Page 15 - 2019-20 Annual Report and Financial Statements

DIOCESE OF CHICHESTER ACADEMY TRUST GOVERNANCE STATEMENT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2020
Scope of responsibility
As trustees we acknowledge we have overall responsibility for ensuring that Diocese Of Chichester Academy Trust has an effective and appropriate system of control, financial and otherwise. However, such a system is designed to manage rather than eliminate the risk of failure to achieve business objectives, and can provide only reasonable and not absolute assurance against material misstatement or loss.
The board of trustees has delegated the day-to-day responsibility to the chief executive officer, as accounting officer, for ensuring financial controls conform with the requirements of both propriety and good financial management and in accordance with the requirements and responsibilities assigned to it in the funding agreement between Diocese Of Chichester Academy Trust and the Secretary of State for Education. They are also responsible for reporting to the board of trustees any material weaknesses or breakdowns in internal control.
Governance
The information on governance included here supplements that described in the Trustees' Report and in the Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities. The board of trustees has formally met eight times during the year. Attendance during the year at meetings of the board of trustees was as follows:
Trustees
TheVenerableLTIrvine-Capel(ChairofTrustees)(Appointed13 September 2019)
Mrs F A Chalk (Appointed 4 November 2020)
Mr T Cristin
Meetings attended
8 4
Out of possible
Mrs A F Hamill
Mr P Hepburn (Appointed 4 November 2020)
MrTJManly(ChairofAudit&Resources) 8 MrWIGPayne(Appointed21May2020) 3 Mrs S D Phillips (Appointed 4 November 2020)
Mr J W Stanbridge (Appointed 4 November 2020)
Mr N Taunt
Mr R V Webb (Appointed 4 November 2020)
Mrs K A Sims (Resigned 26 February 2020)
Mrs M E Surgeon (Resigned 21 July 2020)
Mrs C E Williamson (Resigned 12 December 2019)
Archdeacon Luke Irvine-Capel was appointed as new Chair of the Trust Board on 13 September 2019. Three experienced Trustees resigned. Active recruitment for Trustees with the skills required was embarked on from March 2020 with a view to starting in the 2020/21 academic year.
The Trust undertook a skills audit which identified the deficit of skills. This has been addressed by advertising for new Trustees via national route, Academy Ambassadors and also from the local Bishop's network meetings. This recruitment was prolonged due to COVID-19, but was successful to have identified potential Trustees for the new academic year.
Also, the Trust approached the NGA for funding to support the development of governance and work started with National Leader of Governance, Antony Moffatt and this is ongoing. The evaluation is recorded in the Trust SEF and discussed with the Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) at least annually. The findings will be shared in the new academic year and inform the plan for 2020/21.
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