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Suspending or removing a governor or trustee

Be clear about the difference between suspension and removal, and when these sanctions may be appropriate to carry out. Understand the procedures you need to follow to protect your school or trust, and the rights of individual governors or trustees.

Last reviewed on 22 August 2024See updates
•Ref: 40202
Contents
  1. What's the difference between 'suspension' and 'removal'?
  2. Grounds for suspending or removing a governor
  3. Procedure for suspending a governor
  4. Not all governors can be removed by the board 
  5. Procedure for removing a governor
  6. Have an appeals process in place

If a governor is removed or suspended, remember to remove them from the board on GovernorHub. If they're suspended, you can add them again when they resume their role.

What's the difference between 'suspension' and 'removal'?

  • Suspension – where a governor is temporarily suspended from all or any board or committee meetings for up to 6 months
  • Removal – where a governor is removed from their seat and is no longer a governor on the board

These shouldn't be confused with disqualification, where a governor is no longer eligible to be a governor – see our other article for more information on disqualification. 

Grounds for suspending or removing a governor

There's quite a bit of overlap between the two – you might think about both options if you're considering sanctions against a governor. 

Are an employee at the school and are the subject of disciplinary proceedings in relation to their staff role Are the subject of