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

	Mr C. Bennett (Student) is a Student member of the Governing Body. He is President of the College Council, and, before he came to Priestley in 2010, he attended Halton High School.
	Mr A. Cannell is the Chief Executive at Clatterbridge NHS Foundation Trust where he was previously the Finance Director. Andrew was appointed in July 2011 and it is expected that his financial experience will be a useful addition to the Finance & General Purposes Committee.
	Mr P. Dyke was a partner at Baker Tilly (Accountancy and audit) until his retirement in 2007, at which time he joined the Governing Body and is Vice Chair of the Audit Committee.
	Mr A. Farquharson is a retired solicitor who was also formerly the company secretary for the De Vere Group. He was a director at a number of companies, including Longford Industrial (FTSE 100 company) and is currently Chair at St Rocco’s Hospice. He joined the Governing Body in 2004 and is currently Chair of the Audit Committee.
	Ms J. George (Student) is one of two Student members on the Governing Body. She attended Bridgewater High School before she came to do her A levels at Priestley. She is also Vice-President of the College Council and is in her second year.
	Dr M. Hartill joined the Governing Body in 2008. He is a lecturer at Edge Hill University where his specialisms are Sociology and Sport. His doctoral theory was on child abuse in organised sport. Mike previously attended Priestley as a student.
	Mr R. Haslam (Chair) is a retired Senior Police Officer. Initially joining as a parent governor in 1996, he has served as a member on numerous committees. He became Chair in 2008 and is also Chair of the Strategic Planning and the Remuneration & HR Committees. Reg is also a member of the NW Regional Committee of the AoC.
	Mr G. Hill held senior positions in the Police and Probation Services until he transferred to social services where he held positions of Assistant Director and Area Children’s Officer. He has been a governor since 2006 and is the current safeguarding ‘champion’ on the Governing Body.
	Mrs K. Hope (Staff) is the head of Staff/Student Services in the Business Support arm of the College, and she was elected as a Staff member in 2008. Kath joined the College in 1996.
	Mr D. Jude (Co-opted) is a partner with DLA Piper UK LLP, an international Law firm. He was previously an A level student at the College. He includes ‘construction law’ amongst his specialisms. Daniel became a co-opted member in 2008.
	Mr J. Monaghan chairs the Search Committee of the Governing Body. Prior to his appointment in 2005, John held senior H.R. positions at United Utilities and, until recently, he was Head of Operations (Merseyside) for the Prince’s Trust.
	Mrs C. Owen has been Head teacher at The Bankfield School, Widnes since 2004. Prior to that she was Deputy Head at Birchwood Community High School. She joined the College Governing body in October 2011.
	Mr M. Salmon (Staff) was elected to be a Staff member on the Governing Body in 2010. He is a teacher and a senior tutor at the College where he has worked since 2001.
	Mr Y. Shaikh (Co-opted) was appointed as a co-opted member in 2008 and he has served on the Audit Committee since then. He is a senior project manager at Ineos Chlor Ltd. Yousuf’s daughter attended the College.
	Cllr K. Simcock is currently the longest-serving member of the Governing Body. A former student (and a former student governor), Kelly works as the Youth & Community manager at the Tim Parry / Jonathan Ball Trust. Kelly was elected as a Warrington Borough Councillor in May 2010. She is currently the Vice-Chair of the Curriculum & Quality Committee.
	Mr M. Southworth (Principal) held senior positions at other Colleges in the North West before his appointment as Principal at Priestley in 2002. He is also a national Quality Improvement Adviser (Learning & Skills Improvement Service).
	Mrs D. Stead (Vice Chair) joined the Governing Body in May 2005. She was, until this summer, a Senior Lecturer (training of primary school teachers) at Liverpool Hope University. Di’s two children both attended the College. She has been Vice Chair since 2008 and is currently Chair of the Curriculum & Quality Committee.
	Prof. T. Wheeler was appointed to the Governing Body in November 2009. Prior to that, Tim has served as a governor at other FE Colleges in the North West. Tim is the Vice-Chancellor at the University of Chester and is on the College’s Strategic Planning Committee.
	Mrs P. Worrall is the current Parent Governor following election in October 2011. Mrs Worrall has, in fact, previous experience of governance dating back to when she served on the Governing Body in 1999.
	Mrs S. Yates was Head Teacher of Birchwood Community High School when she first became a member of the Governing Body in 1995. She now works as a School Improvement Partner and consultant.

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

Meetings 2011/12

Governing Body - 6 October, 8 December, 23 February, 17 May, 12 July

Audit Committee - 28 November, 19 March, 18 June

Finance & General Purposes - 28 September, 30 November, 8 February, 9 May, 4 July

Curriculum & Quality - 14 October, 25 November, 10 February, 4 May, 22 June

Search Committee - 27 September, 29 November, 7 February, 26 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): Oct 7, Dec 9, May 26

F&G P Committee (pdf files): Sep 29, Dec 1, Feb 9, May 11

Search Committee (pdf files): Oct 6, Nov 30, Feb 22

Curriculum & Quality Committee (pdf files): Oct 14, Nov 25, Feb 10, May 6

Audit Committee (pdf files): June 21, Nov 29, March 21

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)