Agenda item

Report of the Principal, Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

The Board considered a report of the Principal in respect of the Committee of University Chairs (CUC) Higher Education Code of Governance.  Governors noted that the Code has had a number of iterations; the latest version having been published in June 2020 at height of the pandemic. The document appended to the report was a self-assessment of the Board’s compliance with the Code, using the tool-kit recommended by the CUC.   The Chair confirmed that the Governance and Effectiveness Committee had looked at this report in detail and their suggestions had been incorporated.  Geoffrey Crossick, Maria Delgado and Katharine Lewis were thanked for their work on the report.

Governors noted that the ‘red’ item relates to  the School’s relationship with the City of London Corporation, and it could be relegated to ‘amber’, as it would be picked up as part of the City Corporation’s Lisvane Governance Review.  Both the Target Operating Model and the Lisvane Review had been included in the actions list, given their impact across a number of areas.   The City Corporation’s Audit and Risk Management Committee, and Barbican Centre Board have a second   Deputy Chair who is one of the co-opted members.  The Chair explained that this would be a possibility for the Board, but the Chair would need to be a Common Councillor (of the City Corporation) in order to retain oversight and to be able to represent the GSMD in Court of Common Council. This second deputy could also be the Senior Independent Governor for the CUC code. 

It was suggested that the Code of Compliance should be a standing item at every Board meeting, as Governors need to be aware of the requirements in terms of best practice, where the School adheres to it and if, why and where this might not be the case. 

RESOLVED, that – the self-assessment of compliance with the CUC Higher Education Code of Governance and the actions identified be approved, with a view to this checklist being made publicly available on the School’s website.