Draft Minutes of Finance, Premises and Human Resources committee of the TBAP Trust held at The Bridge AP Academy on Tuesday 17th November 2015
PRESENT: Mr Seamus Oates (Executive Headteacher); Ms Marie Thomas; Ms Wendy Fagan
In attendance: Mr Nathan Crawley-Lyons, Head of Business Development and Operations
Ms Deepa Martin, Finance Consultant
Ms Sarah Cooper, clerk
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
1.1 Mr Phillip Rham and Mr Paul Dix sent apologies.
2. PECUNIARY AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATION
There were none
3. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 15th SEPTEMBER 2015
The minutes of the Finance Committee meeting held on the 15th September 2015 were agreed as accurate; two copies were signed by the Chair.
4. MATTERS ARISING
8.1 Item 11 in the Risk Register will be amended – NCL COMPLETED
9.3 There have been some issues with security. Security at Octagon has been increased; staff have been informed that they must put valuable equipment away in a locked room. NCL COMPLETED
10.2 It was agreed that Mr Paul Dix would review the policies and report back to the committee at the next meeting. AGREED Board Meeting Agenda Item
11.1 It was agreed that Mr Crawley-Lyons would look at the impact of the rise in teachers pay and if there were any concerns he would report back to the committee – NCL COMPLETED
11.2 Mr Crawley-Lyons reported that three pay roll providers have been sourced there will be further analysis of two with a report to the committee with recommendations – Report included
5. TBAP GOVERNANCE STATEMENT 2014 – 2015 2015
5.1 Mr Crawley-Lyons reported that work continues on the Governance Statement it will be available for the Board meeting, it will be in line with the submission to the EFA
6. BUDGET REPORT / MONITORING
6.1 Ms Deepa Martin reported that the report included all of the APs and the Residence but does not include Cambridge yet. The provisional carry forward is £420,028 which has increased by £134,000 from the last report we have stopped all spending and called in all outstanding funds.
6.2 Staffing – there has been exercise with 3BM ensuring that we have all staff contracts. There is an area of risk with the agency costs this is being monitored closely. The agency commitment for September is £111,000 from September to December, this is connected to vacant posts so there should be an under spend in the salaries budget. It was agreed that Mr Nathan Crawley-Lyons would separate the agency costs related to sickness absence and vacant posts
6.3 All curriculum area budgets have been given to managers, once the budget has been spent no further orders will be permitted.
6.4 The total carry forward is £420,028, the projected surplus is £545,431 which is 4.1% of the funding. This has increased from last year. Cambridge is a cost at the moment it will be included with a carry forward of £45,000, the carry forward will be used on security for the site. Ms Wendy Fagan asked how the contingency would be signed off, Ms Deepa Martin reported that Mr Seamus Oates signs off the contingency. The contingency funds will only be used if necessary, the contingency figure has increased this year. The agency costs are a big issue and we are currently looking at a policy for agency use. Ms Wendy Fagan asked if Schools Direct brought in any funds. Mr Nathan Crawley-Lyons reported that Schools Direct did bring in funds but there were also related costs. Ms Wendy Fagan asked about long term sickness and the number of staff were included. Mr Nathan Crawley-Lyons reported that there were four staff members who were on long term sickness. Ms Marie Thomas asked how vacancies were monitored across the sites, Mr Nathan Crawley-Lyons reported that the HR team monitored the vacancies, the Heads of School making staffing requests and Mr Seamus Oates approves all new posts. There are a number of long term agency staff.
6.5 The committee discussed the cash flow, Ms Deepa Martin reported that top up money comes in regularly; the Devolved Capital funding comes in in May which is around £28,000.
6.6 Staff Expenses were presented to the committee the Auditors recommended that this should continue, the expenses would be signed off by the Chair and Mr Seamus Oates.
7. TBAP EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
7.1 A proposal was circulated. The proposal includes another level of leadership. Mr Seamus Oates recommended that an additional level of leadership should be implemented with two Executive Headteachers who will sit in an Academy with a Head of School. Mr Seamus Oates also proposed that the Head of CSS and the Teaching School Alliance become Executive Heads to reflect the increasing breadth and strategic importance of the roles to the growth of the Trust. A new post of Chief Operating Officer who will report directly to the CEO, a new post of Executive Officer who will responsible for PA support, communications marketing and projects. The committee discussed the proposals and asked what the feedback was from the staff. Mr Seamus Oates reported that the proposal had been shared with the Heads of Schools, everyone had recognised that we could not continue as we were. The committee discussed appointing interns for the Senior Executive Officer and the TSA Officer. Mr Seamus Oates reported that business support needs to provide support across the organisation. The TBAP Lead for Safeguarding and Welfare post could be an assimilated post.
7.2 Appendix 3 was circulated with the report this indicates the ranges and pay scales for the proposed structure. Ms Marie Thomas reported that she still had concerns about a school for children with medical needs, Mr Seamus Oates agreed that this should be explored.
7.3 The committee discussed funding for the proposal. Mr Nathan Crawley-Lyons reported that there were discussions with the DFE regarding the funding. Mr Seamus Oates reported that there are capacity issues, the Executive Head for the East will have two schools at the moment but we are under pressure to take on other schools we do not have the capacity at the moment to do this.
8. HR REPORT
8.1 Solution Proposal circulated, this includes HR, payroll with Self Service. Mr Nathan Crawley-Lyons reported that there were issues with BT, the HR package included has a self service approach to HR were staff update their own information. The cost is £10,000, there will be implementation costs of £2,500. The system will also allow us to recruit, we will be able to see applications and how many people have looked at the post. The system has sickness absence monitoring included. We have a small HR team, the system will allow them to have a effective tool to work more effectively. The company have worked in colleges and schools. We currently only have one quote, we are waiting for a further two quotes. There is a budget for £30,000. The committee agreed in principal to move forward with additional quotes and references.
8.2 Holiday Period Closure – Nathan Crawley-Lyons reported that the staff who work all year round will need to take annual leave between the Christmas and New Year period. AGREED
8.3 We have recruited to the FT Speech and Language Therapist post
9. PREMISES REPORT
9.1 There is an increase in the number of premises in the portfolio
9.2 Planning permission is required for the Cambridge site. The Playground and the car park need to be separated. Some of the doors need to be changed. The costs are high.
9.3 The Phase 1 building work in the residency will be completed this week, an Ofsted registration visit is scheduled for next week. We are pushing for a seven year lease with a break clause. We will be receiving the costs for Phase 2 this week, this will enable us to house fourteen children. We have staffing for seven students, there have been issues with the timetables. Staffing is required 24 hours a day 7 days a week during term time.
10. RISK REGISTER
10.1 The register shows the number of risks we have, with the number that are current, the number that are mitigated and the number that have been resolved and completed.
11. APPROVAL OF 2014 – 15 ACCOUNTS
Audit Findings Report Circulated which includes the High, Medium and Low risks
11.1 Mr Nathan Crawley-Lyons reported that there had been a couple of issues and questions had been sent to the auditors. In terms of the experience it was an easier process for everyone involved. It would make sense to have the audit earlier or arrange this meeting for later.
11.2 Haysmacintyre organise training sessions on accounts for governors each year in April / May. Dates will be circulated to the governors.
11.3 The governors approved the accounts.
12. CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS
Update on cases circulated.
12.1 One case was successfully defended with support from witnesses. It was a difficult case which we had been advised to settle. There are lessons to be learnt from this particularly recording information particularly in the case of long term sickness absence
12.2 A long term sickness absence has been referred to Occupational Health. We are awaiting information on a possible return to work, there remains an option to settle
12.3 Agency teacher – the agency agreed to fund a settlement we were not required to contribute financially and continued to deny liability
12.4 Agency supply teacher services terminated after an incident was reported by the LADO.
13. DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING
The date of the next meeting is scheduled for 1st March 2015 at 5.00 pm
Signed…………………………………… Date …………………….2015
Chair of Committee
ACTION LIST
6.2 Agency costs related to sickness absence and vacant posts would be separated – NCL
6.4 Insurance to cover staff absence to be investigated – NCL
6.6 Staff Expenses were presented to the committee the Auditors recommended that this should continue, the expenses would be signed off by the Chair and Mr Seamus Oates – AGENDA ITEM NCL
7.2 Free School for children with medical needs – Action SO
7.3 Proposed Minor Reorganisation – AGENDA ITEM FOR THE BOARD – NCL
8.1 References for the new HR / Payroll system to be sought – NCL
11.1 A Value for Money Statement needs to be included in the accounts.
11.2 Haysmacintyre organise training sessions on accounts for governors each year in April / May. Dates will be circulated to the governors.- NCL
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