Committee structure
The Council has six committees, to which it delegates part of its authority: the Audit and Risk Committee, the Endowment Board, the Finance Committee, the Imperial White City Syndicate, the Nominations Committee and the Remuneration Committee.
These are formally constituted as committees of the Council with written terms of reference and specified membership, including a significant proportion of external members. All are chaired by external members of the Council. The decisions of these committees are reported formally to the Council
Audit and Risk Committee
The Audit and Risk Committee meets four times a year with the College’s internal and external auditors in attendance. It considers detailed reports together with recommendations for the improvement of the College’s systems of internal control and management’s responses and implementation plans.
It also receives and considers reports from the Office for Students as they affect the College’s business and monitors adherence to regulatory requirements. It reviews the College’s Risk Register each year, and will also devote time to the in-depth consideration of the College’s long-term strategic risks.
The Committee reports directly to the Council and has the authority to call for any information from the College officers, from internal and external auditors and from others whom it considers necessary to consult in order to discharge its responsibilities effectively. Whilst senior officers attend meetings of the Committee, they are not members of it. At least once a year the Committee meets separately with the internal and external auditors on their own for independent discussions.
The Audit and Risk Committee receives regular reports from Internal Audit, as well as commissioning reports from senior management. Its role in this area is confined to a high-level review of the arrangements for internal control, value for money, risk management and the arrangements for the management and quality assurance of data submitted to formal funding bodies at the College.
The emphasis is on obtaining the relevant degree of assurance and not merely reporting by exception. It also receives reports from the external auditors, considering the findings of external audits from their audits of the annual report.
Endowment Board
The Endowment Board manages those College assets that are not essential to the core academic mission of the College and that can therefore be managed with a pure investment focus. Its Terms of Reference include an obligation to maintain
a diversified portfolio of investments, to have regard to the suitability of the investments within this portfolio and to manage the investments in a way that is appropriate to achieve the Investment Objective set by the Council. The Investment Objective necessitates growth in value of the non-core assets in line with a margin above inflation whilst also providing a regular distribution for the core academic mission of the College. Within these restrictions, the Endowment Board is authorised to make such investments as it sees fit.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee is responsible for providing the Council with a strategic overview of the College’s finances, with a focus on the longer-term financial plan and the actions taken to achieve it. It also monitors financial risks related to liquidity, debt, resource allocation and financial contingencies, and reviews various financial measures at each meeting.
The Finance Committee is also responsible for approving capital projects with a value of between £10 million and £30 million. Its membership includes one member with cross membership of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Imperial White City Syndicate
The Imperial White City Syndicate’s primary role is to advise Council on recommendations made to it by the President’s Board regarding all aspects of the development of the Imperial White City Campus: masterplanning, commercial strategy, and financial strategy. It also provides advice and guidance to the President’s Board on the execution of Council decisions.
Nominations Committee
The Nominations Committee considers nominations for membership of the Court and Council and for the latter’s Committees.
Remuneration Committee
The Remuneration Committee reviews and approves the remuneration of the President and the Provost, their senior staff direct reports and members of the Provost’s and President’s Boards.