BFOREC National Forum membership is of three kinds: elected regional representatives, country-wide representatives and co-opted members who bring special expertise.

When BFOREC members assemble together, they are referred to collectively as the National Forum of BFOREC.

Regional and Country-Wide representatives

Regional and national representatives of local or sub-regional voluntary organisations which share the constitutional objects of BFOREC are elected/nominated by English regional and Scottish and Welsh country-wide forums, or networks, to the National Forum.  Members of these organisations, consisting in the main of representatives of racial equality councils, come together on an English regional basis, each region selecting two representatives for the BFOREC National Forum, or, on a Scottish and Welsh country-wide basis, each country selecting two representative to the BFOREC National Forum.

Each regional or country-wide representative on the National Forum is entitled to one vote.

Regional and country-wide representatives serve for a three-year term on the BFOREC National Forum, but are eligible for re-selection for further terms.

In the event of a duly-elected regional or national country-wide ceasing for whatsoever reason to be a member of BFOREC, a regional or country-wide forum is entitled to select from its membership another representative to serve for the remainder of any three- year period of office.

Co-opted Members

At the first meeting of the National Forum, or at subsequent meetings, regional and country-wide representatives are free to co-opt up to a total of 6 (six) other members.

Co-opted members will normally be persons which the National Forum has good reason to believe bring special expertise and can make a substantial contribution to the objects and functions of BFOREC and are demonstrably committed to achieving race equality.  Co-opted persons may be members or officers of organisations which share objects in common with BFOREC and are members of their regional country-wide forums.  Alternatively, co-opted persons may be drawn from organisations which do not have objects in common with BFOREC, but support BFOREC’s objects and functions in principle or practice, through their contribution to policy, public education, community involvement, provision of financial assistance, or through some other means.

Each co-opted member on the National Forum is entitled to one vote.

Admission to Membership

A BFOREC register of names and contact addresses and numbers is kept of all affiliated regional and country-wide National Forum members and co-opted members. Regional and country-wide forum members are informed of the names of all elected and co-opted members of the National Forum at least once a year 

The BFOREC National Forum has the power to decide on whether and how to levy a BFOREC affiliation fee on regional and country-wide forums or on their constituent organisations, and in the event that organisations fail to pay such a fee to decide on an appropriate sanction, including denial of representation or expulsion.

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