MEET OUR GOVERNORS
EMPOWERING EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
OUR GOVERNORS
Jason Faulkner
Gillian Bardin
Guy Thomas
College Principal and CEO
Chair of the Governing Board
Vice Chair of the Governing Board
Curriculum & Standards Committee Member
Finance Committee Chair
Remuneration Committee Member
Remuneration Committee Chair
People & Governance Committee Member
People & Governance Committee Member Accommodation Working Group Chair
Richard Thorley
Paul Ragnall
Fiona Lugiano
Lukman Patel
Finance Committee Vice Chair
Finance Committee Member
Curriculum and Standards Chair
People & Governance Committee Member
People & Governance Committee Member
Remuneration Committee Member
Accommodation Working Group Member
People & Governance Committee Member
David Tomlinson
Sharon Roscoe
Vikki Goddard
Pauline Lucarz
Audit Committee Chair Remuneration Committee Member
Curriculum and Standards Committee Member
Curriculum and Standards Committee Member
Chair of People and Governance Committee Member
Alison Cameron
Jonathan Holden
Diane McKinley
Richard Lee
Curriculum and Standards Committee Member
Vice Chair of Audit Committee Member
Finance Committee Member and Accommodation Working Group Member
Audit Committee Member
Sinead Kay
Craig Waddington
Ed Foulds
Simone Lomas
Finance Committee Member
Staff Governor Committee Member
Staff Governor Committee Member
Director of Governance
The Governance Framework Further Education (FE) Colleges operate within a well-established national framework of legislation, regulation, funding requirements and sector guidance. Governors play a critical role in ensuring that the College fulfils its educational mission, complies with its statutory obligations and delivers positive outcomes for learners, employers and the wider community. This handbook provides an overview of the key governance, regulatory and compliance responsibilities that governors should understand as part of their role. It reflects current expectations set by the Department for Education (DfE), the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), the Office for Students (OfS), charity law, and recognised sector best practice, including the AoC Code of Good Governance.
The Governing Body and Its Responsibilities
The Role and Composition of the Board
Every college is governed by a Corporation Board (commonly referred to as the Board of Governors), which is responsible for the strategic oversight of the institution. Most further education colleges are established as statutory corporations under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.
Governors are collectively responsible for the leadership and stewardship of the College. Effective governance requires a balance of skills, experience, independence and stakeholder representation.
The Board is accountable for: • Determining the educational character and mission of the College. • Ensuring effective and efficient use of resources. • Safeguarding the financial sustainability of the institution. • Monitoring educational performance and student outcomes. • Ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory obligations. • Promoting a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and transparency. The Board operates in accordance with the College's Instrument and Articles of Government, which set out the governance framework, powers, responsibilities and procedures for conducting business.
Boards typically comprise: • Staff Governors • Student Governors • The Principal and Chief Executive • Independent Governors (often referred to as External Governors) The Board determines its size, structure and appointments process in accordance with its Instrument and Articles of Government. Appointment processes should be transparent, skills-based and support diversity of thought, background and experience. Good practice recommends that boards regularly review their composition, succession planning arrangements and skills mix to ensure they remain effective and aligned to strategic priorities.
Governors as Charity Trustees Further Education Colleges are exempt charities and are therefore subject to charity law, with the Department for Education acting as Principal Regulator on behalf of the Charity Commission. As governors, Board members are also charity trustees and must exercise their responsibilities in accordance with the principles of good governance and public benefit. Governors have a duty to: • Ensure the College advances its charitable purposes for public benefit. • Comply with legislation, regulation and governing documents. • Act in the best interests of the College. • Manage resources responsibly and sustainably. • Exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence. • Ensure accountability, transparency and effective stewardship. These duties underpin all Board decision-making and should guide governors in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Strategic Leadership, Risk and Assurance The Board is responsible for ensuring that robust systems of governance, risk management and internal control are in place. Effective governance requires the Board to: • Identify and monitor strategic risks. • Establish risk appetite and tolerance levels. • Review business continuity and resilience arrangements. • Monitor compliance and regulatory risks. • Seek assurance that controls are operating effectively. • Ensure that risks are regularly reviewed and reported. Increasingly, colleges utilise risk registers and Board Assurance Frameworks (BAFs) to provide governors with clear oversight of strategic objectives, key risks and sources of assurance. The Board retains ultimate responsibility for risk management, even where operational responsibilities are delegated to senior leaders.
Financial Accountability and Value for Money Governors are custodians of public funds and charitable assets. They are responsible for ensuring that the College remains financially sustainable and demonstrates proper stewardship of resources. The Board must ensure that: • Effective financial controls are established. • Financial performance is regularly monitored. • Public funds are used appropriately and economically. • Decisions demonstrate regularity, propriety and value for money. • Assets and resources are adequately protected. Governors should be able to scrutinise financial reports, challenge assumptions where necessary and seek assurance that resources are being deployed effectively to support strategic objectives and learner success.
Audit Committee and Internal Assurance The Board must establish an Audit Committee with clearly defined Terms of Reference. The Audit Committee provides independent assurance to the Board regarding: • Risk management arrangements. • Internal control systems. • Financial governance. • Compliance processes. • Fraud prevention and whistleblowing arrangements. • Business continuity and resilience planning. The Committee also oversees relationships with internal and external auditors and monitors the implementation of agreed audit recommendations. The Audit Committee is a key element of effective governance and supports the Board in meeting its assurance responsibilities.
Regulation, Inspection and External Accountability Colleges are accountable to several regulatory and funding bodies.
Department for Education (DfE) The DfE acts as Principal Regulator for FE colleges and exempt charities and sets the wider policy framework within which colleges operate.
Ofsted Ofsted inspects further education and skills providers and evaluates: • Quality of education. • Student achievement and outcomes. • Behaviour and attitudes. • Personal development. • Leadership and management. • Safeguarding effectiveness. • Contribution to local and regional skills needs. Inspectors routinely engage with governors to assess the effectiveness of leadership and governance.
Office for Students (OfS) Where colleges deliver higher education provision, they are be subject to regulation by the Office for Students.
Governance Documents and Board Procedures Several key governance documents support the effective operation of the Board:
Instrument and Articles of Government The College's principal constitutional document, defining governance structures, membership and decision-making processes.
Code of Conduct Sets expectations for governor behaviour and reflects the Seven Nolan Principles of Public Life: • Selflessness • Integrity • Objectivity • Accountability • Openness • Honesty • Leadership
Standing Orders Establish the rules governing Board and committee meetings, including decisionmaking procedures and delegated authority arrangements.
Terms of Reference Set out the responsibilities, membership and delegated powers of committees and the Board.
Key Areas of Regulatory Compliance The Board must assure itself that the College complies with all relevant legislative and regulatory requirements. Particular areas of responsibility include:
Safeguarding The Board is responsible for ensuring that effective safeguarding arrangements are in place for children, young people and vulnerable adults. Governors should receive regular safeguarding training and assurance reports to enable effective oversight.
Prevent Duty Under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, colleges must have due regard to preventing individuals from being drawn into terrorism. Governors should receive assurance regarding: • Prevent risk assessments. • Staff and governor training. • Management of external speakers and events. • Referral processes and partnership working.
Data Protection and Information Governance The Board must ensure compliance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Good governance includes oversight of: • Data protection arrangements. • Information security risks. • Cyber security resilience. • Data breaches and incident reporting. • Subject Access Requests.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) The Board has responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty. Governors should seek assurance that the College: • Eliminates discrimination. • Advances equality of opportunity. • Fosters good relations between groups. • Monitors and addresses achievement gaps. • Promotes an inclusive culture for students, staff and stakeholders.
Health, Safety and Wellbeing The Board retains ultimate responsibility for health and safety and should ensure effective arrangements exist to safeguard the physical and mental wellbeing of learners, staff, visitors and contractors.
Governance at Burnley College In addition to statutory governance requirements, Burnley College has developed a comprehensive governance framework to support effective Board operation and continuous improvement. Governors receive access to: • The Governors' Portal and Board documentation. • Committee Terms of Reference. • Annual meeting schedules. • Skills audits and development opportunities. • Governor review and appraisal processes. • Strategic planning and assurance documents. • Guidance on declarations of interest and governance compliance.
The Director of Governance acts as the principal adviser to the Corporation Board, supporting governors in fulfilling their statutory and fiduciary duties, promoting good governance practice and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. New governors are encouraged to engage fully in induction, training and development activities and to utilise the resources available to support their effectiveness in the role. For further information, governors may also wish to refer to the DfE publication: FE and sixth-form college corporations: Governance Guide and the AoC Code of Good Governance for English Colleges.
ADDRESS Burnley College Princess Way, Burnley, BB12 0AN TELEPHONE 01282 733333 (Course Information) 01282 733373 (General Information) EMAIL sservices@burnley.ac.uk WEBSITE www.burnley.ac.uk
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