Most further education colleges were incorporated by statute through the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 (FHEA1992) and required to comply with the statutory Instrument and Articles of government. The DfES have recently revised the Instrument and Articles following a review of governance for FE colleges launched in April 2004.
The college’s Instrument and Articles of Government determine the duties and responsibilities of the corporation.
The Board of Governors is responsible for:
- Determination of the educational character and mission of the college and ensuring that there are effective means of monitoring whether college management is fulfilling the mission
- ensuring its financial solvency and safeguard its assets
- approving annual estimates of income and expenditure
- overseeing the appointment, grading, suspension, dismissal, and determination of pay and conditions of senior post holders and the clerk to the corporation
- setting a framework for the pay and conditions of service of all other staff:
- provide further and higher education
- provide secondary education to 14 – 16 year olds in school
- supply goods or services in support of the provision of education
- conduct an educational establishment
- subscribe for or acquire shares in or securities of a company
- acquire or dispose of assets
- borrow money
- invest money
The corporation has the power to:
The legal power of the corporation rests with corporation as a whole, not with the individual member.
Accountability
Governors are responsible for ensuring that funds received from the Young People’s Learning Agency are used in accordance with the financial memorandum agreed with the YPLA. They must also take account of the educational policies of national government.
Board of Governors

David Clark
Chair
Appointed May 2005
External Member
Mike Brereton
Vice Chair
Appointed Dec 2007
External Member
Anna Barnish
Appointed Dec 2007
External Member
Paula Basnett
Appointed Nov 2010
External Governor

Sheila Clark
Appointed Dec 2009
External Member
Andrew Davies
Appointed Mar 2011
External Member
Tim Kelly
Appointed Dec 1999
Staff Member
Siobhan Mackenzie
Appointed November 2011
Student Member

Joel Martin
Appointed November 2011
Student Member
Alexis Mathai
Appointed Mar 2011
External Member
Anne McLachlan
Appointed July 2011
External Member
Richard Mawdsley
Appointed Dec 2008
External Member

Ian Morris
Appointed February 2012
Staff Member
Mike Potter
Principal
Mike Thomas
Appointed 1 Aug 2010
External Member
The following people attend Board meetings:

Barry Leatham-Jones
Deputy Principal
Bill Stothart
Vice Principal /
Director of Finance
Resources and Planning
Robin Dawson
HR Director
Sue Higginson
Vice Principal/Quality and Business Development

Ian James
Clerk to the Governors
Val Bagley
Administrator to the Governors
For governance documents please go to the Governance section of the Staff Intranet: http://intranet.wmc.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=65