Agenda item

Report of the Town Clerk (copy attached).

A report of the Town Clerk explained that a report had been submitted to the Board of Governors at its meeting in May 2012, which set out how to realign the Board in accordance with the School’s Instruments and Articles of Government, as approved by the Privy Council in 2006.

The Board recommended that certain issues be considered further by the Committee in particular, the quorum, the status of co-opted Governors and the possibility of allowing the Chairmen of the Barbican Centre Board and the Culture, Heritage & Libraries Committee to become ex-officio Board Governors.

Members noted that an ex-officio Governor would have voting rights on all matters other than the election of Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Board. They would also be ineligible to stand as Chairman or Deputy Chairman of the Board. A Member noted that the creation of ex officio Governors would contradict previous discussions in which it had been suggested that all Governors should have equal status and voting rights. Discussion ensued and Members decided it would be appropriate to appoint the Chairmen of the Culture, Heritage & Libraries Committee and Barbican Centre Board as ex-officio Board Governors only.

Members also noted that only City Governors would be eligible to stand as Chairman and Deputy Chairman, as only Common Councilmen and Aldermen were able to represent the Board at Court of Common Council meetings.

RESOLVED: that,

i)       Members note that any recommended changes to the constitution of the School made by the Sub-Committee will also subsequently require the approval of Policy & Resources Committee.

ii)     Members approve the current arrangements of the Board, which has been realigned with the Instrument and Articles of Government.

iii)    Governors note that the Privy Council may in future need to be approached to resolve the constitutional irregularities that have arisen relating to the Board. However, given that the Board is currently constituted appropriately, this future approach only be made as part of a broader package of issues taken to the Privy Council that is appropriate to the seriousness of the Council’s constitutional role.

iv)    As part of any such approach, it is recommended that the following recommendations be included: that,

1.    any such approach includes the request to change the definition of the quorum to be any seven Governors of the School;

2.    the Privy Council be asked to approve the Chairmen of the Barbican Centre Board and the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee being made ex-officio Governors of the School;

3.    these ex officio appointments would replace two existing City of London Corporation Governor positions.