What an associate member is and why appoint them
An associate member is:
- Anyone appointed to a committee of the governing board for their specific skills and expertise
- Not a governor – so they're not recorded in the instrument of government
This is laid out in the Governance Handbook (pages 64 to 65).
If you're an academy, the term 'associate member' doesn't appear in the model articles of association. However, article 101 says committees can include people who aren't trustees (as long as the majority of the committee members are trustees).
Why appoint associate members?
They can:
- Provide a committee with additional skills and a different perspective
- Fill a skills gap on the board
You might appoint associate members as part of succession planning for your board – e.g. a person could start as an associate member before becoming a full governor.
Representatives