Agenda item

(Mark John Boleat)

30 April 2015

Bridewell Royal Hospital: Constitutional Changes

The City of London Corporation has long established links with Bridewell Royal Hospital (incorporating King Edward’s School Witley), a registered charity (311917), with some trustees drawn from the Court of Common Council and the Court of Aldermen. Since 2013, following a number of changes to Bridewell Royal Hospital’s Constitution in order to modernise and improve its administration, The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor has also been the Bridewell Charter Patron. 

The Bridewell Royal Hospital submitted a revised Constitution to the Charity Commission in April 2015 for its consideration following the announcement of a merger in early March 2015 between King Edward’s School Witley and Barrow Hills School Witley, a preparatory school in close proximity to King Edward’s School Witley.  The merger, with effect as of September 2015, is intended to realise efficiencies across both schools and generate long term benefits, financially and academically, for both King Edward’s School Witley and Barrow Hills School Witley. 

The revised Constitution to accommodate the transfer of Barrow Hills School Witley (which has been amended by resolutions of the Court of Bridewell Royal Hospital) provides for a smaller trustee body. There is currently provision for twelve members of the Court of Bridewell Royal Hospital to be drawn from the Court of Common Council but the revised Constitution reduces the number of appointments to seven members. It should be noted that there have been on-going vacancies on the Court of Bridewell Royal Hospital and both your Education Board and the Policy & Resources Committee, when considering this matter, welcomed the reduced number of Common Councilmen trustee appointments and suggested that, at some future date, a further reduction in the number of trustees be considered by the Court of Bridewell Royal Hospital. 

Following consideration of this matter by your Policy & Resources Committee, the Education Board and the Court of Aldermen, the Charity Commission has since accepted the proposed constitutional changes. Whilst no formal approval is required from either the Court of Common Council or the Court of Aldermen, in light of the reduction in the number of Common Council Members appointed to serve on the Court of Bridewell Royal Hospital and given the long-standing vacancies in respect of these appointments, Members are recommended to note the reduced number of Common Council appointments and agree that a letter of support for the recently accepted constitutional changes be forwarded to Bridewell Royal Hospital. A separately printed and circulated report is submitted thereon.

(Mark John Boleat)

30 April 2015

Bridewell Royal Hospital: Constitutional Changes

The City of London Corporation has long established links with Bridewell Royal Hospital (incorporating King Edward’s School Witley), a registered charity (311917), with some trustees drawn from the Court of Common Council and the Court of Aldermen. Since 2013, following a number of changes to Bridewell Royal Hospital’s Constitution in order to modernise and improve its administration, The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor has also been the Bridewell Charter Patron. 

The Bridewell Royal Hospital submitted a revised Constitution to the Charity Commission in April 2015 for its consideration following the announcement of a merger in early March 2015 between King Edward’s School Witley and Barrow Hills School Witley, a preparatory school in close proximity to King Edward’s School Witley.  The merger, with effect as of September 2015, is intended to realise efficiencies across both schools and generate long term benefits, financially and academically, for both King Edward’s School Witley and Barrow Hills School Witley. 

The revised Constitution to accommodate the transfer of Barrow Hills School Witley (which has been amended by resolutions of the Court of Bridewell Royal Hospital) provides for a smaller trustee body. There is currently provision for twelve members of the Court of Bridewell Royal Hospital to be drawn from the Court of Common Council but the revised Constitution reduces the number of appointments to seven members. It should be noted that there have been on-going vacancies on the Court of Bridewell Royal Hospital and both your Education Board and the Policy & Resources Committee, when considering this matter, welcomed the reduced number of Common Councilmen trustee appointments and suggested that, at some future date, a further reduction in the number of trustees be considered by the Court of Bridewell Royal Hospital. 

Following consideration of this matter by your Policy & Resources Committee, the Education Board and the Court of Aldermen, the Charity Commission has since accepted the proposed constitutional changes. Whilst no formal approval is required from either the Court of Common Council or the Court of Aldermen, in light of the reduction in the number of Common Council Members appointed to serve on the Court of Bridewell Royal Hospital and given the long-standing vacancies in respect of these appointments, Members are recommended to note the reduced number of Common Council appointments and agree that a letter of support for the recently accepted constitutional changes be forwarded to Bridewell Royal Hospital. A separately printed and circulated report is submitted thereon.

Read and agreed.