Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Rehana Ameer, Tijs Broeke and Dawn Elliott.

There were no declarations.

To elect a Chairman for 2019/20 in line with Article 82.

An election for Chairman was conducted in line with Article 82. Andrew McMurtrie, being the only Trustee willing to serve, was elected Chairman for the ensuing year.

The Chairman advised the Board that it was his intention to serve one further academic year on the Board of Trustees.

To elect a Vice-Chairman for 2019/20 in line with Article 82.

An election for Vice-Chairman was conducted, in line with Article 82. Roy Blackwell, being the only Trustee willing to serve, was elected Vice Chairman for the ensuing year.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2019.

RESOLVED, that the minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2019 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Clerk.

Trustees considered a report of the Clerk regarding the appointment of the Board’s committees for the 2019-20 academic year.

Trustees agreed the following amendments to the terms of reference of committees:

Finance Audit and Risk Committee

·         Remove the requirement for the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees to act as Chairman;

·         Remove references to the company names of the current providers of audit services to the Trust; and,

·         Amend the composition of the committee membership to allow ‘at least three Trustees’.

Standards and Accountability Committee

·         Replace the reference to ‘Chief Operations Officer’ to ‘Chief Standards Officer’; and,

·         Amend the composition of the committee membership to allow ‘at least three Trustees’.

Trustees agreed that the election of Chairmen to these committees would be undertaken at the first meeting of each committee convened during the 2019-20 academic year.

RESOLVED,

·         That the terms of reference of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee be approved, subject to the above amendments;

·         That the terms of reference of the Standards and Accountability Committee be approved, subject to the above amendments;

·         That the terms of reference of the Remuneration Committee, Academy LGB Pay Committees and City of London Academies Trust Executive Team Pay Committees be noted;

·         That Peter Bennett, Edward Benzecry, Dawn Elliott, Deputy Clare James Andrew McMurtrie and Mark Emmerson (the latter for Finance matters only) be appointed to the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee for the 2019-20 academic year;

·         That Edward Benzecry, Roy Blackwell, Tijs Broeke, Ann Holmes and Andrew McMurtrie be appointed to the Standards and Accountability Committee for the 2019-20 academic year; and,

·         That Roy Blackwell, Deputy Clare James and Andrew McMurtrie be appointed to the Remuneration Committee for the 2019-20 academic year. 

Report of the Chief Executive Officer.

Trustees considered a report of the Chief Executive Officer presenting the Trust Scheme of Delegation and Local Governing Bodies Terms of Reference Review.

Trustees agreed that authority be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer to consult with the Education Board on the final wording of Item 24 within the Trust Scheme of Delegation which related to the Board’s oversight of governor appointments to Local Governing Bodies and Local Advisory Boards and which Trustees agreed should be worded as ‘ratify’.

RESOLVED, that Trustees:

·         Approve the Trust Scheme of Delegation and Terms of Reference Template 2019-20, subject to consultation with the Education Board; and,

·         Delegate authority to the Chief Executive Officer to consult with the Education Board on the final wording of Item 24 within the Trust Scheme of Delegation which related to the Board’s oversight of governor appointments to Local Governing Bodies and Local Advisory Boards.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

Trustees considered an update of the Director of Academy Development on the Academies Development Programme and the following points were made:

·         An ambitious capital build programme was underway for academies across the Trust and was in various stages of completion with works at Galleywall Primary City of London Academy and the City of London Academy Highbury Grove due to be completed shortly.  

·         Discussions were ongoing with the Department for Education, Historic England and the London Borough of Newham to resolve challenges around the planned expansion of Newham Collegiate Sixth Form on the former East Ham Police Station site.  A Trustee would provide information to the Director of Academy Development on how a planning issue relating to a similar development had been resolved following the meeting.

RESOLVED, that Trustees note the update.

MOTION – That the public be excluded for the remaining items of business as they are likely to involve discussion on matters deemed commercially sensitive to the City of London Academies Trust.

RESOLVED, that the public be excluded from the following items of business.

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2019.

RESOLVED, that the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2019 be approved as a correct record.

Trustees considered a report of the Clerk setting out outstanding actions from previous meetings.

Trustees considered a summary of the Clerk providing details of one action taken under Delegated Authority since the meeting of the Board of Trustees on 11 July 2019.

The Chairman to be heard.

Trustees heard the Chairman regarding a proposed review of effectiveness of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.

Report of the Chief Executive Officer.

Trustees considered an Executive Summary of the Chief Executive Officer.

Report of the Chief Executive Officer.

Trustees considered a report of the Chief Executive Officer setting out unvalidated examination and test results for the 2018-19 academic year.

Report of the Chief Financial Officer.

Trustees considered an update report of the Chief Financial Officer.

Report of the Human Resources Director.

Trustees considered an update report of the Human Resources Director.

Report of the Director of Information and Communication Technology.

Trustees considered an update report of the Director of Information Communication and Technology.

The Chief Executive Officer to be heard.

Trustees heard the Chief Executive Officer regarding the scheduling of the Trust Annual General Meeting.

There were no non-public questions.

There was no other business.