POTTERIES EDUCATION TRUST TERMS OF REFERENCE OF COMMITTEES AUDIT COMMITTEE S TERMS OF REFERENCE. a) Accountability and Purpose

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1 POTTERIES EDUCATION TRUST TERMS OF REFERENCE OF COMMITTEES AUDIT COMMITTEE S TERMS OF REFERENCE The Committee is responsible to the Board of Trustees. The main purpose of the Committee is to assist the Board in ensuring the adequacy and effectiveness of control systems and procedures and in considering audit and other reports. b) Role of the Committee The Audit Committee shall: (i) make recommendations to the Board on the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust s audit arrangements, framework of governance, risk management and control, and processes for the effective and efficient use of resources, the solvency of the institution and the safeguarding of its assets; (ii) make recommendations to the Board on the appointment, reappointment, dismissal and remuneration of the financial statements and regularity auditors and other assurance providers, including internal auditors, and establish that all such assurance providers adhere to relevant professional standards); (iii) inform the Board of any additional services provided by the financial statements, regularity and other audit and assurance providers, including internal auditors and explain how independence and objectivity were safeguarded (iv) make recommendations to the Board on the scope and objectives of the work of the internal audit service and the financial statements auditor; (v) ensure effective coordination between the internal audit service, the financial statements auditor and other audit and assurance providers; (vi) consider and advise the Board on the audit strategy and annual internal audit plans for the internal audit service and other audit and assurance providers; (vii) make recommendations to the Board on internal audit assignment reports and annual reports and on control issues included in the management letters of the financial statements auditor (including their work on regularity), and management s responses to them; (viii) monitor, within agreed timescales, the implementation of agreed recommendations arising from the management letters and reports of the financial statements and regularity auditor, and of any reports submitted by other providers of audit and assurance services; (ix) consider and advise the Board on relevant reports by the NAO, the funding bodies, and where appropriate management s response to them; (x) establish, in conjunction with management, relevant annual performance measures and indicators, and to monitor the effectiveness of the IAS and financial statements auditor through these measures and indicators and decide, based on this review, whether a competition for price and quality of the audit service is appropriate; (xi) produce an annual report for the Board and accounting officer, which summarises the Committee s activities relating to the financial year under review, including any significant issues arising up to the date of preparation of the report, and any significant matters of internal control included in the management letters and reports from auditors or other assurance providers. The report must include the Committee s view of its own effectiveness and how it has fulfilled its terms of reference. The report must include the Committee s opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of the Board s audit

2 (xii) (xiii) (xv) arrangements, its framework of governance, risk management and control, and its processes for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness. The annual report must be submitted to the Board before the Statement of Corporate Governance and Internal Control in the accounts is signed. A copy of the Audit Committee s annual report must be submitted to the funding body with the annual accounts; oversee the Board s policies on fraud and irregularity and whistleblowing, and ensure that the proper, proportionate and independent investigation of all allegations and instances of fraud and irregularity, that investigation outcomes are reported to the Audit Committee, that external auditors and internal auditors have been informed, and that all significant cases of fraud or suspected fraud or irregularity are reported to the funding body monitor the Risk Register at each meeting; undertake an annual review of the Board s assurance framework. The Audit Committee will also have the following powers: - To investigate any activity within its terms of reference; To seek any information it requires from the internal audit service, the external auditor, governors, committees and Board employees, plus relevant information from subcontractors and other third parties; To obtain external professional advice. c) Membership The Committee shall consist of five members appointed by the Board. Members of the Finance and Resources Committee, the Chair of the Board, the Clerk, the Principal and any other member of senior management staff may not be members of the Audit Committee. Staff members, other than those with significant financial responsibility, may serve on the Audit Committee. The Principal and/or the Director of Finance and Resources shall normally be in attendance. The internal audit service auditor, the financial statements auditor and other providers of audit and assurance services shall be invited to attend meetings as appropriate. The membership of the Committee may include co-opted members but the majority of members of the Committee shall be members of the Board. d) Office of Chair The Committee shall elect its own Chair but any external member co-opted to the Committee is not eligible for election as chair. The Chair shall hold office for one year commencing on 1 September each year and shall be eligible for re-appointment. e) Quorum Meetings of the Committee shall be quorate if two or more members are present. f) Frequency of Meetings discharge its functions effectively but shall have at least termly meetings. The internal auditors, financial statements auditors and other providers of audit and assurance services may request a meeting of the Committee if they consider that one is necessary and the Committee will endeavour to comply with such requests. g) Clerking The Clerk to the Trustees shall attend all meetings of the Committee and shall record

3 TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE FINANCE & RESOURCES COMMITTEE The Committee is responsible to the Board of Trustees. The main purpose of the Committee is to assist the Board through regular monitoring of its financial performance, approving capital projects and the monitoring of other key performance indicators. b) Role of the Committee - Finance (i) To make recommendations to the Board on the arrangements for securing value for money, solvency and safeguarding assets; (ii) To make recommendations to the Board on the annual estimates of income and expenditure, major variations to the expenditure and capital expenditure requirements including loans; (iii) To consider the latest monthly management accounts, other financial reports and other performance indicators as required in order to monitor income and expenditure against forecasts and other performance measures; (iv) To consider and recommend to the Board for approval the end of year financial statements; (v) To consider virement between budget heads in excess of 25,000 (the virement of smaller amounts shall be delegated to the Principal); (vi) To consider reports on the Board s funding applications to the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and its successors and advise the Board accordingly; (vii) To determine tuition fees, catering charges and other fees and charges; (viii) To determine the Trust s investment policy and borrowing programmes; (ix) To advise the Board on any relevant taxation issues; (xi) To review the Trust s Financial Regulations and Standing Orders Relating to Contracts and to recommend any changes to the Board; (xii) To consider the write-off of equipment and bad debts in excess of 1,000 (write-offs with a lower value shall be delegated to the Principal); (xiii) To determine the level of annual pay awards to staff other than senior postholders. c) Role of the Committee Estates (xiv) To consider reports on the efficient and effective use of Trust s accommodation; (xv) To consider the Trust s Accommodation Strategy including maintenance and building programmes (subject to the limits specified in (xvii) below); (xvi) To consider reports on access to Trust premises and facilities to ensure compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act and other relevant legislation; (xvii) To consider capital development proposals and, subject to the Trust s Financial Regulations and within approved budgets: to approve projects costing between 25,000 and 100,000 and to monitor progress (projects of a lower value shall be delegated to the Principal); to make recommendations to the Board on capital projects in excess of 100,000 and to monitor progress. d) Human Resources (HR) (xviii) To make recommendations to the Board on the Trust HR strategy (xix) To set a framework for the pay and conditions of service of staff other than holders of senior posts

4 (xx) To determine HR policies and procedures and to monitor their application e) Role of the Committee - Insurance (xxi) To review the Trust s insurance portfolio from time to time. f) Role of the Committee - Other Matters (xxii) To consider reports on the Board s safeguarding and Prevent arrangements (xxiii) To consider reports on the Board s health and safety arrangements (xiv) To consider reports on students educational visits (xxv) To deal with other matters as delegated from time to time g) Membership The Finance and Resources Committee shall comprise six members of whom the Principal shall be one. The Deputy Principal and Director of Finance and Resources shall normally be in attendance together with other senior managers as appropriate. h) Office of Chair The Committee shall elect its own Chair. The Chair shall hold office for one year commencing on 1 September each year and shall be eligible for re-appointment. i) Quorum Meetings of the Committee shall be quorate if two or more members are present. j) Frequency of Meetings discharge its functions effectively but shall hold no fewer than five meetings during each academic year k) Clerking The Clerk to the Trustees shall attend all meetings of the Committee and shall record

5 TEACHING AND LEARNING COMMITTEE S TERMS OF REFERENCE The Committee is responsible to the Board of Trustees. The purpose of the Committee is to assist the Board in the discharge of its responsibilities for: monitoring the quality of the educational provision at the constituent institutions of the Potteries Educational Trust; monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and assessment within the Trust; monitoring the inclusiveness of the educational activities of the Trust. b) Role of Committee (i) To consider reports on the quality and standards of provision and to agree appropriate action (ii) To recommend to the Board performance targets for teaching and learning and to monitor the achievement of such targets against national benchmarks and any specific requirements that may be made from time to time (e.g. enrolments, attendance, retention, achievement, success, progression, valueadded, teaching) (iii) To ensure that the Trust s quality assurance procedures are continuously reviewed to enable rigorous and accurate self-assessment to take place (iv) To consider the annual Self-Assessment Report and to make recommendations on it to the Board (v) To review the strategic development of the Trust s educational activities in accordance with the Strategic Plan (vi) To ensure that the Trust is prepared for external inspection and implements a post-inspection action plan (vii) To monitor the development of leadership and management skills to ensure quality improvement (viii) To review risks associated with the Committee terms of reference and ensure that effective procedures are in place to minimise or mitigate them c) Membership The Committee shall consist of seven members appointed by the Board. The Deputy Principal of the Sixth Form Board and the Assistant Head Teacher of Biddluph High School shall normally be in attendance together with other senior managers as appropriate d) Office of Chair The Committee s Chair shall be appointed by the Committee. The Chair shall hold office for one year commencing on 1 September each year and shall be eligible for re-appointment. e) Quorum Meetings of the Committee shall be quorate if three or more members are present f) Frequency of Meetings discharge its functions effectively but shall hold at least termly meetings. g) Clerking The Clerk to the Trustees shall attend all meetings of the Committee and shall record

6 TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE REMUNERATION COMMITTEE The Committee is responsible to the Board. The main purposes of the Committee are to review the performance of the Principal, Director of Finance & Resources, the Clerk and any other senior member of staff specified by the Board ( the senior posts ) and to advise the Board on their remuneration. b) Role of the Committee To consider and advise on: (i) the performance of the holders of senior posts as determined by the Board (ii) the remuneration, other terms and conditions of the holders of senior posts as determined by the Board. (ii) the appraisal of the holders of senior posts as determined by the Board. (iii) the staff development the holders of senior posts as determined by the Board. c) Membership The Committee shall consist of the Chair of the Board and two other members appointed by the Board. The Principal, staff and student members may not be members of the Remuneration Committee. The Principal shall normally be invited to attend meetings of the Committee but shall withdraw from meetings when his/her remuneration is considered. The Committee may invite other senior managers to attend meetings where necessary and they too shall withdraw from meetings when their remuneration is considered. d) Office of Chair The Committee shall elect its own Chair. The Chair shall hold office for one year commencing on 1 September each year and shall be eligible for re-appointment. e) Quorum Meetings of the Committee shall be quorate if two or more members are present. f) Frequency of Meetings discharge its functions effectively but shall hold at least two meetings per year. g) Clerking The Clerk to the Trustees shall attend all meetings of the Committee but shall withdraw from meetings when his/her remuneration is considered and shall record