Governance
Keighley College joined Leeds City College Group (now Luminate Education Group) in 2008/09. If you have any questions about governance at Keighley College please contact Melanie Halstead, Director of Governance, by calling 0113 235 4498 or emailing governance@luminate.ac.uk.
Governor profiles
COLIN BOOTH OBE
Colin was appointed as Principal and CEO of Leeds City College in 2015 before the change to become Luminate Education Group. Prior to moving to Leeds, Colin was Principal of Barnsley College for seven years where he steered the college to an Ofsted rating of outstanding. He has worked in the further education sector for over 35 years; his background is as a teacher and manager in Skills for Life and provision for students with disabilities or learning difficulties. He has also worked as a part-time inspector for Ofsted and the Adult Learning Inspectorate.
Colin was awarded an OBE for services to further education in the Queen’s 2015 New Year Honours list.
As Group CEO Colin is a governor of the Luminate Education Group and sits on each board within the group’s governance structure; he is also a member of the Finance Committee, Governance & Nominations Committee and Property Strategy Committee
DAVID YATES
David is a retired Senior Manager with extensive skills and knowledge acquired from working in both the public and private education sectors. He has strong but flexible leadership skills which he has used throughout his career from head of an organisation to politically sensitive roles in local government.
He is committed to developing collaborative working through active and meaningful partnerships. David is passionate and committed to disability rights and especially access issues. He was Policy Leader for 16-19 education in a large metropolitan district, responsible for ensuring the local authority met its statutory responsibilities. This involved working with funding agencies to determine provision needed and advising schools and colleges on curriculum offer.
He was the lead officer dealing with reduction of those Not in Education Training or Employment. David has developed and implemented innovative ways of working e.g. Industrial Centres of Excellence and worked with partners on the development of skills strategy within the district and further afield.
David originally trained as a careers adviser and was Chief Executive of the company that delivered Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) throughout Cambridgeshire plus other education services such as learning centres, education business partnerships including the provision of work experience and placements. He advised ministers and senior civil servants on national policy issues relating to CEIAG.
David has been a Board and trust member of various organisations and undertaken consultancy activity with other educational and public sector organisations.
As a governor of the Luminate Education Group, David is Vice Chair of the Group Board, Chair of the Keighley College Board and a member of the Group Audit Committee
IAN HARGREAVES
Ian was born and brought up in the Bingley area. Although a science graduate, Ian joined the NHS as a trainee accountant shortly after completing his degree in 1987. Initially based at Leeds General Infirmary, Ian moved to what is now Airedale NHS Foundation Trust in 1989 where he has worked ever since holding a senior position within the finance team for most of that time and qualifying with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountants (CIPFA) in 2002, [Member between 2002 and 2020], but is no longer a Member of the Institute.
In recent years Ian has moved out of the finance environment to work as part of the Medical Director’s Unit with education very much at the heart of his portfolio. Whilst the focus of his role is predominantly on undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, Ian was instrumental in the development of a successful partnership between Airedale and Keighley College (part of the Luminate Education Group) to deliver an innovative Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeship Programme.
Ian is a co-opted member of the Keighley College Board
KATE GLEDHILL
Kate is an HR Director with over 30 years’ experience working in the Financial Services and Manufacturing sectors. She has extensive experience of HR Policy and Practice, Employee Relations, Compensation and Benefits, Employee Development and Engagement. Since becoming a co-opted member of the Keighley College Board in 2019, she has supported the recruitment of a new Principal for the college and as an HR practitioner will always ensure that human aspects are considered in commercial decision making.
Kate is actively engaged in developing apprenticeship and internship routes for young people entering employment and believes that building strong links and understanding between schools, colleges and local employers will help to ensure young people are prepared and armed with the skills they need to enter the world of work.
Kate is a co-opted member of the Keighley College Board
MATT FINDULL
Matt is an experienced public sector manager with extensive experience of working in the education and skills sector. Formerly with the Learning and Skills Council, Matt is now with Bradford Council. He has considerable experience as a governor in secondary and primary schools in Bradford.
Matt is a co-opted member of the Keighley College Board
JAMES SUNTER
Jamie is a maths and English Programme Manager at Keighley College. Jamie has over 22 years of experience in working in the education sector.
Jamie has lived in the area for most of his life and recognises the importance of the college as an essential part of development of the town.
Jamie has extensive experience in working with young people who are in danger of dropping out of education and is an advocate of giving students every opportunity to increase their “cultural capital”.
Jamie is the staff member on the Keighley College Board.
CAROLINE FIRTH
In addition to her governance role within Luminate Education Group, Caroline is a district councillor in the Keighley East ward, in which Keighley College is based, and is the Bradford district’s deputy executive member for climate emergency. She is a governor at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, Strong Close Nursery School and Shipley Churches Together, and holds other advisory non-voting roles on several community-based boards across Keighley and the wider Bradford district.
Caroline has previously been a chair of governors at an all-age special school for children and young people with severe and complex needs, and is a founder of Keighley Imagination Library, which offers a free book every month for children in Keighley East, West and Central from birth until the age of five.
JON SKURR
Jon’s career has combined education and sport, with both characterised by excellence and high performance. He began work as a PE teacher in 2002 alongside a career in professional Rugby (Union), where he played for many years at the very highest levels. His teaching career also followed a similarly high trajectory, soon progressing to senior leadership. He then took a career break to coach the Irish Olympic Rugby Sevens programme, as well as taking them to two World Cups and World Series. On his return to education, he made a swift progression through senior leadership roles before being appointed Head of School at UAK in 2019. Less than seven months later he led them to their first ever Ofsted ‘Good’ rating, then recognition as Bradford Headteacher of the Year and appointment as Trust Executive Headteacher in 2021.
CHRIS CUTHELL
Although born in England, Chris’s parents moved to East Africa shortly afterwards, where he lived until the age of 18. On returning home to Yorkshire, he joined a large multi-national as a management trainee and quickly fell into to the (then) brand new field of Information & Communication Technology.
After 20 years’ working in various ICT roles across around the world, a period which saw the birth of the PC, email and the internet, Chris moved into the Public Sector, initially working on ICT transformation projects in Children’s Services and Education.
For the last 7 years he has specialised in technology related organisational and commercial transformation in Social Housing, more than half of it in a senior leadership role with the Bradford based Housing Association, Accent Group. He is currently a director of an Elland-based Social Housing consultancy.
Aisha Ali Khan
Aisha is a co-opted member of the Keighley College Board
Nimra Abid
Nimra is a student member of the Keighley College Board