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Corporation Members

What is the Corporation?

This is the governing body of the College, which was established as an independent Further Education Corporation on 1 April 1993 under the provisions of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.  The Corporation’s Instrument and Articles of Government provide the legal basis on which it operates, specifying the composition of the Corporation, the way in which it must conduct its business, its duties and responsibilities and its role as an employer, with regard to students and with regard to the discharge of its financial responsibilities.

What does the Corporation do?

The Corporation is responsible for the strategic direction and the effective management of the College. The Corporation decides on strategic policy and the overall direction of the College, as well as monitoring the performance of the most senior managers in the College.  Collectively, the members of the Corporation must ensure that they operate within the legal framework of the College and must observe the duties which are set out for them within these documents.

How do Corporation Members operate?

The Corporation must be properly constituted and each member of the Corporation owes a fiduciary duty to the College, that is, they must show the highest loyalty to the College and act in good faith in its interests.  Effectively each member must act honestly, diligently and independently whilst, at the same time, paying due attention to the requirement to take collective responsibility as part of the Board.  The Corporation regularly reviews and updates all of its policies and procedures which provide the framework for its operations, to ensure that they are up-to-date and comply with the best practice in the sector and particularly the key principles for public office, namely:

  • Selflessness
  • Integrity
  • Objectivity
  • Accountability
  • Openness
  • Honesty
  • Leadership

These values are enshrined in the Board’s Code of Conduct which outlines the standards set by the Corporation for Governorship and detailed Standing Orders for the operation of the Corporation and the way in which it conducts its business.  These include Rules of Procedure for Membership and an open Register of Members’ Interests which is available for public scrutiny.

Corporation Business

The Corporation believes that its business is open to public scrutiny and, with the exception of those items of business which are deemed to be confidential as defined within the instrument of Government, for example the pay and remuneration of an individual, its policy is that the Corporation meetings are open meetings.  Entitlement to attend meetings is defined within the Standing Orders.  Members of staff who are not Corporation members or senior postholders are regularly in attendance at all meetings and other members of staff are invited where they are presenting particular reports to the Corporation. Papers and minutes of the Corporation are published in accordance with specific arrangements and, with the exception of those items specifically designated as confidential, all papers and minutes are available for public scrutiny as are any documents, Regulations, bye-laws etc. of the Corporation.

The Corporation operates through a number of committees which deal with the detailed work of the Corporation as follows:

  • Finance & Estates
  • Audit Committee
  • Curriculum, Quality & Learning Committee
  • Search & Governance Committee with responsibility for all aspects of membership of the Corporation
  • HR Committee
  • Remuneration Committee – with responsibility for the employment of senior postholders
  • Student Committee

All of the committees operate to approved terms of reference and specified membership and there is an approved Scheme of Delegation.  Copies of the minutes of Corporation meetings are available from the Clerk.

In addition, Corporation Members also undertake a range of training to support and develop their understanding of the College.

How to become a Corporation Member

Membership of the Corporation is broadly defined within the Instrument of Government and, within these parameters, the Corporation has agreed the following profile of Corporation Members:

  • 13 members appointed for the range of experience and knowledge and suitability to perform the role – known as external members
  • 1 teaching staff member – elected and nominated only by the academic staff
  • 1 support staff member – elected and nominated only by the support staff
  • 2 student members
  • The Principal

This profile seeks to maximise the College’s opportunities to involve all key stakeholders.

The Search and Governance Committee of the Corporation is responsible for all membership issues and no appointments can be made to the Corporation without advice from the Search Committee. The Corporation is committed to embracing diversity and aims to attract Corporate Members from a wide range of backgrounds who can offer the following:

  • Commitment and interest in education and training
  • Time and energy to undertake the role
  • Clear appreciation of the role of a Corporation Member and, particularly the role as it applies to those who are co-opted/elected/nominated by other bodies, for Corporation Members who will serve in those categories
  • Skills and experience likely to be of use to the College
  • Potential for a range of contacts likely to assist the College in its interface with the community
  • Business Corporation Members likely to be senior within their organisations

Anyone who is interested in serving on the Board should contact Jackie Eayrs, the Clerk to the Corporation by email: jackie.eayrs@hsdc.ac.uk

Corporation Members*:

*Teaching Staff Governor to be appointed in 23/24

Clive is an Employment Lawyer Partner with Paris Smith LLP in Southampton. He was appointed to the South Downs College Board in December 2015 and he has many years’ experience of Further Education, both as a Governor and through providing professional advice and support to Further Education and Sixth Form colleges. Clive was elected as Chair for 23/24. In this capacity, he serves on all Corporation committees except the Audit Committee.

Elspeth is a former Alton College Governor. She is an Accountant, currently working in the charities sector, having previously worked as an Auditor and a Teacher. She was elected as the Chair of the Finance & Estates Committee in January 2021.

Jackie joined the HSDC team as the Clerk to the Corporation in July 2019. She has 25+ years’ experience in the Further Education sector and was formerly the Clerk at Fareham College for 18 years.

Kamlesh was appointed to the HSDC Board in March 2021. After graduating, he joined IBM and stayed with the company until 2010. Within IBM he worked in most areas of the business, being promoted up to Global Head of Service Management and then Service Delivery Director. As Director he led on revenue generation, cost control, global delivery teams, service management, service desk, IT operations, desk side, programme and project office, technical architecture and network support. He oversaw a global team of 300 and had oversight of a portfolio of IT projects valued at £15m. After leaving IBM he held senior service delivery roles with Transport for London, HP, Phoenix IT Services and joined NTT as Head of Global Transition in 2014. With NTT he progressed to become Service Transition Director where he partnered with clients to oversee major IT change programmes, through a team of 20+ managers based across Europe. Kamlesh lives in Waterlooville and retired in July 2021. He currently serves on the Finance & Estates and Curriculum, Quality and Learning Committees of the Corporation and he is the Board Champion for Cyber Security.

Lorna was appointed to the Board in March 2021 and she is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Churches Fire Security Ltd in Southampton. She has a broad spectrum of skills having worked both in HR and project and strategic management in the NHS. She was also HR Director at Churches Fire, before being made Managing Director. Lorna brings a valuable commercial business perspective to the work of the Board and she currently serves on the Finance & Estates Committee of the Corporation.

Lucy joined the Board in October 2016 and currently serves on the Curriculum, Quality & Learning Committee and the Search & Governance Committee. Lucy is a writer for radio, TV, film and theatre. She teaches scriptwriting at Chichester Festival Theatre and is an active member of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Audio Committee. Since 2018 Lucy has been an RLF Consultant Fellow.

Lydia joined the Board in July 2018. She is currently Director of Corporate Services at East Hants District and Havant Borough Councils. She reports directly to the Chief Executive and is responsible for advising Councillors and managers on all aspects of financial strategy, financial management and statutory reporting. Lydia is a qualified Accountant and has worked across diverse areas of industries and services within the public, private and charitable sectors.

Matt was appointed to the Board in June 2021. Previously a Principal of a Further Education college, a part time Ofsted Inspector and more recently the CEO of the Lighthouse Learning Trust, Matt brings an invaluable Further Education perspective to the work of the Board. He currently serves on the Curriculum, Quality & Learning and Audit Committees of the Corporation and he is the Board Champion for SEND.

Mike was formerly the Chair of the Havant Sixth Form College Board and was Chair of the HSDC Board from 2017 to 2021. Before he retired Mike was Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth and he has significant experience in Further and Higher Education. He currently serves on the Estates Strategy Group, the Student Committee and the HR Committee. In addition, he is the Board Champion for Health & Safety and Environmental Sustainability.

Mike took up the post as Principal and Chief Executive in April 2015. He is a full member of the Board and Chief Accounting Officer. As such, Mike serves on all Board committees except the Audit and Remuneration committees. He has over 30 years’ experience in both Further and Higher Education. Mike has led the college over a time of considerable change including both mergers. He has a background both in Business Administration and Design which influences his creative leadership. Mike is also a governor and trustee at two schools in the region and is an non-executive director on the Board of Business South. He is a fellow of St Georges House Leadership Group at Windsor. His other passions include sailing and Irish rugby.

Romy was appointed to the Board in March 2018. She is self-employed within the HE/FE sector and is currently focussed on providing curriculum and project management advice on setting up a new college, as Project Director at the London South Bank Technical College which is part of the South Bank Colleges/LSBU Group. With this experience, Romy brings significant knowledge of Further Education and Higher Education to the Board. She is currently the Chair of the Curriculum, Quality and Learning Committee and she also serves on the Student Committee.

Simon previously served on the Havant Sixth Form College Board as both Vice-Chair and Chair of a number of committees. As well as a range of business and engineering experience, in England and abroad, he also has extensive Higher Education experience and was Dean of the Faculty of Technology and Dean of the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries (CCI) at the University of Portsmouth. Simon is the Chair of the Estates Strategy Group and also serves on the Finance & Estates Committee the HR Committee of the Corporation. In addition, he is the Board Champion for HE.

Tony formerly served on the Alton College Board. He has extensive experience in general management, having held global management roles, including with British Airways and a Swedish based company, as well as undertaking non-executive roles with two US companies. Tony has also been the owner of a specialist international consultancy. Tony was elected as Vice-Chair for 2023/2024 and, in this capacity, is responsible for the Remuneration Committee and the Search & Governance Committee. In addition, he serves on the Estates Strategy Group and the Curriculum, Quality and Learning Committee and he is the Board Champion for ‘Skills’.

Xin was appointed to the Board in March 2021. She has a proven track record of success as an established finance leader within complex global organisations. She has a wide range of working experiences in different industries such as service, manufacture, retail and shipbuilding. Xin Lives in Winchester and is a fellow of the Association of Charted Certified Accountants. She currently serves on the Audit Committee as Vice chair and is also the Board Champion for Equity Diversity and Inclusion.

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