Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Deputy Philip Woodhouse, Nicholas Goddard, Hugh Morris, Deputy Clare James and Ian Seaton.

The Chairman welcomed Alderman Alastair King and Stuart Bachelor (Deputy Head) to their first meeting of the Board.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 8 June 2017.

The minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2017 were approved as a correct record.

To receive the public minutes of the meeting held on 19 June 2017.

The draft minutes of the meeting of the Finance, General Purposes and Estates Sub Committee meeting held on 19 June 2017 were received.

Governors noted that the meeting took place at Guildhall, not the City of London Freemen’s School as noted in the minutes.

Matters Arising

Co-Option of Brian Harris

The Chairman noted that Brian Harris, a former Governor and former member of the City of London’s Court of Common Council, had been put forward by the Sub Committee for consideration as a co-opted Governor by the Board.

Governors noted the depth of experience of Mr Harris and the skills and experience he could offer to the Board.

RESOLVED, that Brian Harris be appointed as a co-opted Governor of the City of London Freemen’s School for a term ending 31 July 2021.

Audio-Visual Equipment for Board Meetings

The Chairman noted that the sub committee had discussed the potential for Governors to participate in Board meetings via audio-visual link. He expressed concern at what he felt was the slow pace at which the City of London Corporation was investigating the potential for the use of audio-visual equipment and invited the opinions of Governors as to whether the proposal should be pursued further.

Governors agreed that the proposal should be pursued and that it would be appropriate for a Common Council Governor to raise the issue at a meeting at the Court of Common Council.

To receive the public minutes of the meeting held on 19 June 2017.

The draft minutes of the Academic and Education Sub Committee meeting held on 19 June 2017 were received.

Governors noted that the meeting took place at Guildhall, not the City of London Freemen’s School as noted in the minutes.

Matters Arising

Terms of Reference

The Chairman noted that the sub committee had put forward some suggested amendments to its terms of reference for consideration by the Board.

In response to a request from a Governor, the Town Clerk agreed to set and circulate the dates of the Board’s sub committees. 

RESOLVED, that the following amendments to the terms of reference of the Academic and Education Sub Committee be agreed:

·         To make recommendations for the Board’s approval on the following matters:’ should appear before the section ‘With power to act on the following matters’.

·         To move (this bullet point should appear as the first bullet point within the‘recommendations’ section) and amend as follows, the penultimate bullet point of the recommendations:

‘To monitor general compliance with safeguarding requirements (not involving individual cases).’

·         The name of the sub committee be changed to the Academic and Personnel Sub Committee.

Report of the Chamberlain and the Headmaster.

Governors considered a Revenue Outturn Report of the Chamberlain and the Headmaster for the year 2016/17 and the following points were made.

·         A Governor noted that School revenue was down whereas expenditure was up.

·         The Chairman noted that the School had historically not taken as much advantage as it could have done of match funding. In response, the Chamberlain agreed to establish whether it would be possible for the School to retrospectively claim for match funding.

RECEIVED

Report of the Chamberlain.

Governors considered a report of the Chamberlain regarding the draft Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2017 for the Charities Administered in connection with The City of London Freemen’s School and the following points were made.

·         In response to queries from Governors over whether more than the amount proposed could be invested in the Charities Pool, the Chairman noted that there were only two opportunities each year – 1 October and 1 April – to invest in the Pool and encouraged Governors to agree the report’s recommendations.

·         In response to a question from a Governor, the Chamberlain confirmed that it was the Chamberlain who was responsible for filing the Annual Reports and Financial Statements.

·         In response to questions from Governors, the Chamberlain confirmed that the School, as a charitable institution, should be absolutely clear why it was holding Reserves, and therefore he agreed to work with the Bursar to bring the School’s Reserves Policy to the Board for review.

RESOLVED, that Governors

·         receive the draft 2016/17 Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Charities Administered in connection with The City of London Freemen’s School (charity number: 312120);

·         endorse that cash of £5,199 be invested in the Charities Pool on 1 October 2017; and

·         note that the next review of the available cash balance will be presented to the June 2018 Board meeting.

Report of the Chamberlain.

Governors considered a report of the Chamberlain regarding the City of London Freemen’s School Bursary Fund Draft Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2017 and the following points were made.

·         The Headmaster noted that Bursary criteria had the potential to preclude allocating more money to bursaries, as often deserving cases were turned down as parents or family members failed the criteria through owning assets such as property.

·         The Headmaster noted that the School had identified a recipient of a Boarding Bursary.

RESOLVED, that Governors,

·         receive the draft 2016/17 Annual Report and Financial Statements for the City of London Freemen’s School Bursary Fund;

·         endorse that cash of £28,764 be invested in the Charities Pool on 1 October 2017; and

·         note that the next review of the available cash balance will be presented to the June 2018 Board meeting.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.

MOTION - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED, that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure if exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2017.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2017 were approved as a correct record.

To receive the non-public minutes of the Finance, General Purposes and Estates Sub-Committee held on 19 June 2017.

The draft minutes of the Finance, General Purposes and Estates Committee meeting held on 19 June 2017 were received.

RECEIVED

To receive the non-public minutes of the Academic and Education Sub-Committee meeting held on 19 June 2017.

The draft minutes of the Academic and Education Sub Committee meeting held on 19 June 2017 were received.

RECEIVED

Report of the Chamberlain and the Facilities Services Category Board.

The Town Clerk noted that this report had been withdrawn.

Report of the Headmaster of the City of London Freemen’s School.

Governors considered a report of the Headmaster.

At this point of the meeting, two hours having elapsed since the start time of the meeting, Governors agreed to extend the meeting.

Report of the Head of the Junior School.

Governors considered a report of the Head of the Junior School.

Report of the Headmaster.

Governors considered a number of reports of the Headmaster and Bursar.

Governors considered a report of the Headmaster and Bursar regarding Health and Safety.

Governors considered a report of the Headmaster and Bursar regarding the Risk Register.

The Town Clerk noted that this report had been withdrawn.  

Report of the Town Clerk.

Governors received a report of the Town Clerk regarding decisions taken under delegated authority or urgency since the last meeting.

RECEIVED

There was one non-public question.

There was one item of other business that the Chairman considered urgent that the Board agreed should be considered whilst the public were excluded.

To agree the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2017.

The confidential minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2017 were deferred until the next meeting for consideration.