PART I – OPEN ITEMS
R. Wilson, Board Chair, in the Chair.
01/24. Declarations of Interest
The following interests were declared at the meeting
- The Executive Director of Finance declared an interest in Minute Number 15/24. He left the meeting before consideration of the item.
- The Clerk to the Board declared an interest in Minute Number 15/24. She left the meeting before consideration of the relevant item.
- The Principal/CEO declared an interest in Minute Number 15/24. He left the meeting before consideration of the relevant item.
02/24. Minutes of Board Meeting Held 11 December 2023 (Appendices – Agenda item 3)
Resolved: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 11 December 2023, be approved as a true record.
03/24. Matters Arising
None.
04/24. Chair’s Announcements
The Chair made the following announcements:
Chair’s Action and External Review of Governance
- In accordance with Standing Order No. 19, the Chair had taken a Chair’s Action to approve the appointment of FE4Governance as the Shrewsbury Colleges Group External Review of Governance Review (ERG) provider and had granted delegated authority to the Search & Governance Committee to lead on the external governance review, develop the scope and oversee the process. Agreement of the final external governance review scope was delegated to the Board Chair, in consultation with the P/CEO on the basis that all governors were kept informed and given the opportunity to comment.
- Fiona Chalk, CEO, FE4Governance, the Board’s ERG Partner, was welcomed to the meeting. The Board Chair took the opportunity to explain the ERG process and Ms Chalk’s role. She would observe the meeting silently as part of the Review and some committee meetings going forward. He explained that -
- The Skills and Post 16 Education Act 2022, required all further education colleges to have an ERG between August 2021 and July 2024, and every three years after that; this was a condition of funding.
- The Department for Education (DfE) had asserted that all eligible further education providers must undertake and complete an ERG by the end of July 2024; this included the college’s Board, which had taken part in the pilot phase of the external governance reviews. The action plan from this had been presented to the Board in March 2021.
- The ERG was not an ‘audit’; it should be seen as a developmental exercise to improve and strengthen governance for the benefit of the college. The Board’s positive participation would be appreciated.
- Due to the Board’s self-assessment processes, there was a good level of understanding of where the Board could improve the effectiveness of its governance. The Review was an opportunity to seek clarification on the effectiveness of initiatives being implemented, including revising the Board agenda to facilitate deeper strategic questioning and undertake collaborative diagnosis and thinking about how the Board could build on the good work already being done to be even more effective.
- The themes the ERG could explore included –
- Maximising the time to hold strategic discussion in Board meetings; and
- Supporting governors to engage effectively in meetings.
Governor Stakeholder Engagement Activities
The Board had undertaken the following engagement activities since the last meeting –
- There had been one Learning Walk since the last Board meeting (Art & Design provision at the English Bridge Campus). Those governors who had attended praised the organisation of the Walk, the welcome they had received from the talented staff and students they had met and that they had welcomed the opportunity to engage with this aspect of the college’s provision. Governors who had attended a Walk in the subject area a few years ago, commended the visible impact of improvements made. The VP-ALs fed back that the staff and students had appreciated the opportunity to showcase the subject area and the Staff Governor added that photography students had taken the opportunity to take pictures of the event. The Board Chair encouraged participation in the next Walk which would be held in Law, Maths and Criminology at the Welsh Bridge Campus.
- The P/CEO updated the Board on employer and stakeholder connections made since the Governor/Employer Liaison Event held in October 2023. The college was about to embark on a spring recruitment campaign and the employer connections had made commitments to retweet the campaign details through their networks. In addition, one of the employer connections, PipeKit had recently delivered training to students and staff and recorded a video of the event. The daughter of J. Hoyland had attended the college to talk to Business students at the Bridges campuses on her experiences as a young woman in business. These opportunities had been made possible due to the connections and commitments of support made at the Lunch.
- The Board Chair and P/CEO had that day, hosted the Chair of Ludlow & Hereford College for a tour of the college. The visit was part of an ongoing programme of meetings and visits by the chairs of Ludlow & Hereford College, Telford College and SCG.
- Governor Link visits had been undertaken this Term and reports made to the relevant committees.
05/24. Summary of Minutes and Recommendations from Committees (Appendices – Agenda Items 6.1 to 6.4)
Chairs of the committees presented the following meetings, drawing the Board’s attention to items of particular interest and presenting recommendations.
Quality, Standards & Curriculum Committee – 29 January 2024 (Appendix – Agenda Item 6.1) (Draft Minutes previously circulated)
The Committee had considered reports on Progress Grade 1 outcomes, Safeguarding and EDI, the Quality Enhancement Process and operation of the college’s Professional Practice Reviews.
06/24. Draft College Self-Assessment Report (Appendix – Agenda Item 6.1)
The Committee had reviewed carefully the draft College Self-Assessment Report (SAR).
The Committee and other governors who had been invited to the meeting for this item, considered that the document read well. Governors discussed the challenge created in calibrating performance where benchmarking data no longer exists because of the on-going impact of the pandemic. The Committee had also asked that, going forward, the document include a precis of the main points.
The Draft presented to Board included additional data. Having reviewed the revised SAR and concluding that provided assurance, it was
Resolved: that the Self-Assessment Report 2022 – 2023, be approved.
Finance & Business Operations Committee – 30 January 2024 (Appendix – Agenda Item 6.2) (Draft Minutes previously circulated)
In the absence of the Committee Chair, the Board Chair explained that the Committee had, in addition to consideration of the Management Accounts, reviewed the progress of the college’s grant funding and capital projects for curriculum development programme. The Committee had commended the approach taken by the SLT in pro actively seeking opportunities to bid for projects and its success in attracting more funding to further improve teaching capacity and student experience.
The Board sought assurance that the extensive programme of works planned would be completed to programme to minimise disruption to preparations for enrolment. The EDoF advised that the various teams were working collaboratively to ensure the projects would deliver to schedule.
Search & Governance Committee – 28 February 2024 (Appendix – Agenda Item 6.3) (Draft Minutes previously circulated)
The Committee Chair reported that the Committee had discussed the aims for the ERG. As part of the governance self-assessment programme, the Board Chair had undertaken ‘guided conversations’ with governors to discuss governors’ suggestions on how governance and their own performance could be more effective going forward. Outcomes from the conversations would inform the Board’s Succession Planning Programme, Training & Development Programme and the Board Improvement Plan.
Audit Committee – 14 March 2024 (Appendix – Agenda Item 6.4) (Draft Minutes circulated at the meeting)
The Committee Chair reported that, prior to the meeting, the Committee and other Board members invited to attend, received a risk briefing from the P/CEO on the Defunding of Applied General Qualifications (AGQs)
The P/CEO had explained the risks specific to the college, the mitigating actions being taken and their current risk status. Having considered the briefing, the Committee considered that the college had a good understanding of the inherent risks and had in place sufficient mitigations to reduce the impact of the risks.
07/24. Risk Register and Board Assurance Framework (BAF) (Appendix – Agenda Item 6.4.a)
The Committee reviewed the 2023 – 2024 current Strategic Risk Register and Board Assurance Framework (previously circulated).
Whilst no risks were rated ‘red’, the strategic risk (Planned defunding of AGQs) remained ‘high amber’, being the most significant risk to the college at this point.
Regarding the Register, in response to questions, the EDoF explained –
- as the college was on track to enrol to predicted levels for 2024/25, the various estate projects being planned to develop capacity needed to be completed to time. The EDoF explained the mitigating actions being taken to reduce the risk of project overrun, including –
- Phasing of works;
- Undertaking works during half terms and between terms;
- Rotating staff and classes around affected campuses, to free up the areas affected by works. This approach was particularly appropriate for the Welsh Bridge Campus, as second year students would not be wholly on campus after Mat Half Term, as they prepared for exams.
- FBO 4 (Risk of failure to recruit planned HE learner numbers to meet planned targets for 2024-25 and beyond). The P/CEO advised that this was a rising risk. The college would utilise an element of the Higher Technical Qualification (HTQ) funding to focus on HTQ and HE recruitment. The college was currently procuring a range of marketing resources to promote the college’s higher education offer.
- FBO 22 - Failure to deliver planned AEB Budget allocation resulting in clawback of funding &/or material financial underperformance against budget. The P/CEO advised that was a risk being kept under review, as enrolment numbers were below target. He also reported that, whilst the GLA had confirmed the maintenance of the funding rate for 2024-25, there were risks regarding long-term viability and the potential for further changes in National policy in the medium term.
The Board concluded that the risks had been appropriately identified and the management actions reported were effectively mitigating these risks. In addition, each committee would review risks within its remit at each meeting during 2023/24 and the Strategic Risk Register would be reviewed at every Board meeting.
Resolved: That the Risk Register and Board Assurance Framework (BAF) – March 2024 Update, be approved.
08/24. Principal/CEO’s Report (Confidential Appendix – Agenda item 6)
The P/CEO presented his report (previously circulated).
Having delivered the report, in response to questions, the P/CEO made the following additional observations –
- Higher Education in Shropshire The P/CEO referred to developments regarding the University Centre Shrewsbury (UCS). In response to questions, the P/CEO explained that, should UCS depart, the college was not able to utilise the Guildhall in the short term, should it become vacant, nor did it have the capacity to take on UCS’s current student body, as they studied a wide range of subjects the college did not have the capacity to deliver. The Board concluded that the college should remain agile and be ready to take up any opportunities.
- Government Policy The Board deliberated several new and recent policy announcements with significant implications for FE colleges. The P/CEO advised that the college would use 2024-25 to plan and implement the required changes to the hours of delivery for English and maths. This approachwas supported by the Board, given the challenges for timetabling and staff recruitment created by the announcement of the policy late in the planning cycle.
- Full-time applications for 2024/25 The P/CEO explained the progress regarding applications for enrolment for the 2024/25 year, including a breakdown by school type. Applications had increased since the same time in 2023/24. In response to a question on the impact of the closure or consultations on closure of several sixth forms from schools within the county, the P/CEO confirmed that the college would continue to support affected year 11s with an alternative offer if these closures were confirmed.
- GCSE resit results The highest number of students achieved a Grade 4 in the autumn resits, partly due to the larger resit cohort. In response to a question, the P/CEO explained that the college had invested in additional support to maximise the number of students gaining 4+ in summer 2024.
09/24. Strategic Development Plan (Appendix – Agenda item 8)
The Board reviewed progress against the Strategic Plan Operational Implementation Plan: Year 3 (2023 – 24) (previously circulated).
The Board sought assurance that operational projects were on track and that appropriate mitigating actions were being taken to being off-track projects online.
In response to questions –
- The VP, T&VE explained that, regarding the delivery of short courses in sustainable construction, due to the low enrolments to date, an alternative full cost training programme was being delivered for an ASHP supplier.
- Regarding the delivery of ‘Project Search’, a second site at RAF Cosford was being considered.
- The P/CEO explained that attendance had improved compared to this time last year, at 87.3% compared with 87.0%. This was below the 90% target set. Attendance had been a challenge this year, with floods, snow and a landslip on the railway line all undermining efforts to improve. However, due to the support and interventions in place, 903 students who had full attendance between January and February half-term, up from 697 for November and December 2023.
- The EDoF explained that Apprenticeship recruitment had been affected by economic downturn, particularly in construction and the target gross budget would not be achieved. The F&BO Committee monitored closely progress against performance at every meeting.
- The VP, T&VE explained that a number of HE courses had been withdrawn due to low intake. However, the injection of funding to support the marketing of HE provision would have a positive impact on enrolment going forward.
10/24. Strategic Discussion - Gender questioning children: the implications of the government proposals on the college educational character (appendix – Agenda Item 9)
The Board Chair explained that, as part of the programme of actions being taken to further improve the opportunity for in-depth strategic discussion at the Board, governors had the opportunity to deliberate on the impact on the college of the non-statutory draft guidance was shared by the Department for Education on ‘Gender Questioning Children’ (Previously circulated).
As part of the debate on the strategic implications for the college and the principles by which the college should abide, the Board concluded that:
- Without centralised guidance, the college had taken informed decisions with stakeholders on how to support those in the college community with transgender identities in an inclusive way that accounted for the interests of other students in the college. These decisions reflected the college’s inclusive and supportive ethos and were supported by the Board.
- Whilst guidance on some of the practicalities for schools and colleges was to be welcomed, the prescriptive nature of the guidance if adopted in its current form would require some changes in the college’s approach and practices around how it managed issues related to social transitioning of children (and adults when it came to use of mixed age facilities) which would present operational and cultural challenges; this had been made clear in the response to the consultation.
- Regarding the governance implications, the Board discussed whether the educational character of the college would be impacted by the proposed changes. The Board strongly supported the college’s six ‘pillars’ that underpinned the vision and mission, and that these reflected the inclusive and supportive culture that emphasised respect. The guidance potentially presented a challenge to that approach and could potentially compromise the college’s approach in offering a different educational experience from schools.
The Board concluded that senior managers report back on how the conclusions drawn could work operationally.
11/24. Risk (Agenda Item 10)
The Board reviewed those risks specific to the Board and agreed that the risks have been appropriately identified and the management actions reported were effectively mitigating these risks.
With respect to the following risks, it was noted that the Police had recently run a County Lines operation locally and it was appropriate therefore that these risks remained in the Risk Register and mitigating actions monitored.
- Board 11 - Risk that college is not aware of local threats to staff or student safety (e.g., drugs, gangs, county lines, terrorism or other local security threats)
- Board 12 - Risk that campus access and security does not address local threats (e.g., drugs, gangs, county lines, terrorism or other local security threats).
12/24. Date of Next Meeting
Strategic Planning Day – Friday, 21 April 2023 from 9.00 a.m. Venue – Higher Education Centre, London Road Campus.
13/24 Governance Pack
The Board reviewed the following report (previously circulated).
14/24. Terms of Reference
The following terms of reference were reviewed and approved –
- Quality, Standards & Curriculum Committee.
PART II – CONFIDENTIAL SESSION
It was agreed that Minute Number 15/24 be considered as a confidential item under Instrument 16(2) (c ) and (d) and Standing Order 11 and that, in accordance with Instrument 13(5) (d), Staff and Student Governors, members of the Senior Leadership Team and affected Staff be excluded during consideration the item.
Staff and Student Governors and all members of SLT, except for the VP – P, left the meeting at this point.
The Principal/CEO, Executive Director of Finance and Clerk to the Board left the meeting at the appropriate point.
In accordance with Instrument 12, a Board member was appointed to act as Clerk to the Committee during her absence.
15/24. Draft Confidential Minutes and Recommendations – Board – 11 December 2023 (Agenda Item 12 - Confidential Appendix)
Resolved: That the Confidential Minutes of the meeting held on 11 December 2023, be approved as a true record.
The meeting concluded at 7.39 p.m.