association of colleges · melvyn cass claire kay . 14.10.13 page 2 welcomed to their first...
TRANSCRIPT
14.10.13 Page 1
ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES
NATIONAL CLERKS’ NETWORK NATIONAL COMMITTEE
Minutes of a meeting held on
Thursday, 11 July 2013
In the Small Board Room, AoC, 2-5 Stedham Place, London WC1A 1HU
PRESENT
David Jackson, Chair West Midlands Region (Until 31.07.14) (For part of the
meeting only)
Sheila Selwood, Vice-Chair Eastern Region (Until 31.07.14)
Natalie Watt, Vice-Chair London Region (Until 31.07.14)
Richard Atkinson North East Region (For this meeting only)
Linda Barrett Vice Chair of South East Region (For this meeting only on
behalf of Melvyn Cass and Susan Simpson)
Glyn Harris North West Region (From 22.04.08 to 22.04.14)
Helen Harris Yorkshire & the Humber Region (Until 02.14)
Claire Kay East Midlands Region. (Until 31.07.13)
Mark White Governors’ Council Representative.
IN ATTENDANCE
Siobhan Chester, Vice-Chair of the London Region
Joanne Dean, (AoC, Assistant Governance Manager and Help-line Advisor)
Kevin McGladdery, (AoC, Governance Manager) (For part of the meeting)
Dr Susan Pember (AoC, Governance Adviser) (For part of the meeting)
Graydon Thwaite, East Midlands Region NCN National Committee representative (From
01.08.13 to 31.07.16)
NCN/13/44 CHAIR’S BUSINESS
a. CHAIR:
Sheila Selwood, Co Vice-Chair, assumed the role of Chair in David Jackson’s
absence.
b. MEMBERSHIP:
The Committee thanked the following for their respective significant contributions to the
work of the National Committee and acknowledged that this would be their last
meeting:
Melvyn Cass
Claire Kay
14.10.13 Page 2
Welcomed to their first meeting:
Linda Barrett, Vice Chair of South East Region (who was representing Susan
Simpson and Melvyn Cass for this meeting only).
Siobhan Chester, Vice-Chair of the London Region. (Who was shadowing Natalie
Watt for this meeting only)
Graydon Thwaite, was taking over as the East Midlands Region NCN National
Committee representative from 01.08.13 to 31.07.16. (N.B. Claire Kay will however
continue to Chair the East Midlands Region Network meeting)
Richard Atkinson, who was representing the North East Region for this meeting only
since the Region had still not appointed one Chair but was rotating the Chair at each
National Committee meeting.
NCN/13/45 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Melvyn Cass (Southern region); Lily Garth, South
West Region; Eleanor Lewis, Sixth Form Colleges’ Forum (Until January 2014); Susan
Simpson Southern Region(Chair From 01.08.13 until 31.07.16) (Representing Melvyn
Cass) and Selina Stewart, Programme Development Manager, LSIS.
NCN/13/46 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ANY ITEMS OF BUSINESS
None declared.
NCN/13/47 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
CONSIDERED:
The minutes of the meeting held on 1 May 2013 (Paper NCNP/13/16) were approved
as a correct record.
NCN/13/48 MATTERS ARISING ON THE MINUTES NOT ADDRESSED ELSEWHERE
ON THE AGENDA
CONSIDERED:
The following matters arising and action points from the minutes of the last meeting:
a. Communications (NCN/13/21)
David Jackson had contacted BIS concerning communications and as a result a
teleconference had taken place between Bobbie McClelland (BIS); Gerry Swift
14.10.13 Page 3
(BIS); Linda Barrett (for the FE Clerks Jiscmail), David Jackson (for the NCN
National Committee) and Joanne Dean (AoC) on 8 July 2013. Linda fed back to
the Committee on the conversation.
The Minister had indicated a preference to communicate direct to Chairs, but via
Clerks to all Governors.
The theme of Communication is a strand to be picked up in Susan’s work.
Action: Dr Susan Pember
b. Martin Doel, AoC Chief Executive (NCN/13/26)
The transfer of information between LSIS and the AOC was still work in progress
Action: Peter Munday, LSIS
c. Issues arising from the Chief Executives presentation (NCN/13/27) - The
Education and Training Foundation (EFT)
Mark White had been appointed as the AoC Governor Representative on the
ETF Board. He reported that the first meeting had been on 8 July 2013 and that
‘Governance support is high on the ETF Agenda’.
d. LSIS Governance activities April to July 2013
Discussion took place on the LSIS Teaching and Learning Regional events the
AoC 5 June 2013 ‘Teaching and Learning - Governors role in an Ofsted
Inspection’ Conference..
Richard Atkinson reported that the LSIS event in the NE Region had proved very
popular and that there was a waiting list of delegates.
Action: Selina Stewart
e. Clerkship of sponsored academies (NCN/13/32)
Sheila Selwood summarised the responses that she had received from ACER,
Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands and the North East Regions since
raising this matter at the last meeting concerning demand for CPD for Clerks to
sponsored academies.
Sheila reported her intention to ensure that the
list of Academy Clerks development requests
would feed into any work NCN is involved in
in terms of the professional development of
Clerks. NCN
Claire Kay reported that East Midlands Region had not identified any specific
training but instead intended to have a self-help network of Academy Clerks to
whom they could look to for assistance and support.
14.10.13 Page 4
f. Foundation Code of Governance and the Governance Library (NCN/13/33)
The Governance Manager was attending the NCNC Sector Implementation Group
meeting with David Jackson and this item was deferred to the next meeting.
g. NUS Update (NCN/13/34)
Members indicated that as far as they were aware no SGSP benchmarking session
pilots had run in the regions in the Summer It was reported that Steve Coole had
moved from his substantive role into a one year maternity cover at NUS.
h. NCN Work-plan 2013 (NCN/13/36)
An update would be provided at the next meeting.
i. Joint Audit Code of Practice (JACOP) Part 2 (NCN/13/40)
See Finance below NCN13/52
j. Governance Briefings (NCN/13/15)
The Committee expressed its concern that more frequent AOC
briefings on Governance topics had not been forthcoming and
in light of the speed of developments these were considered
valuable. Action: Governance Manager and Assistant Chief
Executive
NCN/13/49 FINAL LSIS REPORT FOR NCN (11 to 31 JULY 2013
RECEIVED:
A final report from Selina Stewart, Programme Development, Manager, LSIS (Paper
NCNP/13/17) on activities until its dissolution.
NOTED:
AoC have given an expression of interest to the Education and Training and
Foundation for the LSIS Excellence Gateway
AGREED:
A series of case studies triggered by the ‘Clerking in the New Era’ research will be
completed prior to the dissolution of LSIS and sent to Kevin McGladdery for posting onto
the AoC Governance Library’.
Governance Manager
14.10.13 Page 5
The Committee commended Selina Stewart and LSIS colleagues on the value and
quality of work undertaken, particular under the difficult circumstances after the
announcement of the dissolution of LSIS.
NCN/13/50 GOVERNORS’ COUNCIL MEETING SUMMARY
RECEIVED:
A summary from the Council’s last meeting (Paper NCNP/13/18) on which Mark invited
questions.
DISCUSSED:
Mark saw the challenges for the Governors’ Council as being:
o How do its elected representatives communicate with their respective regions?
o How do individual Governors get to hear of the Councils activities?
o Addressing the inconsistent level of communication by elected Council members
to their constituents.
A discussion took place on the general workload of the Council and its need to raise its
profile further.
Sheila reported on the time commitment required by Council members given there were
six Council meetings, four Task Groups meeting and other ad hoc meetings e.g. with the
Minister, senior civil servants etc.
NCN/13/51 FOUNDATION CODE OF GOVERNANCE/GOVERNANCE
LIBRARY/GOVERNANCE PORTFOLIO GROUP
RECEIVED:
A verbal summary from the Governance Portfolio Group’s meeting on 2 July 2013
from its Chair Mark White.
NOTED:
A report from the Governance Manager on Phase one and two of the Governance Resource
Library was deferred to the next meeting in the absence of the Governance |Manager
DISCUSSED:
Foundation Code
Mark heralded the early stages of a review by the AoC Boards Governance Portfolio
Group of the English Colleges’ Foundation Code of Governance. He referenced the
Department for Business Innovation & Skills, ‘A Review of Further Education and
Sixth Form College Governance’ Report on findings and recommendations. July 2013
which has as a recommendation: ‘An early review of the Foundation Code to include clear
14.10.13 Page 6
expectations on the duration of governorships and chairmanships and to set out succession
planning based on corporate best practice’
Mark reminded the Group that the Code did not belong to AoC, but was in fact the product of
work by a number of organisations and that a review had been planned from its inception.
It was commented on that the work of the GPG was largely invisible Members called
for further clarity and communication around the Code and the work of the GPG.
The Committee noted that it had yet to receive the results of survey undertaken to
ascertain the level of Code take up.
Members reported that there were reports of a feeling of a lack of clarity surrounding
the ‘Audit and Accountability Annex to the Foundation Code of Governance.
A member queried the role of the Finance Directors in working through all of the
recent financial and audit changes with Clerks and Corporations which it would be
helpful to have greater clarity on.
Concerns over the Audit and Accountability Annex to the Foundation could
undermine the good work achieved by the Code.
The view was expressed that the Code had not emanated from a sector push, but a
central pull.
a. AoC Governance Library
NOTED:
Deferred until next meeting
Governance Manager
NCN/13/52 FINANCE
NOTED:
It had not proved possible for the Governance Manager to update the Committee as
planned on:
o The SFA Financial Memorandum.
o The EFA Financial Memorandum.
o JACOP.
o The Accounts direction.
Julian Gravatt, Claire Kay, Mike Cheetham, Partner, RSM Tenon and Joanne Dean
plan to meet with a view to putting on an event in the autumn term. There was
considered to be an urgent need to bring all of the requirements from, different
sources (Rigour and Responsiveness, JACOP etc. into one guidance note.
ACTION:
An urgent briefing explaining all the latest finance developments (JACOP’ SFA
financial Memorandum, EFA Financial Memorandum, the Accounts Direction,
14.10.13 Page 7
Regularity Audit, Model fees etc.) how they fit together and what Clerks need to do
was requested.
Assistant Chief Executive and Governance Manager
NCN/13/53 FE MODEL STUDENT UNION CONSTITUTION NUS/AoC/LSIS and NCN
RECEIVED:
The FE Model Student Union Constitution Biennial Review (Paper NCNP/13/19).
NOTED:
The NUS, AoC, and LSIS model constitutions are designed to support colleges and
students unions to review their governance structures, ensuring that practice is to
both legitimate and effective within college student engagement processes.
NUS, AoC and LSIS agreed to review the documentation on a biennial basis.
At the last NCN meeting David Jackson requested that NCN play a part in this
review.
Joanne Dean organised a joint NUS, AoC, LSIS and NCN meeting to undertake the
review at the end of the National Clerks Conference on 12 June. (N.B. LSIS have now
withdrawn from the process following its dissolution).
The concordat to provide a framework for the management of the model constitution
and all supporting documents for FE students unions were amended to reflect the
dissolution of LSIS and that the review would now take place was five years (instead
of two) unless triggered by a legislative change.
DISCUSSED:
A number of errors were spotted in usage table produced by NUS. ACTION:
Write to notify NUS of the errors.
Assistant Governance Manager and Helpline Adviser
NCN/13/54 REPORTS FROM NCN REGIONS/CO-OPTEES
CONSIDERED:
Reports from regions by their elected members
North West: Held an excellent and well attended (30 Clerks) development day on
17 May at Trafford College.
East Midlands: Numbers attending are increasing; a number of invited external
speakers gave well received presentations and there was a discussion around the
support needs of Clerks to Academies. Joanne Dean attended presented and took
questions.
14.10.13 Page 8
North West: Regrettably a sixth form event had been organised for the same day
as the Clerks Region Network so numbers of attendees were adversely affected.
A law firm gave a presentation on Charity law as it related to our sector and
Joanne Dean gave an update on AoC governance activity.
North East: Two new Clerks have joined the Network and Alan Dixon, Regional
Director has worked with them to offer support; Mike Cheetham RSM Tenon
gave an audit presentation and Joanne Dean gave a governance update. The
members were continuing to follow the ‘rotation model’ in respect of chairing the
regional meetings and attending NCN National Committee.
South East: A lively group and well attended meetings. Discussed teaching and
learning in relation to governance, charity law and communication protocols.
Eastern: Very well attended by Clerks; Selena Stewart and Joanne Dean joined
the Group to deliver updates; members would like to see practical workshops on
changes to articles and Instruments of Government (e.g. written resolutions,
quorums, audit arrangements); members enjoyed the National Clerks Conference
want it to be repeated next year (but preferably in Birmingham or London again);
some felt that AoC Create were good but expensive; one person asked what the
mechanism was for getting materials posted onto the Governance Library
London: The Chair promoted the importance of attending the National Clerks
National Conference; flagged the ‘Clerking in the new era’ research; there was a
consensus that the Governors’ Council need to raise their profile; Kevin
McGladdery attended and provided a much welcomed governance update.
NCN/13/55 AoC CREATE/NCN TRAINING & CONSULTANCY PROPOSAL
RECEIVED:
Consideration of the draft proposal (Paper NCN/13/20) to deliver two workshops and a
Conference was deferred pending Susan Pembers report.
AGREED:
To subsume work completed so far into the broader work being undertaken by Dr.
Susan Pember and the overall bid to the ETF arising from that.
NCN/13/56 THE CLERKS QUALIFICATION
RECEIVED:
A verbal report from David Jackson.
14.10.13 Page 9
NOTED:
AoC Create, LSIS and the EFT were in dialogue to ensure that the data needed to
ensure that students on the current Level 5 cohort would be able to complete their
course.
The Clerks qualification remains valid but should be reviewed prior to the next
cohort.
NCN/13/57 AoC NATIONAL CLERKS’ CONFERENCE, 12 JUNE 2013
RECEIVED:
The typed summaries of ‘the issues for NCN to take forward” from each round table
discussion” at the conference (NCNP PAPER 13/21).
CONSIDERED:
The very positive feedback that the delegates had given about the Conference.
A verbal reflection from David Jackson and members that had attended the
conference about the emerging issues of: communication protocols (with Clerks,
Chairs and Governors); mentoring and recruitment.
, The Chair felt that it would be helpful for the received document to be summarised
to facilitate more in depth discussion at the next meeting.
ACTION:
Volunteer to summarise the typed feedback.
Linda Barrett
NCN13/58 CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS
RECEIVE:
A verbal report from the Chair succession planning.
AGREED:
Suggestions for co-opted members be forwarded to the NCN Chair by 31 August 2013.
NCN/13/59 ISSUES FOR FUTURE MEETINGS
None.
NCN/13/60 ANY OTHER BUSINESS
CONSIDERED:
14.10.13 Page 10
The FMCE
The FMCE was recognised as defunct. The Accountability Review although not a direct
replacement.
NCN/13/61 DR. SUSAN PEMBER, AoC GOVERNANCE ADVISER
RECEIVED:
The AoC ‘Progress Report on the Governance Review’ written by Dr Susan Pember on
her work to date and the next steps.
NOTED:
Dr Susan Pember has been engaged by the AoC, on behalf of the Governors’ Council to
consider the implications for Governors of the new freedoms agenda for Colleges and
private solutions on how governors can meet their new role. She introduced herself
giving a brief oral biography and explaining the triggers for her appointment as AoC
Governance Review Adviser and the framework she was adopting for the Review. The
review was due to be completed by September 2013 when it would be presented to the
AOC Board. and Governors Council.
DISCUSSED:
Communications was raised as a major issue. Susan explained that the Minister was
keen to communicate direct with Chairs. It was agreed that AoC communicated through
its nine Regions and Jiscmail was the place where Clerks went ‘to chat’ and use as a self-
help facility.
Susan drew attention to newsletters she intended to issue throughout the review and
the first newsletter had been sent via multiple routes including the AoC Chief
Executives Weekly Letter; NCN National Committee; Tweeted; LinkedIn. .
Attention was drawn to the SFAs Financial Memorandum which had not been issued in
an effective manner. Susan expressed the view that BIS/SFA should issue such
documents but that it was 300 pages long so needed to be accompanied by a summary.
Susan’s second Governance Review letter would be despatched later that day and
would ask: Are Clerks a useful gateway or a censor of communication? Is the
Governance system fit for purpose? Do Principals really want strong governance?
Susan expressed the view that whilst the Governors’ Council could promote their
activities more effectively, the majority were elected by their respective AoC Regions
which gave their voice legitimacy.
Members expressed the view that good governance was a whole organisational thing
and went beyond the Principal to the SMT. and encouraged Susan to have dialogue
with leadership team members.
. Susan commented that she felt that good governance was supported by good systems
and that if governors understood those systems it would help everyone.
14.10.13 Page 11
Susan said that she was talking to Chairs of Audit Committees, Chairs of Quality and
Standards Committees as well as senior leadership members beyond the Principal.
AGREED:
Susan acknowledged that the NCN National Committee had come a long way in the
past 18 months, but was at a crossroads and needed to decide whether it wished to
work differently and move forward as part of the new formal structure, or remain an
informal self-help Group. If it wished to move forward, what resources would it require
to do so? She left the Committee with the question ‘What role do you want to play?’
Which the Committee were charged with answering
NCN National Committee members
NCN/13/62 FUTURE ROLE OF NCN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
DISCUSSED:
Dr Susan Pember left the meeting and a debate ensued about the role that the NCN
National Committee wished to take.
AGREED:
The committee were agreed THAT:
They wished to be fully involved in the future development of Governance.
They value the Clerks Qualification and considered they had a key role to play in its
future development and oversight of its delivery.
They were committed to the development of a professional CPD Programme for
Clerks.
They fully supported the introduction of a mentoring programme for new Clerks.
They consider the Governance Library and the updating of the Governor training
materials to be essential:
They supported fortnightly, concise Governance Briefings.
o They required a better understand the respective roles of the Governance
Manager and the Assistant Governance Manager and Helpline Advisor.
o They regard as essential Summaries of key documents issued on governance.
o They consider On-going support both administrative and professional for the
NCN National Committee to enable the Committee to work effectively in this
area.
o A paid individual to undertake a feasibility study looking at appropriate
governance CPD programmes on behalf of the Committee.
o The Chair of NCN be fully supported to carry out the role.
. That the Chair would have delegated responsibility to take this forward on finance
14.10.13 Page 12
NCN/13/63 DATE OF NEXT MEETING, AND FUTURE MEETINGS
NOTED:
The next scheduled meetings will be held at 10.30am on Tuesday, 24 September 2013
in AoC’s Boardroom
CONSIDERED:
The following schedule of meetings for 2014 were considered and rejected:
1. Tuesday, 21 January 2014
2. Tuesday, 29 April 2014
3. Tuesday, 8 July 2014
4. Tuesday, 23 September 2014.
AGREED:
The Chair would work with AoC to see if it is feasible to hold additional NCN
National Committee Meetings close to the Governors’ Council Meetings cycle
Chair and Assistant Governance Manager and Helpline Adviser