Draft Terms of Reference of the
Best Practices Steering Committee (BPSC)
Preamble
1. The goal of the Steering Committee is to promote the Best Practice Partnership (BPP) as a partnership endeavour for improving the living environment for all. The specific objectives include:

a) The identification, documentation and validation of good and best practices;
b) The promotion of the Dubai International Award as a means of recognising the outstanding efforts of people and their communities in implementing the Habitat Agenda and Local Agenda 21;
c) The analysis of selected good and best practices for lessons learned;
d) The application of knowledge, expertise and experience derived from good and best practices to training, education, policy and leadership development;
e) The monitoring and evaluation of the outcome and impact of best practices;
f) The promotion of the transfer of best practice knowledge, expertise and experience.
Article (1): Steering Committee
2. The Best Practices Steering Committee (BPSC) is the policy-making organ of the Best Practices Partnership. It guides the substantive and operational matters of Best Practices and Local Leadership Programme (BLP).
3. The Steering Committee is the governing body of the Best Practices Partnership with:

a) its permanent secretariat and Co-ordinator based with the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat);
b) Dubai Municipality as the major sponsor of the Dubai International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment;
4. The policies established by the Steering Committee include:
(a) the goals, objectives and mission statement of the BPP;
(b) new activities and strategies to be pursued by the BPP;
(c) procedures governing the BPSC;
(d) any other matters related to the BPP.
Article (2): The Partners
5. Partners are wholly independent institutions/organisations agreeing to subscribe and adhere to the policies established by the Steering Committee to the maximum extent possible under their respective institutional mandates. The specificity of these mandates is recognised in the bilateral agreements signed between the Partners and UN-Habitat.
6. Partners having entered into the above-mentioned agreements and are in compliance with the provisions of Article 16 below are automatically considered as members of the Steering Committee.

Article (3): Nature of Recommendations of the Steering Committee
7. Its decisions and recommendations should be complied with by all partners of the Best Practices Partnership while recognizing the independence of action of each of the partners. Its minutes and recommendations, once approved by members attending the meeting, represent commitments to which all partners will abide by to the maximum extent possible.

8. In principle, all recommendations and decisions for follow-up action will be adopted by consensus. If consensus fails they will be adopted by two-thirds majority.

9. The Steering Committee approves the admittance of new partners and associate partners.

Article (4): Make up of Members of the Steering Committee
10. The Steering Committee is made up of: (a) UN-Habitat; (b) Dubai Municipality; and (c) full partners which have fulfilled their obligations vis-à-vis the BLP as per the Memorandum of Understanding signed between partners and UN-Habitat. The Steering Committee will be made up of not more than 25 partners, including UN-Habitat and Dubai Municipality. The Steering Committee should strive to be made of the following:

a) Regionally balanced in its membership from the following regions: Arab States; Asia and the Pacific; Africa; Latin America and the Caribbean; Western Europe; East and Central Europe; and, North America ;
b) Partners with expertise in the main themes of the Habitat Agenda.
Article (5): Special Guests
11. Special guests may be invited, in close consultation with the Standing Committee, to the Steering Committee meetings. These guests may represent a user or group of users of Best Practices products and services, donors, Technical Advisory Committee or Jury members, associate partners, Best Practice submitter, inter-governmental bodies or special interest groups corresponding to one of the themes which members of the Steering Committee may wish to highlight in their deliberations. In principle, no more than 4 special guests should be present at any given Steering Committee meeting.
Article (6): Budget and Financial Matters
12. The Steering Committee is responsible for approving the previous year’s financial report and the next years’ financial plan. The permanent secretariat will maintain records and prepare annual reports and budgets for the approval of the Standing Committee.

Article (7): Standing Committee
13. The Standing Committee of the Steering Committee is a committee comprising of no more than 7 partners and no less than 5 partners. It is elected, as appropriate, at the end of each Steering Committee meeting. Its roles and responsibilities include:

a) Setting and approving the agenda of the next Steering Committee meeting.
b) Reviewing the progress report of the BLP for approval by the Steering Committee.
c) Approving expenditures unforeseen in the financial plan of the Steering Committee;
d) Other matters as may be delegated by the Steering Committee.
Article (8): Composition of the Standing Committee
14. The Standing Committee will be made up of UN-Habitat, Dubai Municipality and five partners with regional and thematic representation.
Article (9): Sub-committees
15. Sub-committees involving no more than 7 and no less than 3 partners may be constituted by the Steering Committee. The role and responsibilities of the sub-committees include:

a) Substantive issues relating to Best Practices.
b) Monitoring and evaluation of the outcome and impact of best practices
c) Transfers
d) Financial issues and fund-raising
e) Awards preparation
f) Database management and design
g) New products
h) Other matters as decided by the Steering Committee.
Article (10): Frequency and Venue of Meetings
16. Statutory Meetings: The Steering Committee meets statutorily once a year. The Steering Committee meets for three days unless otherwise decided by two-thirds majority of all partners.
17. Extra-ordinary Meetings: Extra-ordinary meetings can be convened by a two-thirds majority vote by partners having attended the previous Steering Committee meeting. Extra-ordinary meetings will be held, in principle, on the occasion of a major conference, inter-governmental meeting or other event to which several partners intend to participate and represent a substantive interest for the BLP and its partners.

18. Standing Committee Meetings: The Standing Committee will meet, in addition to the statutory meeting, once a year. Whenever possible, it will conduct its deliberations through electronic conferencing. It may wish to meet in person on such occasions as the convening of the Commission on Human Settlements, a major conference or inter-Governmental committee (e.g. Commission on Sustainable Development).

Article (11): Agenda of the Steering Committee
19. The Agenda of the Steering Committee will be proposed by UN-Habitat to the partners for review 4 weeks before the scheduled date of the meeting. Members of the Standing Committee are committed to participate actively in the formulation of the draft agenda and have the responsibility of approving the draft agenda 10 working days prior to the meeting.

20. The Agenda is to be adopted electronically.

21. The Agenda will comprise, in principle of the following items:

a) Opening and welcome statements
b) Presentation of new partners (as appropriate)
c) Progress report by the BLP Co-ordinator following by Q & A
d) Report of the Standing Committee following by Q & A.
e) Progress report by partners followed by Q & A
f) Discussions in plenary
g) Working groups
h) Report of working groups
i) Adoption of the report
j) Other matters
Article (12): Chair, Co-chairs and Officers of Meeting
22. The de facto Chair and co-chair of the Steering Committee and of the Standing Committee are the UNCHS Co-ordinator of the BLP and a designated representative of Dubai Municipality respectively. In the event that the Co-ordinator is unable to chair the meeting(s), the co-chair will act as chair and will confer with the Standing Committee to designate a suitable replacement to act as co-chair.
23. The Rapporteur(s) and any additional co-chair(s) shall be elected by the Steering Committee, as required.

Article (13): Working Documents for the Steering Committee
24. UN-Habitat will distribute the core programme report 3 weeks prior to the meeting.

25. Reports of the Standing Committee will be circulated to all partners 10 working days prior to the meeting.

26. Reports of sub-committees should also be prepared and submitted to all partners attending the Steering Committee meeting 10 working days before the meeting.

27. Each partner will prepare and submit a progress report, not exceeding three (3) pages to be circulated to all partners attending the Steering Committee meeting 10 working days prior to the meeting. These reports will be sent to all partners and associate partners electronically.

Article (14): Hosting of the Meeting
28. The hosting of the Steering Committee meeting is voluntary and should be on a rotational basis.

Article (15): Travel to and Expenses Associated with Attending the Meetings
29. Travel to the meetings is the responsibility of each partner. Special guests can be invited and are either the responsibility of the host of the meeting and/or sponsored by other means.

Article (16): Acceptance of new Partners and Associate Partners to the BP Network
30. New Partners: New partners can be admitted to the Steering Committee under the following conditions (not in any order of priority):

a) They represent a thematic area, key group of actor(s) or constituency, region or sub-region which enhances the coverage and composition of the Best Practices Partnership;
b) Their substantive contribution is deemed as a value-added asset to the goals, objectives and activities of the Best Practices Partnership;
c) They demonstrate the ability to comply with the generic activities and obligations contained in the standard Memorandum of Understanding. Alternatively, their financial in-cash or in-kind contribution or sponsorship will greatly facilitate the work, outreach and credibility of the Best Practices Partnership.
31. New partners can be proposed by any existing member of the Steering Committee which has met the obligations of its Memorandum of Understanding and the present Terms of Reference. Proposals should be addressed to the Co-ordinator of the BLP who in turn will consult with the Standing Committee. Recommendations of the Standing Committee will be circulated to all members of the Steering Committee for approval. In principle, acceptance or rejection is based on consensus. Failing consensus, a two-thirds majority vote is required to accept or reject such a proposal.
32. New partners should contribute in full to the pro-rata costs of running, administering and updating the Intranet and the Best Practices database. These costs are to be determined by the Steering Committee.

33. Associate Partners: New associate partners can be admitted to the Steering Committee, without the right to vote, under the following conditions, (not in any order of priority):

a) They sign a Letter of Agreement (LOA);
b) They represent a thematic area, key group of actor(s), region or sub-region which could benefit the coverage of the Best Practices Partnership;
c) Their substantive contribution is deemed as a value-added asset to the goals, objectives and activities of the Best Practices Partnership;
d) They demonstrate the ability to comply with at least one of the following generic activities of the Best Practices Partnership:
i) Identification and validation of best practices
ii) Analysis of best, good or bad practices in view of extracting lessons learned;
iii) Transfer of best practice knowledge, experience and expertise through one or more channels including training, education, staff exchanges, conferences, seminars, workshops, etc.
34. Admission of new Associate Partners shall be subject to the same procedure as for new partners specified in Article 16.
35. Associate partners will be asked to contribute to the pro-rata cost of the Intranet and the Best Practices database and services. These costs are to be determined by the Steering Committee.

Article (17): Use of Best Practices Products and Services by Partners
36. In addition to the relevant portions of the standard Memorandum of Understanding, partners and associate partners can make full and unlimited use of Best Practices products and services for non-commercial purposes. Typically, such usage includes reproduction of best practice submissions, case studies, tools, methods, etc. for training, capacity-building, leadership and policy development purposes.

37. All reproductions should acknowledge copyright and source and promote awareness of the Best Practices and Local Leadership Programme and the Dubai International Award.

38. The present article does not confer the right for any partner to divulge user-id or password information, however temporary. Temporary passwords and user-id can be issued upon request for training or conference purposes.

[Above paras to be further discussed]

Article (18): Non-compliance with Terms of Reference
39. The Steering Committee will consider appropriate actions to be taken in the event of non compliance of these present Terms of Reference by any of its members.

Article (19): Modifications to Terms of Reference
40. Modifications may be proposed and adopted at any statuatory meeting of the Steering Committee.