Branch Chairman: Summary of Duties

Branch Meetings

The Chairman has principal responsibility for the direction of the branch and shall normally chair all meetings including the AGM.



Branch committees shall normally meet at least 6 times per annum, and shall be organised by the Branch Chairman, making sure that each meeting is planned effectively, and that members are provided with sufficient notification of details.



Matters are dealt with in an orderly, efficient manner. The Chairman must make the most of all his/her committee members and 'lead the team'. Meeting agenda should prioritise 3 items:

• Candidate selection
• Fundraising and campaigns
• Membership recruitment



Local issues should also be a topic for discussion. For example, if there is a problem with speeding cars, refuse collection, potholes, you and your branch could come up with a plan to use it as a campaign issue and help the community.



Candidate Selection

of local and parliamentary candidates. It is considered good practice to have candidates prepared to stand in the event of a local by-election.



Chairs work closely with candidates to ensure that the right candidate has the strongest possible party support.



Fundraising and Campaigns

Fundraising is essential for branch activities and campaigning. In order to run a successful branch you will need to buy leaflets, campaign materials and may also want to contribute towards a candidates nomination deposit.



Raffles, auctions, quizzes, group trips, lunches, dinners, 50/50 are great fundraising tools, but it's your call and you may have other creative ideas for your branch to raise funds.



You'll also need to coordinate local campaigning and canvassing. An all year-round presence in the community is vital for relationship building.

Get to know and understand the local issues and communicate with constituents. It's also a good idea to leave something with a constituent, like a pen or contact card or something that will remind the constituent that you visited.



Membership Recruitment

Recruiting new members is never easy. People who want to get involved in local politics will most likely seek to find out who their local contacts are, but if they don't know you exist, it makes things a little more difficult:



Calling cards - drop these through letter boxes to let people know about the next meeting and be sure to leave an email address and phone number for potential new members to contact you directly.



Town stalls in shopping areas with lots of pedestrian traffic might also be a good idea.



Local supermarkets may let you have a space to set up a table but please be sure to have their permission first.



Bring a Friend Night - ask your members to each bring a friend to the next branch meeting. Collect names and contact information at the door.



Have some drinks and snacks and give them the opportunity to ask questions, share ideas and get involved. Be sure to hand out some membership forms and pens towards the end of the evening and thank them for their time and input.



Social media - a Facebook page for your branch can be very useful in letting the community know you exist but it needs to be carefully used and updated regularly.



Notice boards - leave some information with local coffee shops, restaurants, take-aways, churches, gyms etc. This is also an opportunity to talk to business owners about UKIPs policy for small businesses.



Other responsibilities include:



• Abiding by the party rules of procedure at all times. A copy can be found using the menu on the left.
• GDPR - Any misuse of member data could result in legal action being brought against you. See the menu on the lft, and our rulebook entry for details. Please write to us if you have any queries on data protection.
• Disputes - attempts should be made to deal with these at local level. If they cannot, they should be handed to the Regional Officer to investigate.
• The Committee - establishing and working with a committee of up to 8 members and ensuring it functions properly.
• To represent the organisation as its figurehead.
• The Chairman may from time to time be called upon to represent the organisation and sometimes be its spokesperson.
• Upholding party's platform. This includes educating others about party objectives and organising committees that will assist you.
• Pipe in the haggis on Burns' night.
• Always bear in mind that the Chairman is the glue that holds the branch together.