SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE COLLEGE BOARD OF GOVERNORS Minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2010 PRESENT: Ray Faulkner (Chair Sue Bard Gerry Hindley Steve James Khaja Khan Tim Legge Andy Minifie Chris Taylor Les Trigg Graham Morley Caroline Sharp External Chief Executive Principal Student In attendance: Tina Simmons Mark Robertson Ian James Sue Jones Claire Boliver (for presentation on Qualification Credit Framework only Vice-Principal Finance & Resources Vice-Principal Curriculum & Quality Clerk to the Governors Deputy Clerk to the Governors Director of Curriculum APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE 100 Apologies were received from Philip Atkins (External, Bill Avery (External, Nigel Baxter (Staff, Dennis Foster (External, Matthew Lowe (Student, Jean-Pierre Parsons (External and Paul Richards (External. DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS 101 There were no declarations of interest. PRESENTATION ON QUALIFICATION CREDIT FRAMEWORK (QCF 102 The Board received a presentation from Claire Boliver, Director of Curriculum, on the Qualification Credit Framework to be implemented from September 2010. The Framework would comprise of a list of units and qualifications approved by the Sector Skills Councils which had identified skills gaps and prioritised those qualifications which would be funded to address these skills gaps. 103 The importance of ensuring that progression pathways were available in all curriculum areas from foundation level was recognised and, in light of this, all qualifications being delivered by the College were being reviewed. 104 Resolved - that an update report on the implementation of QCF be presented to the May Board meeting. 1
MINUTES Minutes of the Board meeting held on 14 December 2009 105 Resolved - that Part I of the minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2009 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair. Wind Direct (ref. minute 8 106 The Chief Executive Principal updated the Board on the proposal to install wind turbines at the Rodbaston Campus. The planning application was due to be considered at a planning meeting on 15 February together with a planning application submitted for the Visitors Centre. HE Strategy (ref. minute 41 107 The Chairman confirmed that he had approved the final HE Strategy for submission to HEFCE in January. Legal Action re Non-Payment of Funds (ref. minute 82 108 The legal action regarding non-payment of funds to a previous partner had not yet been resolved but the Board would be informed of the outcome. EFFECTIVENESS AND PERFORMANCE Effectiveness and Performance Report (On-Site Curriculum 109 The Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality presented his report on effectiveness and performance for on-site curriculum (copy attached to the signed minutes. 110 Schools enrolment was, at 1,625, 29.2% ahead of target and 16 18 enrolments were up by 8.24% at 3,891. Adult learner recruitment was on target at 3,900, however HE recruitment, although showing an increase of 2.7% on 2008/2009, was disappointing at 707 against a target of 776. Attendance rates at 84% were above the sector average of 80% and in-year retention stood at 97.19% overall. Effectiveness and Performance Report (Workforce Development 111 The report on effectiveness and performance for workforce development was received (copy attached to the signed minutes. 112 A number of shortcomings had been identified within the Workforce Development area and these were being addressed by senior management. Meetings were being held with all key providers to establish an accurate picture of the situation. Governors expressed concern and asked for reassurance that the College had the right people in place to identify and rectify the shortcomings in the area. The Chief Executive Principal advised that he had brought several people in to assist him. Annual Target Setting for Academic Performance 113 The Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality presented the target setting report including the proposed targets for 2009/2010 with baseline, minimum and stretch targets (copy attached to signed minutes. 114 The targets had been set taking into account 2008/2009 baseline performance and national averages where available. In all areas, except where achievement of national average 2
targets would require significant improvement, targets had been set at least at national averages with additional stretch targets being set. All learners at the start of their course were individually assessed and targets set; their achievement against this target constituted the value added measurement. The target set for staff satisfaction at 40% was felt to be low. However, in view of the merger and changes in staff contracts, the Chief Executive Principal felt this to be a realistic target. 115 Resolved - that the targets for 2009/2010, as detailed in the report, be approved. FINANCE AND ASSURANCE Management Accounts to 31 December 2009 116 The Vice-Principal Finance and Resources presented the Management Accounts to 31 December 2009 (copy attached to signed minutes. 117 All key performance measures were on target for achievement with a small operating surplus predicted. Work had just commenced on the budget review. Pay expenditure was lower than expected at the time of year, however the budget included provision for a pay award and the cost of contract changes due to be implemented over the next few months. Project income was below profile as was projected related pay. Not included in the figures was an additional 183,000 of Learning and Skills Council (LSC income for over-recruitment. 118 A query was raised over the consequences of any non-compliance with bank loan covenants. The governors were advised that senior managers were aware of this issue and that it was being monitored closely. However, although any non-compliance could potentially enable a bank to call in a loan, the Vice Principal felt that it was more likely that a bank would raise the interest rate instead. Tuition Fees 2010/2011 119 The Vice Principal Finance and Resources presented the report on Tuition Fee levels for 2010/2011 (copy attached to signed minutes. 120 The Learning and Skills Council (LSC assumption was that, for 2010/2011, 50% of funding would come by way of income from learners and employers. This represented an increase of 5.3% on the previous year and it was therefore proposed to increase tuition fees by this percentage. The policy contained provision for the Chief Executive Principal to change the fees mid-year if this was in the College s best interests. 121 Resolved - that the Tuition Fees for 2010/2011 be approved. GOVERNANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT Risk Management 122 The Vice-Principal Finance and Resources presented the Risk Management Report including the Risk Register for 2009/2010 (copy attached to the signed minutes. The report also included the Risk Management Action Plan updated as at the end of December 2009. 123 A total of 75 actions had been identified to mitigate risk and two additional risks had been added. These related to the introduction of a Customer Relationship Management (CRM system and bank loan covenants. Three key areas of risk remained high priority relating to the control of pay costs, projects and partners and failure to meet recruitment targets. 3
Health and Safety 124 The Vice-Principal Finance and Resources presented the Health and Safety Report which included an update on the development of policies and procedures (copy attached to the signed minutes. 125 The Board was aware of the importance of properly fulfilling its role in respect of health and safety at the College. Health and Safety reports were already submitted to each Campus Committee meeting in addition to Board meetings. It was proposed that the issue be discussed further at the meeting between the Chairman, the Executive Leadership Team and Campus Committee Chairs scheduled to take place shortly. 126 Management was asked to consider ways in which governors could be kept informed and updated on activity relating to health and safety, risk management etc. to provide reassurance that issues were being dealt with. The link visits programme arranged for governors to visit College departments would help inform governors. Human Resources Report 127 The Vice-Principal Finance and Resources presented the report on HR providing an update on developments (copy attached to signed minutes. 128 A new Director of HR had been appointed and a new single HR system had been put in place. The HR consultant who had been contracted by the College to undertake the HR function in terms of the merger would continue in this role and was expected to complete the work in a few months time. Good progress had been made in obtaining CRB clearances on all staff and implementing absence reporting and appraisal and induction processes. It was noted that, as a result of the new absence reporting processes, absences might increase but this would be due to improved reporting which would also help to ensure return to work interviews were undertaken. ANY OTHER BUSINESS Nursery 129 The College had the opportunity to acquire a local authority grant of 200,000 towards the rebuild of the College nursery on the condition that the funds were spent in the current academic year. The full cost of the rebuild would require the College to contribute a further 200,000 although it was noted that provision of any College funding towards the project, i.e. match funding, was not a pre-requisite of being awarded the grant. It was agreed that any such project should be included within the overall College s estate strategy. Governors would have preferred to consider this proposal within the context of the overall estate strategy at the event being arranged for 13 March but did not want to risk losing the grant towards the cost. 130 Resolved - that the expenditure of 200,000 towards the cost of the rebuild of the nursery be approved, subject to the work being included within the College s estate strategy. Disciplinary appeals 131 A query was raised over the role of governors in any disciplinary appeals. The Clerk commented that some colleges set up committees annually to undertake this function although there was an inherent danger in this method as it relied on the committee members being available when required, often at short notice. Consequently, it was arguably more practical for the Chair to authorise the establishment and membership of a committee if one was required as this allowed for more flexibility; this was the approach that the College had taken. Several governors offered to join such a committee if and when needed. 4
DATE OF NEXT MEETING 132 The next meeting would be held on Monday, 22 March 2010 at 5.30pm at Lichfield Campus. Chair Date 5