College Governance

Legal Status
Gateshead College became an independent Further Education (FE) Corporation, following the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. This Act removed all FE colleges from local authority control on 1 April 1993.

The College is administered under the Instrument and Articles of Government (pdf, opens in new window).

Board of Governors
Gateshead College's Board of Governors is responsible for the strategic direction of the College, its mission, and the effective and efficient use of Collegeresources. The Board operates in accordance with its Standing Orders (pdf, opens in new window).

Our Board of Governors is made up of representatives from a variety of backgrounds and sectors.  They are very experienced and qualified to lead and direct the development of the College. On appointment to the Board every Governor agrees to follow the Code of Conduct (pdf, opens in new window).

In addition to the Board of Governors, the College also operates a number of sub-committees with specific responsibility for key areas of the College's activities, which are listed below. Please click on an area to view the Terms of Reference for that committee (pdf documents, all open in a new window):

• Academic Standards
• Audit
• Finance and General Purposes
• Governance and Search
• Remuneration

Board meeting minutes
Click on a date below to open the board minutes. All documents are pdf and will open in a new window.

Minutes: Academic Standards Committee

Minutes: Audit Committee

Minutes: Finance and General Purposes Committee

Minutes: Governance and Search Committee

The Board is comprised of the following governors:

Name: Robin Mackie
Position: Chair of the Corporation
Background: Chief Technical Officer and Senior Vice President, Smith Electric Vehicles, U.S.

Name: Keith Cann-Evans
Position: Vice-Chair of the Corporation, Chair of Finance and General Purposes Committee
Background: Consultant, Hunter Grinders Ltd

Name: Chris Macklin
Position: Chair of Audit Committee
Background: Director of Finance, Gateshead Primary Care Trust, South Tyneside Primary Care Trust and Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust

Name: David Mitchell
Position: Chair of Academic Standards Committee
Background: Formerly Director of Learning and Schools, Gateshead MBC

Name: Allan Steele
Position: Chair of Governance and Search Committee, Chair of Remuneration Committee
Background: Educational Consultant

Name: Ivan Jepson
Background: Communications Manager, Northumbrian Water

Name: Kevin Fitzpatrick
Background: Vice President, Manufacturing UK Operations, Nissan Manufacturing (UK) Limited

Name: John McElroy
Background: Local Authority Governor, Councillor – Gateshead MBC

Name: Ian Renwick
Background: Chief Executive, Gateshead NHS Trust

Name: Emily Cox
Background: Head of Employment Law and Employee Relations, Virgin Money

Name: Sally Hancox
Background: Director, Gentoo Green

Name: Vivien Shipley
Background: Formerly HMI for Ofsted

Name: Catherine Dennis
Background: Teaching Staff Governor

Name: Darren Heathcote
Background: Support Staff Governor, Learner & Customer Services Manager 

Name: Chloe Barker
Background: 16-18 Student Governor

Name: Mark Taylor
Background: 19+ Student Governor

Name: Rebecca Anderson
Background: Sabbatical President of the Students’ Union

Name: Richard Thorold
Background: Principal, Gateshead College

Clerk: Emma Moody

If you require any further information please contact the Clerk.

Becoming a governor
Gateshead College is always pleased to hear from individuals whose experience, skills and commitment can help the College to develop its mission of 'Success for all through learning'. A brief profile of our current Governors can be found on this page.

The College wishes the membership of the Board of Governors to encompass a wide spectrum of ages and cultural backgrounds. You may have a background in legal or financial services, community services, education, social work, charities, be an entrepreneur, have experience gained in SMEs or in very large organisations.  The wider your vocational field and cultural experience, the better! Women are currently underrepresented in the membership of the Board.

The Board of Governors normally meets six times a year and there are two or three additional Strategy Sessions and Development Events during the year. Governors are expected to serve on at least one Committee, which meet between three and ten times per year. Most meetings take place in the early evening on Wednesdays or at lunchtime on Thursdays.

If you are interested in becoming a Governor please have a look at the job description and person specification (pdfs, open in a new window)

If you would like to know more about the work of the Corporation or have a question about becoming a Governor, the Clerk would be pleased to hear from you:

Emma Moody
Clerk
Gateshead College
Baltic Campus
Quarryfield Road
Gateshead
NE8 3BE
Email the Clerk