Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Ian Seaton, Alexander Barr, Nicholas Bensted-Smith, Deputy Edward Lord, and Lord Levene of Portsoken.

There were no declarations.

To receive the Order of the Court of Common Council appointing the Board, dated 15 April 2021.

Governors received an Order of the Court of Common Council dated 15 April 2021 appointing the Board and setting its terms of reference.

RESOLVED, that the Order of the Court of Common Council be received.

To elect a Chairman in line with Standing Order 29.

An election for Chairman was held in line with Standing Order 29.

A single expression of interest was received from Tim Levene, and with no other expressions of interest made during the meeting Tim Levene was duly re-elected to serve a further year as Chairman.

The board congratulated Tim Levene on his re-election. 

RESOLVED – That Tim Levene be re-elected Chairman of the board.

To elect a Deputy Chairman in line with Standing Order 30.

An election for Deputy Chairman was held in line with Standing Order 30.

A single expression of interest was received from Deputy Bottomley and with no other expressions of interest raised during the meeting, Deputy Bottomley was duly elected Deputy Chairman.

The board congratulated Deputy Bottomley on his election as Deputy Chairman.

RESOLVED – that Deputy Bottomley be elected Deputy Chairman of the board.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on Wednesday 10 March 2021.

RESOLVED, that the public minutes of the meeting held on 10 March 2021 be approved as an accurate record of that meeting.

To receive the draft public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 25 May 2021.

RESOLVED, that the public minutes and non-public summary of the Governance Committee meeting held on 25 May 2021 be received.

To receive the draft public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 25 May 2021.

RESOLVED, that the public minutes and non-public summary of the Bursary Committee meeting held on 25 May 2021 be received.

Report of the Town Clerk.

To be read in conjunction with the confidential appendices at item 38 on the agenda.

Governors considered a report of the Town Clerk regarding Co-Opted Governor Appointments.

RESOLVED, that Governors appoint the two individuals listed in confidential appendix 1

and 2 to the Board of Governors, for a period of four years, commencing immediately.

Report of the Town Clerk.

To be read in conjunction with the confidential appendices at item 39 on the agenda.

The newly-appointed co-opted governor Timi Dorgu joined the meeting at 10.15, and apologies were received from the other newly-appointed co-opted governor David Woodgate.

Governors received a report of the Town Clerk concerning the Appointment of Committees.

Governors agreed to postpone the appointment of an Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools governor for the 2021-22 academic year in order to seek clarification on whether there was a need to re-appoint anyone to that role, given that another governor is already on the AGBIS board.

Governors heard that current post-holders were content to remain in their existing allocated Designated Roles.

Governors heard that the Bursary Committee comprises the entire board, with the board’s Chair and Deputy Chair acting in the same capacities on the Bursary Committee.

Governors agreed to expand the membership of the Finance & Estates Committee to six from the current five in addition to the Committee’s Chairman and Deputy Chairman (Deputy Bottomley and Tim Levene respectively), and confirmed the other six members as being: Deputy James Thomson, Alexander Barr, Lesley Cartmell, Timi Dorgu, Andrew Jones, and David Woodgate, subject to the latter being willing to serve.

Governors agreed to the Governance Committee’s membership as follows: Board Chairman and Deputy Chairman Tim Levene and Deputy Bottomley respectively together with: Dominic Christian, Ian Seaton, David Woodgate, and Deputy Edward Lord, subject to the latter being willing to serve.

Governors agreed to the membership of the Academic & Education Committee’s membership as follows: Professor Paul Madden and Tim Levene (Chairman and Deputy Chairman respectively), Deputy Bottomley, Lesley Cartmell, John Claughton, Rosie Gill and Caroline Haines together with John Owen, a co-opted Member specific to the Committee, subject to his being willing to serve and subject to Professor Paul Madden’s willingness to serve as Chairman.

Governors agreed to the composition of the Teachers’ Pay

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

Governors received a report of the Head.

Governors noted that all staff were currently busy grading exams, involving a significant amount of extra work.

RESOLVED, that the report be received.

Report of the Chamberlain.

Governors considered a report of the Chamberlain regarding The Charging of Administration Costs and External Audit Fees to the CLS Bursary and Awards Fund Charity from 2021/22 and Updates to the Reserve Policy of the Charity to Reflect this Change.

RESOLVED, that Governors:

·         Note that, following a change in policy approved by the Finance Committee, the City of London Corporation will begin recovering the external audit fees and administration costs incurred from those charities, including the School’s charity, from 2021/22 onwards; and

·         Governors revise the reserves policy of the School’s charity to provide for these costs going foward

Report of the Chamberlain.

Governors noted a report of the Chamberlain regarding TOM CLS Pilot – Procurement Empowerment with Choice.

Governors heard that further detailed arrangements would need to be discussed, with a view to the proposal being piloted and evaluated in 2022 ahead of its potential roll-out to other institutions within the City of London Corporation.

Governors noted an error in the TOM CLS Pilot report on page 38 paragraph 9b: the threshold limit should read £300K not £330K.

Governors also noted that the proposed £180K limit needed to be consistent and cannot be higher than the limit set by Government to replace the Ojeu limit for procurement purposes, and that although Ojeu limits and their successors do not apply to schools it was deemed preferable to have a consistent limit.

A Member commented that the limits needed to be kept under review, and expressed the hope that the relevant Corporation institutions would enjoy increased levels of authority and discretion in the future.

RESOLVED, that the report be received.

Report of the Director of Human Resources.

Governors considered a report of the Director of Human Resources regarding TOM Review Pilot Project at the 3 City of London Schools – People Management – Greater Local Delegation.

RESOLVED, that Governors:

·         Note and endorse the areas identified to pilot local delegation to the three Head Teachers at the City Schools in relation to: starting point for external appointments; incremental progression - additional awards and Honoraria payments including the calculation for partial acting-up payments. It is recommended that the pilot commence with immediate effect in order for there to be a full term during which these delegations can be reported together with a reporting back of the findings after recess

·         Note that a report will be made to the October meeting of the Committee providing a review and evaluation of the pilot

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Governors received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services concerning Tackling Racism Taskforce – Education Workstream Action Plan.

Governors noted that the Action Plan encompassed areas already covered by existing school-specific action plans.

RESOLVED, that the report was received.

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 of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 10 March 2021.

RESOLVED, that the non-public minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 10 March 2021, be approved as an accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Governors received a report of the Town Clerk regarding the Board’s non-public outstanding actions.

To receive the draft non-public minutes of the informal meeting held on 20 May 2021.

RESOLVED, that the draft non-public minutes of the informal Academic & Education Committee meeting held on 20 May 2021, be received.

To receive the draft non-public minutes of the meeting held on 25 May 2021.

RESOLVED, that the draft non-public minutes of the Governance Committee held on 25 May 2021, be received.

To receive the draft non-public minutes of the meeting held on 25 May 2021.

RESOLVED, that the draft non-public minutes of the Bursary Committee held on 25 May 2021, be received.

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

To be read in conjunction with the confidential appendices at item 40 on the agenda.

Governors received a non-public report of the Head.

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

Governors received a report of the Head regarding Admissions.

Report of the Bursar of the City of London School.

Governors received a report of the Bursar regarding Bursary and Scholarships.

Report of the Bursar of the City of London School.

Governors received a report of the Bursar regarding Data.

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

Governors received a report of the Head regarding Development.

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

Governors received a report of the Head regarding Health & Safety and Welfare.

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

Governors received a report of the Head regarding Compliance.

Joint report of the Head of the City of London School and the Head of the City of London School for Girls.

Governors considered a joint report of the Head of the City of London School and the Head of the City of London School for Girls regarding the Progress Report on the CLS CLSG Junior School.

Joint report of the Chamberlain and the Bursar of the City of London School.

Governors noted a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Bursar of the City of London School concerning the Financial Information Dashboard.

Joint report of the Chamberlain and the Bursar of the City of London School.

Governors received a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Bursar of the City of London School regarding the Revenue Outturn 2020-21.

Report of the Compliance Manager of the City of London School.

Governors considered an update of the Compliance Manager of the City of London School regarding the Risk Register.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Governors noted a report of the Town Clerk regarding the action taken between meetings.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.

At this point all officers left the meeting with the exception of the Head, Bursar, Town Clerk and Human Resources representative.

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

Joint report of the Head of the City of London School and Head of the City of London School for Girls.

Joint report of the Head of the City of London School, the Head of the City of London School for Girls and the Head of the City of London Freeman’s School.

Confidential appendices to be read in conjunction with item 8 on the agenda.

Confidential Appendix to be read in conjunction with item 9 on the agenda.

Confidential Appendix to be read in conjunction with item 21 on the agenda.

To agree the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 10 March 2021.