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What's the point in sitting on this committee? (03/07/06)
Question: I am a staff governor and have been elected to serve on the "Staffing" sub committee. However I am always asked to leave these meetings whenever "confidential" items are agendaed, which seems to be at every meeting. Whilst it seems reasonable that I should not be party to details of an individual member of staff's salary etc. nor, obviously, anything pertaining to myself, I can't help feeling that the "confidential" card is rather overplayed and used by the head and or chair to conveniently exclude a member of staff - albeit a governor - from a lot of other school matters. I am the only staff representative on this committee. Can you clarify what is and isn't appropriate for me to be party to or discuss?

Joan Sallis replies: Again you’ll have a job finding this answered in writing anywhere, but the principle of excluding someone on the ground of likelihood of benefiting personally from a decision is not a bad start. If the promotion or change of function of a staff member leaves an opportunity for you to benefit you should keep out. Possibly you should also show delicacy when the personal circumstances or salary of a colleague comes up. But the principle of excluding you from anything which might affect the staff removes any point in having you there in that capacity at all, and if you can distinguish these cases stand firmly on them.

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