Minutes of the East Durham College Full Board Meeting held on 10th December 2020

D Butler (Chair), E Cobb, L Crichton, M Curry, S Duncan, M Etherington, G Field, R Harrison, V McFarquhar, J MacIntyre, S Nicholson, D Wild, R Woodhouse.

B Fitzgerald – Vice-Principal Finance and Business Planning
C Tomlinson – Vice Principal Curriculum and Performance
J Owen – Assistant Principal Curriculum
S Pritchard – Clerk to the Corporation
J Maughan – Committee Secretary
K Paterson – Student Union Welfare and Engagement Officer

E Oughton, J Bromiley, M Cane

The Chair welcomed E Cobb (SU President) and D Wild (Vice President), to their first meeting. The appointments of student governors E Cobb, D Wild and M Cane were approved by the Board for the 2020/21 academic year.

Potential conflicts of interest were declared from the Chair and J MacIntyre at item 6.1(b).

AGREED
That the minutes of the Full Board meeting held on 15th October 2020 were approved as a true record and signed by the Chair.

No matters arising were raised.

K Paterson, the Student Union Welfare and Engagement Officer was welcomed to the meeting and provided an overview of the student union election process and thanked the three successful Student Union candidates E Cobb, President, D Wild, Vice President, Peterlee and M Cane Vice President, Houghall, for their support to date.

Class inductions had taken place and class representatives had been appointed. Well attended Class Reps meetings had been held across all three centres and Derwent. The meetings focused on five main themes listed within the report. The outcomes of meetings had been shared with the College Management Group and feedback given to the students via the ‘You Said, We Did’ system.

Two surveys had been carried out relating to Catering and Health and Wellbeing, the meeting was referred to the resulting changes listed within the report.

Due to Covid 19 events had been curtailed, however clubs and societies had been extended and involvement increased. Durham C Card continued to Item No.3 interact within College and Safeguarding and Prevent had been promoted to learners. Governors were informed of the College’s involvement in the Make your Mark national campaign where two EDC students were on the local Youth Council.
The Student Union Budget was reviewed, and it was reported that income was ahead of the year-to-date forecast owing to sales being above forecast but was expected to even out throughout the year. The Student Union was providing an effective service to Students.

The Chair thanked K Paterson and the President and Vice Presidents for the impressive list of activities that had taken place during difficult times. The value of the clubs and societies was highlighted by a Governor. K Paterson left the meeting.

NOTED
The Board noted the report and Student Union budget position.

This item was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivities appropriate actions were taken regarding declared conflicts of interest.

These included:

The Vice Principal Curriculum and Operations presented the SAR and SED  Validation Outcomes report. Governors were asked to corroborate the findings of the 12 November 2020 CQS Committee and SAR & SED Validation panel meetings. The validation panel consisted of Governors, Staff and a former Ofsted HMI. Although production was not compulsory this year EDC regarded the SAR as an essential document to drive curriculum improvement. The validation panel agreed the grades submitted apart from ASF (Adult Skills Fund) which was graded ‘good’ with a sub grading of ‘requires improvement’ for Distance Learning and ‘outstanding’ for personal development. At the request of the panel, staff undertook to review the ASF grades. The outcome of the review showed that Personal Development remained ‘outstanding’ and the ASF subgrade was removed leaving an overall grade of ‘good’ as more than two thirds of the ASF provision was regarded as good or better.

The HE SED was ungraded, and the panel agreed the content of the report but requested the format be reviewed in line with the new regulatory Office for Students framework. The validation panel agreed to note the report but the evaluation of quality assurance for HE provision was to be reviewed, and R Harrison had volunteered to support the College through this process.

The CQS Chair supported the outcomes following the review requested by the validation panel.

Following the cancellation of GCSEs in Scotland and Wales a Governor asked whether there was any information regarding exams in England. The Vice Principal advised that it was intended that exams would take place, with a narrower focus and some of the content known but, the full curriculum would be delivered. The exam period was to be extended by 3 weeks and some of the grade boundaries would be lowered.

Vocational programmes would have a reduced number of option units which may reduce the need for assessments with a focus on mandatory and core units. A Staff Governor advised that Vocational staff anticipated exams would take place with adaptations and reduced units. The Quality Team were keeping staff informed of the latest position.

A review was currently underway to measure the impact and take mitigating action regarding Covid absence and self-isolation.

A Governor asked if there was a contingency plan if exams did not take place. The Vice Principal confirmed that a plan was prepared, and regular formative assessments were taking place and more units were been delivered and signed off at the beginning of the year.

APPROVED
The Board approved the findings and judgements of the Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee and the Validation Panel and approved the grades for the Self-Assessment Report, and approved the Self-Evaluation Document and Quality Improvement Plans.

These included:

This item was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivity. The report was presented by the Vice Principal Finance & Business Planning and a summary of the Financial Overview and Financial Statements was provided. 
 

APPROVED
The Board approved the Members’ Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 July 2020 and authorised the Principal and Chair of Corporation to sign the Members’ Report and Financial Statements on behalf of the Board, including any variations to wording or layout required by RSM, external auditors, following a final review by the Audit Committee.

This item was presented by the Vice Principal Finance & Business Planning and  was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivities. The October 2020 Management Accounts had been discussed in detail at the 26th November F&GP meeting and were reviewed and received by the Board.
NOTED
The Board noted the contents of the report.

This item was presented by the Vice Principal Finance & Business Planning and was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivities. The draft  accounts were received by the Board.

NOTED
The Board noted the contents of the report and, if affordable, undertook to give consideration to the second half of the staff pay award later in the year.

This item was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivities and was presented by the Principal. The report and risk register outlined the risks faced by the College. 

NOTED
The Board noted the contents of the report.

This item was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivities ad was presented by the Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning who provided an update on the Colleges Estate.

NOTED 
The Board noted the contents of the report.

This item was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivities. The Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning provided a report for  consideration.

AGREED
The Board agreed to decide upon future actions following receipt of the formal Diagnostic Report.

The Clerk to the Corporation informed of proposed appointments to the Audit Committee and Equality and Diversity Link Governor and Student Union representation on the Board. Link Governors were given the opportunity to request a role profile from the Clerk. Advertisement for new Board members had resulted in two contacts but no applications. Governors were asked to consider whether there was anyone within their networks that had the right skills and expertise to enhance the Board.

Approved
i. the appointment of Richard Harrison to Audit Committee
ii. the appointment of Liz Oughton as link governor for Equality and Diversity
iii. the re-appointment of Emily Cobb as Student Governor following her successful promotion from Vice President to President of the Student Union
iv. the appointment of Macy Cane and Declan Wild as student governors following their successful election to Vice Presidents of the Student Union
v. the role profile for the Link Governor for Equality and Diversity set out in the appendix to this report

a) The minutes of the CQ&S Meeting held on 12/3/2020 were received and approved by the Board. 
b) Minutes of the F&GP Committee 24/9/2020 were received and approved by the Board.

The Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning sought approval of the  continuation of the Arriva Bus Contract.

The meeting was reminded of the details of the College’s contract with Arriva Bus Company for transportation of students, Governors were asked to consider extending the agreement for a further two years and an increase to routes at an additional cost, affective from next academic year. It was established that monitoring would take place to ensure the additional route was value for money.

A Governor asked whether savings could be achieved in light of remote learning. Although this could be reviewed, the Vice Principal explained the College was currently in the middle of the contract which was good value for money. The majority of EDC courses were vocational courses still taught within the buildings.

It was agreed that a value for money report reviewing the utilisation and routes offered was to be presented to the F&GP Committee. A staff governor confirmed that previously students had been recruited from the area covered by the new bus route.

APPROVED
The Board approved the Arriva bus contract be extended by 2 years including the additional route.

NOTED
The Governors previous decision, attained in writing, in mid - November to authorise Toiletry refurbishment, above the Principals permitted expenditure level, was noted.

The Chair thanked the Governors for their support and contribution over the year and on behalf of the Governors thanked the Senior Team and Staff for their hard work throughout the difficult, challenging year and credit was offered to the student body for the way they had responded. The Principal undertook to include the Governors appreciation in the College newsletter.