Committees
- Applies criteria set by schools to determine the pay of each member of staff at the annual review
- Makes all key decisions in relation to staff pay following recommendations from the other committees
- Governs whether sufficient funds are available to go ahead with recommendations by EHT, HT and HoS
- Monitors development and advises the Trust Board when Pay Policies must be reviewed
- Ensures the Trust Board is compliant with the Appraisal Regulations 2012
- Works to achieve the aims of Pay Policies in a fair and equal manner
- Oversee all the Trust’s systems and operations, ensuring they are fit for purpose, effective and carried out in line with the Seven Principles of Public Life as set out by the Committee on Standards in Public Life.
- Review the Academy Trust’s internal and external financial statements and reports to ensure that they reflect best practice.
- Review the risks to the internal financial control of the Academy Trust and establish a programme of work to address these risks, inform the statement of internal control and, so far as is possible provide assurance to external auditors.
- Ensure that the Academy Trust’s internal control systems meet, or exceeds, the standards specified in the Government Academies Financial Handbook and complies in all other respects with these guidelines and meets agreed levels of service.
- Ensure the Academy Trust is independently audited by an approved registered auditor.
- Ensure a copy of the auditor’s letter of engagement is submitted to DfE with the annual accounts and management letter.
- Discuss with the external auditor the nature and scope of each forthcoming audit and to ensure that the external auditor has the fullest co-operation of staff.
- Consider all relevant reports by the appointed external auditor, including reports on the Academy Trust’s accounts, achievement of value for money and recommend to the Finance Committee / Board as appropriate to respond to findings.
- Review the effectiveness of the body's internal control system established to ensure that the aims, objectives and key performance targets of the Academy Trust are achieved in the most economic, effective and environmentally preferable manner.
- Consider and advise the board on the Academy Trust’s annual and long-term audit programme
- Consider internal audit reports, including value-for-money reports and the arrangements for their implementation.
- Regularly review the Academy Trust’s risk register.
- Review the operation of the Academy Trust’s code of practice for board members and code of conduct for staff.
- Consider any other matters where requested to do so by the board.
- Report at least once a year to the board on the discharge of the above duties.
- To receive and consider the MAT’s indicative funding as notified by the EFA and to assess its implications for the Trust and its Academies, drawing any matters of concern to the attention of the Board.
- To consider and recommend to the Board the Trust’s budget, including those of individual Academies, at the start of each financial year and any subsequent in-year budget changes as recommended by the CEO.
- To ensure Trust expenditure and income are in line with the agreed budget.
- To contribute to the Trust’s development plan through the consideration of financial priorities and proposals.
- To receive and approve all financial procedures and policies of the Trust.
- To receive and approve all value for money proposals relating to the procurement, management and delivery of goods and services on behalf of the Trust.
- To receive and approve any applications for external funding and grants.
- To oversee the Trust’s capital strategy, ensuring the state is maintained effectively and is suitable for its intended purpose.
- To consider the HR strategy and policies of the Trust.
- To make appropriate comments and recommendations on such matters to the Board.
- To ensure that the Local Governing Committees undertake appropriate and effective scrutiny of the performance of each Academy.
- To undertake appropriate and effective scrutiny of the performance of Academies where that function is not delegated to the Local Governing Committee.
- To undertake scrutiny of performance across the Trust’s academies and in particular the progress and attainment of groups of pupils.
- To review, recommend on and report on trust-wide school improvement priorities and to scrutinise impact.
- To recommend on, and scrutinise the use of, powers of intervention in any Academy
- To make appropriate comments and recommendations on such matters to the Board.