What is BASG?

The Buckinghamshire Association of School Governors was founded in 1997 and is a voluntary organisation of school governors, for school governors. The main purpose of BASG is to support robust and effective governance across all Buckinghamshire schools. BASG is a completely independent organisation, committed to working with all relevant stakeholders to ensure this happens.

All Governors in Buckinghamshire are full members of BASG, including members of academy and MAT boards and those of Local Governing Bodies within MATs.

Membership is entirely free; we are able to offer free membership as we have reduced our costs to a minimum. Moving forward, we will look to voluntary contributions to allow us to continue to offer free membership to all governors.

As an Association BASG is committed to

working independently with all relevant stakeholders to support governance
ensuring that governors have a collective voice
seeing the importance of governance recognised as it needs to be across the county
liaising and working in partnership with the Local Authority on local and national matters that affect governance

BASG has representation on the School Governance Consultative Board. This forum provides opportunities for the Association to raise the views and opinions of governors directly with the Chair of the Consultative Board, as well as the Director of Education and the Head of Achievement and Learning at BCC, and the Elected Member for Education & Skills, seeking action when needed.

BASG also has representation on the half termly Side by Side meetings. Side by Side is the LA school improvement strategy and implementation model.

As experienced governors we understand that ethical and high-quality governance is paramount to the success of our schools and, more importantly, for the outcomes of all children across Buckinghamshire.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The BASG Executive Committee comprises governors from across the county and various types of schools, who have a wide range of skills and governance knowledge. We welcome new members who are willing to offer their time and knowledge in helping to improve governance across Buckinghamshire.

The officers and Executive Committee are elected at the Annual General Meeting; we meet half termly as a committee.

Jo Pearce

Chair

I am a self-employed Clerk to the Governors for 10 schools in Buckinghamshire and I have been a governor in the County for 9 years which includes 7 years as a Chair. As well as being on the Executive Committee of the BASG, I am also a member of BCC’s Governance Consultative Board. I live in Amersham and have two children who both attend a Buckinghamshire school.

Anne Sheddick

Vice Chair

Anne has a background in education; has worked in schools, colleges and universities with interests in literacy, e-Learning and CPD. She has been a governor of primary and secondary schools and in the University sector for over 30 years and has been Chair of Governors at a local primary school since July 2013. As a National Leader of Governance, Anne has supported and mentored chairs of other governing boards, conducted reviews of governance and is convener of the local network of governing board chairs. She is also vice-chair of the LA School Governance Consultative Board and vice-chair of BASG.

Gwyneth Langley

Committee Member

I have been involved in school governance in Buckinghamshire for a number of years – as a Clerk to Governors, a governance advisor and trainer. I am currently employed by the Bucks Education Partnership supporting governor advice and development.
I am Vice-Chair of Governors at a local combined school and a governor at a local infant school. I live in Gerrards Cross and have two children, both currently at secondary school.

Andrew Brown

Committee Member

Andrew has served on Governing Boards in Buckinghamshire Schools for over 20 years. Currently he is Chair of Governors at Chiltern Hills Academy in Chesham. He is the current Chair of the School Governance Consultative Board at Buckinghamshire Council. Andrew runs the Chesham Chair and Vice Chairs Networking Group and in his spare time he enjoys singing in choirs and Scottish Country Dancing.

BASG CONSTITUTION

CONSTITUTION - Click here

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL GOVERNORS

CONSTITUTION

1. TITLE

The name of the Association is “The Buckinghamshire Association of School Governors”, hereafter referred to as “the Association”.

2. INTERPRETATION
“Schools” shall mean Buckinghamshire state-funded schools, including academies and free schools.

“Governing Boards” shall include the Governing Boards of maintained schools, multi-academy trusts and stand-alone academies, Interim Executive Boards, and the local governance committee of a school which is a component of a multi-academy trust where such a committee exists. Where two or more schools comprise a federation with a single Governing Board, or, where the federation is a component of a multi-academy trust and has a single local governance committee, the federation shall be treated for the purposes of this Constitution as if it were a single school.

“Governor” shall mean a member of a Governing Board as defined. 3. OBJECTS AND POWERS

3.1 The Association is established to be an independent voice for School Governors in Buckinghamshire, and to promote and support effective governance in Buckinghamshire schools, in particular:

(i) to ascertain the collective views of Buckinghamshire governors, to provide a vehicle for expressing them and where necessary to make representations at a local or national level, as appropriate;

(ii) to promote and facilitate communication between Governing Boards and between schools, with a view to the sharing and dissemination of good practice, and to signpost opportunities for training and networking for Governors;

(iii) to further good relationships between Governing Boards and all organizations operating within Buckinghamshire with a responsibility for services for children and young people;

(iv) to use the Association’s collective knowledge and understanding of good practice to provide both support and challenge to Buckinghamshire County Council (Buckinghamshire Council from 1st April 2020) in matters of school governance;

(v) to develop links with relevant national and local organisations.
3.2 In pursuit of the said objects but not otherwise the Association may:
(i) raise funds by inviting and receiving voluntary contributions from any person or persons.

(ii) collect and disseminate information on all matters affecting the said objects and exchange such information with other bodies having similar objects;

(iii) promote and carry out or assist in promoting and carrying out research, surveys and investigations, and publish the findings;

(iv) bring together in conference members of the Association and any person or persons able to inform, advise or guide them in pursuit of effective governance;

(v) cause to be prepared and distributed such written, audio or visual material as shall further the said objects, by means of a website maintained for the purpose, by the use of social media, or otherwise, consistent with the promotion of the best interests and outcomes for children and young people in Buckinghamshire.

4. MEMBERSHIP

(i) Every governor as defined in Article 2 shall be a member of the Association, unless (s)he has informed the Executive Committee that (s)he wishes to withdraw.

(ii) Subject to paragraph (iii), every Governing Board whose membership includes one or more members of the Association shall have one vote at general meetings including the Annual General Meeting, and shall appoint a representative to cast that vote on its behalf. No representative may vote on behalf of more than one Governing Board at any single meeting of the Association.

(iii) Where a vote is cast on behalf of the board of a multi-academy trust, local governance committees of schools within that trust shall not vote.

(iv) No other forms of membership may exist. However, from time to time, other bodies or organisations may be invited by the Association to send non-voting representatives to attend meetings.

5. ATTENDANCE

Governors shall be entitled to attend meetings and hold office in the Association for as long as they remain governors.

6. FINANCE

(i) All money raised by the Association shall be used to further the objects set out at Article 3.1, including the payment of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, and for no other purpose.

(ii) The Association shall, as necessary, maintain a bank or building society account in the name of the Association. Withdrawals from this account shall be made only with the authorised signature of at least two officers, one of whom shall be the Treasurer.

(iii) The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Association.

(iv) The financial year shall run from 1 September to 31 August.

7. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

(i) The Executive Committee shall carry out the business of the Association between meetings of the Association.

(ii) The officers of the Executive Committee shall be the Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. The officers and (subject to sub-paragraph (iii)) other members of the Executive Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

(iii) The Executive Committee shall comprise up to 12 members (including the officers).

(iv) The quorum for the Executive Committee shall be one third of its members. 8. MEETING PROCEDURES

(i) The members of the Association shall conduct their meetings and business in such a manner as they determine, subject to the provisions of the Constitution.

(ii) Notices of Association meetings, together with the draft agenda, shall be sent out by the Executive Committee at least two weeks before the meeting date. Any member of a Governing Board may place an item on the agenda provided notice is received by the Secretary 7 days in advance of the meeting date.

(iii) In addition, an Annual General Meeting shall be held, for which at least 28 days notice will be given to members.

(iv) The quorum shall be 10 members of the Association. If a meeting is quorate decisions shall be taken by simple majority. If a meeting is inquorate a motion, except a motion entailing an amendment to the Constitution (Article 9) or the dissolution of the Association (Article 10), will nevertheless be deemed to be carried provided that at least 75% of members present vote in favour of it and the number of members present is no less than eight.

(v) Any six Governing Boards may requisition a special meeting, and it shall be the duty of the Secretary to call such a special meeting within four weeks of the receipt of the requisition.

(vi) The agenda shall set out the business to be covered at the meeting and, unless the Chair decides otherwise, no other business shall be discussed.

(vii) The Association is a consultative group and may not make decisions which are binding upon individual Governing Boards.

(viii) Minutes shall be taken and they shall be kept in an appropriate form; a copy of minutes shall normally be placed on the Association’s website before the next meeting.

(ix) Any meeting may be adjourned by a decision of a majority of the Governing Boards represented.

(x) The Association or the Executive Committee may set up sub-committees, and or working groups, agree their membership and set rules for their proceedings.

9. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Amendments to the Constitution may be made only by a two-thirds majority decision of the Governing Boards represented and voting at a quorate Annual General Meeting. If the Annual General Meeting is inquorate a motion to amend the Constitution will nevertheless be deemed to be carried provided that the members present are unanimous, and the number of members present is no less than eight. Notice of such proposed alterations shall be sent to the Secretary not less than 21 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting.

10. DISSOLUTION

If the Committee by a simple majority decide at any time that it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Association, it shall call a meeting of all members of the Association who have the power to vote, of which not less than 21 days’ notice (stating the terms of the Resolution to be proposed) shall be given. If such a decision is confirmed by at least 75% of those present and voting at such a meeting, the Committee shall have power to dispose of any assets held by or on behalf of the Association. Any

assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Association as the Committee may determine.

11. APPROVAL OF THIS CONSTITUTION
The date of approval of this Constitution was 15th October 2019.