Governance

Governance of Colchester InstituteStrategic PlanExternal Review of GovernanceOur GovernorsAccess to InformationFurther Governance InformationMinutes – Board and Committee Meetings

Governance of Colchester Institute

This governance page helps to communicate information and background about the way in which the College is governed and about how the Board of Governors support the everyday activities of Colchester Institute. We are a mixed economy college of Further and Higher Education, established by the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. The statutory Instrument and Articles of Government sets down the membership, the powers and the responsibilities of the Board of Governors. Much of the further education work of the College is funded through the Education and Skills Funding Agency and the College is required to abide by the Financial Memorandum and the Audit Code of Practice. The Governing Body has responsibility for key areas of the College and for monitoring the implementation and effectiveness of College policies in a number of areas including:
  • Health and Safety
  • Equal Opportunities
  • The Disability Discrimination Act
  • Freedom of Information Act
  • Safeguarding
The Colchester Institute Board of Governors is made up of members from a wide range of backgrounds, reflecting the communities the College serves and members elected by the staff and by students. The Principal is the only member who is both a Board member and a member of the executive. The Board has overall responsibility for the educational character and mission of the College, for the general oversight of its activities and is accountable for the proper use of public funds and for exercising a duty of care for the assets of the College. The Board of Governors and Colchester Institute are committed to ensuring that there is no discrimination within the College on the grounds of age, disability, family responsibility, marital status, race, colour, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, trade union activity, and any other irrelevant criteria.

Please click the image or link below to view our Strategic Plan 2024 – 2028.

Strategic Plan 2024 – 2028

External Review of Governance

For more information, please see the following documents:

External Review of Governance – Colchester Institute

The Principal

Alison Andreas

About Us - Principals Welcome | Alison Andreas

Alison Andreas MA (Oxon)

The Principal serves on all the Board Committees except the Audit and Risk Committee and Governance, Remuneration and Search. Alison joined Colchester Institute in 1997 and has held a range of management roles including in Human Resource Development and Quality.  She has been a Senior Post-holder at the College since 2008, latterly Vice Principal: Quality and Support and was appointed as Principal and Chief Executive in 2014. Previously to working at the College, Alison studied French at the University of Oxford and held a range of management posts in large industrial organisations.

Head of Governance

Alison Bennett

Alison Bennett

Alison Bennett

Joining Colchester Institute as the Head of Governance in April 2024, Alison has experience of working in Education Governance supporting Multi Academy Trusts, schools, alternative provisions and special schools. She is also experienced in specialist panel work. Alison has successfully completed her level 4 in Academy Governance and level 3 in the clerking of School and Academy Boards .

In addition to this Alison is an experienced Governor and is the vice chair of Governors at two local schools.

Independent Members

Lisa Blake

Lisa Blake, CPFA LLB

Lisa is a Chartered Public Finance Accountant with a postgraduate diploma in Public Finance and Leadership from Warwick Business School. Lisa retired from BDO LLP in January 2024 where she had been a public sector audit Partner and the Regional Managing Partner for BDO East Anglia. During her audit career she worked with a range of public sector organisations including London Boroughs, District Councils and NHS provider and commissioning bodies.

Her career was in finance but her passion is in the Arts and Lisa is a keen photographer and musical theatre enthusiast!

Lisa joined the Board at Colchester Institute in May 2019 and is Vice Chair of the Board, Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and Chair of the Governance, Remuneration and Search Committee.

Michael Asare Bediako
Michael Asare Bediako

Michael Asare Bediako ACA, CA (SA), RA, ACFS

Michael is a senior audit manager at BDO London, and technical lead for NHS and LGPS. He is a qualified chartered accountant, with extensive experience across different countries. Michael specialises in public sector and manages audit engagements of large and complex public sector bodies.

Michael joined the Board in March 2024 and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.

Stephanie Bettinson

Stephanie Bettinson

Stephanie Bettinson FCCA

Stephanie is a senior audit manager at BDO Ipswich, now part of the senior management team for East Anglia as well as the lead for people recruitment, retention and management. She is a qualified chartered accountant, with extensive experience of leading and managing large scale complex corporate audits. Her role is split between continuing to lead on large corporate audits, whilst also managing the team across East Anglia and implementing the strategy for the region. Her experience is far ranging, with extensive experience in the construction, healthcare and technology sector.

Stephanie joined the Board in April 2022 and is a member of the Finance and Resources Committee.

Richard Block

Richard Block

Richard Block

Richard qualified as an Environmental Health Officer after completing a BSc (Hon’s) Environmental Health over 25 years ago. He has subsequently completed several post graduate management and leadership qualifications and has developed substantial experience fulfilling a range of senior roles within both London Borough Councils and District Councils. Richard is currently Assistant Director for Corporate and Improvement at Colchester City Council with responsibility for key corporate services including IT, Human Resources, Governance and Communications and Marketing.

Richard joined the Board in April 2022 and is currently a member of the Finance and Resources Committee.

Chris Donovan

(Insert Photo)

Chris Donovan

Pen portrait to follow

Thomas Empson

Thomas Empson

Thomas Empson

Thomas has been working in Higher and Adult Education since 2007 in various capacities. His academic experiences span a broad scope of functions including: branding, business development, communications & marketing, governance, innovation, leadership, project management, sustainability and teaching.

He specialises in developing and delivering funded projects, collaborative partnerships, marketing and communications campaigns and contemporary learning initiatives. His key skills include identifying strategic alignments, developing new business strands and negotiating collaborative partnerships or developing steering groups, both in the UK and Hong Kong.

He has initiated a number of high-profile education and industry collaborations, partnering universities with the likes of the Design Museum, John Lewis, Mind, the Stephen Lawrence Day Trust and Somerset House.

Thomas has also managed marketing on a range of funded education initiatives in the charity sector. These have included a crime reduction project for the Big Lottery Fund, a learning disability project for the Department for Education, an innovation in giving project for Nesta and currently delivers a corporate training project to upskill marginalised Londoners for the digital economy, sponsored by the European Social Fund.

Thomas has lecturing in Higher and Adult Education since 2007, teaching subjects in entrepreneurship, leadership and management, marketing and sustainability from Level 1 to 6. Thomas is proud to be Colchester Institute Alumni, where he completed a BTEC in Fine Art in 2003, and cites this as the stepping stone that helped launch his career.

Thomas joined the Board in August 2023 and is a member of the Curriculum and Quality Committee.

Caroline Williams

Caroline Williams

Caroline Williams

Caroline Williams is an Ofsted Inspector. She is a qualified teacher with a masters degree in education. Caroline was formally a deputy principal of a GFE college in Essex and prior to that served as a vice principal responsible for curriculum and quality. Caroline held senior leadership positions for 17 years during which time she was responsible for quality improvement, 16-19 study programmes, adult learning, apprenticeships, higher education and provision for learners with high needs, learner support and careers education. Caroline continues to work with providers to support quality improvement.

Caroline joined the Board in October 2022 and is a member of the Curriculum and Quality Committee.

Jasmin Patel

Jasmin Patel LLB

Jasmin is a Residential Solicitor at Birkett Long LLP.  Jasmin was appointed to the Board in January 2020 and is a member of the Finance and Resources Committee.

Kevin Prince

Kevin Prince MA

Kevin was Head Teacher of St Helena School, Colchester until September 2011, a post he had held since September 2007. Prior to this Kevin has taught in South Essex and London. Kevin was appointed to the Board in January 2008, became Vice Chairman in January 2012, and took over the role of Corporation Chair in January 2019. Kevin is a member of all Committees expect the Audit and Risk Committee and is Chair of the Curriculum and Quality Committee.

Kevin is also a Director of the Essex Golf Union and the assistant manager for the County’s U25 team.

Simon Attwood
Simon Attwood

Simon Attwood, MCIOB CEnv MIEMA

Simon joined the Board in January 2024 and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.

Marco Iciek

Marco Iciek BA(Hons) PGCE

Marco joined the Board in January 2024. He is a member of the Curriculum and Quality Committee and is the Link Governor for Safeguarding.

Sally Messenger
Sally Messenger

Sally Messenger PhD

Sally has focussed her career in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) which has spanned teaching and research roles in further, adult and higher education, including eight years at the University of Surrey, plus senior leadership and management roles in the awarding body sector. During fifteen years with the City & Guilds Group she held the positions of Director of Portfolio Management & Development, Head of Service Industries, Director of Professional Development at the Institute for Leadership and Management and Chief Executive of the National Examining Board for Supervision & Management. Since 2012 Sally has worked as an independent TVET advisor, with a particular focus on supporting WorldSkills International on a wide range of development projects, all designed to raise the standard and profile of TVET globally.

Sally’s voluntary work includes being a trustee for the Savoy Educational Trust, an Enterpriser Advisor for the Greater Essex Hub, a member of the Education and Skills Committee for the Royal Aeronautical Society, and a member of the Essex Data Ethics Committee for the Essex Centre for Data Analytics.

Sally joined the Board in January 2024 and is a member of the Curriculum and Quality Committee.

Sally is also an Enterprise Advisor and a member of the Education & Skills Committee for the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Varun Verma
Varun Verma

Varun Verma MBA

Varun joined us in April 2024 as a co-opted member and serves on the Audit and Risk Committee. Varun brings with him over 20 years of Finance and Accounting experience gained across multiple industries and most recently in the Financial Services sector including banking and insurance sectors. Currently Varun is focused on providing organisations with time sensitive and value added interim services and has held leadership roles within Finance for SEC registrants and FTSE listed organisations here in the UK. Varun is a qualified accountant and holds an MBA from Cardiff University.

Staff Members

Dawn Swainson

Dawn Swainson

Pen portrait to follow

Student Members

Tim Triffitt

Tim Triffitt

Tim was appointed to the Board in the December 2023 and is a member of the Curriculum and Quality Committee.

Notes

Staff Members are elected by the staff of the College. There is one academic staff member and one support staff members elected by the academic staff and support staff respectively.

Student Members are elected by the students of the College. There is one HE student member and one FE student member elected by the higher education and further education students respectively.

Policy on access to information not contained in the Publication Scheme

Introduction

From 1 January 2005, in addition to accessing standard information via the Publication Scheme, a person may make a request for specific information which has not already been made available in the Publication Scheme. This must be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Requests for information

Requests for information :-

  • Must be made in writing (including e-mail)
  • Must include the name and address of the applicant
  • Must attempt to describe the information requested
  • Can state a preference for the form in which the information is to be received, such as, in written form, by inspection on the premises, in the form of a digest or summary.

Dealing with requests

All requests received should be sent to the Director of Human Resources who will ensure that the information is provided in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act as follows:-

  • Respond to the request within 20 working days
  • Provide the information in the form requested, where reasonably practicable
  • Advise the applicant if we do not have the information requested or if the information falls within the exempt categories.
  • Ask for further information, if necessary in order to identify the information asked for.
  • Assist the requester and provide advice as necessary.

Fee policy

Requesters will be charged a fee, to cover the costs associated with supplying the information.

On receipt of the application for information, a fees notice will be issued detailing the amount payable. Information will not be supplied until the fee is received.

Record keeping

Good record management procedures are necessary to respond to requests for information in compliance with the FOI Act. The college procedures will therefore be reviewed and revised and managers will be expected to adhere to these.

These will include separate procedures on Electronic Records management including E-mail.

The following is a general guide to good record management:-

  • Bear in mind the possibility of future public access to all files. Avoid comments which could be misunderstood or cause embarrassment on general release.
  • Documents should be drafted in such a way that exempt information eg. personal data can be edited out before release.
    Only keep the information that is really needed. Review files and eliminate superseded drafts.
  • Adhere to legally defined retention periods.
  • Ensure confidential information is disposed of appropriately (shredded in the case of paper)

Complaints

Applicants dissatisfied with the college’s response to a request for information may raise the complaint through the college Compliments and Complaints procedure. If he/she is still dissatisfied with the college’s response having exhausted the internal procedure, he/she has the right to complain to the Information Commissioner.

Further Governance Information

Becoming a Governor

Have you thought about becoming a College Governor?

All governors get a great deal of satisfaction from being on the Governing Body. This was confirmed by the results of a questionnaire, which also showed that they enjoy being able to contribute, at a strategic and policy level, to the education and skill training of young people as well as providing opportunities for older students to fulfill long held ambitions or to be trained for a career change.

Board members at Colchester Institute give a time commitment of at least six board meetings a year, and serve on at least one committee (which demands another four to six meetings, or 10 to 15 hours a year).

The Board is always keen to hear from members of the local community who are interested in being a governor and can be waiting in the wings to fill vacancies as they arise. All applications will be reviewed by a panel of existing Board members against the following questions. Does the applicant:

  • Currently work in a responsible position in the public/private/voluntary sector?
  • Have any knowledge of Colchester Institute and support for its work?
  • Have any involvement and interest in educational developments, particularly post-school?
  • Have skills and experience that compliment those of existing Board members, or potential gaps or that will replace and extend the skills and experience of a retiring member?
  • Have any involvement in the wider North Essex community?
  • Have any previous participation in Colchester Institute activities?
  • Bring opportunities to project the Board and Colchester Institute to a wider constituency?
  • Have the potential and present wish to consider two four-year terms on the Board?
  • Help maintain a gender balance on the Board.

If you would like to be considered for appointment to the Board, please send your CV and covering letter to Alison, Head of Governance, Colchester Institute, Sheepen Road, Colchester CO3 3LL or email Alison.Bennett@colchester.ac.uk.

Equal opportunities is inherent in all our recruitment, therefore we actively welcome nominations from under represented groups.

Governor Development Opportunities

When new governors are appointed, there is a programme of induction to support them in their new role and to help them get to know the College and the strategic responsibilities that governors have.

The programme includes meetings with the Chairman, the Principal, the Clerk and the Executive Vice Principal: Finance and Corporate Development.

The programme is tailored to meet individual interests so that new members can quickly contribute their previous experience and skills to the advantage of the Governing Body.

Current Vacancies

Currently we have a particular wish to secure governors with a background in IT.

If you are interested, please submit a covering letter and CV to the Head of Governance, Alison Bennett, email: Alison.Bennett@colchester.ac.uk, or if you would like to learn more through a no obligation chat, please email the Head of Governance.

Guide for Potential Governors on the Appointment Process

Links to other Organisations
Freedom of Information Act

Freedom of Information Act

Please click on a link below to view Colchester Institute policies:

Publication Scheme

Non-confidential Minutes are published after they have been approved at the next meeting of the Board/Committee, and will remain on the website for two years from the date of the meeting.  Minutes are normally added to the website at the end of the term in which they were approved. For copies of non-confidential minutes from earlier years please contact the Head of Governance at: alison.bennett@colchester.ac.uk

Committee Meetings and Minutes

On some matters the Board has delegated specific responsibility to a committee to take action.  Each committee makes an annual report to the Board.

The Board has established four committees whose functions are to:

  • develop the policies and strategies of the main Board
  • advise the Board on areas of the College’s work within its remit
  • carry out detailed monitoring on the Board’s behalf.

For further information on a Committee, including Membership, summary of their main responsibilities, schedule of meetings, and minutes of meetings, please click on the appropriate link below. The latest structure and membership information of the committees can be viewed below.

Committee Structure and Membership Information

Audit and Risk Committee

Main Responsibilities

  • Internal Audit
  • Financial Statements Audit
  • Risk Management
  • Equality and Diversity
  • Health and Safety

Membership

To ensure that the College’s internal control, risk management control and corporate governance processes are adequate and are effectively and independently monitored.

  • Lisa Blake, Chair
  • Simon Attwood
  • Michael Asare Bediako
  • Jasmin Patel
  • Varun Verma (co-opted)

Minutes and Key Documents

Curriculum and Quality Committee

Main Responsibilities

  • Academic Standards
  • Student Performance
  • Teaching and Learning
  • Self-Assessment
  • Employer Engagement
  • Quality of Sub-Contracted Provision
  • Safeguarding
  • Learner Voice
  • Student Union
  • Link Governor Scheme

Membership

  • Caroline Williams, Chair
  • Alison Andreas
  • Thomas Empson
  • Marco Iciek
  • Sally Messenger
  • Angela O’Donoghue (co-opted)
  • Kevin Prince
  • Dawn Swainson
  • Tim Triffitt

Minutes and Key Documents

Governance, Remuneration and Search Committee

Main Responsibilities

  • Pay and conditions of service for all staff
  • Performance of senior post holders
  • Targets for senior post holders
  • Staff Restructures
  • Board Composition, membership and skills
  • Succession Planning
  • Governor training and development
  • I&A/Standing Orders/Code of Conduct

Membership

  • Lisa Blake, Chair
  • Richard Block
  • Kevin Prince
  • Caroline Williams

Minutes and Key Documents