Corporation
New College Durham is an independent corporation. We have exempt charity status formed under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. The Instrument and Articles of Government set down our powers, membership, role, and responsibilities.
The corporation of New College Durham is made up of members from the business and local community, local authorities, stakeholders, partners, staff and students. The principal is a member ex officio and the only executive member. The corporation is accountable for the use of public funds and has a duty of care for the assets of the college. The corporation is advised by a clerk who is independent of college management and has access to independent professional advice.
The corporation currently has 18 members. It meets seven times a year for general business, with an additional meeting to concentrate on strategic issues. It operates through a structure of committees which have clearly defined terms to consider issues in more detail and make recommendations to the board. Each member serves on at least one of the following committees:
- Audit and Risk
- Finance and Resources
- Further Education Quality, Curriculum & Students
- Higher Education Quality, Curriculum & Students
- Academy Sponsorship Committee
- Remuneration
- Search and Governance
pdf Corporation Membership and Committee Composition (148 KB)
The board of governors at New College Durham comprises members from the business and local community, local authorities, stakeholders, partners, staff, and students.
pdf The Corporation of New College Durham Corporation Members (796 KB)
Interested in making a difference to over 5000 students a year?
New College Durham is looking for volunteers to join its Board of Governors and help shape the strategic direction of the college and its sponsored academies.
- Organisational Structure
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External Board Review
The Corporation of New College Durham commissioned an external review of governance in the Spring Term of 2022 in response to a series of changes since 2020 that have impacted on the College’s governance arrangements and the recently published DfE guidance on strengthening governance.
The review was carried out by Shirley Collier MBE, of Shirley Collier Consulting. The approach used was endorsed by the Association of Colleges (AoC) and Education and Training Foundation (ETF) in their 2021 pilot reviews. The methodology included a desk-based review of selected board documents such as the governing documents and Minutes; confidential surveys of governors and senior staff; individual confidential discussions with board members and senior staff; and attendance at and observation of Corporation and committee meetings.
An overview of the review outcomes is provided in the pdf External Board Review Executive Summary (69 KB) , which concludes:
‘The governance review has found that following substantial change at New College Durham, governance is well managed and highly effective. In future, the approach currently taken could be reviewed slightly in order to give governors and senior staff more time for challenge and debate’.
An action plan to respond to the review findings is currently being developed.