwona Bainbridge, Governance Manager, Shakespeare’s Globe

 

‘Every board secretary, from those new to the role through to seasoned professionals, will find this guide useful. It will help new board secretaries settle into their role and will make life easier for those who are more experienced, thanks to its tools, techniques and checklists. I commend this invaluable resource as essential reading for every board secretary.’

Rosie Chapman FCIS, former Chair, Charity Governance Code Steering Group and Governance Consultant

 

‘I have known the author for many years and this book is emblematic of her personal approach to this vital role. The book is comprehensive, thoughtful, easy to read and an incredibly useful tool for anyone responsible for company secretarial matters. The advice at the end of each chapter, as well as the checklists at the end of the book, are an absolutely invaluable aid to anyone new to the role and keen to get it right.’

Richard Leaman-Grey CB OBE, Diocesan Secretary, Diocese of Bristol

 

‘In reading this book, you join a chosen tribe of people who want to do things well and without fanfare, and who care deeply about getting things right. The wisdom of its contents will give you exactly the invaluable advice and guidance that any board secretary would wish to have to hand.’

Dr Radojka Miljevic, Independent Chair of the Charity Governance Code Steering Group [from the foreword]

Look inside

Have a look inside The Board Secretary’s Handbook, 2nd edition.

About the author

Kirsty Semple

Kirsty Semple ACIS LLM was a governance consultant and Director of Semple Associates Ltd, from 2001 to 2025. She is the co-author of Charity Law and Governance: A Practical Guide, now in its second edition (2018), and editor of TheICSA Charities Handbook, now in its fourth edition (2019). Kirsty specialised in corporate governance and compliance, providing consultancy and support to the boards of numerous voluntary sector organisations. Kirsty was company secretary for a range of organisations including the disability charity Scope, the Born Free Foundation and the National Garden Scheme. She also provided training on the secretary role for charities and not-for-profit organisations.

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