Governance

Board Governance and Members’ Rights

The East and Southeast Asian Community Centre (ESEACC) is the trading name of Hackney Chinese Community Services Association Limited (HCCSA), a registered charity (Charity No: 800142) and a company limited by guarantee, registered with Companies House (Company No: 02287510). The organisation operates under the oversight of a Board of Directors.

As required by the legal structure of ESEACC, our Trustees also serve as Company Directors; these terms are used interchangeably in our documentation. The Board comprises between 3 and 11 members and meets at least six times a year, with meetings considered quorate when at least 50% of directors are present.

Trustees and Directors serve annual terms with the possibility of re-election. The Board elects a Chairperson and honorary officers, and appoints a Company Secretary. On the current board, the Offices comprise Lin Fat Man as the elected Chair,  Josephine Farrell as the Vice Chair, Shuang Wu as the Treasurer, and Siu Ming Richard Cheung is the appointed honorary Secretary.

All Trustees and Directors must be voting members of at least one year’s standing, aged 18 or over, and are expected to maintain regular attendance at Board meetings. They must not be related to any employees and must continue to meet these eligibility criteria to retain their position.

Financial oversight is ensured through annual independent audits and the maintenance of detailed accounting records at our registered office. Financial reports are shared with members at least 21 days prior to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and are available for inspection under reasonable conditions.

We hold three types of general meetings: Annual General Meetings (AGMs), Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs), and Special General Meetings (SGMs). These meetings require either 21 or 14 days’ notice, depending on the type of meeting and the resolutions being considered. Members are notified either electronically or by post.

The Board ensures transparent decision-making through detailed records, meeting minutes, and clear voting procedures. Directors may establish operational rules, provided they comply with the requirements of both the Companies Act and the Charities Act. However, members retain the authority to amend these rules at General Meetings. Key Board decisions are routinely published to keep members informed.

Our commitment to accountability includes maintaining professional indemnity insurance, submitting regular reports to the Charity Commission, and keeping comprehensive records of all organisational activities. Members have access to meeting minutes, financial statements, annual reports, and other key documents.

For specific details about our governance procedures, or to request access to any of our organisational documents, please contact us directly.