Present:
D Butler (Chair), S Duncan, A Brennan, J Bromiley, J Smith, M Curry, M Young, K Tate, G Edmunds, S Robson, S Laverick, R Harrison, G Dullage and G Flannagan.
In Attendance:
C Tomlinson – Vice Principal Curriculum and Performance
J Mitchelson - Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning
H McCoy – Assistant Principal Performance
J Lanagan - Assistant Principal Curriculum Planning and Partnerships
A Wilkinson - Campus Director Peterlee & Technical Academy
L Haggis – Campus Director Houghall
A Barnard – Director of Estates
S Pritchard – Clerk to the Corporation
H Clarke – Student Engagement Officer
782 Apologies for Absence
No apologies were received.
783 Conflicts of Interest
The Chair invited members to declare any conflicts of interest in relation to matters to be discussed at the meeting. There were no conflicts of interest declared.
784 Minutes of the Previous Meeting December 2023
AGREED
The minutes of the meeting held on 29th February 2024 were accepted as a correct record.
785 Matters Arising
The initial partnership meeting around the asset disposal plan had taken place and there are some issues which will be highlighted under the Estates report. The Board delegated authority to the Finance & General Purposes Committee to review the Disposal Plan and report to the next Board meeting
There were no further matters arising that would not be discussed under items on the meeting’s agenda.
786 Student Union Report
The Student Engagement Officer and the Student Governor provided an update on events, training and fundraising which had taken place.
They highlighted the positive feedback given at Class representative meetings and also at the Governor/Student conference held on 29th February.
Governors were advised of the current Student Union budget position and forecasted that the actuals would not exceed the overall budget deficit set.
Governors noted the good feedback from class representatives and from students at the conference and were pleased to see the increased involvement.
Governors thanked H Clarke and wished her good luck in her new position.
Governors noted the report.
787 Principal’s Reports (confidential) Principal’s Update
The Principal presented the update to the Board. The report and minutes were considered confidential owing to commercial sensitivity.
The Board noted the report
788 Quality & Curriculum Update: Outcomes of Student Governor Conference
The Vice Principal Curriculum and Performance presented the report and advised that comments were overall very positive.
There were very few comments around the quality of teaching learning and assessment and students would recommend the course and the college to others. Main areas of improvement were around improving food options. Responses to questions around sense of belonging were mainly positive and the only negatives were around not being made aware of clubs and societies on offer across college, which has been actioned since this meeting. One of the positives from Ofsted was participation in extra-curricular events.
There were lots of positives in terms of students knowing where they are in terms of their progress with a small minority of students needing further support to understand what they needed to do to improve their grade. Feedback has been given to managers to action.
A Governor raised a question regarding the Progression Coach request from an HE Student. The Vice Principal Curriculum and Performance clarified that all full time 16-18 year olds have a Progression Coach. Adult and HE students do not have this. The college is looking at what its pastoral offer is for HE students as part of the study programme and this will be worked through.
The Board Noted the report
789 Finance and Resources Update:
Estates Update
The Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning presented the report. The report and minutes were considered confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivity.
The Board noted the report
Management Accounts P8
The Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning presented the accounts. The report and minutes were considered to be confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivity.
The Board noted the report.
ESFA Financial Health
The Board noted that the College’s Financial Health is good and that the Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning intended to report on this at future meetings.
The Board noted the Financial Health position.
Risk Management
The Principal presented the report which was confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivity.
The Board noted the report.
790 Governance
Governance Update
The Clerk presented the Governance reports.
The Board noted progress made in recruiting new governors and the process used to review candidate’s suitability for the Board.
The Board noted the recommendations made by the EDI Link Governor and the Clerk to improve the recruitment and induction process for new governors and to reduce any perceived barriers for candidates considering governorship.
Governance External Review
The Board further noted the outcome of the External Governance review and in particular that it provides the highest outcome that the AoC will provide. The Board noted that work would now be undertaken to merge the actions arising from that review with outstanding actions from the previous development plan and that this would be brought to a future board meeting.
The college is obliged to publish the report summary on the website and the contents of that has also been provided to Governors for approval. This will be published after this meeting concludes. The Clerk confirmed that this recommendation would stand for 3 years.
AGREED
That the summary of the External Governance Review be published on the website
Recommendations for improvements to the Governor and Recruitment Process be approved
Draft Minutes of Audit & Risk Committee
Unconfirmed Minutes of Audit and Risk Committee held on 28th March 2024 were noted.
791 Any Other Business
There was no other business therefore the Chair brought the meeting to an end.
