ASCR Committee Meeting
Tuesday 20th September 2011, 10.30 am
Housman Room
MINUTES
Present: Bob Barber, Martin Butcher, Ruth Dar, Roger Flower, Diana Manuel, Steve Miller (Convenor),
Frank Penter (Treasurer), Julie Rolls, Richard Simons (Hon. Secretary), David M. Smith (Head of Facilities,
Estates), Jane Spender (Manager)
Apologies: John Brodholt, Peter Cadley, Talvinder Sihra
1. Welcome and apologies for absence. A special welcome was extended to David M. Smith (Head of
Facilities, Estates) for attending the meeting. Apologies for absence were as noted above.
2. Minutes of the last meeting. The Minutes of the last meeting were approved as a true record.
3. Catering: Chartwells contract
David Smith confirmed that the expiry date of the current contract with Chartwells had been 31st July 2012.
However, to align its renewal with other major UCL contracts, Estates had exercised the permitted 1-year
extension and it would now expire 31st July 2013; this provided additional time to work on a catering
strategy followed by the sourcing strategy. It also allowed for work to begin after the Olympics were over,
and it tied in also with the development of the Masterplan. David suggested that the ASCR should be
represented on both the procurement and tendering panels for the new contract, and it was agreed that
Richard and John should share the role. It was noted that the Estates Working Group on Social Provision,
looking at a high-level strategy, and the catering contract panels should feed in to each other.
A number of different problems and issues with the catering had arisen over time and were outlined for
David; meetings with Chartwells in the past had led to improvements for a while; but recent management
changes had affected provision to the Housman Room. As part of the tendering process the ASCR
Committee would again consider the option of taking over the provision of catering in the Housman Room
rather than remaining with the UCL caterer. That decision would rest in part on whether investment in
developing the unsatisfactory bar and service area – which had been discussed with Ray Harding in the past
– might be forthcoming as part of the tendering process. David said that a similar situation with the servery
in the Roberts Building had contributed to catering problems there, but that Chartwells was now investing in
improvements as part of their efforts to retain the contract.
His approach was very much hands-on and practical: he wanted to deliver improvements; he emphasised
that key performance indicators were not set in stone but could be changed; he was introducing regular
monitoring of contractors in all Facilities areas. He pointed out that even if another company won the
catering contract at UCL under TUPE this did not mean that the staff would change.
He suggested that a smaller group from the Committee should meet to discuss and prioritise the problems,
which he would then take up with Chartwells, and that this meeting should take place in the near future. He
also proposed that the ASCR should come to his monthly meetings with Chartwells. Both suggestions were
welcomed and agreed, and Richard, Frank and Jane were asked to form the sub-group to meet David within
the next two weeks.
Action: Richard, Frank, Jane, David
It was also noted that thanks were due to Chartwells for their response, despite the reduction in staff
available during the vacation, to requests for additional staff to deal with the presence of a group of about 60
people in the Housman Room.
4. Other catering matters
Beer notes. These were still awaiting a professional design and lay-out; but meanwhile Julie would provide
them in a stop-gap form, to be replaced in the new lay-out when this was ready.
Action: Julie
Beer. Ensuring that the draft pumps did not run dry was proving problematic, in part because there was
insufficient racking in the cold room. Jane had spoken to Arnaud about how the ordering process might be
managed more effectively; she had also asked him to research ready-made stillions, since the original plan
for providing them had been and would continue to be delayed. Problems with the beer would be among the
points brought to the planned sub-group meeting.
Action: Richard, Frank, Jane
Coffee machine prices. The agreed increase to 70p per cup would be implemented at the start of term.
Action: Jane
Wine-tasting. Because Chartwells was due to introduce a new wine list for 2011–2012, the wine-tasting had
been postponed until after 20th October, when a new date would be arranged with Kathy Burk and interested
Committee members invited to attend.
Action: Jane
5. Furniture
A batch of chair-frames (four) and seats (two) had been collected for repair by JPA’s preferred upholsterer in
Liverpool. These were due back on the 21st, and if satisfactory the rest of the chairs needing repair would be
picked up by the upholsterer in due course. Although an earlier meeting of the Committee had agreed to get
rid of some chairs because the room was so crowded with furniture, it was now felt that where possible
repair rather than removal was the better course; chairs that were not worth repairing would be cannibalised
for arms, seats, leather, etc., and then disposed of.
6. ASCR website
Martin’s photographs, on display as part of the 12th Haldane Event, were now on the website; they were to be
found via the News and Events page and looked wonderful. Some of the wording on the website had been
revised, and more photographs of the Housman Room incorporated throughout. It was agreed that when
mailings were sent to ASCR members, a note to remind them that the website exists should be prominently
included.
Action: Jane
7. The Masterplan
A number of matters were briefly reported. (1) The question of the Housman Room had been raised in
Council at its last meeting on July 6th where it had been noted that the matter had been referred for
discussion by the Working Group on Social Provision. (2) Jane had contacted Angela Clemo, who had
responded with two pieces of information: first, that the proposals in the Masterplan document relating to
the Housman Room had been revised omitting any mention of a move to 25 – 26 Gordon Square; second,
that the Masterplan was being taken up by the new Estates Strategy Team, under Dave R. Smith, and Angela
would be returning to her normal job. (3) The Committee was reminded that, although nothing appeared to
be moving, Special Collections would have to leave the National Archive at Kew in two years’ time and would
have to be housed somewhere in UCL, as far as was known in the Housman Room. (4) At the Working
Group’s only meeting so far the ASCR had been asked for information on the geographic location of its
members. Management Systems had been asked to create a new field for the database which would give
members’ departments, and had done so quickly. Roger had provided helpful information on GIS
production, and it was expected that a map indicating the location of members would be created.
Ways of establishing the numbers of people using the Housman Room were discussed: systematic lunchtime
counts could be restarted; David could arrange for CCTV in the North Cloisters to be set up for a wider count;
sign-in sheets, although not everyone signed their guests in, gave a good indication of the numbers of guests
invited to the Housman Room, and their institutions, and would be useful in quantifying the things for
which the room was used. Slid into the discussion at this point was a question on setting up a Cardax system
on the door, but after a brief discussion, it was felt that the matter should be postponed to a future
Committee meeting.
Action: Jane
8. The World Olympian Association
Following the Committee’s decision to allow the WOA to use the Housman Room for the duration of the
Olympics and move the ASCR into the Garden Room, Jane had been to look at the Garden Room pantry,
which would make things easier for Chartwells; Dee Wilkinson, the General Manager of Chartwells in UCL,
had also looked at it and was happy with it. Frank had had positive feedback about the ASCR decision to
allow the WOA to use the Housman Room.
9. Widening the membership base
Copies of the draft paper prepared following the sub-group’s meeting (Richard, Frank, Martin and Jane) was
handed round, and two or three amendments were made. One of the two risks listed in the paper concerned
the possible effect on the Common Room of a widened membership on the Common Room, and it was
agreed to be more specific about what might be lost by including the phrase ‘academic and collegial focus’.
This brought the realisation that there was no such concept in the ASCR Constitution, which had no clause
setting out the ASCR’s aims and objectives – it was in effect a document of rules of procedure. It was agreed
that this was a serious omission which should be made good at the AGM.
It had originally been intended to put the paper out to the members as a consultation paper, before
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formalising it as a resolution for the AGM; it was agreed instead to present it as a resolution about a month
in advance of the AGM, bundling in with it the aims and objectives amendment to the Constitution.
Thanks to Jane for her work on the paper were recorded.
10. Membership checks
These had not been run in the summer term, because the Committee’s effort had been with the Masterplan;
it was now necessary to have regular checks again: if the membership of the ASCR was to be opened up, the
quid pro quo was that the Housman Room was a membership room. It was agreed that checks should be
held throughout the third week of term, Monday 10th – Friday 14th October, inclusive. Jane would set up a
Doodlepoll, asking for cover for the periods 12.00 – 2.00 and 5.00 – 6.30 each day, if possible with two
people on the main entrance and two on the back door.
Action: Jane
11. Financial report
Frank had circulated two reports, for the financial years 2010–2011 and 2011–2012. He was pleased with
the outcome of 2010–2011, although the accounts showed one or two anomalies: the new electronic
payments system meant there was less control over payments for newspapers and coffee, with an invoice in
each category being pushed into the current year; the payment for the new sofas and chairs had also been
pushed into 2011–2012. Adjustments would be made to the budget before it was presented to the AGM.
A calculation error was noted in the 2011-12 report. Following a discussion it was agreed that the
refurbishment reserve expenditure should be raised to £15k for the year.
Thanks to Frank for all his work were recorded.
12. 15th Haldane Event. Jane had approached Robert Eagle (Multimedia Producer, UCL
Communications) about presenting the 15th Event, showing film of UCL and aspects of its work. Robert had
historic material, and was also very enthusiastic about presenting the videos he was producing, about
aspects of UCL and its work. It was agreed to go ahead with him. It was also agreed to hold the Haldane
Event in December.
Action: Jane
13. AGM
It was agreed that this should take place on Tuesday 22nd November.
Action: Jane
14. George
Jane had written to George’s sister Natasha Appiah to express the condolences of the ASCR and their
sadness at George’s sudden death, and a donation of £100 had also been sent to her towards the cost of
repatriating George’s body to Ghana for burial. Natasha had written thanking the ASCR for the donation
and for their warmth and kindness in remembering George.
14. Agency Workers Regulations 2010 compliance
Jane reported that she had been contacted by Fiona Daffern, head of Employment Policy Development, to
alert the ASCR to the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 which were due to come into force on 1st October
2011. The gist of these was that any agency workers will be entitled to the same access to various facilities as
a comparable employee, amongst other rights – this would include the right for those on Grade 7 and above
to join the ASCR, subject to normal joining fees.
15. Invitation to David M. Smith to join the Committee
The Committee had greatly appreciated David’s presence at the meeting, and were very grateful for his
considerable input. They invited him to join the Committee as an ex officio member, and he accepted their
invitation.
16. Date of next meeting. Tuesday 1st November at 10.30 am.
The meeting closed at 12.00 pm.
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