A case study of models of governance/legal structures organising further education and training locally.
The study describes the exploration of legal/governance models for taking on Reading College (at that time, part of Thames Valley University). Various organisational models were considered including a Joint Venture (JV) with a private organisation. The report charts the development of the proposal and the (then) outcome.
The report describes a complex and emerging scenario in a changing legal and financial environment and short deadlines. Many potential partners and stakeholders were involved making the options difficult to evaluate. The challenge of expanding the organisations, adhering to mission and values and managing the risk is set out in detail. The report offers some insights into the process and outlines some recommendations including:
* Expect the unexpected and consider the worst case scenario to make sure that as an organisation you can manage an exit if it arises
. Ensure you have a good communications framework to inform governors who are engaged in the process on an intermittent basis and to ensure decisions can be made speedily.
Mixing different legal entities can lead to confusion and frustration for members, particularly when they are not fully conversant with the different governance rules which apply. Data was gathered from observation of practice and document analysis.
Emerging Governance Models