“Exceptional” candidates join College Management Council Sub-committee

Business and community representation on the sub-committee of the Orkney College Management Council has increased following an interim arrangement being agreed thanks to the “exceptional calibre of candidates”.

In August this year, the Council appealed for those with a keen interest in further and higher education and research from business, third sector and the community to come forward and contribute towards the development of Orkney College.

Ten notes of interest were received, and subsequently five candidates were shortlisted and invited for an informal interview.

At Tuesday’s Full Council meeting, OIC Head of Legal and Governance, Gavin Mitchell, said despite there only being three places available, the panel responsible for shortlisting had requested that all five candidates (two business reps and three community reps) be considered for appointment given their “exceptional calibre”.

Councillors agreed to temporarily amend the constitutional arrangements for the College Management Council Sub-committee up to May 2023, to allow for the rise in representation.

It was agreed the following individuals be appointed to the College Management Council Sub-committee for the period to May 2023:

• Business representatives:  Tracey Phillips and Liz Stevenson.
• Community representatives: Gail Anderson; Lorraine Bichan and Harvey Johnston.

They join reappointed members – Beccy May and Steven Sinclair as business representatives and community representative Beverly Clubley.

This means the Sub-committee will now be made up of 15 members instead of 13 -

• five elected members of the Education, Leisure and Housing Committee, including the Chair and Vice Chair.
• four representatives of the business community.
• four representatives of the community, including representatives from the Third Sector.
• two student representatives.

Chair of the Education, Housing and Leisure Committee, Councillor Gwenda Shearer, who was part of the panel, said: “The standard of candidate was really exceptional and made our job of whittling down to five all the more difficult. It was felt that everyone in the shortleet had a good understanding of the College and its role within the community, as well as offering suggestions on how the College could improve its offering and help the local business sector in the current climate and the opportunities emerging in the renewable energy, fish farming and nautical sectors.

“In these exceptional circumstances we felt it would be of genuine benefit to the College to have the varied expertise of all involved and hence is why we asked for consideration of an increase in the representatives. I am delighted with the decision here today.”

Councillors agreed that as part of a wider review of the composition and operation of the College Management Council Sub-committee, that the membership be increased until May 2023 by which time the outcome of the review should be known.