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
Higher Education Strategy
For more information, please see the following documents:
The Principal
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.
Independent Members
LISA BLAKE, CPFA LLB
Lisa is a Partner in the Public Sector Assurance team and BDO’s Lead Partner for East Anglia. She is CIPFA qualified and has a post-graduate diploma in Public Finance and Leadership from Warwick Business School. Lisa currently works with a range of public sector organisations including London Borough Councils, District Councils, NHS Trusts, Foundation Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups as an appointed external auditor of their financial statements and assessor of value for money arrangements. Prior to joining BDO Lisa worked for the Audit Commission. Lisa is also a Trustee of the Maldon District Community Voluntary Service.
Lisa joined the Board at Colchester Institute in May 2019 and is Chair of the Audit and Risk and member of the Governance Remuneration and Search Committees.
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 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.
(Pen Portrait to follow)
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.
IRENE KETTLE
Irene Kettle is a communications and PR consultant, media trainer and journalist. She was the first female Editor of the four-edition Evening Gazette, Colchester. She became Editor in Chief at Newquest (Essex), which included running the Halstead Gazette, Clacton/Frinton and Walton Gazette, Braintree and Witham Times, Harwich and Manningtree Standard, Essex County Standard and the Evening Gazette (now the Daily Gazette).
A member of The Society of Editors and The Chartered Institute of Public Relations, Irene has also worked with the National Council for The Training of Journalists.
Irene devotes much of her time to public service. In 2017 she was awarded Rotary’s highest honour when she was made a Paul Harris Fellow in recognition of her contribution to Colchester through her charity work and journalism. A Past President of The Rotary Club of Colchester Forum, Irene’s contributions to the service organisation’s charitable and voluntary activities include teaching Essex young carers to cook through Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food organisation.
Irene is a Trustee of two Colchester charities: the 294-year-old Almshouses Charity of Arthur Winsley and Colchester Institute Foundation Trust.
Irene is an enthusiastic supporter of the Anthony Nolan charity and works as a recruiter, attending events (including at Colchester Institute) to sign up potential life-saving donors to its stem cell register.
Irene is married and has an adult daughter.
Irene was appointed to the Board in February 2020 and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.
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 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.
DR. TERRY SMYTH MA
Terry began his career in the NHS as a nurse and nurse teacher, before moving into further and higher education. From 1984 to 2003, he worked at Colchester Institute in different academic and management roles, his final post being Head of Faculty of Music, Arts and Health, and Director of Higher Education. After early retirement in 2003, he spent nearly ten years as a freelance education consultant working for local, regional and national clients. From 2012 to 2014 he was chair of governors at Elmsett Primary School, a period during which the school raised its performance from “requires improvement” to “good”.
He holds a BA from the Open University, and a MA in Educational Management and Administration from the University of East Anglia. In 2017, he graduated from the University of Essex with a PhD in Sociology, after which he became an honorary Community Fellow in the Department of History at the University of Essex.
Terry has published many articles in the health and education fields, and written two books for the care sector. His latest publications are chapters in edited collections: “Your father’s in the front room: interviewing the children of Far East prisoners of war” in War Experience and Memory in Global Cultures Since 1914 (2018), and “In search of fathers – the pilgrimages to Asia of the children of Far East prisoners of war” in Remembering Asia’s World War Two (2019).
His latest book – ‘Captive Fathers, Captive Children: Legacies of the War in the Far East’ – is based on his PhD research and will be published by Bloomsbury Academic in October 2022.
Terry was appointed to the Board in July 2018. He is a member of the Curriculum and Quality Committee, the Audit and Risk Committee, and the Designated Governor with responsibility for Safeguarding.
RICHARD WAINWRIGHT
Richard retired from HSBC in 2018 after a 39 year career encompassing all the traditional banking roles, albeit the majority of positions have involved working with businesses both large and small to secure and manage their finances. For 30 years Richard fulfilled these roles in London but following a house move to Colchester in 2004, from 2009 he worked with businesses across East Anglia.
Richard is Joint Vice Chair of Governors and chairs the Finance and Resources and the Governance, Remuneration and Search Committees.
Staff Members
Brenda Rich
Brenda is Programme Leader for BSc Construction. Before joining Colchester Institute Brenda spent several years in the construction industry as a Commercial Manager, working for global companies. Benda was appointed to the Board in October 2020 and is a member of the Curriculum and Quality Committee.
Dawn Swainson
Pen portrait to follow
Student Members
Vacancy
Vacancy
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
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 Clerk to Governors at hazel.paton@colchester.ac.uk
