Minutes of the East Durham College Full Board Meeting held on 8th December 2023

Prior to the Board meeting the Vice Principal Curriculum and Performance delivered training to the Board on the Education Inspection Framework and the role of Ofsted with a particular focus on the role and focus of the Board and the changes arising from the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022.  

D Butler (Chair), E Bolton, J Bromiley, A Chandra, M Curry, S Duncan, P Earl, J Field, R Harrison (remote), E Jose, V McFarquhar, R Woodhouse,  

C Tomlinson – Vice Principal Curriculum and Performance 

S Judson – Vice-Principal Finance and Business Planning 

H McCoy – Assistant Principal Performance  

J Lanagan - Assistant Principal Curriculum Planning and Partnerships  

L Haggis - Campus Director Houghall 

A Wilkinson - Campus Director Peterlee & Technical Academy 

Z Hiscott - Student Voice & Engagement Officer, for item 5. 

Apologies were received from:   A Cummins, G Field, M Parkin, E Oughton, D Pilling.  

The Chair welcomed Peter Earl, SU President, to the meeting and the Board approved his appointment and noted his appointment to committees would be dealt with under item 8.1 Governance Report. 

None advised.  

AGREED 

1. Agreed that the minutes of October 13, 2022, were approved as an accurate record. 

2. The minutes of the Special Board meeting held on 24th November 2022 were agreed as a correct record. 

The Principal provided a further update to the Board on the impact of the immediate ONS reclassification. The College will not be VAT exempt despite representations made by sector bodies. 

No matters were raised.

Student Union Report 

This report was discussed prior to item 3 and after item 6b). 

Z Hiscutt, Student Voice & Engagement Officer presented the report to the Board and the Board noted in particular the new roles relating to sustainability and events and views of students on the cafeteria. 

NOTED 

The Board noted the report. 

(Z Hiscutt left the meeting). 

1 (a) This report was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivity owing to the inclusion of information relating to third parties and student information.  

The Principal presented the report to the Board and highlighted in particular the College’s performance in the context of the wider sector, the continuing challenges with staff recruitment and retention, the potential need for the College to cut the breadth of its provision and the need for a strategic discussion at the strategic planning day scheduled to take place on 26th January.  

It was agreed that skills-responsive case studies would be added to the report going forward to provide a regular insight to the Board on the work the College does in this area. 

NOTED 

The Board noted the report. 

1 (b) Outcomes of the DfE Annual Strategic Conversation (confidential)

This item was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivity. The Principal provided an update on the outcomes of the DfE Annual Strategic conversation and confirmed that further feedback would be circulated for the next board meeting.  

NOTED 

The Board noted the update. 

2. Quality and Curriculum Update  

SAR and SED Validation Outcomes Report 

The Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality presented the report to the Board and highlighted the role of members of the CQ&S Committee and external support provided by colleagues from Grimsby College in contributing to the QIP, SAR and SED. 

The Chair of CQ&S highlighted to the Board the thoroughness of the critical friends and the process as a whole. 

NOTED AND AGREED 

The Board noted the final position for the 2021/22 Quality Improvement plan and agreed the grades for the 2021/22 Self-Assessment Report with the updated grade for the Quality of Education section of the report. The Board further noted the Self Evaluation Document for Higher Education Provision in 2021/22. 

3. Finance and Resources Update 

(a) Report and Financial Statements for Year Ended 31st July 2022

The Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning presented the report to the Board and confirmed that the Statutory Accounts had been reviewed and challenged by the Audit and Risk Committee at their last meeting and that feedback received over email from governors had been incorporated into the final form of the accounts. 

APPROVED 

The Board approved the members report and financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2022 and authorised the Principal and Chair to sign the Members’ Report and Financial Statements on behalf of the Board. 

(b) External Audit Report to the Audit Committee 2021/22

This item was discussed prior to item 3.  

Claire Leece, RSM, External Auditor, presented the external audit report to the Board and highlighted in particular: 

• The changes made to the notes to the accounts as a result of the ONS reclassification and the impact of the planned refinancing now requiring DfE consent. 

• The reduction in pension liabilities in the balance sheet 

• The clawback in relation to the Adult Education budget 

The Chair of Audit and Risk and the Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning provided their view on the issues arising and confirmed that in their opinion the College remained a going concern and could continue to trade for the next 12 months. 

ACCEPTED AND NOTED 

The Board accepted the report and noted the outcomes of the Financial Statements and Regularity Audit. 

(C Leece left the meeting) 

(c) October Management Accounts 2022 (confidential) 

This report was regarded as confidential for reason of commercial sensitivity regarding information relating to the College’s financial position. The Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning presented the report which provided the College’s financial position as at 31st October 2022.  

NOTED 

The Board noted the report. 

(d) Risk Management Update (confidential) 

The Principal presented the report to the Board. This report was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivity relating to specific risks in relation to the Houghall Campus development and match funding. 

APPROVED 

The Board approved the updated summary of the strategic risks for the College, as determined by the Risk Management Group and discussed at Audit and Risk Committee. 

(e) Subcontract Arrangements  (confidential) 

The report was regarded as confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivity as the documents contained financial information. 

The Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality presented the report to the Board and it was noted that it had been considered by the Audit and Risk Committee. 

NOTED AND APPROVED  

The Board noted the report and approved the Principal’s prior approval of subcontracted activity for 2022/23 and approved the Subcontract for 2022/23. 

Audit & Risk Committee: 

(a) Internal Audit Plan 2022/23 

The Vice Principal Finance and Business Planning presented the report and confirmed that Audit One and the College Leadership Group had produced the internal audit plan. The Chair of Audit and Risk Committee highlighted to the Board the view of the Audit and Risk Committee on the need for any additional days allocated to internal audit to add value over and above compliance and offered his support in the process. 

APPROVED 

The Board approved the internal audit report and noted the need for further exploration of suitable added value proposals for the additional days allocated to internal audit. 

(b) Chair’s Annual Report of the Audit Committee 2021/22 (confidential) 

This report was regarded as confidential as an internal report to Board on the adequacy of the control framework at the College. The Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee presented the report and confirmed it accurately summarised the work of the Audit and Risk Committee and provided the assurance the Board required to sign off the accounts as a going concern and highlighted the role of the Audit and Risk committee in following up on the recommendations. 

The Chair thanked the Chair of Audit and Risk Committee for the report and thanked the Committees for the work carried out throughout the year. 

APPROVED 

The Board approved the opinion of the Audit and Risk Committee and noted the contents of the report. 

1. Governance Update Report 

The Clerk presented the report to the Board. Mick Curry declared that Miles Parkin, a new student governor, was his great nephew and it was requested that this be minuted but noted that there was no particular conflict of interest in this regard but that this would nevertheless be kept under review. 

The Chair and governors thanked Liz Oughton for her service and it was furthe8th r noted that Jane Maughan was retiring and thanks were extended for her support of the Board, which had been exemplary. 

APPROVED AND ADOPTED: 

i) The Board Approved and adopted the Governance Handbook. 

APPOINTED

ii) The Board Appointed Peter Earl and Miles Parkin as student governors for a term of one year from 8 December 2022 to 7 December 2023 

iii) The Board Appointed Peter Earl and Miles Parkin to the Curriculum and Quality Standards Committee. 

NOTED 

iv) The Board Noted the resignations of Liz Oughton and Dan Pilling 

v) The Board Noted the vacancies arising for the HE Group, and Link Governor positions for Equality and Diversity and for Employer Provision. 

2. Minutes of Committee Meetings for Approval 

APPROVED 

The Board approved the minutes of the CQ&S Committee dated 10 November 2022 and the Audit and Risk Committee dated 24 November 2022. 

Strategic Planning Day 26th January 2023 

Governors were reminded of the importance of the strategic planning day which was on 26 January 2023 and were asked to attend if at all possible. As R Harrison attended online it was agreed that the ESFA and DfE letters would be circulated to him after the meeting. 

SDF Works (confidential) 

The Board noted that additional papers had been circulated to the Board relating to the award of a contract.  

Governor acknowledgement 

In recognition of their support and work over the year, Governors were invited to take a door garland created by College students as a thank you for their contributions over the year.