Approved minutes

THE CORNWALL COLLEGE GROUP

Minutes of the meeting of The Cornwall College Group Board

held at CC Camborne on 16 December 2015 at 4.00 pm

Present / Philip Rees / PR / Chair
Amarjit Basi / AB
Jeff Beer / JB
Malcolm Bell / MB
Karen Burrows / KB
Peter Child / PC
Sharon Dudden / SD
Julia Green / JG
Peter Hardaker / PH
Leon Holland / LH
David Sharples / DS
Thelma Sorensen / TS
Ian Tunbridge / IT
Peter Walker / PW
/ Tony Woolman / TW
Apologies *
/ David Parker / DP
*
/ Colin Stratton / CS
**
/ Nicky Taylor / NT
*
/ Alan Tuckett / AT
Observing / Sally Foard / SF / Cluster Director – Business and Professional
Nick Goddard / NG / QAA
To minute 8. / Miriam Venner / MV / Cluster Director – Cultural and Visitor Economy
In Attendance
/ Alison Phillips / AMP / Corporation Secretary
/ Alistair Barr / JAB / Finance and Resources Director
/ Chris Sampson / CS / Director for Quality Improvement
/ Andrew Counsell / ASC / Group Director of Development
/ Raoul Humphreys / RH / Deputy CEO
*denotes number of consecutive meetings for which apology for absence has been received.
The meeting was preceded by a tour of the CC Camborne campus and presentation from the Cluster Directors for Business and Professional and Cultural and Visitor Economy
1. / WELCOME AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. He particularly welcomed Nick Goddard, QAA scrutiny team member, Sally Foard and Miriam Venner, Cluster Directors, and Chris Sampson who were observing the meeting.
The Chair reminded colleagues that this was the first meeting following the Ofsted inspection in early December. He thanked everyone who had been involved with the inspection, students, staff and managers and particularly governors who had met with inspectors in his absence. On behalf of the Board he congratulated the team on the successful Ofsted outcome and thanked Chris Sampson for his role in preparing and co-ordinating the visit as the Ofsted nominee.
Apologies were received.
The Chair invited colleagues to disclose any potential conflicts of interests and governors confirmed that there were none other than those previously disclosed in their Declarations of Interest. / All
2. / MINUTES
2.1 / Minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2015
The minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2015 were received, agreed as a correct record, and signed by the Chair.
2.2 / Confidential minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2015
The minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2015 were received, agreed as a correct record, and signed by the Chair.
3. / MATTERS ARISING
Actions detailed in the minutes had either been completed or were addressed by items on the agenda for this meeting other than:
3.1 / Governors’ Feedback (minute 4)
Governor engagement with clusters and campuses and with students would be welcomed. Governors wishing to engage were invited to contact the Corporation Secretary or liaise directly with Cluster Directors of Heads of Campus. / All
3.2 / Governance (minute 7)
Quality reports for each cluster had been prepared by Cluster Chairs and these had been useful. A similar exercise should be undertaken at the same time in future years.
3.3 / TCCG Budget 2015/15 (confidential minutes 30 July 2015 minute 2)
The Chair confirmed that the Finance and Resources Committee would continue to monitor financial progress with regular reports to the Board.
4. / THE CORNWALL COLLEGE GROUP SELF ASSESSMENT REVIEW 2014/15
The report was received and reviewed by Chris Sampson, Director of Quality Improvement. Governors commended the excellent report and the termly cluster impact review meetings which many governors had attended and found very informative.
CS explained that the SAR was a reflective review of performance informed largely by the termly reviews and included a Quality Improvement Plan to address areas identified for improvement. The report included a preface to provide context to the journey and a comprehensive overview of the FE provision and HE provision including judgements, with a corporate QIP and FE and HE specific QIPs. The report had been carefully scrutinised by the Excellence and Experience Committee and reviewed by an external scrutineer. Governors discussed the report asking questions about the review process and actions proposed to improve specific areas. The report had been endorsed by Ofsted which would provide a detailed analysis of the Group and actions required to improve. Following receipt of the Ofsted report a Post Inspection Action Plan would be developed to complement the Quality Improvement Plan. This report would be reviewed by the Excellence and Experience Committee and shared with the Board in due course.
Following discussion the Board approved the Self-Assessment Review and Quality Improvement Plan.
At the invitation of the Chair CS reviewed the confidential paper appended to the SAR report relating to the recent Ofsted visit. The paper included the improvements TCCG needed to improve to become outstanding. The only potentially difficult area was to increase the numbers of full time leaners undertaking high quality meaningful work experience. Unfortunately Ofsted did not recognise the work experience provided by TCCG, including working in college restaurants and kitchens, and land-based activities, which offered learners valuable experience. Following further discussion of this report, including attendance issues, the Board suggested that there was a lack of understanding about TCCG’s ambitions and that governors should promote and lobby for better recognition of employment opportunities. The Board agreed to revisit work experience criteria and opportunities at a future meeting noting that Landex was already lobbying for work experience.
Closing the discussion the Chair thanked CS for his report and congratulated the team on the very positive Ofsted report. / AB/amp
AMP
5. / KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS OUTTURN 2014/15 AND PROPOSED 2015/16 - CONFIDENTIAL
The report was dealt with as a confidential item in accordance with the policy agreed by the Board, and recorded in the confidential minutes.
6. / GOVERNORS’ FEEDBACK
·  Jeff Beer updated the Board on progress with the Bicton College Community Council. He outlined the recruitment process which had led to the appointment of three outstanding members. The Council had met for the first time on 7 December 2015 and since that meeting two further people had expressed an interest in joining the Council. JB also reported that the Rural Economy team was developing proposals for the future of land-based strategy. Governors endorsed the preparation of this strategy which would be shared with governors at the Board away day in March.
·  Sharon Dudden reported that she had attended the NFU Tenant Farmers Conference with staff and students from Duchy College Stoke Climsland and was pleased to report that the students had done really well.
·  Ian Tunbridge had attended a HEFCE consultation event on the future of quality assessment and outlined proposals. Progress was being carefully monitored.
·  Peter Child reported that he had visited both Camborne and Rosewarne campus. He had received an excellent reception particularly at Rosewarne where he had been shown around. He had also attended the Staff Star Awards which had been a very good event on the evening of the final day of the Ofsted visit.
·  Governors had also attended impact review meetings and the HE Graduation ceremony during the term.
7. / PRINCIPAL AND CEO’S REPORT - CONFIDENTIAL
The report was dealt with as a confidential item in accordance with the policy agreed by the Board, and recorded in the confidential minutes.
8. / CORNWALL COLLEGE STUDENT UNION
Tony Woolman, CCSU President, shared some concerns regarding the role of CCSU going forward and explained that the CCSU Trustee Board had supported the proposal for a second student conference to explore with students:
·  Why the Cornwall College Students’ union exists
·  Why students choose to come to TCCG
·  What students expect from TCCG and CCSU.
This would then inform the development of a longer term strategy for CCSU which would be presented to the Board in due course. The conference had been scheduled for 25 November at the Eden Project and the President was hopeful that it would be attended by students from all Group sites. Governors were also invited to attend the event.
Tony Woolman, CCSU President, confirmed that the second student conference had been held at the Eden Project in November and had been well attended with students from all ten sites represented. There had been lively discussion but he did not feel that the clarity regarding the future of CCSU had quite been achieved. He would review the feedback and prepare proposals for management and Board consideration. / TW/amp
9. / REPORTS FOR BOARD DECISION AND DISCUSSION AND INFORMATION
9.1 / Recommendations from Audit Committee
The report was received and reviewed by Peter Hardaker, Chair of the Audit Committee. He explained that the proposed special meeting of the Audit Committee had not been held as the Cornwall College financial statements and Bicton College completion accounts had not been finalised. Consequently the Audit Management letter was not ready for presentation to the Board. The intention was to finalise the accounts and audit process and scheduled a special meeting of the audit committee and also the Board in January 2016.
PH invited the Board to approve:
·  The Internal Audit Annual Report which confirmed that the Group had adequate and effective governance and risk management and control processes to manage the achievement of its objectives.
·  The Risk Management Annual Report.
The Board received and approved these reports.
PH also invited the Board to approve:
·  Revised Audit Committee terms of reference which incorporated minor housekeeping changes to reflect the revised Joint Audit Code of Practice published in August 2015.
·  Proposals to revise the Risk Management Policy and Board Assurance Framework which governors had previously been consulted on and now reflected governors’ feedback. The risk register would be considered by the Executive Leadership Team and Audit Committee termly but would be a ‘living document’.
The Board approve these documents.
9.2 / Recommendations from Excellence and Experience Committee
The report was received and considered. The Board approved the updated Safeguarding Policy and Procedure and the Annual Equality and Diversity report. / AMP
9.3 / Recommendations from the Search and Governance Committee
The report was received and considered.
Ian Tunbridge and Peter Child withdrew from the meeting.
Thelma Sorenson, Chair of the Search and Governance Committee, explained that the committee had considered the expressions of interest in the roles of Chair and Vice Chair received very carefully. The committee recommended and the Board agreed:
·  The appointment of Dr Ian Tunbridge as Chair Designate with immediate effect with a view to succeeding the current Chair following a suitable handover likely to be in July 2016.
·  The appointment of Peter Child as Vice Chair with effect from 7 March 2016, when his current appointment as Vice Chair would lapse. for a two year term
IT and PC would prepare role descriptions for Chair and Vice Chair for consideration and approval at a future Board meeting.
IT and PC returned to the meeting and were congratulated on their appointments.
Peter Hardaker withdrew from the meeting.
TS proposed the following:
·  The reappointment of PH for a further term of two years from 1 June 2016.
·  The reappointment of Alan Tuckett for a further term of one year from 1 June 2016.
The Board agreed these appointments.
PH returned to the meeting and was advised of his reappointment.
The Board noted that Julia Green, who would complete her term of office at the end of May 2016, was not seeking reappointment. Accordingly the Board would need to appoint a lead governor for safeguarding, equality and diversity and SEN to succeed JG.
The Board also noted the proposals for identifying new governors and were invited to forward any suggestions for potential governors to the Corporation Secretary.
9.4 / Recommendations from Finance and Resources Committee - Confidential
The report was dealt with as a confidential item in accordance with the policy agreed by the Board, and recorded in the confidential minutes.
9.5 / Sub-contract Activity
The report was received and reviewed briefly by RH. The Board noted that this was an area which Ofsted had endorsed and approved the updated sub contract detailed in the paper.
10. / INFORMATION SECTION – SENT ELECTRONICALLY
Minutes of Board Committee Meetings
Audit 22 June 2015
Excellence and Experience 30 September 2015
Search 5 October 2015
Finance and Resources 7 October 2015
Minutes from Cluster Advisory Board Meetings
Technology 4 November 2015
Minutes from Corporation Health and Safety Committee
Meeting held on 8 October 2015
Minutes from Equality and Diversity Committee
Meeting held on 1 October 2015
11. / DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS AT 4.00 PM
11/12 March 2016 – Bicton College
11 May 2016 – CC St Austell
13 July 2016 – Duchy College Stoke Climsland
Closing the meeting the Chair reminded governors that a Special Board meeting would be scheduled for late January 2016 to approve the Bicton College completion accounts and Cornwall College financial statements. Details of arrangements would be shared as soon as possible.
He thanked colleagues for their support during an interesting year and wished everyone a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The Cornwall College Group (TCCG) is the Board approved name for the Cornwall College Further Education Corporation.

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