The Scottish Government

Recommendation

Progress

1.

Restrict Board membership to a maximum of 8 years (currently the limit is 12 years).

Under consideration by Ministers

2.

Consider future independent involvement in Board appointment process.

Implemented

3.

Assure that the appointments processes followed by all college Boards are consistent and follow good practice in public appointments.

Implemented

4.

Make greater use of powers to co-opt individuals with specialised skills and expertise.

Implemented

5.

Better utilise the public spiritedness and expertise of Board applicants by looking at the scope to encourage unsuccessful applicants to offer their skills to another college.

Implemented

6.

Encourage college Boards to achieve a more diverse and representative balance of membership, taking account gender, race, age and disability.

Implemented

7.

Introduce a national training programme for Board members.

Implemented

8.

Examine the training arrangements for Clerks to Boards and ensure that the role and responsibilities of the Clerk are defined in guidelines to Boards.

Implemented

9.

Look further at how the current restriction on the appointment of councillors and council employees as Board Chairs will be relaxed or removed.

Under consideration

10.

Give SFEFC a new power to attend meetings of college Boards.

Implemented

11.

Ask SFEFC to look at whether it might have a role in the appointment of the college's Accountable Officer.

Implemented [NOTE - SFEFC after consideration concluded it should not have this role]

12.

Introduce compulsory training arrangements for Accountable Officers.

Implemented [NOTE - this has been taken forward through Principals' CPD arrangements, though currently not compulsory]

13.

Introduce arrangements which allow complainants to have their complaints considered by an independent arbiter.

Implemented

14.

Review the need for further changes after two years.

Implemented