This section includes information about the different organisational structures for village halls and community buildings, charitable status, trustees and committees and keeping legal.

In the 'Trustees and Committees' section you will find information on the key aspects of governance for those who really are in charge, the voluntary management committee members. These pages cover induction, roles and responsibilities, who might be on the committee, payment, effective meetings (including AGMs), all about office bearers, who can and can't be a trustee, training, relationships with staff and accountability.

The 'Structures' section contains information on a variety of structures that voluntary organisations either already are or may want to adopt, from unincorporated association to charitable company limited by guarantee. They include information to help organisations make decisions about what kind of shape they want to assume.

Charitable status is not strictly a structure in itself but because so many people think of 'a charity' in this way it has its own special section on the site. This section is relatively succinct right now but it will be substantially expanded once changes to Scottish charity law are effected in early 2006.

The 'Keeping Legal' section of this website is intended to provide hall committees with a quick overview of the major areas and pieces of legislation that will (or may) affect them. It does not set out to be an authoritative statement of the law. The range and diversity of pertinent legislation means that different areas are dealt with in different ways and to a different degree of detail. The nature of legislation means that it is not possible to cover every enquiry through the provision of information on a website. If you have specific legal queries you should seek professional advice.

The 'Governance and Structures' section will enable all organisations to be clear about what their thing is, who's in charge of it and what those people have to do to fulfil that role properly.