C(13)4
Minutes
Meeting of the Corporation
Wednesday 2 October 2013 at 4.30pm
SB2 – Science Building
Part 1
Present :Bruce Adams Gillian May (Principal)
Grace BryantKarnail Pannu
Malcolm CameronJohn Petitt
John HollandFrank Pitkin
Barry HollimanDaniela Shanly
Samantha KilgourMike Steyn (attended via skype link)
Bob LewinSimon Polley
Philip Love Viv Robertson
Brenda Lee John Wilder (Chair)
In attendance:Anne EntwistleVP Safeguarding & Student Services
Bill Grady Ex-Principal
Tracy ReeveClerk to the Corporation
Jill SmallProjects Manager
Apologies:Cllr Colin Rayner
David MarshmanVP Finance & Corporate Services
64/13 Chairs Welcome
The Chair welcomed all new members to the meeting: Samantha Kilgour; the student governors Grace Bryant and Brenda Lee; and the two newly elected staff governors, Simon Polley (teaching staff) and Viv Robertson (support staff). He also welcomed Mike Steyn to the meeting who was attending via skype link whilst on business in Frankfurt.
Mr Wilder went onto explain that due to a very unusual set of circumstances the meeting would need to be conducted as a Part 2 confidential meeting and that staff and students were asked to withdraw. He apologised for the seeming lack of transparency but assured the staff and student governors that this was not usual practice for the Corporation at BCA but the nature of the required discussions necessitated the withdrawal of staff and students. He assured staff and students that a large part of the business scheduled for the meeting would not be considered and a new meeting date would be set before the end of October.
At this point the Staff Governors,(Mr Polley and Ms Robertson), the student governors (Ms Bryant and Ms Lee), the Vice-Principal S&SS and Mrs Small left the meeting.
Minutes
Meeting of the Corporation
Wednesday 2 October 2013 at 4.30pm
SB2 – Science Building
PART 2 – CONFIDENTIAL MINUTE
Present :Bruce Adams Gillian May (Principal)
Malcolm CameronKarnail Pannu
John HollandJohn Petitt
Barry HollimanFrank Pitkin
Samantha KilgourDaniela Shanly
Bob LewinMike Steyn (attended via skype link)
Philip LoveJohn Wilder (Chair)
In attendance:Bill Grady Ex-Principal
Tracy ReeveClerk to the Corporation
Apologies:Cllr Colin Rayner
65/13
66/13
Minutes
Meeting of the Corporation
Wednesday 2 October 2013 at 4.30pm
SB2 – Science Building
PART 1
67/13Apologies
Apologies had been received from Cllr Rayner. It was noted thatthe Staff Governors, (Mr Polley and Ms Robertson), the student governors (Ms Bryant and Ms Lee), the Vice-Principal S&SS and Mrs Small could not re-join the meeting as they had left the campus. The Chair suggested that in their absence business be kept to a minimum and items to be carried forward to 22nd October 2013.
68/13Notification of any other business
There was none.
69/13 Notification of interests
There were none.
70/13Minutes of the meeting held on 10thJuly 2013
The Clerk informed the meeting that there had been an error in the issued minutes; the total number of ‘external’ governors at minute 48/13(ii) should read 14 not 13. An amended copy of the minutes were approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.
71/13Matters Arising
- H&S Report 2012/13 – analysis of accidents
The meeting noted an update report as requested. They were reassured that there were no trends or spikes in accidents which needed further remedial action.
- Governors Moodle page
The Aide-Memoire was noted, governors commended this new facility.
GOVERNANCE ISSUES
72/13Corporation Annual Schedule of Business
The Clerk presented a paper outlining the Corporation and sub-committee work schedule during the 2013/14 academic year.
Resolved:That the Annual Schedule of Business 2013/14 be approved.
73/13Governors’ Attendance 2012/13
The Clerk reported on the attendance of Governors at Corporation meetings in 2012/13. Overall attendance was 77.5% which exceeded the Governance Key Performance Indicator target (75%). The majority of Governors had met the attendance target and individual exceptions had been due to work or community commitments.
The report was NOTED.
74/13Senior Post-holder Report
The report provided and update on enrolment and timetabling, SFA contract 2012/13, HE enrolment, capital builds and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Maidenhead regeneration project. The report was taken as read.
Noted
75/13Governor Link Scheme
Members noted the protocol for the Governor Link scheme and the update BCA contacts. The Chair emphasised the value of the Link Scheme for Governors and Staff and commended all governors to commit fully to the link visits on a termly basis. The dates of the Quality Review Board (QRB) meetings by curriculum area for 2013/14 were also noted, governors were encouraged to attend the QRB for their link areas.
Noted
ITEMS FOR DECISION
76/13Bank Mandate
The Principal presented the draft Bank Mandate structure and Members were reminded that this had been considered and approved by the Audit Committee in September 2013.
The Bank Mandate was APPROVED as presented.
77/13Internal Audit Plan 2013/14
The Chair of Audit informed the meeting that after discussion at Audit Committee in September 2013 this would be amended to reflect recent freedoms to remove the Internal Audit Service (IAS) in colleges; the compliance audit of governance would be removed to be replaced by a full follow-up audit of IT; and financial forecasting would be removed to be replaced by an audit of cash and banking. Members noted that there may be a need to include an audit of the college management accounts during 2013/14 for board assurance. A finalised IAS Strategy would be brought to the Corporation in December 2013.
Noted
ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
78/13Capital Development Report
This was carried forward to 22nd October 2013
79/13Enrolment Update 2013/14
- Enrolment v Curriculum Plan 2013/14
The Principal updated the meeting on actual enrolment 2013/14. Governors commended the consolidated level of growth achieved. The numbers of 16-18 vocational learners was now at 1227 and 19+ vocational at 193. Members were reminded that the census point for withdrawals was at 6 weeks and that the College was doing all possible to limit any withdrawals. Members commended the maintained growth and asserted the importance of maintaining rigorous quality processes during the next year. Data on HE enrolment by curriculum area was also noted; the meeting commended the considerable increase in HE numbers with 119 HE learners in 2013/14 compared with 88 in 2012/13.
The report was RECEIVED.
- Review of Enrolment Report
The meeting received a detailed review from the Principal on the September 2013enrolment process which had been run over an 8 day period in August, with 1 mop-up day. Governors were informed that the process had run extremely smoothly with short waiting times and all students receiving their timetable at enrolment (this had never been achieved before). Feedback from students and parents had been very positive; the Chair confirmed that he had received very positive feedback from someone he knew whose child had enrolled at BCA for 2013/14.
The report was RECEIVED.
80/13Reforecast Budget 2013/14 and 3 Year Plan
This item was deferred until 22nd October 2013.
81/13Finance Report
- Management Accounts July 2013
As previously discussed in the Part 2 meeting (minute 65/13) this item was deferred until 22nd October 2013.
82/13 Student Out-turn 2012/13 - Provisional Success Rates
The Principal informed the meeting that success rate data for 2012/13 was not yet available but that provisional data suggested that some areas had over-estimated performance at the May 2013 QRB meetings. Members were pleased to note that provisional data was ahead of prior year performance. It was noted that confirmed data was still awaited from City and Guilds. He assured Members that this report would be brought to Teaching & Learning Committee in November 2013 and information would be brought to Corporation in December 2013. Members were pleased to note that success data for AS levels was encouraging; BCA had 7 subjectareas performing considerably above national benchmarks.
Noted
83/13Annual Reports 2012/13
The annual reports for Safeguarding and for Equality and Diversity were deferred until 22nd October 2013.
84/13Risk Register
The meeting noted the full Risk Register which had been updated for September 2013.
The Risk Register was NOTED.
85/13Final Meeting Timetable 2013/14
Members noted the final meeting schedule for 2013/14 as previously agreed.
Noted
86/13Register of Interests
The Clerk reminded the meeting that timely completion of this form by Members was a formal requirement of the audit process. All completed forms to be returned to the Clerk as soon as possible.
Noted
ITEMS TO BE TAKEN AS READ
87/13Teaching & Learning Committee Minutes,12 June2013
The minutes were taken as read.
88/13F&GP Committee Minutes, 3 July 2013
The minutes were taken as read.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
89/13Date of Next Meeting
Tuesday 22ndOctober at 4pm.
90/13Any Other Business
- IT Infrastructure Phase 3 (for approval)
This item was deferred until 22nd October 2013.
- External Influences
Members noted a paper from the Principal which highlighted a number of external influences which would impact on BCA strategy during the future. These included; LEPs, Tech Levels, Careers Advice and Raising the Participation Age (RAPA), 600 hour Study Programmes, Teacher training bursaries, high need pupils and Adult and Community Learning. Members noted that all local school sixth forms had seen growth in their numbers due in part to the media portrayal of RAPA as ‘staying on at school’; anecdotal evidence suggested that all local FE colleges had experienced a decrease in numbers as a result.
The report was NOTED.
There was no other business, the meeting closed at 6.25pm
1