Minutes of the Board - 01 October 2018

PART I – OPEN ITEMS

37/18. Declarations of Interest

Andy Allen declared a Standing Interest as an employee of Harper Adams University.
Richard Heath declared a Standing Interest as an employee of Harper Adams University.

38/18. Minutes of Board Meeting Held 26 March 2018 (Appendix – Agenda Item 3)

Resolved: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 09 July 2018, be approved.

39/18. Matters Arising

None.

40/18. Chair’s Announcements

The Chair advised that the Hair and Beauty Department would be hosting a prestigious Hair & Beauty Event on 08 October 2018;

• • Joshua Hardy had been nominated and appointed as the Academic Staff Governor (EB & WB campuses) (Board Min. No. 31/18 refers) and was welcomed to the Board and the meeting;
  • The Chair took the opportunity to welcome all Board members at the commencement of the 2018 2019 Academic year.

41/18. Principal’s Update

The Principal provided a thorough strategic overview on the following topics –

• Update on new staff joining the College, of which 30% were teaching staff;
• Total number of students across the group for 2017 – 2018, including 16 – 18 academic and vocational, apprenticeships, adult skills & training and higher education;
• The College’s performance against 2017 – 2018 targets.
• Review of 2017 – 2018 with respect to
  • Adult Skills and BDU;
  • Apprenticeships
  • Higher Education;
  • Student Support;
  • Teaching and Learning and Subject Enhancement,
  • Enrichment, student competition and sporting achievements; and
  • Estates and ICT achievements and programmes at the three campus sites;
• Review of Provision –
  • Achievement on Preparation Programmes and L1/L2/L3 technical
  • English and maths GCSE
  • BTEC; and
  • A Level provision
• Issues for 2018 – 2018.
  • Demography of main cohort;
  • Sustaining the breadth of provision offered;
  • Maintaining and building on the College’s reputation;
  • National policy and financial challenges;
  • Preparation for probable full OFSTED Inspection;
  • Delivering on the College’s strategic goals;
  • Latest full-time 16-18 enrolments update against the target; and

The Board also reviewed a full set of full set of academic and vocational results (previously circulated) for -

• • 2018 A Level Grade Analysis;
  • 2018 Extended Diploma Grade Analysis;
  • 2018 GCSE Grade Analysis;
  • 2018 Level 3 Certificate Grade Analysis; and
  • 2018 Level 3 Sub Diploma Grade Analysis.

The Principal/Chief Executive advised the Board of general targets for the College 2018 – 2019.

The Board congratulated the Principal/Chief Executive, Senior Leadership Team and all staff on a year of achievement.

Resolved: That -

1. 1. the report of the Principal/Chief Executive be noted; and
      
   2. the Board’s thanks be passed to all staff.

42/18. Summary of Minutes and Recommendations from Committees

Search & Governance Committee – 26 September 2018

The Committee Chair gave a verbal update and presented recommendations -.

The Committee Chair reported that –

• • M. Willmott had been appointed as Chair of the Committee for 2018 – 2019;
  • The candidate for the current Board vacancy had been unable to attend the meeting and would be offered another opportunity;
  • acknowledged that search activity would plan for 2019;
  • Having considered the skills base of the current membership and the skills required to support the College for the foreseeable future, the Committee had AGREED that the Board Determination remain at 19;
  • The Clerk continued to seek a co-opted committee member for the Audit Committee;
  • J. Evans, the HE Student Governor, had resigned on 10 September 2018. The Clerk was currently working with the HE Lead to recruit a successor;
  • The Committee had agreed that the Board Chair, Committee Chair and Principal/CEO liaise to consider provision areas or themes it may wish to recommend for the Learning Walk Programme for 2018 – 2019;
  • The Committee had discussed how it could support governors’ understanding of and preparation for the probable full OFSTED Inspection. It had been agreed that the Principal/CEO discuss with the Clerk and Board Chair to progress this;
  • The Committee had considered the latest Skills Audit which showed that all of the key skills identified as required were present and that the Board had met its Key Indicator No 2 (Skills Audit Analysis to indicate at least one member has ‘High’ level of expertise/knowledge in each required area);
  • The Committee had reviewed the Board’s Improvement Plan. All actions had been achieved by deadline;
  • The format of the strategic planning event to be held in 2019, would consist of the validation of the College’s Self-Assessment Report (SAR) and consideration of key strategic issues with an invited external speaker.

49/18. Appointments to the Board

A Valid Nomination for the Vacancy for the 16 – 18 Student Governor had been received.

Resolved: That Meg Chandler be appointed as Student Governor (16 – 19) for a Two Year Term, with effect from 01 October 2018.

Having considered the current Board skills set, the Board’s Succession Plan and the performance, contribution and skills base of the individual, the Committee recommended that G. Channon be appointed to a Second Term of Four Years with effect from 01 April 2019.

Resolved: That Gordon Channon be appointed as an Independent Governor for a Four Year Term, with effect from 01 April 2019.

50/18. Committee Membership 2018 – 2019

Committee evaluation indicated that, to date, governors considered the current structure/committee mix/numbers appropriate and that the Board was responsive should additional committees or task and finish groups be required.

Resolved: That the Committee Membership 2018 – 2019, with effect from 01 October 2018, be as follows –

Audit Committee
L. Carroll
I. Gilmour
N. Merchant
R. Sartain
Co-opted committee member

Finance & Business Operations Committee
G. Channon
R. Heath
D. Pulford
R. Rosson
J. Staniforth
M. Thompson
P. Tucker

Human Resources Committee
I Gilmour
R. Rosson
R. Sartain
J. Staniforth
Co-Opted Committee Member – Anne Dokov
G. Channon (ex-officio)

Quality, Standards & Curriculum Committee
A. Allen
C. Davis
C. Gore
J. Harry
N. Merchant
Vacancy
M. Willmot
G. Channon (ex-officio)

Remuneration Committee
G. Channon
C. Davies
I Gilmour
R. Rosson

Search & Governance Committee
A. Allen
R. Heath
J. Staniforth
M. Willmot (Chair)
G. Channon (ex-officio)

Governor Leads - A Allen – Apprenticeships & Marketing, C. Gore – Safeguarding, PREVENT, SEND & E&D, R. Rosson – H&S, M. Willmot – H.E., Risk – N. Merchant.

51/18. Draft Board Timetable 2017 – 2018 (Agenda item 8 – Appendix)

Governors were presented (previously circulated) with a Draft Annual Timetable of Board Business 2018 – 2019. Governors noted that the Strategic Planning Day would be held on Friday, 25 January 2019.

Resolved: That the Annual Timetable of Business for the Board 2018 – 2019, be noted.

52/18. Risk

As part of the discussions on the College’s Risk Register and Board Assurance Framework agreed (Board Min No. 67/17 refers), all committee agendas now featured a final item to consider whether risks connected with that committee had been effectively addressed in the meeting.

The Board also undertook a review of the risks within the remit of the Board. It was assured that the College was taking reasonable actions to mitigate these risks.

53/18. Date of Next Meeting – 10 December 2018. Venue – Origins Restaurant, London Road Campus. It was also advised that an informal governor social event would be held at the venue on the conclusion of the meeting, to which all governors and SLT members were invited.

54/18. Additional Confidential Item – College Submission for Registration to the Office for Students (OfS)

The Group Vice-Principal, Quality and Curriculum Development advised that the College would soon be in a position to submit its registration application to the Office for Students. Governors were reminded that they had previously given individual consent for the OfS to hold and process personal data for the purpose of regulation (as part of the general GDPR consent). However, to re-affirm, it was

Resolved: That: submission of the College Submission for Registration to the Office for Students be acknowledged and that consent be granted to the Office for Students to hold and process personal data for the purpose of regulation of the College's application.

55/18. Information Pack items

The Board received the following items (previously circulated) –

• • Board KPIs 2017 – 2018 – Performance Against - all 2017 – 2018 Governance KPIs had been achieved. It was now possible to track year on-year performance and against 11 of the KPIs, evidence indicated that performance had been achieved and improved on the previous year;
  • Glossary of common acronyms

PART 2 – CONFIDENTIAL ITEMS

It was agreed that Minute Numbers 54/18 and 55/18 be considered as confidential under Article 16(2) (d) and Standing Order 11.

56/18. Summary of Draft Financial Outturn 2017 – 2018 (Agenda Item 12 – Appendix)

The Board noted a summary report (previously circulated) of the Finance Director, setting out a summary of the draft financial position at the end of the year.

The Finance Director reported that –

• • Outturn Financial Health at July 2018: Good;
  • Key assumptions included in the draft outturn; and
  • Key risks in the Outturn, including
    • Achievement: To the extent that final achievement rates differ from those assumed above this will impact final Income, EBITDA and Operating Surplus;
    • Subcontracted Activity, outstanding paperwork; and
    • MIS Data review: This, historically, identified small amounts of additional income to be accounted for and claimed.

The meeting concluded at 7.30 p.m.