Council: Statement of Primary Responsibilities

The Council is the supreme governing body of the University, subject to the provisions of the University’s Statutes. The primary responsibilities of the Council are as follows.

1. To set and agree the mission, strategic vision and values of the institution with the Executive.
2. To agree long-term academic and business plans and key performance indicators and ensure that these meet the interests of stakeholders, especially staff, students and alumni.
3. To ensure that processes are in place to monitor and evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the institution against the strategy, plans and approved key performance indicators, which should be, where possible and appropriate, benchmarked against other comparable institutions.
4. To delegate authority to the HoI for the academic, corporate, financial, estate and human resource management of the institution, and to establish and keep under regular review the policies, procedures and limits within such management functions as shall be undertaken by and under the authority of the HoI.
5. To ensure the establishment and monitoring of systems of control and accountability, including financial and operational controls, risk assessment, value for money arrangements and procedures for handling internal grievances and managing conflicts of interest.
6. To establish processes to monitor and evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the governing body itself.
7. To conduct its business in accordance with best practice in HE corporate governance and with the principles of public life drawn up by the Committee on Standards in Public Life.
8. To safeguard the good name and values of the institution.
9. To appoint the HoI as Chief Executive and to put in place suitable arrangements for monitoring their performance.
10. To appoint a Secretary to the governing body and to ensure that, if the person appointed has managerial responsibilities in the institution, there is an appropriate separation in the lines of accountability.
11. To be the employing authority for all staff in the institution and to be accountable for ensuring that an appropriate human resources strategy is established.
12. To be the principal financial and business authority of the institution, to ensure that proper books of account are kept, to approve the annual budget and financial statements, and to have overall accountability for the institution’s assets, property and estate.
13. To be the institution’s legal authority and, as such, to ensure systems are in place for meeting all the institution’s legal obligations, including those arising from contracts and other legal commitments made in the institution’s name. This includes accountability for health, safety and security and for equality, diversity and inclusion.
14. To receive assurance that adequate provision has been made for the general welfare of students.
15. To act as trustee for any property, legacy, endowment, bequest or gift in support of the work and welfare of the institution.
16. To ensure that the institution’s constitution is always followed, and that appropriate advice is available to enable this to happen.
17. To promote a culture which supports inclusivity and diversity across the institution.
18. To maintain and protect the principles of academic freedom and freedom of speech legislation.
19. To ensure that all students and staff have opportunities to engage with the governance and management of the institution.

Approved by Council 14 December 2020, Minute 37.