Governance

A Guide to the Governing Body

The Governing Body has a total of twenty three members each of whom brings their own specific expertise, skills and experience. All Governors give their time voluntarily and have always shown a high level of commitment to both the College itself and its mission.

The composition of the Governing Body is laid down by the College’s Instrument & Articles of Government. This is a legal document under the terms of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 which incorporated the College and establishes the Governing Body as a legal entity and defines what the Governing Body and the College may do. The Governing Body comprises:

11 Foundation Governors, who are appointed by it's Trustees - the Diocese of Salford
2 Co-opted members selected because of their special expertise or standing in the community or links to the College
1 elected Staff Governor
1 elected Parent Governor
2 elected Student Governors
The Principal
5 Associate Governors

The Chair is Mr Brendan O’Shea and the Vice Chair is Mrs Teresa Dervin. The Governing Body employs a Clerk to facilitate all aspects of its work. The Clerk is Karen Stanhope.

The Responsibilities of the Governing Body

The full Governing Body meets six times per year. It receives reports from the Principal or the Clerk and its own committees. The key responsibilities of the Governing Body are:

To determine the educational character and Mission of the College and to ensure the College management is fulfilling the mission
To ensure the solvency of the College and the safeguarding of its assets
To approve the annual estimates of income and expenditure
To oversee the appointment, grading, suspension, dismissal and the determination of the pay and conditions of the Principal, Vice Principal, Finance Director and the Clerk
To set a framework for the pay and conditions of service for all staff
To contribute to the leadership of the College in ways which promote the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and raise student achievement

The Roles and Responsibilities of Individual Governors

In legal terms, the Governing Body has a corporate identity separate from its members. This means that responsibility for actions and decisions rests with the Governing Body as a whole and not with individual governors. Governors are expected to show the highest loyalty and to act collectively in the best interest of the College.

The Roles of Committees

Although the full Governing Body meets six times a year, most of the detailed work is undertaken by committees which utilise the individual specialist skills of Governors. The committees are:

Audit (3 times per year): has legal powers to investigate all aspects of the internal control and financial systems of the College and employs two firms of auditors.
Finance Personnel and Resources (4 times per year): oversees the budget, monitors the duties of the Governing Body as the employer and manages the resources and the estate.
Quality and Standards (4 times per year): monitors and develops all aspects of student achievement, the quality of teaching and support and students’ experiences.
Remuneration (At least once per year): reviews salary structures of the Principal, the Vice Principal, the Finance Director and the Clerk.
Search (3 times per year): recruits new Governors with appropriate expertise and experience.
Appeals Committee (As required)
Special Committee (As required)

Governance

A Guide to the Governing Body

The Responsibilities of the Governing Body

The Roles and Responsibilities of Individual Governors

The Roles of Committees

Documents

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