ColegauCymru promotes strong and effective governance and supports member colleges to meet their legal requirements as public service bodies.
Colleges are public service bodies.
Colleges in Wales are classified as NPISH bodies or more fully they are described as non-profit institution serving households. That is, they are independent corporate bodies engaged mainly in providing services to individuals and the community at large. As these services are delivered free of charge or at prices that are not economically significant, they stand apart from government agencies or local authorities and are not classified as business.
The colleges are also charities but as they are regulated by Welsh Government, they do not appear of the Charity Commission’s register of charities. Colleges are led by a Chief Executive Officer or Principal and governed by a board of governors. The legal basis for much of the work of colleges is set out in the Instrument of Government and the Articles of Government found in The Further Education Corporations (Replacement of Instrument and Articles of Government) (Wales) Order 2006 which also references the other statutes and regulations that determine how colleges operate.
The Further and Higher Education (Governance and Information) (Wales) Act 2014 also sets out specific requirements for colleges and all are signatories to the ColegauCymru Code of Good Governance for Colleges in Wales which is a framework of best practice for FE governance. ColegauCymru takes responsibility on behalf of the sector in reviewing and advising on the best practice.
Related Information
Cabinet Statement
The new ColegauCymru Code for Further Education Governance in Wales
1 February 2016
Memorandum of Understanding
Memorandum of understanding between the Charity Commission and the Welsh Ministers
in their role as Principal Regulator of exempt educational charities in Wales
April 2015
