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| Primary Responsibility | How we deliver this in practice | Related OfS registration condition(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. To set, and agree, the mission, strategic vision and values of the institution, with the executive. | Council approves the University Vision and Strategy, and advises the Vice-Chancellor on its shaping and revision. | Condition E2: The provider must have in place adequate and effective management and governance arrangements. |
| 2. To agree long-term academic and business plans and key performance indicators and ensure that these meet the interests of stakeholders. | Council does this in a number of ways, including through the adoption of University budgets and forecasts. It will also be monitoring a new suite of KPIs stemming from the University Strategy 2030. The extent to which Council understands the academic and corporate strategies and the plans which sit underneath is key. | Condition E2: The provider must have in place adequate and effective management and governance arrangements. |
| 3. To ensure that processes are in place to monitor and evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the institution against the strategy and plans and approved key performance indicators, which should be – where possible and appropriate – benchmarked against other comparable institutions. | Council will want to ensure it receives regular, reliable, timely and accurate information to monitor and evaluate performance against the strategic plan. This is in line with the CUC HE Code of Governance. | Condition E2: The provider must have in place adequate and effective management and governance arrangements. |
| 4. To delegate authority to the head of the institution, as chief executive, for the academic, corporate, financial, estate and human resource management of the institution. And to establish and keep under regular review the policies, procedures and limits within such management functions as shall be undertaken by and under the authority of the head of the institution. | The role of the Vice-Chancellor as ‘Accountable Officer’ is understood by Council. This is set out through a range of delegated approval and signatory activities for OfS returns, and to other bodies. Further work on the Scheme of Delegation will clarify where approvals reside, where it is not as clear as it could be. | Condition E2: The provider must have in place adequate and effective management and governance arrangements. |
| 5. To ensure the establishment and monitoring of systems of control and accountability, including financial and operational controls, risk assessment, value for money arrangements and procedures for handling internal grievances and for managing conflicts of interest. | Audit and Risk Committee has delegated responsibility in this regard, culminating in its annual report to Council, the statement on internal control, risk management reporting etc. It also oversees the work of internal and external audit. | Condition E2: The provider must have in place adequate and effective management and governance arrangements. |
| 6. To establish processes to monitor and evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the governing body itself. | Self-assessment by Council members is undertaken, along with a proposed full Council effectiveness review, which will build on the Corporate Governance internal audit review (2019). | Condition E2: The provider must have in place adequate and effective management and governance arrangements. Public Interest Governance Principle VIII: the size, composition, diversity and skills mix and terms of office of the governing body is appropriate for the nature, scale and complexity of the provider. |
| 7. To conduct its business in accordance with best practice in HE corporate governance and with the principles of public life drawn up by the Committee on Standards in Public Life. | Council receives information on the ‘Nolan Committee’ principles as embodied in induction materials, the role specification for Council, and also the OfS ‘fit and proper’ purpose regime through its annual disclosure of members’ interests. | Condition E2 (2): The provider must have in place adequate and effective management and governance arrangements to deliver, in practice, the public interest governance principles applicable to it. See Public Interest Governance Principle IX in 6 above. |
| 8. To safeguard the good name and values of the institution. | All Council considerations and decisions should evaluate the reputation and best interests of the University at all times. | Condition E1: governing documents must uphold the public interest governance principles that are applicable to the provider. |
| 9. To appoint the head of the institution as chief executive, and to put in place suitable arrangements for monitoring his/her performance. | Council convenes a joint committee for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor. Performance monitoring is led by the Chair of Council and informs Remuneration Committee discussions in relation to base salary for the Vice-Chancellor. | Condition E3 (3): Nominate to the OfS a senior officer as the ‘accountable officer’ who has the responsibilities set out by the OfS. |
| 10. To appoint a Secretary to the governing body and to ensure that, if the person appointed has managerial responsibilities in the institution, there is an appropriate separation in the lines of accountability. | Council formally appoints the Secretary to Council, as a distinct role within a wider executive management portfolio. This role is undertaken by the University Secretary. | Condition E2: The provider must have in place adequate and effective management and governance arrangements. |
| 11. To be the employing authority for all staff in the institution and to be responsible for establishing a human resources strategy. | Council ultimately adopts the HR Strategy of the University on the advice of UEB, and has specific responsibilities in circumstances such as recognising the need for redundancy. | - |
| 12. To be the principal financial and business authority of the institution, to ensure that proper books of account are kept, to approve the annual budget and financial statements, and to have overall responsibility for the institution’s assets, property and estate. | Council is asked to adopt the annual accounts, and approve the budget, medium-term plan and forecasts of the University. Council is expected to approve expenditure and understand the wider commitments and liabilities for major capital infrastructure projects, within the financial thresholds in place. | Condition D1: financial viability and sustainability. Condition E3 (2): Compliance with all of its conditions of registration and with the OfS’s accounts direction. Condition G2: comply with any terms and conditions attached to financial support received from the OfS and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Public Interest Governance Principle VI: Value for money: The governing body ensures that there are adequate and effective arrangements in place to provide transparency about value for money for all students and for the taxpayer. |
| 13. To be the institution’s legal authority and, as such, to ensure systems are in place for meeting all the institution’s legal obligations, including those arising from contracts and other legal commitments made in the institution’s name. This includes responsibilities for Health, Safety and Security and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. | Council is the legal authority of the University and represents the University as a body which can take on liabilities, sue and be sued. Council delegates responsibility to the vice-chancellor for ensuring legal compliance across all activities - some specific to universities, such as upholding academic freedom and freedom of speech on campus; and some general to large public authorities, such as data protection, the Employment Rights Act 1996, the Equality Act 2010, and the Modern Slavery Act 2015, to name a few. Council receives regular or periodic reports and outputs on such matters. | Condition E1 (1): The provider must have in place adequate and effective management and governance arrangements to operate in accordance with its governing documents; (4) Continue to comply with all conditions of its registration. Condition F3 For the purpose of assisting the OfS in performing any function, or exercising any power, conferred on the OfS under any legislation. |
| 14. To receive assurance that adequate provision has been made for the general welfare of students. | Council is beginning to receive reports and information on the University’s welfare and wellbeing provision for students. | Conditions B2: providers must support students from admission through to completion. Condition C3: Have in force and publish a student protection plan. Condition C2 (1): Co-operate with and publish the student complaints scheme run by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education. Condition F2: student transfer arrangements. Public Interest Governance Principles III: Student engagement and IV: Academic governance are a means of supporting oversight of the general welfare of students. |
| 15. To act as trustee for any property, legacy, endowment, bequest or gift in support of the work and welfare of the institution. | Council oversees the policy for the application of the University Seal on its behalf; and will ultimately oversee any property, legacy, endowment, bequest or gift, delegating policy and due diligence via Ethics Framework Governance Committee to the University Executive and its bodies. | Condition D1: financial viability and sustainability elements. See Public Interest Governance Principle IX in 6 above. |
| 16. To ensure that the institution’s constitution is always followed, and that appropriate advice is available to enable this to happen. | This is ensured via the role of University Secretary and specialist in-house or external professional advice. | Condition E1 (1): The provider must have in place adequate and effective management and governance arrangements to operate in accordance with its governing documents. |
| 17. To promotes a culture which supports inclusivity and diversity across the institution | Council is reflecting on diversity and inclusion within its own make-up, as reflected in its recent round of lay recruitment. It receives and considers information on the business of the EDI Committee and an annual EDI report, as well as other key interventions in relation to gender (and likely future ethnicity) pay gap reporting. | All Public Interest Governance Principles. |
| 18. To maintain and protect the principle of academic freedom as enshrined in freedom of speech legislation. | Council has a legal duty to uphold academic freedom and freedom of speech on campus, as delegated to the executive to ensure it is upheld. Our new EFGC structure cites complex academic freedom and freedom of speech cases being considered by this body. | Public Interest Governance Principles II and VII - governing body to uphold academic freedom and freedom of speech within the law. |
| 19. To ensure that all students have opportunities to engage with the governance of the institution | Aside from Students’ Union representation on Council and key ‘corporate’ sub-committees, Senate provides for elected undergraduate and postgraduate students alongside the sabbatical officer representatives. Student representatives feature on many Senate sub-committees, and within departments, student representatives sit on Boards of Studies through to Departmental Teaching Committees, and Staff-Student Forums. | Public Interest Governance Principle III Student engagement: The governing body ensures that all students have opportunities to engage with the governance of the provider, and that this allows for a range of perspectives to have influence. |