ANNEX A: Accountability and Governance Working Group
Remit
The remit of the Accountability and Governance Working Group of the Review of Scotland's Colleges was to:
"provide Scottish Ministers with a robust evidence base and, where appropriate, informed recommendations for change, upon which sound decisions can be taken on how to fund and equip Scotland's colleges to meet future challenges and demands. In particular the review will build on the work of previous reviews and examine the arrangements for accountability and governance in incorporated colleges including:
A. the broader regulatory landscape in which colleges operate, and the potential overlap of jurisdictions;
B. whether Boards should be responsible for appointing their own membership, including the Chair of the Board;
C. strengthening learner participation;
D. enhancing the capacity of Board members;
E. whether the Chair and other Board members should be remunerated;
F. the length of Board membership for Chairs and staff representatives;
G. the roles of, and relationships between, the Chair, Board and Principal to ensure maximum quality oversight, including the Board's ability to obtain independent advice and the roles, responsibilities and relationships of the Accountable Officer;
H. whether there is a continuing need for powers of Ministerial intervention;
I. the composition of Boards, including whether more needs to be done to ensure diversity and the current statutory requirement for 50% of Board members to have capacity in "industrial, commercial or employment matters or the practice of any profession".
Membership
Aileen McKechnie, Scottish Executive (Chair)
Margaret McLachlan, Scottish Executive (Secretariat)
James Alexander, National Union of Students (Scotland)
Col Baird, Scottish Executive
John Cassidy, Scottish Trades Union Congress
Neil Cuthbert, Association of Scotland's Colleges
Suzanne Dawson, Chair of Borders College, representing ASC (substitute)
Mary Dignam, Scottish Trades Union Congress (replaced Fiona Farmer)
Martin Fairbairn, Scottish Funding Council (replaced Jennifer McLaren)
Fiona Farmer, Scottish Trades Union Congress
Ian Graham, John Wheatley College, representing ASC
Brian Hay, Edinburgh's Telford College, representing ASC (substitute)
Marian Healy, Scottish Trades Union Congress (substitute)
Graeme Hyslop, Langside College, representing ASC (recurring substitute)
Jill Little, National Union of Students (Scotland) (replaced James Alexander)
Linda McKay, Forth Valley College, representing ASC
Jennifer McLaren, Scottish Funding Council
Ian Macpherson, South Lanarkshire College, representing ASC (replaced Sandy Watson, Angus College)
George Reid, Scottish Executive
Sandy Watson, Angus College, representing ASC