Minutes of the East Durham College Full Board Meeting held on 8th July 2021

Present:

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

In Attendance:

S Judson – Vice-Principal Finance and Business Planning                       
C Tomlinson – Vice Principal Curriculum and Performance                         
J Owen – Assistant Principal Curriculum Operations H                               
McCoy – Assistant Principal HR and Quality K Paterson –                         
Student Union Welfare and Engagement Officer (Item 5)                           
S Pritchard – Clerk to the Corporation
J Maughan – Committee Secretary

None received.

No conflicts were declared.

AGREED That the minutes of the Full Board meeting held on 23rd May 2021 were  approved as a true record and signed by the Chair

No matters were raised.

The Chair informed of the recommendation of the 17th June 2021, Search and Remuneration Committee, to appoint two Governors. Subsequently one Governor had withdrawn. An induction between the Chair of Corporation and E Bolton had taken place and the Board were asked to consider the appointment of E Bolton for a term of office of four years.

Approved The Board approved the recommendation of the Search and Remuneration Committee to appoint E Bolton for a term of 4 years until 7th July 2025.

K Paterson, the Student Union Welfare and Engagement Officer provided an overview of welfare, enrichment and enhancement activities, and the Student Union financial position to date.

• The Board noted the successful election of Holly Ferguson (SU President) and Vice Presidents Declan Wild, Kathleen Hardy and Amy Daley, representing all centres. The work of the outgoing student union Welfare and Engagement Officer.
   
• An update on events, Class Reps meetings, organisation of freshers week and student involvement in activities was provided.
   
• • The Board noted the outcomes of the ad hoc Careers Team UCAS survey and the Health and Wellbeing survey which had indicated that 99% of students were happier to be in College.
   
•  This year the target income had been surpassed by £627, and an underspend of £1966 was noted. Next year it was proposed to generate £3725 of income with expenditure of £9270, requiring funding of £5545. In response to a question from the Chair K Paterson confirmed her support for the changes to the structure of Student/Governor Focus Groups.
  
  NOTED The Board noted the contents of the report.

The Principal presented the report, and this item was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivities. An update on college operations, KPIs positive student recruitment, sector updates and student achievement.

NOTED
i. The Board noted the updates regarding College operations
ii. The Board noted performance against College KPIs
iii. The Board noted the student activities that demonstrated the achievement of the College mission.

NOTED
The Board noted the contents of the Safeguarding Summary Report and in particular the change of Designated Safeguarding Lead.

The Vice Principal Curriculum and Performance and the Assistant Principal HR and Quality presented the report. The report was regarded as confidential for reasons of staff and student sensitivities. The Vice Principal informed of the intention to change the format of the report in line with DfE development workforce data returns.

NOTED
Governors noted the data in relation to student and staff recruitment.

The Principal presented the report which was regarded as confidential for
reasons of commercial sensitivities. 

Noted
The Board noted the updates to the risk register.
The Board undertook to review the risk appetite statement.
Approved
The Board approved the definition of the impact of risk by operational days lost.

The Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning presented the report which was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivities. The Board reviewed the April 2021 and May 2021 Management Accounts.

NOTED
The Board noted the contents of the April 2021 and May 2021 Management Accounts.

This report was presented by the Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning and regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivities. The Vice Principal advised that the budget paper had been set in a strategic context and gave consideration to risks and opportunities, investments, sustaining growth, financial health, pay awards, staff and quality of teaching provision.

NOTED
The Board noted the contents of the report.
AGREED
 The Board agreed the 2021/22 Budget in principle, which was to be returned to the October 2021 Board meeting for further consideration after the meeting with the FE Commissioner and ESFA.

The Clerk to the Corporation presented the Governance report and the Board were asked to discuss and consider the recommendations of the report and note the withdrawal of Alex Bolton’s application to join the Board.

• The receipt of a resignation of a Governor left two vacancies on the Board and it was proposed that immediate recruitment action be undertaken to appoint a Governor with HR expertise. The Board agreed that on behalf of the Board the Chair write a letter of thanks to L Crichton-Jones acknowledging her outstanding contribution to the Board.

• In order to address the Board’s continued perspective to seek diversity within the Board, a skills audit was to be undertaken with the inclusion of additional anonymised, personal/sensitive data collated and reviewed by the Clerk only, to provider a richer profile of the Board. A Governor recommended a ‘prefer not to say’ option be included.

• Board members were asked to note the Committee Structure and that the Committee Terms of Reference were to be reviewed and approved by the Board. A meeting was to be arranged with link governors to explore the roles further and provide guidance.

APPROVED:
i. The appointment of E Bolton for a first term of four years until 7th July 2025, and her appointment to the Audit Committee and Finance and General Purposes Committee.
ii. The appointment of M Curry to the Finance and General Purposes Committee
iii. The appointment of two student Governors to the Board the President and one Vice President.
iv. The proposed committee structure for 2021/22 and the review of terms of reference for each committee.
v. Immediate recruitment action be undertaken to fill at least one of the vacant positions with a member with HR experience.
vi. To establish diversity the next Skills Audit anonymously collate additional sensitive information as stated in point 6.2 of the report.

The Chair of Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee presented the report. 

• In order to involve more students and governors and gain the wider view  of the students’ experience at College it was proposed that a  student/governors conference style event be held, attend by Governors twice per year. • The paper was well received and the attendance of staff in a facilitating role was noted.

APPROVED
 The recommendation that the student/governor focus group be replaced by a student/governor conference, attended by Governors twice per year, was approved.

The minutes of 21st March 2021 CQ&S meeting were approved.

Governors consider the policies for approval.

APPROVED:
The Board approved the Fees Policy, Financial Regulations, Learner Support Fund Policy, Quality Policy, Safeguarding – Anti Bullying Policy, Behaviour Policy, Health and Safety Policy. NOTED: The outcome of the Mental Health Survey.

The Vice Principal Curriculum Operations provided an update on the Teacher Assessed grades (TAGs). To date no awarding bodies had requested further information. The Chair on behalf of the Board requested that the thanks of the Board be passed to all those involved in the TAG process.