20 April 2015
Minutes of Governing Body Meeting: / Winstanley College Board of Governors
Location of Meeting: Conference Room / Date of Meeting Monday
8 December 2014
Front cover / Meeting No: 02/14-15
Meeting opened at 18.00
MEETING ATTENDED BY:
Name and Category of Governors:
Present
David J Rosbottom Chair – Governor
Emily Campbell Student Governor
Nicola Green Governor
Andrew Gorman Staff Governor
Mark Hanrahan Governor
Pat King Governor
Mark Parkin Governor
James Pearson Vice Chair – Governor
David Sloan Parent Governor
Louise Tipping Principal
Stan Walker Governor
Charlotte Fitch Clerk to the Governors
Janet Hilton Assistant to the Clerk / By invitation
Mel Chadwick Vice Principal
Conor Edwards Director of Finance &Resources
Apologies
Abby Hollywell Staff Governor
Tracey Howson Governor
MINUTES SENT TO: All Governors and Senior Management Team
ISSUED BY:CF / DATE:12 January 2015
The Chair in his opening remarks welcomed, Georgia Latham, the newly appointed student governor to her first meeting.
1. Declaration of Interest
Members had no interests to declare which would conflict with the items on the agenda.
2. Apologies
Apologies had been received fromAbby Hollywood and Tracey Howson.
3. Appointment of Student Governor
The Board confirmed the appointment of Georgia Latham as a student governor.
4. Minutes of the previous meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 6 October 2014 were approved and signed on behalf of the Board by the Chair.
5. Matters Arising
The numbers in brackets relate to the previous minutes.
(7) Items arising from Finance & Resources relating to the Living Wage would be discussed under item 7.2 on the agenda.
In response to an enquiry about staffing MIS, the Principal confirmed that the capacity of the team was being increased and the software was being further reviewed.
The discussion at the previous meeting on results has fed into the College’s Self-Assessment Report (SAR), item 8.3.
The Chair confirmed that the College’s Entry Policy had been published following Board approval at the previous meeting.
Audit
6. Audit Committee Meeting held on 12 November 2014
The Chair of Audit took members through the key points emerging from the November meeting. Once again the audit tracking mechanism enables the monitoring and signing off of audit recommendations and implementation to good effect. The completion of the FMCE and its submission to the audit committee continued to demonstrate good practice and gave audit members a level of reassurance that procedures are in place and being followed.
The Chair of Audit drew governors’ attention to the sensitivity analysis in the audit highlights report from Murray Smith and an observation was made in respect of increasing student numbers without increasing costs and the implications of this way of growing out of austerity.
Once again, the Chair acknowledged the input by the audit firms’ personnel and the support given to staff and governors. The Finance team were to be congratulated on another excellent performance and outcomes. The committee continues to feel that the work undertaken by IAS is valuable and whilst monitoring value for money, wishes to retain both internal and external audit services. The committee self-assessed performance of both audit firms and believes that they are adding value and delivering a good service. During 2015 the College will be re-tendering for a new contract as both Wylie & Bisset and Murray Smith complete their five year contract with the College.
6.1 Approval of External Audit Findings for the Year ended 31 July 2014.
The Board approved the Management Letter as submitted by Murray Smith LLP.
6.2 Approval of Regularity Self-Assessment 2014.
The Board unanimously approved the College’s Regularity Self-Assessment document as submitted for sign off by the Chair and Principal.
6.3 Authorisation of Letter of Representation for the College.
The Board gave their approval for both the Chair and Principal to sign the Letter of Representation on behalf of the College.
6.4 Audit Committee’s Annual Report for 2013-2014
The Board approved the Audit Committee’s Annual Report as submitted, accepting the advice and assurances given by the committee.
The Chair then asked members to submit any value for money items to the committee for further discussion if they had any aspects which they felt could usefully be investigated.
Finance
7 Finance & Resources Meeting held on 17 November 2014.
The Chair of the Committee took members through the key aspects of the November meeting, beginning his overview by thanking the Director of Finance and the SMT for another excellent year in which, in spite of austerity the College had returned a surplus with liquid assets at around £5m.
Governors reflected on the key performance indicators measuring financial health and were pleased that with a reduction in funding, additional student numbers would provide lagged funding in future and this set against a backdrop of funding per student at £4k.
The committee had discussed and agreed to recommend that the College adopt the Wigan Living Wage from January 2015, believing that this was the way forward as an ethical employer and to ensure that staff were not lost to the College because of better rates of pay elsewhere in the Borough. The increase in staff costs, largely at the lower end of the pay scales had been factored into the Budget for this year. In accepting this recommendation, the Chair requested that F&R examine in more detail the implications for external contractors and wider issues which could arise.
The Committee Chair also highlighted the key performance indicators which had been issued to the College by the EFA noting that the College was continuing to maintain outstanding financial health and confirming that key performance indicators (KPIs) continued to be an aspect of the work of the committee which was scrutinised and examined.
The Board of Governors approved the following:
7.1 The College’s Report and Financial Statements (Annual Accounts) for the year ended 31 July 2014 as submitted.
7.2 The College will adopt the Wigan Living Wage with effect from 1 January 2015.
7.3 The College’s Annual Health & Safety Report as submitted.
7.4 The College’s Accommodation Strategy as submitted.
Teaching and Learning
8. Curriculum & Quality Committee Meeting held on 5 November 2014.
The Chair of the Committee took the members through the key aspects covered at this meeting, prefacing his remarks by thanking Pat King for her contributions as inaugural Chair of the Committee and the way in which this Committee has taken on considerable significance in the context of governors having knowledge and understanding of teaching and learning. The recently appointed student governor would be a member of the committee as the Search committee continued to review and widen participation of the standing committees.
The recent Validation event had been well attended by governors and was flagged as a unique opportunity for members to gain first-hand knowledge and understanding of where the College was doing well and where there were areas for future development. It was suggested that as soon as the date for Validation was known, governors should be given as much advance notice as possible.
The Committee continues to scrutinise and monitor student attendance and the Chair was pleased to report that this continues to improve as the SMT have a more rigorous process in place to monitor and investigate attendance. There appears to be an anomaly in respect of attendance at guidance which is being investigated and will be reported to the Committee in March 2015.
The implementation of a formal Student Voice Strategy is seen as a positive step and will support governor monitoring and interface with the student experience.
It was noted that going forward there was an expectation that there would in future be one composite self-assessment report encompassing 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3.
The Chair received questions in respect of the financial data within section 2.1, student numbers and financial forecasts. The Director of Finance confirmed that the numbers related to all funded learners and he would revisit this section. It was again confirmed that this was a live document and subject to change in-year as the SMT continued to monitor direction of travel against the plan. The changing political and economic landscapecontinues to have an impact on the plan. The point was again made by a governor that his preference was to paint as optimistic picture as possible. In discussion the Principal in acknowledging this point stated that the SMT would continue to set high realistic expectations within the constraints imposed by government and funding bodies.
The Board of Governors approved the following:
8.1 The College’s Student Voice Strategy.
8.2 The College’s Strategic Plan.
8.3 The College’s Self-Assessment Report 2014.
8.4 The College’s Continuous Professional Development Report 2014.
8.5 The College’s Equality & Diversity Self-Assessment Report 2014.
8.6 The College’s Improvement Plan.
Governance
9. Search Committee Meeting held on 20 October 2014.
The Chair of Search summarised the key outcomes from the committee’s October meeting as each recommendation presupposes a scenario which would ultimately lead to an increase in the size of the Board. The Chair prefaced his remarks by commenting that the committee had been delighted by the strong field of candidates coming forward.
Reluctantly accepting the resignation of Pat King meant that there were now two substantive vacancies on the Board. As part of the College’s strategy to future proof the College, the Committee wishes to seek Board approval to increase the size and membership of the Board from its existing 15 members to 17 members.
Whilst increasing the size of the Board was not without some risk, the Search committee took the view that the advantages of strengthening the membership of the standing committees and the skill set which new members would bring outweighed these risks.
Members discussed the various viewpoints and options and on balance agreed that the opportunity to recruit well qualified governors with transferrable skills outweighed the risks. The Board and the College and ultimately students would therefore reap the benefits of an increased membership. The recruitment drive had on this occasion worked well and was commended.
9.1 Resignation from Pat King
The Board in accepting Pat King’s resignation acknowledged her contributions and assumed knowledge over a long period.
The Board approved the following appointments:
9.2 Karen Taylor to be re-appointed for a further two year term of office as an external
co-opted member of the Audit Committee.
9.3 To appoint Kevan Ryan and Antony Kearns each to a four year term of office.
9.4. To increase the membership of the Board from 15 members to 17 members with immediate effect with a resulting increase in the quorum from 6 members to 7 members.
9.5 The approved increase in the membership of the Board enabled the appointment of both NayyarNaqvi and Margaret McKenzie each for a four year term of office.
9.6 The Clerk gave notice that an election to appoint the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board would take place during the spring term as David Rosbottom and James Pearson’s terms of office come to an end in May 2015.
10. Pat King – end of term of office
The Chair presented Pat King with flowers and a framed photograph of the College in recognition of her long service to the College as a governor and Chair of Curriculum & Quality Committee. The Chair spoke very eloquently about Pat’s commitment and contributions as a governor and member of the Board. He placed on record the College’s thanks to her as she relinquished her position after 10 years’ service remarking on her enthusiasm and support as a ‘critical’ friend which had been highly valued and appreciated by all associated with Winstanley College.
11. Dates of Board Meetings in 2015
The Chair reminded members of the dates for Board meetings in 2015 with the next meeting taking place on Monday 20 April 2015 and thereafter on Monday 6 July 2015.
There being no further business on this open agenda, the meeting closed at 19.45.
A part two agenda followed.
Charlotte Fitch, Clerk to the Governors. 12/13 January 2015
Signed: ______
David Rosbottom OBE (Chair)
Date: ______
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