[SEETLLD AGWG-P19]
REVIEW OF SCOTLAND'S COLLEGES
WORKING GROUP: ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOVERNANCE
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT ON INVERNESS COLLEGE
Purpose
1. To advise members that the Audit Committee in its report on Inverness College has made four recommendations
Background
2. The Audit Committee published its report on Inverness College on 5 July [1]. In it recommended that four matters be considered as part of the review of Scotland's colleges. These were:
a) the designation of college accountable officers;
b) interventions to assist colleges in severe difficulty;
b) the mix of board member skills and experience; and
c) board member national training;
3. The Executive on behalf of itself, the Scottish Funding Council and Inverness College responded to the Committee on 6 September [2]. All the Committee's recommendations and conclusions were accepted.
Committee Recommendations and Executive Response
4. The relevant Committee recommendations and conclusions and the Executive's response to them are outlined in the annex.
Reviews Team: Scotland 's Colleges
September 2006
ANNEX
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
The Committee recommends that the Scottish Funding Council, in consultation with colleges and the Department, publish an explicit statement of the duties of accountable officers. The Committee further recommends that the way in which accountable officers are designated be examined under the ongoing review.
We accept this recommendation. The SFC will shortly propose to colleges and to the Scottish Executive a statement of college Principals' responsibilities, drawing on the existing guidance contained in (a) the Financial Memorandum between the Funding Council and colleges, and (b) the Guide for Board Members produced by the Association of Scotland's Colleges. The Review of Scotland's Colleges will also examine the way in which accountable officers are designated.
The Committee recommends that the Accountability and Governance Working Group review whether any further statutory or non-statutory interventions may be required to assist colleges in severe difficulty.
We accept this recommendation In doing so, however, we should point out that it is not strictly correct to say, as the Report does at paragraph 111, that the sole remaining power of intervention is the power of Ministers to remove members of the Board. There are several other, albeit less direct, means of intervention. These, along with the power to remove the Board, are exercisable by Order of the Parliament. They include the ability to close or merge colleges; to make regulations prescribing requirements with which Boards must comply; or to require the publication of certain information. Ministers also have certain powers in relation to the funding of colleges where there has been mismanagement.
There is a continuing need to ensure that Board members have the right mix of skills and experience and this issue should be considered under the current Executive review.
We accept this recommendation. The SFC recognises the key role of the Chair of the board and has now formalised its process for meeting with new Chairs and Principals following their appointment.
Paragraph 121
Given the evidence heard in the course of this inquiry into Inverness College , the Committee believes that current training programmes are not working effectively for all colleges across the sector.
We accept this conclusion. We will continue to examine how all colleges can benefit fully from current and future training programmes.
The Committee recommends that the current Executive review includes an examination of the national training programme to ensure that it adopts consistent national standards and records, while meeting local needs. The Committee also recommends that central records of training undertaken by each Board member should be maintained locally and submitted yearly to the Scottish Funding Council.
We accept these recommendations. The Review of Scotland's Colleges will examine the effectiveness of the current national training programme and College Boards will be asked to maintain a record of training completed by each Board member. The SFC, the ASC and the Department will examine the most appropriate format for the annual submission by Colleges to the Funding Council of details and assurances relating to individual board member training.
Reviews Team: Scotland 's Colleges
September 2006
[1]http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/audit/reports-06/aur06-04-00.htm
[2]http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/audit/reports-06/Audit_4th_Report_ETLLD_Response060906.pdf
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