Who / What / By When
LJ / Audit of School Funds Account / March 2017
ML / Relook at spending list with more information etc. / April 2017
ML / Facebook policy to be sent to clerk for distribution to the governors for adoption/approval at FGM / Before next FGM on 25th Jan 2017
ML / To add school App into the school E-safety policy / March 2017
All
governors / Read Health and Safety policy on school website / FGM on 25th Jan 2017
ML / ML to return the draft H&S governor monitoring document to JA. / Before next FGM on 25th Jan 2017
H&S
group / School access equipment to be audited at the next H&S monitoring visit. / Next H&S monitoring visit.
Funding / Asda and other supermarkets run community schemes for schools. JP offered to obtain further details. / By next FGM mtg 25th Jan 2017.
Meeting held in – Early Years Classroom G053. Classroom audited for compliance with the school learning environment policy, all areas strongly in place. External outdoor area part of the Whole School Plan following the Nov 2016 Ofsted Report – What does the school need to do to improve further, ‘Further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in early years by ensuring that the outdoor area is used as effectively as areas inside the school building’.
Present:John Poucher, Martin Lister, John Ailsby, Joanne Sykes, Dawn James (Clerk)
1 / Apologies:
Graham Parkinson
No apologies received from Tim Bishop
In Attendance
Lynda Jackson – in the role of Bursar / Senior Administrator
2 / Declarations of Conflict of Interest in agenda:
None declared.
3 / Minutes of last meeting – 15/11/2016
Agreed as correct. Proposed by JA and seconded by JS
4 / Matters Arising:
Action points:
5. ‘Awards for All’ and various Grants – work in Progress. JP suggest obtain guidelines and begin initial paperwork. Grants usually have to be community based. Azda and other supermarkets run community schemes for schools. JP offered to obtain further details.
5. Arrange audit for school funds account – Charles Mayhew has been contacted and will agreed to undertake this work by appointment.
6. Contact Police re. parking Toot Lane – ML has contacted
6. Health and Safety Inspection – carried out 23.11.16. ML advised that he had contacted Kay Taman (Lincolnshire Road Safety Team) to get an update on proposed actions related to improving parking and traffic management in Toot Lane. Ms Taman reported that she would discuss a new parking proposal with ML in January 2017. JP and JAwill attend the forthcoming Fishtoft Parish Council meeting on 16.1.17.
7. Spending List – ML has prepared a spending list (attached). Document forms part of these minutes. ML reported that the annualDevolved Capital Grant received by HTS has reduced substantially over recent years. This fact, together with the challenging nature of the school’s devolved budget means that there is less money available for repairs and maintenance which increasingly are becoming the school’s responsibility.
LCC have decreased the type of repairs which they previously carried out as part of the ‘buy in’ scheme. ML said maintenance of the school exterior has fallen due but LCC are no longer painting or up keeping quinquennial exteriorwoodwork, windows or fencing. The Site Manager has a list of jobs to complete and has already decorated some corridors, halls and classrooms. New premises ‘Buy Back’ scheme runs March to April annually.
Re. Spending List:
Line 6 – JP asked if there was an argument to change thewooden cladding to plastic planks. ML to discuss with Mark and seek quotations.
Line 14 – Agreed to defer as not a critical spend
Line 18 – Existing alarm systemcannot be programmed to emit a different tone in case of a‘lock down’. A new system can be purchased which will provide 32 alarm points. Quotations to be sought.
It was agreed to wait for quotes for lines 16, 18 and 19.
Line 21 – Define and reduce. What is needed now and what can wait? More detail required.
Agreed to proceed with spends on – lines 7,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 17, 20, 22, 23 and 1-5.
Additional box at bottom of sheet (Computer/IT items):
There are 12 laptops in Y5/6 which are 12 years old.
Kier are pulling out of the school I.T. contract at the end of March 2017. There are several companies currently bidding for the contract which commences on 1.4.17. ML said this is a big issue. He will report on progress at the March meeting.
White boards – Children and teachers make full use of the boards daily. JA asked how long white boards last? ML estimated approximately a 5-10 year life. JA enquired if rental/lease was an option and ML said this was something that had been done in the past but would look into the idea again.
JP asked which ‘spending pots’ the moneyfor the approved‘spend list’ repairs would be taken from? LJ said it was difficult for her to accurately predict the finalcontingency figure for 2016/2017 as some of the line numbers are carried forward year on year.
ML was asked by JP to state which of the computer/IT items were most important. ML replied that theteacher laptops and the interactive whiteboards, items 1 and 4 were most urgently required. It was agreed to look at items 2, 3 and 5 after April 2017.
It was agreed to proceed with spend on 1 and 4.
8. Facebook policy. ML advised that the policy had been finalised and distributed to staff. JP asked ML to ‘click’ the document to DJ so it could be sent to all governors for approval/adoption at the next FGB meeting. Suggested that the Schools Council could use Facebook as a communication tool (published by teaching staff not children).
JP asked if the use of the school App could be included in the ‘E’ safety policy? ML said that he would ensure that this was dealt with.
4. As a separate update ML reported that theI.T.‘Spyware’now includes Ipads.
8. School newsletter - LJ had calculated annual production costs of £50 for black white copies and £198 for colour. JP proposed that the school change the newsletter to colour print and photographs as from the next issue.JA and JS agreed.
5 / Agresso. Current Situation Report
Letter from L.C.C. dated 7.12.16 circulated (forms part of these minutes) regarding school options in respect of the ongoing use of Serco’s Agresso finance and HR system or the sourcing of an alternative company by 31st January 2017. ML, JP and LJ expressed their preference to remain with Serco as the timetable for change is unrealistic. LJ has written to Rita Stones at L.C.C. (Liason Officer) to advise her that HTS is not prepared to pay Serco’s annual feefor 2016/2017(£3042.52 suggested).
Governors were in agreement with this. The committee recommended that the school holds its ground and does not pay the SERCO fee.
Finance Update.Written financial update and 5 year forecast (attached) discussed. LJ has updated staffing costs on the 5 year plan to include a non-teaching deputy, Chris Brady 2.5 teaching Assistant Head teacher & SEND Coordinator and the Learning Mentor Team. JP thanked LJ for producing the reports.LJ explained the growth funding ‘in year adjustment’ which will go by 2017-18. Budget predication for 2020-21 are exceedingly challenging.
6. / September 2017 intake – applications
ML distributed a list showing the number of applications received for the 2017 intake with comparison figures against previous year’s application numbers. The numbers demonstrated a downward trend on 1st choice applications. JP stressed that the school had to adopt a P.R. campaign which ran from September of each year, involving school staff with the object of maximising applications. A discussion followed on the reasons why admissions have become more difficult this year: Increased competition in Boston with improving schools and academies andfollowing Brexit some Eastern European families may be returning home or not choosing to relocate to the UK. ML pointed out that on the plus side, the growth of housing each side of Toot Lane will hopefully provide a very local source of pupil admissions. ML said that he had already spoken to certain staff members about becoming involved in the P.R. project.
7 / Health & Safety
JA updated governors regarding the NovemberHealth and Safety inspection (report forms part of the minutes). ML to return the draft H&S governor monitoring document to JA. JP advised that school access equipment to be audited at the next H&S monitoring visit.
ML has updated the Health and Safety policy which is now available to read on the school website. JP asked that all governors read the report.
8. / Property update/Repairs and Projects
Dealt with in 7
9. / Finance
Dealt with in 5
10. / Any other Business
- New staff list circulated by ML (forms part of these minutes).
- Facebook page/app/newsletter dealt with in 4.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.10pm
Full Governing Body / Resources Committee / Strategy CommitteeWednesday 25th January 2017 6.30pm / Tuesday 14th March 2017 6.30pm
1