Priestley College Governance

[Members] [Becoming a governor] [Dates of meetings & rules on attendance]
[Minutes of meetings] [Policy on access to papers] [Publication Scheme]

Introduction
The Governing Body of the College is responsible for determining the overall strategy of the College and its educational character. Governors make a very valuable contribution to the success of the College. They contribute their collective skills and experience to the Governing Body in a non-executive capacity on an unpaid basis. The Governing Body is also accountable for the proper use of the public funds entrusted to it and for overseeing the quality of all that goes on in the college.

Governors are appointed on the basis of their skills which will assist the College in its development. There are also staff, students and parent members of the Governing Body. The Principal is also a governor. The Governing Body does not manage the College or organise its day-to-day affairs. That is the job of the Principal, who is appointed by the Governing Body.

Members

	Mrs Y. Bottomley		Mrs A. Bright
	Mr P. Dyke		Mr A. Farquharson
	Mrs D. Farrent		Mr M. Hartill
	Mr R. Haslam (Chair)		Mr G. Hill
	Mrs K. Hope (Staff)		Mr D. Jude (Co-opted)
	Ms Sarah Cramp (Student)		Mr Phil Thomas (Student)
	Mr J. Monaghan		Mrs C. Sandford (Staff)
	Mr Y. Shaikh (Co-opted)		Miss K. Simcock
	Mr M. Southworth (Principal)		Mrs D. Stead (Vice Chair)
	Mrs S. Yates

Becoming a Governor (Search Process)
The Search Committee of the Governing Body would be interested to hear from anyone who wishes to become a governor.
Governors have a wide variety of experience and backgrounds. They may have experience of management in a public or commercial organisation, specialist skills and knowledge or have an active role in a voluntary organisation.
If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a Governor of the College please contact:
Peter McMellon - Clerk to the Governing Body or telephone 01925 633591.

Appointment of members to the Governing Body

PERSON SPECIFICATION
Governors must be committed to the aims and objectives of the College and be willing to promote the interests of the College and its students in the wider community. They must be able to communicate effectively and demonstrate most of the following qualities:

Skills
• An interest in further education
• A commitment to the principles of public life — selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership
• A willingness to give time freely to Governing Body activities
• Commitment to strengthening College links with its business and local communities
• Specialist skills and knowledge relevant to the needs of the Board
• Connections with the area served by the College through business, work or place of residence

Experience
• Experience which will add to the overall operation of the Governing Body and will complement the skills of other members.

Time
• A willingness to take part in College activities and events
• A willingness to participate in training and development activities for Governing Body members
• Available to attend an average of six Governing Body meetings per year, including one full-day planning session, and further committees as appropriate

Equal Opportunities
• Be committed as an employer to equal opportunities

Members’ Role

The Board is responsible:
• For setting the strategic direction of the College;
• For the determination of the College’s educational character and mission and oversight of its activities;
• For the effective and efficient use of resources, the solvency of the institution and the Corporation and for safeguarding their assets;
• For approving annual estimates of income and expenditure;
• For the appointment, grading suspension, dismissal and determination of the pay and conditions of service of the holders of senior posts;
• For setting a framework for the pay and conditions of service of all other staff;
• For monitoring progress towards achievement of the College’s agreed targets;
• For assisting in the formulation and monitoring of the College’s strategic plan which will provide the essential framework for the internal management of the College;
• For setting measurable annual targets to support the College’s business plan and budget;
• For the annual self-assessment review of governance;
• For attending appropriate governor induction and training days as required;

Members will also be expected to:
• Serve on at least one committee;
• Have a high level of attendance at Governing Body and Committee meetings;
• Be prepared to read and consider papers circulated in advance of meetings;
• Be involved in some disciplinary and complaints procedures when necessary;
• Represent the Governing Body at official functions;

Members’ Responsibilities
• To act in the best interests of the College;
• To observe the Governors’ Code of Conduct;
• To comply with the Instrument and Articles of Government, the Standing Orders, the Financial Memorandum, and the College Financial Regulations and procedures;
• Not to take or hold any interest in any College property or receive any remuneration for their services (save as a member of staff) without the Secretary of State’s permission;
• To disclose openly to the Governing Body any personal conflict of interest arising from a matter before the Governing Body or from any other aspect of Governors’ business.
• To respect the confidentiality of those items of business which the Governing Body decides from time to time should remain confidential.
• To support decisions of the Governing Body and its committees once they have been reached on the basis of collective responsibility even if they have spoken against them in meetings;
• To give priority to attending meetings of the Governing Body and appropriate committees;
• To understand that statements may only be made on behalf of the Governing Body by those authorised to do so.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

Background

Further Education Colleges were incorporated in 1993 and thence became self-governing and responsible for their own affairs. The Governing Body is accountable for the financial health and good management of the college and for the proper use of the public funds entrusted to it. The success of the College, both as a public body and as an educational institution is influenced by the effectiveness with which the Governing Body carries out its business.

With certain exceptions, the maximum term of office for a Governor is 4 years. Members may be considered for re-appointment on expiry of their term of office.

It should be emphasised that Governors are appointed to act solely in the interests of the College. They do not have a representative role and are specifically prevented by the College’s Instrument of Government from speaking and voting according to mandates given to them by other bodies or persons.

Dates of Meetings & Rules of Attendance

Forth coming meetings 2010

Governing Body: 20 May, 8 July.

Audit Committee: 22 March, 21 June.

Finance & General Purposes Committee: 12 May, 30 June.

Curriculum & Quality Committee: 6 May, 24 June.

Search Committee: 28 June.

Public access
Attendance of members of the public at Governing Body meetings shall be as authorised by the Chair on behalf of the Governing Body. Persons invited to attend must leave the meeting if required to do so by a resolution of the Governors present (eg. where matters of a confidential nature, as per the Instrument of Government – see below - are to be discussed).

Publication of Minutes
Draft minutes of the above meetings are available to any person who wishes to inspect these during normal office hours. Approved minutes of the meetings are put on this website (see below) as soon as possible following approval. Confidential business (including all records of the Remuneration Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee) is excluded from this facility.

Requests for access to draft minutes and other meetings papers may be made to the Clerk. Any material designated as ‘confidential’ (as per the Instrument of Government) will not be made available.

Items which will be regarded as confidential (Instrument of Government Section 17(2) are those which relate to
• a named person employed at or proposed to be employed at the College;
• a named student at, or candidate for admission to, the institution;
• the Clerk
• any matter which, by reason of its nature, the Governing Body is satisfied should be dealt with on a confidential basis.

The College regularly reviews the ‘confidential’ classifications and, when appropriate, the ‘confidential’ classification is removed.

Minutes from the previous 12 months

Governing Body (pdf files): Feb 24, May 13, July 8, Oct 8, Dec 10

F&G P Committee (pdf files): Feb 11, April 30, Jun 29, Sep 30, Dec 2

Search Committee (pdf files): Feb 9, Jun 22, Sep 28, Nov 30

Curriculum & Quality Committee (pdf files): Feb 12, May 5, Jun 18, Oct 21, Dec 3

Audit Committee (pdf files): April 1, Jun 16, Nov 30

Policy on access to papers & Information policy
The following three documents give details of the information on the College which is available to members of the public, and the charges which may be made for providing the information where it is not available through this website.
• Guide to the Publication Scheme (pdf file)
• Priestley College Publication Scheme (pdf file)
• Access to Governing Body papers (pdf file)