Susan Smith argues the CAS review highlights extreme examples of some common governance issues facing many charities

Board meetings lasting eight hours, self-interested trustees, 15-year appointments, a chair lacking in leadership qualities, dysfunctional dynamics and inappropriate behaviours driven by cliques – these are just a handful of the faults levelled at the Citizens Advice Scoltand (CAS) board.

Financial auditor Deloitte’s report into its review of the governance of the organisation that has been through five chief executives in almost as many years is not happy reading.

But how many trustees and board members in Scottish charities can safely say none of it sounds familiar?

While eight hours is clearly ridiculous, over-running board meetings aren’t really unusual, are they?

Deloitte describes the CAS board’s relationship with the senior management team as unhealthy, tense and poor. The board is consistently criticised for not being strategic, for spending too much time on operational matter.

Now, surely, a few trustees of organisations big and small will find that uncomfortable reading.

This is not to say that the third sector in Scotland is full of badly run organisations, but the truth is the Deloitte review highlights extreme examples of some problems that are more common than the sector would like to admit. While eight hours is clearly ridiculous, over-running board meetings aren’t really unusual, are they?

Deloitte has neatly laid out its report findings and recommendations in a clear structure with an easy to follow traffic light system of high, medium and low priority actions. If CAS follows it to the letter, it has a good chance of closing the book on this sorry chapter of its story.

A new chair and new board, with more independent non-bureau members, will be free to appoint a chief executive who might be able to hold onto their job for a few years. Perhaps then CAS can fulfill its purpose as the champion of the poor and disenfranchised – a much needed role in today’s age of austerity and cuts.

As for the rest of the sector, should this report be compulsory reading for all trustees?

Well, if you're unsure whether your charity's board skills match its requirements, are stuck with a chair that just won’t budge, receive board agendas as rambling as a Russian novel, or regularly witness trustees at loggerheads with staff, you might want to give it a read.

Susan Smith is editor of Third Force News