On behalf of the Archbishop Trustees and on the back of the extensive Plater Consultation open to all with an interest in Catholic Education, the first meeting of the Plater Steering Committee took place on Friday 29 September 2006 at Archbishop’s House, Westminster. The purpose of the Steering Committee is:
To provide strategic advice to the Trustees on how the Plater mission will be fulfilled, taking into account:
Ø Plater’s history and special contribution to education
Ø the outcome of the Bishops’ Conference consultations on Plater
Ø current provision of theology and ethics courses in the Catholic sector
Ø current developments in post-compulsory education and lifelong learning: secular and Church.
Ø the needs of the Church, particularly in Britain
Ø the Trust’s financial position and additional funding streams
Ø Charity law
The Committee will be supported in its work by an Administrative Group led from within the Catholic Education Service.
The next meeting will be held at the House of Commons on 1 December 2006.
Membership:
Professor Simon Lee (Chair) – Vice Chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University
Mr Dermot Carroll – Chairman of the Platernian Association
Ms Ann Clynch – Principal of Loreto Sixth Form College, Manchester
Mr Danny Curtin – National President of Young Christian Workers
Dr Claire Curtis-Thomas MP – Member of Parliament for Crosby, Merseyside
Rt Rev Bishop Peter Doyle – Bishop of Northampton and responsible within the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales for further and higher education
Rev Dr Gerard Hughes SJ – former Principal of Heythrop College and Master of Campion Hall, Oxford
Abbot Christopher Jamison OSB – Abbot of Worth Abbey
Mrs Sheila Jennings – National President of the Catholic Women’s League
Rev Dr Francis McHugh – former Plater College tutor, former Director of the Von Hugel Institute Cambridge, Senior Research Fellow at St Mary’s University College
Ms Oona Stannard – Chief Executive and Director of the Catholic Education Service
Officers:
Dr Susan O’Brien – Adviser on FE and HE to CES and the Department for Catholic Education and Formation in the Bishops’ Conference
Ms Laura McCann – Policy and Briefing Officer of CES
The balance of the capital, once fees and expenses related to the sale were paid, amounted to just over £5 million. This money has been invested in a separate Trust account and is ring-fenced by the Trustees solely for the purpose of continuing the Plater mission.
The Plater archive, which was stored in a filing cabinet in a garage at Plater, has been placed in archival standard storage. Other more recent records and artifacts are being stored appropriately until a suitable long-term location has been identified.
(9th October 2006) | 
