Agenda item

Report by the Principal.

The Committee then considered the report on the draft agenda plan, noting the circulated amended agenda plan information.

Members noted the intention to move to a 4 Board meetings a year cycle (February, May, September and November) with an away day in July, with the possibility of another joint away day with the Barbican following the success of the recent session.

The thematic focus of the agenda plan was generally welcomed, although concern was raised by a Governor at consistency and balance of meetings with the possible overloading of the May date with strategy issues compared to the ‘achievement-type’ reports comprising the majority of some other agendas.

During discussion, the Chairman suggested that safeguarding should be a general standing item topic at each meeting, covered as appropriate in the Principal’s general report. It was noted that the Board’s September meeting would include the ‘standalone’ Safeguarding Policy report and update. In response to a question from a Governor about quarterly financial information, the Principal confirmed that these papers were not identified on the circulated draft plan but would be a usual addition and it was requested that this and any other relevant items (such as minutes, outstanding actions, TRAC, Academic Assurance Working Group report (the latter possibly to the November Board)) also be added to the plan. It was noted that the Principal’s public and non-public reports would contain broad ‘over-arching’ information in a standard format, analysing successes, challenges, etc for the School’s departments.     

Debate continued and a Governor said that she would prefer written reports on issues to oral updates and that there should be opportunity to hear views from non-teaching staff about ‘what does / does not work for them’. The Principal said that consideration would be given to semester changes and that this along with other areas for review would be reported to Governors in due course. The continuing administrative demands on the School of changes in areas of compliance was also referred to and Governors were also informed of unresolved delays in recruitment and retention matters in relation to requirements of established CoL human resources procedures. On the latter, the Chairman of the Board asked the Principal to provide her with a briefing note on these issues and the Principal confirmed that she would discuss the matter further with the Director of HR.  

RESOLVED – That the agenda plan be endorsed, subject to the inclusion of the other appropriate items and comments made by Governors above, for onward approval by the Board.