Shrewsbury Colleges Group

Minutes of the Search and Governance Committee - 11 October 2024

Group Minutes of Finance & Business Operations Committee
Location THE OFFICE OF THE P/CEO, LONDON ROAD CAMPUS, SHREWSBURY
Date 11th October 23
Time 5.41 pm
Minutes Membership In attendance

J. Hoyland, J. Staniforth and R. Wilson

In attendance:
T. Cottee – Clerk to the Board
Apologies G. Mills.

19/23. Appointment of Chair of Committee

Resolved: That R. Wilson be appointed Chair of the Committee.

R. Wilson in the Chair.

20/23. Declarations of Interest

None.

21/23. Minutes of the Meeting Held 10 May 2023 (Appendices – Agenda Item 4) (previously circulated)

Resolved: That the Minutes of the Meeting held on held on 10 May 2023, be approved as a true record.

22/23. Board Vacancies and Succession Planning (Appendix – Agenda Item 5)

      1. Board Vacancies and Succession Planning
        The Board currently had 3 vacancies on the Board: the HE Student Governor, one Academic Staff Governor and one Parent Governor.
        • Over the summer, the Clerk had received the resignations of D. Jones, the HE Student Governor and B. Greenaway, one of the Academic Staff Governors, both due to unforeseen personal circumstances. The Clerk had acknowledged their resignations and sent letters of appreciation. Committee members also expressed their thanks to both governors, particularly Mrs Greenaway, for her support to the Committee.
        • After posting a Notice of Vacancy, the Nominee to the Academic Staff Governor vacancy, S. Greco, Teacher of Photography at English Bridge Campus; would be appointed for a Term of 4 Years with effect from 17 October 2023, at the Board meeting on 16 October 2023.
        • Several candidates had expressed an interest in the HE Student Governor vacancy. It was anticipated that a nominee would be appointed at the December 2023 Board meeting. The Clerk expressed thanks to the Director of Higher Education for their ongoing support in securing candidates.
        • An application suitable for consideration for the Parent Governor vacancy had recently been received. The application had passed initial Due Diligence and had been reviewed by the Board Chair and P/CEO. The P/CEO had also met the candidate informally. The applicant had been invited to attend the meeting for interview.
        • Over the summer, two candidates on the Vacancy Waiting List had withdrawn their expressions of interest, following changes to their personal circumstances. However, two candidates remained on the List.
        • The vacancies for Link Governors for Safeguarding and E&D had been filled by J. Hoyland and R. Harrison respectively; both were undertaking Induction in the roles and planning their first visits.

Further to S&G Min. No. 11/23, the Committee considered the appointment for a Second Term, of M. Thompson, whose First Term as an Appointed Governor ended in November 2023.
Having considered the Board’s current skills analysis, Mr Thompson’s skills, knowledge and experience, committee involvement and record of attendance during his First Term, the Committee unanimously agreed to –

RESOLVED: It was recommended to Board that M. Thompson be appointed for a Second Term of 4 years from 01 December 2023 to 30 November 2027 (i.e. to run consecutively on the completion of his First Term).

Action: Item to Board

23/23. Application for Governor Opportunity – Applicant Interview (Confidential Appendices – Agenda Item 6a)

Further to S&G Min. No. 11/13, when the Committee had reviewed the current Board Opportunity Wait List, one candidate was available for interview. The candidate had passed Due Diligence Checks and had met informally with the P/CEO.

Following the informal meeting, the candidate had been recommended for formal interview.

The Committee interviewed formally the shortlisted candidate, based on an assessment of a submitted CV and application form/skills audit (previously circulated).

Having considered the skills and experience of the candidate, particularly their extensive experience in the education sector, incorporating learning and skills, the future skills requirements of the Board and to maintain quality governance, the Committee made the following recommendation –

RESOLVED: It was recommended to Board that J. Vernon be appointed as a co-opted committee member to the Quality, Standards & Curriculum Committee and Search & Governance Committee with effect from 17 October 2023.

Action: Item to Board

24/23. Application for Parent Governor Opportunity – Applicant Interview (Confidential Appendices – Agenda Item 6b)

Further to S&G Min. No. 22/13, one eligible candidate was available for interview. The candidate had passed Due Diligence Checks and had met informally with the P/CEO.
Following the informal meeting, the candidate had been recommended for formal interview.

The Committee interviewed formally the shortlisted candidate, based on an assessment of a submitted CV and application form/skills audit (previously circulated).
Having considered the skills and experience of the candidate, particularly with to the candidate’s extensive experience in strategic management and finance, the skills requirements of the Board and to maintain quality governance, the Committee made the following recommendation –

RESOLVED: It was recommended to Board that M. Hartland be appointed as a Parent Governor for a Three-Year Term with effect from 17 October 2023 to 31 October 2026, and be appointed to the Finance & Business Operations Committee.

Action: Item to Board

25/23. Committee Membership 2023 – 2024 (Appendix, Agenda Item 7)

According to Standing Orders 5.1 & 6.1, members and chairs of committees were appointed annually; committee membership being approved at Board. Having considered the skills audit and the personal preferences received, a proposed committee membership for 2023 – 24 was considered (previously circulated) and following discussion was agreed.
Resolved: It was recommended to Board that the Committee Membership 2023 – 2024, with effect from 16 October 2023, be approved.

Audit Committee

    1. J. Barratt
    2. R, Harrison
    3. R. Sartain
    4. C. Sharp
    5. M. Thompson

Finance and Business Operations

      1. M. Hartland
      2. J. Hoyland
      3. G. Mills (Chair)
      4. P. Tucker
      5. Principal/CEO
      6. R. Wilson

Quality Standards and Curriculum Committee

    1. J Barratt (Chair)
    2. A Benghiat
    3. A Caesar-Homden
    4. R Harrison
    5. A Hodson
    6. J. Hoyland
    7. A Prichard

Co-opted members –

    1. 16 – 19 Student governor
    2. HE Student governor
    3. J. Vernon

Ex- officio Member –

      1. R. Wilson

Estate Strategy Working Group

      1. G. Mills
      2. P. Partridge
      3. R. Sartain
      4. J. Staniforth
      5. M. Thompson
      6. P. Tucker
      7. R. Wilson

Remuneration Committee

      1. J. Barratt
      2. G. Mills
      3. C. Sharp
      4. R. Wilson

Search & Governance Committee

      1. J Hoyland
      2. G. Mills
      3. J. Staniforth
      4. R. Wilson (Chair)

Co-opted member –

      1. J. Vernon

Governor Representatives

      1. J. Barratt – Apprenticeships & Careers
      2. A Benghiat – H.E.
      3. R. Harrison – EDI & SEND
      4. J. Hoyland – Safeguarding, PREVENT
      5. R. Sartain – H&S.
      6. Sharp – Audit & Risk

Radbrook Foundation –

      1. J. Staniforth
      2. R. Sartain

26/23. Governor Development Report (Appendix – Agenda Item 8)

The Committee considered the latest update (previously circulated) on –

      1. Learning Walks and Governor Community and Employer Liaison Programme 2023 - 2024
        • The Committee agreed that the 2023 – 24 Learning Walk Programme consist of visits to the college’s Higher Education provision, A Level provision in Psychology & Sociology and A Level and BTEC provision in Art & Design.
          Action: P/CEO to advise relevant SLT of Programme. Clerk to arrange dates.
        • The Termly ‘calendar of events’ circulated by the Clerk included details of events in college, as well as reminders of meetings. Governors had already attended events held this Term, including Shrewsbury Pride and the Post-16 Options Roadshow.
        • The Governor/Employer Lunch, the launch of the Governor Community and Employer Liaison Programme, would be held in Origins Restaurant, London Road Campus on 24 October 2023.

      2. Mandatory Development Modules
        • The review of completion of the mandatory development modules noted that the newly appointed governors were on the Induction Programme and that the KCSiE 2023 Mandatory development had just been released. The Committee continued to expect that all Induction Development Modules for these governors be completed by the targets set.
        • The Assistant Principal, Curriculum Support would present the Annual Safeguarding Report to the Board in December 2023.
        • The Board was in the fortunate position of having other sources of good quality development, both external and internal and therefore could make a good account in the Financial Statements of the development they had attended in 2022 - 23.

      3. Governor Development Plan 2023 – 2024
        • As previously reported, the online Governance Development Programme hosted by the Education & Training Foundation (ETF) had been transferred to another learning platform, FutureLearn, in late 2022. However, after over a year of poor service, the resources were being transferred back to the ETF. The Clerk had been informed that governors would have access to the resources shortly. The Committee agreed that governor confidence in the quality and integrity of the resources had been affected during this period and the Board would only engage with the materials gong forward if there could be a level of assurance as to the quality of the development materials and ease of access. The Clerk advised that it was likely that access to the materials would be free to the Board at this time.
        • The Board had again subscribed to the Sixth Form Colleges’ Association’s (SFCA) Webinar Programme. Several governors had already attended the first webinars produced as part of the 2023 – 24 programme and had reported back positively.
        • The Association of Colleges had produced a good range of networking and induction opportunities this year, in association with the ETF, to which governors had been signposted and to date, had attended. This programme also included specific networking opportunities for the Staff Governors, 16 – 19 Student Governor, Board Chair and Vice Chair and chairs of committees. The Student Governor had attended the online Induction offered through the Programme.
        • For 2023 – 2024, governors would continue to have access to the National Online College, as well as having the benefit of development briefings before and in meetings from qualified staff and the auditors. The Online College had also developed a Governance Programme and, although this focussed more on school and academy governance, still provided useful, certificated resources, which also had the benefit of being recorded directly onto ITrent.
        • The Clerk monitored engagement in training through Individual Governor Development Record Cards and the Annual Plan, to effectively track development undertaken. The Board Chair would remind all governors to report to the Clerk any development undertaken at the next Board meeting, and to complete their mandatory annual safeguarding development.

      4. Skills Audit
        • Governors had recently been invited to review and update their individual skills audits. The Board Skills Audit had also been updated to include the most recently appointed governors. The Audit showed that all the key skills identified as required were present. Indeed, the most recent update of the Skills Audit demonstrated the impact of the focus of governor development in 2022-23, on the understanding of the local employers’ needs and skills gaps.

27/23. Board Quality Improvement Plan 2022 – 2023 – Progress (Appendix – Agenda Item 9)

The Committee reviewed progress against the 2022 – 2023 Board Quality Improvement Plan (QuIP) (previously circulated). The Plan also included the latest Board Diversity Data, including benchmarking against the Further Education Workforce Return 2021. The Clerk reported that she had submitted the 2022 FE Workforce Data Return.

The QuIP was based on the results of the external review programmes held throughout 2020 – 2021 and committee and individual self-assessed evaluations in 2022 – 2023. All targets had either been met or were on track to complete.

The QuIP for 2023 – 2024, would be based on the results of the self-assessment and committee evaluation in 2022 – 2023. The Committee agreed that the Board’s focus should be on further improving the effectiveness of its governance practices, particularly through an opportunity to visit another college and on diversifying further applicants for Board opportunities. The college had been unable to undertake the planned visit to a local college in 22 – 23 and requested the P/CEO to explore the possibility of undertaking the visit this academic year.

Action: P/CEO to identify an opportunity for a good practice visit.

Performance against the 2022 – 2023 Governance KPIs would be reported to Board on 16 October 2023. The Board continued to demonstrate a track record of progress in achievement and improvement against targets set.

28/23. Terms of Reference (Appendix - Agenda Item 9)

Committee self-assessment conducted in June 2023, had concluded that the Terms covered all the relevant areas of business. The Clerk had also undertaken an assessment against ‘best practice’ examples; the current terms reflect good practice in the sector.

29/23. Risk

It was agreed that there had been sufficient discussion of the other risk issues at the meeting, particularly, the need to focus search activities going forward.

The meeting concluded at 8.15 p.m.