AGWG-M05
REVIEW OF SCOTLAND'S COLLEGES
WORKING GROUP: ACCOUNTABILITY & GOVERNANCE
Minutes of Meeting
Room 6.10 Meridian Court, 5 Cadogan St, Glasgow
on 26 April 2006at 2:00 pm
(you can download a pdf version of this document here)
Attendees:
Aileen McKechnie (Chair)
Margaret McLachlan (Secretariat)
Col Baird, Review of Scotland's Colleges Team
George Reid, FAED
David Caldwell, Universities Scotland
Neil Cuthbert, ASC
Martin Fairbairn, SFC (Substitute)
James Alexander, NUS Scotland
John Cassidy, STUC
Ian Macpherson, Chair ASC (Substitute)
Graeme Hyslop, Langside College (Substitute)
Apologies:
Jennifer McLaren, SFC
Ian Graham, John Wheatley College
Linda McKay, Forth Valley College
Sandy Watson, Chair Angus College
Fiona Farmer, AMICUS
Late Apology:
Jon Parry, Staff Rep, Angus College
Introduction:
Given the time scale required for the Research to go ahead this meeting was arranged at short notice as the expected numbers for the earlier agreed date proved not to be viable.
The Chair welcomed members and in particular substitutes. She took the opportunity of clarifying any confusion, that as explained by Margaret McLachlan at the first meeting in September, members may send substitutes to any meetings which they are unable to attend.
1. Minutes of the previous meeting including action points
ASC had submitted detailed comments and had asked for the clearance of these minutes to be postponed until the next meeting given that several members were not in attendance. Some members did not consider this to be in line with the process for clearing minutes. The minutes of the last meeting were nevertheless agreed on the understanding that this would be reflected in the note of the April meeting.
Action Points from Previous Meeting
(i) Action point under Item 2 - Colto circulate to members a copy of Scottish Executive's standard criteria applied to select, from expressions of interest, those who are asked to tender.
When this was investigated further, it was learned that there no Scottish Executive standard criteria applied to select, from expressions of interest, those who are asked to tender. The criteria would be identified in the research specification. Members were invited to discuss this further under agenda item 4.
Action point under Item 2 - Col to arrange the 'virtual sub-working group' which will prepare a paper setting out objectives for the research and bring back to full working group for approval.
Both the ASC and the Executive suggested a 'thinkpiece' for the Research. A further reconciled 'thinkpiece' was then issued by the Executive, however, the virtual group could not agree on one, so they have been tabled for discussion under item 4 of the agenda.
(ii) Action point under Item 3 - ASC to inform the sector that Ministers were in dialogue regarding charitable status of colleges and that the outcome of this would be known within the next 4 weeks or so.
ASC had kept the sector informed of progress on the issue of Charitable Status.
Action point under Item 3 - Executive to keep members informed of progress on taking forward charitable status issue.
The Executive had issued a copy of the Draft Order which was laid before Parliament on 20 February. The Core Group met on 21 February and discussed the need for and implications of this Order. The Order came into force on 24 April 2006 - this will be discussed further under agenda item 5.
(iii) Action points under Item 4 - Executive to keep members informed of progress on proposed changes to Board Memberships.
The Executive informed members that proposals for changes to Board Memberships were under consideration by the Deputy First Minister.
(iiii) Action point under Item 6 - Working Group to consider how best to consider the relevant reports relating to the student experience and whether Laurence Howells should be invited to a future meeting of the group.
It was agreed to discuss the issue of relevant reports relating to student experience under agenda item 8.
Action point under Item 6 - Working Group to consider best way of gaining views of current Student Presidents.
NUS had arranged for some student representatives to meet with members of the Executive and ASC to gain their views and share their knowledge and experience of their role in post prior to them leaving at the end of this academic year. This meeting took place on 4 April, a note of which would be shared with members after clearance.
ACTION POINT: Secretariat to circulate a note of the meeting with student representatives on 4 April once cleared with attendees.
2. Discussion with Staff Representative of AngusCollege Board of Management - Q&A Session.
This item was not discussed as the representative was unavailable.
3. 'Report on the Review of Colleges' Self - evaluation of Management'
The report Management review of Scottish further education colleges - The way ahead (the Management review) was published in September 2000. The Scottish Funding Council's 2003-06 corporate plan included a target to "… review the progress of colleges in implementing their management action plans to ensure that they are adopting the good practice identified in the SFEFC Management Review report …". In planning to conduct this review, the Council concluded that a high-level self-evaluation of current practice by colleges would supplement and pull together the intelligence already gained from other evidence sources. The report was published on 17 March 2006 [1] It highlights colleges' successes and improvements while looking at current challenges both as an individual institution and as a sector. It was concluded that the work would be helpful background for anyone undertaking research into college accountability and governance.
It was recognised that some governance issues were being revisited from the previous Review. This is because Ministers had made a commitment that they would be looked at again in 2 years time. It was recognised that it is important to articulate achievements and the potential for the whole of the sector.
ASC had commissioned Baker Tilly to update their Guide for College Board Members. A working group including representative from Scottish Executive, Scottish Funding Council and NUS Scotland was helping to steer the project. ASC agreed that the draft report could be shared with this working group and unions prior to being published.
ACTION POINT: ASC to Circulate a draft copy of the Baker Tilly report prior to publication.
4. Research
The Group discussed the three 'thinkpieces'. The Group drafted a further 'thinkpiece' to encapsulate what the research should cover. It was agreed that the Research should cover the same issues as those raised in the Langlands report with an additional bullet point to include "the experience, support and number of student and staff members on boards".
The research should be look at "all practice" as well as identifying good practice. The Research specification would be amended and issued to members prior to being circulated to Core Group members. An invitation for expressions of interest would be posted on the web shortly.
ACTION POINT: Executive to circulate 'thinkpiece' for final agreement and amend research specification.
ACTION POINT: Executive to post on the web invitation for expressions of interest for Research.
5. Oral up-date Ministerial Powers of Direction
The Order came into force on 24 April. Further to agreeing the Order, the Enterprise and Culture Committee agreed to keep a "watching brief" over the general standards of governance and financial administration in the college sector. The Committee will seek early discussions with the Scottish Executive on how it intends to keep the sector under review and will be asked to brief the Committee accordingly. The Executive has yet to receive an approach from the Committee for this information but will ensure that stakeholders are kept informed of discussions.
The EIS is currently seeking legal advice regarding the Order. NUS requested that it be noted that they had been unhappy regarding the timing of this process.
ACTION POINT: Executive to keep members informed of discussions with EnterpriseCulture Committee regarding Ministerial Powers of Direction.
6. Oral up-date on proposed changes to current Governance
Dealt with under action point from previous meeting.
ACTION POINT: Executive to keep members informed of progress on proposed changes to Board Memberships.
7. Oral up-date - Scottish Enterprise
The Scottish Enterprise board met on 3 March, and a subsequent proposal on the position of local enterprise companies was put to the Deputy First Minister on 30 March. Mr Stephen has indicated that there will be a decision by end of April and members will be up-dated on the outcome.
ACTION POINT: Executive to update members on the outcome of the proposal regarding the position of the local enterprise companies.
8. Draft Outline Workplan
A draft workplan (Paper 9) had been issued to members. It was decided that there was no need to agree at this stage whether consultation was required on particular issues. This could be explored further at a later date through a discussion paper. Secretariat will trawl for dates to meet the needs of the workplan.
ACTION POINT: Secretariat to trawl for dates to meet the needs of the workplan.
There was some discussion about the process for appointment of contractors for the research and the need for members' involvement. It was agreed that the Executive should be responsible for the appointment process. It was generally felt that there should be an interview stage to select between the final two tenders and that NUS, STUC, ASC and the Funding Council should sit on the interview panel to help advise the Executive. The Executive agreed to investigate further the possibility of members' involvement in the selection process.
ACTION POINT: Executive to investigate further the possibility of members' involvement in the selection process.
9. A.O.B.
None
List of Action Points
ITEM 1:
- Secretariat to circulate a note of the meeting with student representatives on 4 April once cleared with attendees.
ITEM 3:
- ASC to Circulate a draft copy of the Baker Tilly report prior to publication.
ITEM 4:
- Executive to circulate 'thinkpiece' for final agreement and amend research specification.
- Executive to post on the web invitation for expressions of interest for Research.
ITEM 5:
- Executive to keep members informed of discussions with Enterprise Culture Committee regarding Ministerial Powers of Direction
ITEM 6:
- Executive to keep members informed of progress on proposed changes to Board Memberships.
ITEM 7:
- Executive to update members on the outcome of the proposal regarding the position of the local enterprise companies.
ITEM 8:
- Secretariat to trawl for dates to meet the needs of the workplan.
- Executive to investigate further the possibility of members' involvement in the selection process.
Margaret McLachlan
FAED
ETLLD
Updated 16 May 2006
[1] http://www.sfc.ac.uk/library/06854fc203db2fbd0000010a0235b9a5/