Terms of reference - Guildford Business Forum

1. Terms of Reference
   1.1. Guildford Business Forum is a partnership of Guildford's business community and Guildford Borough Council. The partnership works together to facilitate an open and positive dialogue between all parties, in the interests of maintaining a dynamic and prosperous commercial environment throughout the borough.
2. The purpose of Guildford Business Forum is to:
   2.1. Promote the borough of Guildford as an excellent location in which to attract, retain, invest and grow business, large and small.
   2.2. Foster and promote a commercial environment in which the business and residential communities, Guildford Borough Council and other organisations can work in partnership to maintain the borough's growth and economic prosperity.
   2.3. To proactively work with other support and knowledge sharing organisations for the benefit of Guildford's businesses and economy, such as Surrey Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses.
   2.4. To be mindful of environmental issues within our borough in the successful promotion and sustainable maintenance and growth of our business community, recognising where possible personal welfare and global resource limits.
3. Guildford Business Forum achieves this by:
   3.1. Encouraging collaboration between the public and private sectors, and also among businesses themselves.
   3.2. Enabling members of the business community to come together for networking and support.
   3.3. Providing an authoritative voice for the business community and Guildford Borough Council to lobby on Guildford's behalf.
   3.4. Acting as a consultative body providing dialogue between the business community and Guildford Borough Council.
   3.5. Engaging local businesses in the wider community through fostering links with education and skills agencies, and groups outside the mainstream of economic activity.
4. How the Forum operates
   4.1. Membership
   4.2. All businesses engaged in commercial activity within Guildford borough are, by virtue of their commercial activity, members of the Forum and therefore eligible to become members of the sector groups.
   4.3. Sector Groups
   4.4. Each of the main areas of economic activity within the borough is represented by a 'sector group'.
   4.5. The formation of a sector group requires a commonality of interest, which may be activity-based (such as the Tourism Sector Group) or location-based (such as the Town Centre Management Group).  Education in the borough should also be represented. 
   4.6. Any member of the Forum may, by request, become a member of the sector group relevant to his or her business activity.
   4.7. Members of a sector group will include, in addition to commercially active representatives of the sector, one or more appropriate officers of Guildford Borough Council.
   4.8. Each sector group will have a mutually agreed number of meetings each year, and will appoint a chair that will represent the sector group on the Steering Group. 4.9. New sector groups can be established by agreement of the Steering Group, following representations by one or more of representatives of the proposed sector, the Surrey Chambers of Commerce or Guildford Borough Council. The Steering Group's principal criterion will be the need for representation.
   4.10. The secretariat for each group is provided by Guildford Borough Council.
   4.11. Steering Group
   4.12. The principal voice of the Guildford Business Forum is the Steering Group, which articulates the views of, and provides input to, the specialist sector groups.
   4.13. The membership comprises:

• The Chair of each sector group
• Manager, the Surrey Chambers of Commerce
• One representative, University of Surrey
• One representative, Guildford College
• Head of Economic Development, Guildford Borough Council
• Leader, Guildford Borough Council
• Portfolio holder for Economic Development, Guildford Borough Council
• Other members may be invited to join the group by agreement of the group

        4.14. The Steering Group meets four times a year as a minimum.
        4.15. The Chair is appointed from within the group for a maximum term of two years.
        4.16. The Chair will be appointed by election by the Steering Group. Where there are more than two candidates, the vote will require

        75% participation of the Steering Group by ballot and the candidate with the highest number of votes will be elected. 
        4.17. The Chair must be representative of the business community and sit on the Forum representing a business interest and not be a local

        authority officer or Councillor.

        4.18. The incumbent chair can be re-elected for one further term of two years as Chairman, subject to re-election by the Steering Group.

        4.19. He or she represents the group on the Local Strategic Partnership.
        4.20. A Vice-Chairman is appointed from within the group, who deputises for the Chairman when required. 
        4.21. The minimum number of attendees required for a meeting to proceed is six. 
        4.22. The secretariat for the Steering Group is provided by Guildford Borough Council.