Queensland Catholic Education Commission Capital Assistance Assessment Committee Terms of Reference 1 P age
TERMS OF REFERENCE This document sets out the Terms of Reference for the Capital Assistance - Assessment Committee, which is a committee of the Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC). The purpose of the Terms of Reference is to outline the role, responsibilities, composition and operating guidelines of the Capital Assistance Assessment Committee (the Committee) in accordance with good governance principles and practice. 1. AUTHORITY 1.1 Under its constitution, QCEC has delegated responsibility for the State-wide management and distribution of government funding for Catholic schools. 1.2 Both the Queensland and Australian Governments provide capital funding to the Catholic school sector to assist with the construction and refurbishment of school facilities. The legislation governing these arrangements provides for the setting up of legal bodies to administer the capital funding programs on behalf of the respective Governments: Queensland Government: Capital Assistance Authority (CAA) Australian Government: Block Grant Authority (BGA) 1.3 The CAA and BGA for Queensland Catholic schools is the Corporation of the Roman Catholic Bishops of Queensland trading as QCEC. 2. LEGISLATION Queensland Government 2.1 The administration of Queensland Government capital funding is governed by the Education (Capital Assistance) Act 1993 and the Education (Capital Assistance) Regulation 2005. The Capital Assistance Scheme Guidelines, published by the Queensland Department of Education and Training, summarises and provides more explanation of the provisions set out in the Act and Regulation. The External Infrastructure Subsidy Scheme, a separate Queensland Government capital funding program, does not come under the responsibility of the Committee. 2.2 Under the Education (Capital Assistance) Act 1993, a CAA must assess eligible applications for capital funding according to criteria prescribed by the Education (Capital Assistance) Regulation 2005. The CAA must also have regard to other applications for funding made at the same time, and recommend to the Queensland Minister for Education whether applications for funds should be granted in whole or in part or refused. In deciding on an application, the Queensland Minister may have regard solely or principally to the CAA s recommendations. Australian Government 2.3 The Australian Education Act 2013, authorises the Federal Minster of Education to determine an amount of capital funding that is payable to a BGA. The details of the operation and management of Australian Government capital funding are set out in the Capital Grants Programme: Operating Manual. Sections 57 to 60 of the Operating Manual specify the criteria according to which applications for capital funding must be ranked. Once all eligible applications have been considered (and subject to any appeals processes), a BGA must then provide a recommended list of capital projects ranked according to priority to the Federal Minister for final determination. 2 P age
3. ROLE 3.1. The role of the Committee is to assist QCEC fulfil its legislated responsibilities as a CAA and BGA for the purpose of Queensland and Australian Government capital funding for schools. 3.2. Specifically, the Committee is to advise QCEC on an annual basis of the priority order for school capital projects to be recommended for funding to the Queensland and Australian Governments. 4. FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 4.1 The Committee has the following functions and responsibilities: a) On an annual basis, the Committee will consider all eligible applications made for capital assistance under the Queensland Government Capital Assistance Scheme and the Australian Government Capital Grants Programme b) The Committee will assess all the eligible applications according to the criteria set out in the QCEC Capital Assistance Guidelines for the relevant year. c) Based upon this assessment, the Committee will score all the applications from highest priority to lowest priority. 4.2 Should QCEC, or the Queensland or Australian Government Minister or delegate, require additional information to do with the ranked list of projects, the Committee will endeavour to provide this information to the extent of its knowledge and understanding. Any requests for additional information will be directed via the Chair of the Committee. 5. MEMBERSHIP AND MEETINGS Membership 5.1. Members are appointed by QCEC. 5.2. Membership of the Committee consists of a minimum of five and a maximum of six members. 5.3. Members are selected based on their experience, skills and qualities relevant to the role and functions of the Committee. 5.4. To be eligible for selection, members must not have been employed by, or acted for in a representative or advisory capacity, a Queensland Catholic School Authority, its schools or any related diocesan or governing body entity within one year prior to appointment. 5.5. A balance of membership will be sought between particular skills and expertise, and factors such as gender and experience in different geographic regions of Queensland. 5.6. The term of appointment for members is three years. The appointment of a member may be cancelled or extended at the complete discretion of QCEC. 5.7. Member terms and conditions are to be provided in a Letter of Appointment. 5.8. Members shall receive remuneration for their work for the Committee in line with the Queensland Government Remuneration Procedures for Part-Time Chairs and Members of Queensland Government Bodies. 3 P age
Chairperson 5.9. The Chairperson of the Committee will be the Chief Financial Officer QCEC. 5.10. The Chief Financial Officer QCEC is delegated the Executive Director s ex officio membership on the Committee under section 7.2 of the QCEC Constitution. 5.11. The Chairperson will be responsible for notification, organisation and management of meetings of the Committee. The Chairperson will ensure that all required secretarial support for the Committee is provided. 5.12. The Chairperson will not score projects during Committee proceedings. Rather, the Chairperson will guide discussion and assist Committee members in fulfilling their functions and responsibilities. 5.13. The Chairperson has a vote, along with all other Committee members, in respect of all procedural, interpretative and other matters other than scoring. Secretariat functions 5.14. The QCEC Secretariat will provide support for the Committee at the direction of the Chairperson. This will include the timely provision of all relevant information, recording of decisions and preparation of reports to QCEC. 5.15. It is at the discretion of the Chairperson as to whether members of the QCEC Secretariat attend meetings to provide support. Meetings and attendance 5.16. The Committee will meet at least once a year and the meeting date/s will be notified in advance. An extraordinary meeting of the Committee may be called by the Chairperson if required. 5.17. A quorum consists of a majority of the voting members of the Committee. 5.18. Members are appointed based on personal qualities and skills and therefore proxies (i.e. substitute members) are not permitted if the member is unable to attend meetings. 5.19. Attendance at meetings will normally be in person. At the discretion of the Chairperson, a member may attend a meeting via videoconferencing. 5.20. Meetings will be conducted in accordance with the Capital Assistance Assessment Committee Meeting Procedures, as approved by QCEC. 5.21. Assessment and ranking of capital assistance applications will be undertaken in accordance with the Capital Assistance Assessment Committee Ranking Methodology, as approved by QCEC. Ethical Practices 5.22. Committee members are subject to the standards specified in relevant QCEC procedural manuals (as they may apply from time-to-time) and will be required to make a written statement with respect to ethical practice, confidentiality and conflict of interest on appointment to the Committee. 5.23. Committee members are required to declare any interests that could constitute a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest with respect to participation on the Committee. The declaration must be made on appointment to the Committee and on a continuing basis in relation to specific agenda items at the commencement of each Committee meeting and be updated annually. 5.24. All Committee matters are to remain confidential to Committee members. 4 P age
6. RELATIONSHIPS 6.1. The Committee will report directly to QCEC, with no alteration to be made to a report from the Committee to QCEC. 6.2. The Committee will provide a report in writing to QCEC after each of its meetings. 6.3. In turn, QCEC may issue binding directives to the Committee, including changing any of its procedures, membership or methodology. A directive may include notice of the disbandment of the Committee, to take effect immediately in accordance with section 7.1 of the QCEC Constitution. 7. REVIEW OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE 7.1. The Terms of Reference are to be reviewed within two years of approval, or earlier if required by changes to relevant legislation or guidelines, or at the discretion of QCEC. 7.2. All amendments to the Terms of Reference must be approved by QCEC. 5 P age