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AGWG-M07
REVIEW OF SCOTLAND 'S COLLEGES
WORKING GROUP: ACCOUNTABILITY & GOVERNANCE
Minutes of Meeting
Room 6.10 Meridian Court , Glasgow
28 June 2006 , 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm
Attendees:
Aileen McKechnie, Scottish Executive (Chair)
Margaret McLachlan, Scottish Executive (Secretariat)
Col Baird, Scottish Executive
George Reid, Scottish Executive
Ian Macpherson, Association of Scotland's Colleges
Neil Cuthbert, Association of Scotland's Colleges
Martin Fairbairn, Scottish Funding Council
James Alexander, NUS Scotland
John Cassidy, STUC
Mary Senior, STUC
Ian Graham, Principal, John Wheatley College
Graeme Hyslop, Principal, Langside College
Apologies:
David Caldwell, Universities Scotland
Linda McKay, Principal, Forth Valley College
Sandy Watson, Chair, Angus College
Introduction:
The Chair welcomed members, and in particular substitutes Ian Macpherson, Graeme Hyslop and Mary Senior, to the seventh meeting of the Working Group. She informed the meeting that due to work commitments Fiona Farmer, is no longer in a position to hold membership of this working group. STUC would continue to be entitled to have two representatives on the workstream and would give the name of a replacement representative shortly.
1. Minutes of the previous meeting including action points
An additional comment is to be added under Item 2 - Research: "Members raised concerns over a potential conflict of interest if during the evaluation stage of tenders it became apparent that the consultants had previously been Executive staff". Subject to this change, the minutes were agreed.
ACTION POINT: Executive to amend minutes of previous meeting as agreed.
Action Points from Previous Meeting
(i) Action point under Item 1 - Executive to keep members fully informed of progress of the tendering process.
Members were informed that tenders are due on Friday, 30th June. Colin and Margaret met with colleagues from the Executive's Analytical Services Divisions that morning to discuss the tender evaluation process. As a result of this meeting members were advised that under the Executive' procurement procedures, if an interview stage is held, members would play a passive role rather than having a direct involvement in the interview itself. Members reiterated the value of engaging with prospective contractors face-to-face. The Executive agreed to keep members informed and advised that a copy of the 'recommendations report' would be made available.
ACTION POINT: Executive to keep members fully informed of progress of the tendering process and to issue a copy of the recommendations paper when available.
(ii) Action point under Item 4: Executive to ask the Secretaries to Board Community of Practice Group to consider what further measures could be taken to encourage greater diversity of board membership.
It was suggested a survey could be carried out to identify the current composition of boards, adapted from the one recently carried out within the university sector by the Committee of University Chairs. Members agreed that this would provide a broad indicative picture of the sector. The questionnaire would cover age, gender, ethnicity, and disability. It was stressed however that, to minimise the bureaucratic burden on colleges, the information requested should only be that which they already held. The group then recognised the potential limitation of the survey. ASC agreed to liaise with Colin Steen, Chair of SFEU Secretaries to the Board network to collate this information.
ACTION POINT: ASC to liaise with SFEU Secretaries to the Board network regarding the survey on the composition of college boards.
(iii) Action point under Item 5: Executive to invite Erica Hensens to attend the group's meeting in July.
Erica Hensens, the Development Adviser at SPARQs, has agreed to give a short presentation, at the meeting on 27 July, on the work which SPARQs has been carrying out on issues such as student representation, mentoring etc.
It was agreed that Brian Hay (Chair of Edinburgh's Telford College) who represents ASC on the working group set up by SPARQS would also be a valuable contact. ASC agreed to invite him also to attend the meeting on 27 July to give a presentation, and to act as substitute for Sandy Watson.
ACTION POINTS: Executive to contact Erica Hensens to confirm details for the meeting on 27 July. ASC to invite Brian Hay to the meeting on 27 July.
2. Evaluating and monitoring of Scottish Colleges
The meeting was informed that the Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform had announced a Review of Inspection, Audit and Complaint at the start of June. The Reviews Team within the Executive's Further and Adult Education Division had been asked to provide initial information on the bodies which have a scrutiny role in the college sector.
Paper 13 'Public Sector Monitoring and Evaluation', which sought to highlight the public agencies with an interest in the sector's regulatory landscape, was discussed by members. Members identified several further regulators, including the Executive itself, and agreed to submit their amendments to this paper by Friday 30 June. The Executive agreed that a copy of the amended version would be circulated to members prior to being submitted to the Inspection, Audit and Complaint Review team.
ACTION POINT: Executive to circulate the amended version of working group paper 13, 'Public Sector Monitoring and Evaluation' prior to submitting it to the Inspection, Audit and Complaint Review team.
3. Arts and Business Scotland
Following the ASC's report on 'Updating Governance in Scotland's Colleges', the Executive was asked to investigate the role of Arts and Business Scotland (A&B Scotland) and inform members of any potential assistance which this might bring in attracting new Board members, and would in particular look at the idea of the Board Bank which A&B Scotland operates. A paper had been written and issued to members. As A&B Scotland's Board Bank however was intended to be purely for business people interested in joining arts organisations, it was agreed that the paper should be noted by members as being for information only. There was a brief discussion on the attraction and retention of members of boards of management and on the issue of remuneration. It was agreed, particularly given the recent charitable legislation, that it might be useful to look at making these positions attractive in other ways. It was noted that the Executive was considering how to make more explicit the value we place on such members (e.g. via receptions and ministerial letters of gratitude).
4. Update Governance and Accountability Recommendations from the 2002/03 Review.
The Executive gave an up-date on the progress being made on implementing the recommendations of the 2002/03 Review of Governance and Accountability. Paper 15 was issued as a summary of this progress.
5. Any Other Business
John McClelland, Chair, SFC had advised that he is keen to engage with members of this working group. Members agreed that he should be invited to a future meeting.
James Alexander would shortly be taking up position as President of NUS and would no longer be available to participate on this group. NUS will continue to be represented on this working group and the name of the replacement representative would follow.
Members congratulated him on his appointment and thanked him for his contribution to the group's work.
It was noted that the appointment round for the two new members of the Funding Council was in progress and it was hoped that the announcement would be made later in the summer.
ACTION POINT: Executive to invite John McClelland, Chair, SFC to a future Accountability and Governance meeting.
List of Action Points
ITEM 1:
- Executive to amend minutes of previous meeting as agreed.
- Executive to keep members fully informed of progress of the tendering process and to issue a copy of the recommendations paper when available.
- Executive to ask the Secretaries to Board Community of Practice Group to consider what further measures could be taken to encourage greater diversity of board membership.
- ASC to liaise with SFEU Secretaries to the Board network regarding the survey on the composition of college boards.
- Executive to contact Erica Hensens to confirm details for the meeting on 27 July. ASC to invite Brian Hay to the meeting on 27 July.
ITEM 2:
- Executive to circulate the amended version of working group paper 13, 'Public Sector Monitoring and Evaluation' prior to submitting it to the Inspection, Audit and Complaint Review team.
ITEM 5:
- Executive to invite John McClelland, Chair, SFC to a future Accountability and Governance meeting.
Margaret McLachlan
FAED
ETLLD
June 2006