NEW COLLEGE, SWINDON
Minutes of the Corporation meeting held 18th October 2011
Present:
Dave Rowlands (Chair), Myra Ayram, Verity Dams, Gerard Davies, Les Durrant,
Heydar Faramarzi, Russell Holland, Leeanne Hunnex, Sam McCurdy, Peter O'Brien,
Glen Reid, Graham Taylor
With:
Maureen Debbage, Diane Dimond, Chris Hale, Amanda Walton, Tracy Scaife
1568 Welcome – the Chair welcomed Myrah Ayram, Verity Dams and Leeanne Hunnex to their
first meeting of the Corporation.
1569 Governor Training – Student Union and Student Liaison: presentation by Fiona Simpson –
the Chair welcomed Fiona to the meeting.
Fiona outlined her role and the work of the Student Union. They are currently involved with a
school in Kenya. A number of students visited the school during the summer break and
fundraising is currently taking place to raise funds for a further group of students to visit the
school in summer 2012. As part of this a Charity Ball is being organised for February 2012 and
governors are welcome to attend.
Governors are also invited to attend any of the Student Union meetings which are held on a
weekly basis.
1570 Order of agenda – the Chair agreed to take item 14 as the next item whilst Fiona was
present.
1571 Student Union accounts – received and noted. The accounts have been presented
previously to the Finance and General Purposes committee.
1572 Apologies for absence – received from Peter Foskett, Norman Holland, Simon Howell and
Matt Troupe.
1573
Disclosure of Interests – none.
1574
Minutes of last meeting held 12th July 2011 – agreed as a correct record.
1575
Matters arising from minutes of last meeting held 12th July 2011 – raised as follows:
(a)
1562(a) Governor/staff liaison – noted that the Clerk and Gerard Davies have met to
discuss a governor/staff liaison event.
The plans for the event were outlined and it was agreed that it should be held on 13th December
2011 at 1700, immediately before the next Corporation meeting.
ACTION: TS to arrange governor/staff liaison event for 13.12.2011
1576
Risk Management update – received from Director of Finance.
It was noted that the Risk Register has been reviewed and remains mainly unchanged. One
further risk has been added relating to overall site security.
1577
Principal’s report – received and noted.
The Chair asked the Principal, on behalf of the Corporation, to congratulate the staff of the
College for achieving a Success Rate of 83.2%.
With regard to Key Performance Indicators it was agreed that these should remain unchanged for
this academic year.
The meeting was delighted to note that 14 learners have enrolled for the BPP law degree course.
RESOLUTION: that the Key Performance Indicators remain unchanged for the current academic
year.
1578 Self Assessment Report (SAR) 2010/11; Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) 2011/12; Success
Rates (SR) – report by Principal received and noted.
The full SAR and QIP are being published later in the week and will be uploaded to Ofsted by 31st
December 2011.
As noted earlier a SR of 83.2% has been achieved for 2010/11. The Prinicpal is recommending
that a target SR of 87% is set for this year.
It was further noted that action plans have been put in place where required for courses
underperforming.
RESOLUTION: that the target Success Rate for 2011/12 be set at 87%.
1579
Financial Targets 2011/12 – report by Director of Finance received and noted.
It was noted that the financial targets for 2011/12 as detailed have been presented to and
agreed by the Finance and General Purposes committee.
Current ratio
Cash days
Operating surplus
Trading surplus
Trading surplus as a % of income
Cash generation
Pay expenditure as a % of income
General reserve, excluding FRS17
Borrowing
Operating surplus, excluding FRS17, as a
% of adjusted income
Performance ratio
Budget savings to be identified
2011/12 Target
1.34
64.58
£9k
£24k
0.1%
£877k
68.3%
£16,680k
0
2010/11 Actual
2.15
143.05
£650k
£648k
3.5%
£1,903k
63.0%
£16,667k
0
0.3%
2.9%
5.58%
£240k
8.6%
N/A
RESOLUTION: that the financial targets for 2011/12 be agreed.
1580
Possible post-16 learning centre at Isambard Community School – report by Principal
received and noted.
RESOLUTION: that the Principal continues to explore joint collaboration to provide post-16
education opportunities in north Swindon and that the setting up of a Memorandum of
Understanding be agreed.
ACTION: GT to continue exploring joing collaboration re. Post-16 education in north Swindon.
(Russell Holland declared an interest in this item as he is also a member of Swindon Borough
Council)
1581
1% non-consolidated pay award for 2010/11 – noted that the Corporation agreed
previously that if a success rate of 83% was achieved a non-consolidated pay award of 1% would
be made.
As noted earlier in the meeting a success rate of 83.2% was achieved for the 2010/11 academic
year.
The meeting discussed the possibility of a similar non-consolidated pay award for the 2011/12
academic year.
RESOLUTION: that a 1% non-consolidated pay award be made to all staff (except any currently
on capability) in recognition of achieving a success rate of 83% for the 2010/11 academic year.
That if a success rate of 87% is achieved for the current academic year a further 1% nonconsolidated pay award be considered for all permanent staff. This would be subject to
affordibility.
ACTION: 1% non-consolidated to be paid to all staff as above.
1582
Governance matters:
(a)
Governor attendance – report by Clerk to the Corporation received and noted.
RESOLUTION: that the governor attendance target for 2011/12 be kept at 80% for overall
attendance at Corporation and committee meetings.
(b)
Governor/Staff Liaison event – item considered earlier in the meeting.
(c)
Appointments to committees – noted.
(d)
Winding-up of Accommodation Working Party – noted that the Accommodation Working
Party has now completed it's remit and should now be wound-up.
The Principal and the Chair thanked those who had been involved in the Working Party for all
their hard work and dedication over the years of its existence.
It was noted that a report on buildings etc. will be presented on an annual basis to the
Corporation October meeting.
RESOLUTION: that the Accommodation Working Party be wound up. That an annual report on
buildings be presented to the Corporation (October meeting)
ACTION: TS to place item on Corporation agenda for October meeting re. Buildings
(e)
Regulation of Colleges – information from Association of Colleges noted.
1583
Minutes of committees and working parties – noted as follows:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Accommodation Working Party: 27th September 2011
Finance and General Purposes committee: 27th September 2011
Curriculum and Quality committee: 10th October 2011
Personnel committee: 10th October 2011
1584
Any other business – raised as follows:
(a)
Chair of Corporation – the Chair advised the meeting that he does not intend to stand for
a further term of office as Chair of Corporation.
1585
Date of next meeting – Tuesday 13th December 2011 at 1800.
1586
Appointment of Director of Finance – confidential minutes refer.
1587
Remuneration of Principal – confidential minutes refer.
1588
Confidential minutes of Remuneration committee 10th October 2011 – received and
noted.