10 April 2017
The Department for Education (DfE) issues guides to best practice in academy governance. Good practice means the separation between the layers of governance – the members, trustees and employees.
In some instances where trusts had significant failings in governance, it was highlighted that an individual was a chief executive, trustee and a member.
If you are a member and a trustee ‘you can’t hold yourself to account’.
The government publishes a governance ‘model’ that it encourages trusts to follow. This is updated regularly, but trusts have their own set-up signed-off when they are founded. It’s then down to trusts to ensure that powers are separated, but there is no formal checking process.
It has been suggested that all trusts must include a statement in their annual accounts, signed by auditors, showing they adhered to latest governance guidance.
The government have said that it was not best practice to have employees who were members.
The national schools commissioner has also said that there could be ‘a blurring of the edges of accountability’ where chief executives were trustees – a structure employed by many trusts. However, the chief executive of the National Governance Association said chief executives believed they would 'lose their influence’ if they stood down as a trustee.
Perhaps one way to avoid such problems would be for the chief executive to retain a trustee position, but with no voting rights.
If you require any assistance to ensure that your school has the appropriate governance structures, policies and procedures in place, please contact me or your local academy expert. To read more academy schools blogs click here.
