Minutes of the Ninety Seventh Meeting of the Board of Corporation of Sunderland College held on Tuesday 27 March 2012 at 6.00pm in the Seminar Room at Usworth Sixth Form Centre.

PRESENT: Mr D Ambrose, Mrs D Butler, Mr A Carter, Mr C Corrigan, Mr S Crake, Mr R Edmonds, Mr I Forster (Chair), Cllr C Gofton, Mrs A Hodgson, Mr A Holmes, Ms J Johnson, Mrs A Lawson-McLean, Ms A O’Donoghue, Mr M Ridley.

IN ATTENDANCE: Ms S Duncan, Mr N Harrett, Mr D Howells, Mrs J Ridley.

CLERK: Ms R Ferguson (Dickinson Dees).

Bd/12/19 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Apologies for absence were received from Ms S Atkinson, Mr G Blyth, Mr B Campbell, Miss B Carr, Cllr A Wilkinson.

The following declarations of interest were received:A Carter for agenda item Bd/12/23D Ambrose for agenda item Bd/12/22 C Gofton for agenda item Bd/12/26

Bd/12/20 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD ON 7 FEBRUARY 2012

The minutes were accepted as an accurate record.

Bd/12/21 MATTERS ARISING THEREFROM

There were none.

Bd/12/22 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GOVERNANCE & SEARCH COMMITTEE

The Clerk reported that the Governance & Search Committee, at its meeting on 21 March, had considered a nomination received from the Sunderland North Joint Committee to re-appoint Douglas Ambrose and recommended that he be re-appointed for a further term.

The Board:

accepted the recommendation of the Governance & Search Committee to re-appoint Douglas Ambrose for a further one year period of office.

It was agreed to take items Bd/12/23 and Bd/12/24 at the end of the agenda.

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Bd/12/25 ESTATES UPDATE

The Board:

noted that a detailed report would be circulated for discussion at the Special Board meeting to be held on 3 April 2012

Bd/12/26 HIGHER EDUCATION STRATEGY

The Assistant Principal Higher Education presented the report. He explained that Higher Education was currently undergoing a period of fundamental change in the funding and delivery of higher education. As a result, the College had undertaken a review of its current practices and provision and had revised its Higher Education Strategic Plan to reflect those changes.

There following lengthy discussion around the strategic aims and objectives and the potential risks. It was noted that whilst the strategy proposed a strengthening of the partnership with the University of Sunderland, it also recognised the need to develop a broader partnership base to allow for more flexibility around curriculum planning and the setting of fees in order to remain viable.

Whilst supporting the direction of travel of the Strategic Plan, Governors said that they would like to see key milestones included (with dates and names), and requested that regular reports be brought to the Board so that Governors could monitor the progress towards meeting these targets.

The Board:

approved the HE Strategic Plan’s basic principles and strategic aims subject to the comments outlined above.

ConfidentialThe Board agreed to deem the report confidential from public scrutiny as it contains commercially sensitive information.

Bd/12/27 EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT – JULY 2011-FEBRUARY 2012

The Principal presented the Annual Report covering the period July 2011 to February 2012 explaining that it had been brought forward to enable the College to publish its data in line with the requirements of the Equality Act. The report was commended by Governors, recognising the significant amount of good work done by the College in relation to Equality and Diversity.

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In response to a question regarding the large number of “not knowns” reported in the data tables within the Annual Report, It was noted that some people may not wish to declare sensitive information however, it was the aim of the College to foster an open environment where people felt comfortable in doing so.

The Chair advised that he had undertaken the on-line Equality & Diversity training which was mandatory for all staff and he had found it to be very valuable and recommended that governors may wish to do the same.

The Board:

approved the Equality & Diversity Annual Report July 2011-February 2012.

Bd/12/28 MONITORING THE PROGRESS OF THE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT PLAN

The Vice Principal Quality & Student Support presented the mid-year report explaining that the College was making good progress in achieving the outcomes as outlined in the report.

The Board:

received the monitoring report noting the progress made in Science and Maths subjects.

Bd/12/29 BUDGETARY CONTROL STATEMENTS

The Vice Principal Finance presented the budgetary control statements for the six months ended 31 January 2012. He explained that the income and expenditure account was showing an operating surplus of £1,020k after providing £180k for potential contingencies.

The Vice Principal provided an update on enrolments as follows: 16-18 learner responsive enrolments were down compared to

the same time last year however, the College was making every effort to close the gap

the reduction in 19+ delivery was due to a timing issue as much of this work is undertaken later in the year.

the College was on course deliver £1.2m of 16-18 apprenticeships against a funded target of £640k. It was noted that, following discussions with the SFA, an email had been received confirming that the College will get a variation to its funding agreement to reflect this extra delivery.

The Board:

received the report.

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Bd/12/30 REVISED FINANCIAL REGULATIONS

The Vice Principal Finance presented the report which had been considered in detail by the Resources Committee. It was noted that following a recent review, a number of changes had been made to the financial regulations to reflect changes in legislation, general housekeeping changes and amendments to the levels at which approvals are required, with safeguards.

The Board:

i. received the report;ii. approved the revised Financial Regulations.

Bd/12/31 REAPPOINTMENT AND REMUNERATION OF EXTERNAL AUDITOR (FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND REGULARITY AUDIT)

The Vice Principal Finance presented the report explaining that the Audit Committee had reviewed the performance of external audit based on a revised set of performance indicators together with KPMG’s own self assessment against those performance indicators.

The Audit Committee concluded that it was satisfied with the way in which KPMG had carried out their work on the 2010/11 financial statements and regularity audit, and recommended that KPMG be reappointed for the 2011/12 financial year

Board Members were pleased to note that the Audit Committee had negotiated a standstill on fees for 2011/12.

The Board:

i. agreed the re-appointment and remuneration of KPMG as financial statements and regularity auditors to the College;

ii. agreed the performance indicators to be used in 2012/2012.

Bd/12/32 FEEDBACK FROM STUDENT COUNCIL MEETING

The Chair advised that meeting with Student Councillors took place on 29 February. He explained that the students rarely raise any issues that affect their teaching and learning; most issues relate to computer speed, problems with Moodle and the quality of food. Details of the issues raised at the meeting had been passed to management and their response would be reported back to the students at the next meeting in May.

The Board:

received the feedback.

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Bd/12/33 LINK GOVERNOR FEEDBACK

The Board:

agreed to defer Mr Holmes’ report on Marketing to the next meeting.

Bd/12/34 APPROVED MINUTES FROM COMMITTEES

The Board:

received the minutes.

The Staff Governor and (following a resolution by the Board) the Student Governor left the meeting at 7.10pm

Bd/12/23 MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE STRATEGY III

Confidential

The Board agreed to deem the change strategy document and the paper accompanying it as confidential until it has been approved by the Board of Governors.

All members of College staff left the meeting.

Bd/12/24 APPOINTMENT AND REMUNERATION OF PRINCIPAL/CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Confidential

The Board agreed to deem the minute confidential from public scrutiny as it relates to the pay and conditions of a Senior Post Holder.

Bd/12/35 ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Resignation of Vice Principal Quality & Student Support

Confidential

The Board agreed to deem the minute confidential from public scrutiny as it relates to the pay and conditions of Senior Post Holders.

Bd/12/36 DATE, TIME AND VENUE OF NEXT MEETING

The Board:

agreed that the next meeting would take place on Tuesday 15 May 2012 at 6.00pm in the Seminar Room at Usworth Sixth Form Centre.

The Meeting closed at 9:25pm

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