Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Deputy Clare James.

The Chair led the Board in welcoming Caroline Haines and Deputy Edward Lord who had recently become Trustees and Clare Verga, Chief Standards Officer to their first meeting of the Board.

The Chair was pleased to announce that the City of London Academy Islington and The City Academy, Hackney had now joined the City of London Academies Trust.  The Chair led the Board in thanking officers of the City of London Corporation and the City of London Academies Trust as well as leaders and Governors of the two schools for their excellent work in supporting the transfer.  The Chair noted that the City University, London and KPMG, would continue to support the City of London Academy Islington and The City Academy, Hackney as strategic partners, respectively.

There were no declarations.

To elect a Chair for the 2020-21 academic year in line with Article 82.

An election for Chair was conducted in line with Article 82. Tijs Broeke, being the only Trustee willing to serve, was elected Chair for the ensuing year.

To elect a Vice-Chair for the 2020-21 academic year in line with Article 82.

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

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2020.

In considering Minute 8: CoLAT Academies Development Programme – Update, the Chief Executive Officer confirmed that condition surveys of the City of London Academy Islington and The City Academy, Hackney had been completed prior to the schools joining the Trust.  Work was underway to arrange fire risk assessments for both academies and an update would be provided to the Board when available.

RESOLVED, that the minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2020 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Trustees considered a report of the Clerk regarding the appointment of the Board’s committees for the 2020-21 academic year.

Trustees approved the proposed terms of reference of the Audit and Risk Committee and Finance and Operations Committee and the terms of reference for the Standards and Accountability Committee, Academy LGB Pay Committees and City of London Academies Trust Executive Team Pay Committees.  Trustees agreed the terms of reference of the Remuneration Committee subject to the below amendment:

Remuneration Committee

·         Amend the composition of the committee membership to include the Chair of the Standards and Accountability Committee.

The Chair noted that a clear structure was in place to support decision making around remuneration and that pay awards should not be communicated to affected staff before final approval.

Trustees were advised that the election of Chairs to these committees would be undertaken at the first meeting of each committee convened during the 2020-21 academic year.

RESOLVED,

·         That the proposed terms of reference of the Audit and Risk Committee and Finance and Operations Committee be approved.

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

·         That the terms of reference of the Remuneration Committee be approved, subject to the above amendment;

·         That Peter Bennett, Edward Benzecry, Tijs Broeke and Dawn Elliott be appointed to the Audit and Risk Committee for the 2020-21 academic year;

·         That Peter Bennett, Edward Benzecry, Tijs Broeke, Dawn Elliott and Deputy Clare James be appointed to the Finance and Operations Committee for the 2020-21 academic year;

·         That Edward Benzecry, Roy Blackwell, Tijs Broeke, Caroline Haines and Deputy Edward Lord be appointed to the Standards and Accountability Committee for the 2020-21 academic year; and,

·         That Roy Blackwell, Tijs Broeke and Deputy

The Director of Community and Children’s Services to be heard.

Trustees heard an update of the Director of Academy Development (COL) on the waste management consultation at the City of London Primary Academy Islington and the following points were made:

·         A webinar on planning conditions had taken place on 27 August 2020 which a number of stakeholders had attended, including local residents.  A range of suggestions had been made to ameliorate waste management concerns, including the installation of retractable bollards; however, in the short term it was anticipated that the current planning conditions for the permanent site of the City of London Primary Academy Islington would go forward unchanged. The Director of Academy Development confirmed that planning conditions must be discharged before the permanent site could be brought into use.

·         It was anticipated that build works on the City of London Primary Academy Islington would be completed in late May 2021, and that the school would transfer to its permanent site for the Summer 2021 term.

RESOLVED, that the update be noted.

Report of the Chief Financial Officer.

Trustees considered a report of the Chief Financial Officer presenting policies for the Trust for approval and the following points were made:

RESOLVED, that the following updated policies be approved:

·         Expenses, Travel and Subsistence Policy; and,

·         Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

There were no questions.

In response to a question from a Trustee, The Director of Academy Development confirmed that following the transfer of the City of London Academy Islington and The City Academy, Hackney to the City of London Academies Trust, work would be undertaken to close down the schools existing academies companies. 

Trustees were reminded to notify the Clerk that they had read and understood Part 1 of the Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance following the meeting, as this was an annual requirement.

The Chair observed that it had been an extraordinary year and that learning loss was a concern, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.  The Chair led the Board in thanking all leadership teams, teachers and other staff for their hard work during the pandemic and in preparing for the return to school.

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 9 July 2020.

RESOLVED, that the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2020 be approved as a correct record.

Trustees considered a summary of the Clerk providing details of three actions taken under Delegated Authority since the meeting of the Board of Trustees on 9 July 2020.

Report of the Clerk.

Trustees considered the annual attendance register for the 2019-20 academic year.

Report of the Town Clerk.

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

Report of the Town Clerk.

Trustees are asked to note two confidential appendices at Agenda Item 24.

Trustees considered a report of the Clerk setting out proposed appointments to Local Governing Bodies.

Report of the Director of Information and Communication Technology.

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

Report of the Director of Estates and Facilities Management.

Trustees considered an update report of the Director of Estates and Facilities Management.

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 providing an update on examination outcomes for Trust schools for the 2019-20 academic year which were based on the best outcome between centre assessed grades and calculated grades by the examination boards.

Report of the Chief Financial Officer.

Trustees are asked to note two confidential appendices at Agenda Item 25.

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.

There was one non-public question.

There was no other business.

Report of the Chief Financial Officer.

Trustees considered a report of the Chief Financial Officers providing a National Joint Council update.

To agree the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2020.

RESOLVED, that the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2020 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Confidential appendices to be read in conjunction with Agenda Item 14.

Trustees considered confidential appendices for Item 14: Appointments to Local Governing Bodies.

Report of the Chief Financial Officer.

Confidential appendices to be read in conjunction with Agenda Item 19.

Trustees considered confidential appendices for Item 19: CFO Update.