Governance Today Summer 2021

The next time someone asks what the vice chair does in your setting perhaps your board will be able to respond that the vice chair actively develops the knowledge, skills and understanding to share the workload with the chair and governing board. Next steps The next step in the succession planning journey is to talk at a board meeting, think about the different models of leadership and how the load can be shared. The Governance Consultancy Team is happy to support boards in thinking about how their governance is structured and helping you develop a way of working which will work for all the individuals sitting around your (virtual) table. Remember, no one will step up unless someone steps back! There is much available about the role of the chair, with a model role description from the National Governance Association, sections within the Competency Framework for Governance detailing the knowledge, skills and behaviours they feel the chair should demonstrate and paragraphs within the Governance Handbook outlining the responsibilities of the chair. The vice chair role is not so clearly defined; other than the expectation that the vice chair will step in to run meetings in the absence of the chair. What does the role entail in your setting? When your board holds the election for the office of the chair and the vice chair are there clear parameters in place for what people are being asked to do if they take on one of those positions? If your board operates with co-chairs the vice chair role may become even more nebulous; are we making the most of our vice chairs and utilising their time, commitment and skills to lighten the load for the chair and contribute to the efficient working of the board? In thinking about the position of the vice chair in your setting it could be valuable to review the chairs’ responsibilities and workload to consider if there are any aspects which the vice chair could take on. Within full board meetings perhaps the vice chair could lead on some of the agenda items on a regular basis, giving the chair an opportunity to contribute fully to the discussions for those items as a member of the board, or chair the whole meeting once a term. The vice chair could also contribute to the agenda setting process, working collaboratively with the chair, headteacher and clerk, to help ensure that nothing is missed and the purpose of the agenda items is clear (and strategic). In some boards the vice chair is considered to be a natural step on the route to potentially becoming the chair of the board at some point in the future. If this is the expectation in your board we need to ensure that the vice chair is aware of it (!) and offer opportunities for them to develop, perhaps by attending the Heads Chairs and Clerks training session alongside the current chair. They could perhaps shadow the chair, joining conversations, briefings and meetings that the chair participates in, helping to build their knowledge and professional relationships with key stakeholders. The vice chair could be responsible for working with the clerk to conduct a regular skills audit and using the findings from this audit both to help develop a training programme for the board and to inform the recruitment process. The vice chair may be the person who has conversations with individual governors or trustees about governance in the setting, identifying what has gone well and what could be improved, or they may work with the chair as a sounding board for the chairs own self-evaluation. The vice chair might lead on the induction process for new governors or trustees, ensuring that they have a friendly contact within the board and touching base with them regularly to make sure all is going well and new recruits are not feeling either overwhelmed or underused. In addition to supporting new members of the board the vice chair could be a mentor for individuals who are taking on additional responsibility for the first time. The board may have an expectation that the vice chair will take on a lead role reporting to the board, such as safeguarding, or pupil premium champion. Further they may be expected to chair a committee, be part of the headteacher’s appraisal panel or sit on the pay and performance committee. The vice chair could lead on parental and staff engagement, analysing the results of the boards’ annual questionnaire to their stakeholders and suggesting strategies for the board to consider in order to address any issues identified. The vice chair could have a positive impact on the effectiveness of the governing board by considering if the governance structure currently in place is fit for purpose, working with the clerk to suggest other ways the board could work to be more strategic or avoid duplication. Start thinking about how the chairs role can be made manageable, rather than assuming it is unmanageable “ Where are your next governors or trustees coming from? “ 3 Summer 2021