REVIEW OF SCOTLAND'S COLLEGES [SEETLLD DCMWG-P06]
WORKING GROUP: THE DIFFERENCE COLLEGES MAKE
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OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR THE GROUP
Purpose
1. We thought it would be useful to inform members of the operating procedures for the group to ensure that the core group and working groups are operating in a common way.
Procedures
Spelling
2. The Secretariat will ensure that the names of organisations and members of the groups are spelt correctly. All references to documents will be accurate.
Papers for meetings
3. The Secretariat will ensure that all papers are circulated at least one week in advance, this includes papers and presentations provided by other members of the group.
4. Before a meeting the Secretariat will make sure that one email has been circulated to all members which includes all the papers a member requires for that meeting (i.e. agenda, minutes and papers).
Chairs' Brief
5. The Secretariat will ensure that the Chair's Briefs includes the actions points from the previous meeting along with the actions taken. If there are any presentations the Brief will inform the Chair of the time allocation for the presentation and for any discussion arising from it.
Times of Meetings
6. The Secretariat will pay due consideration when arranging the start time of meetings. If a meeting is likely to over run they will try to avoid arranging meetings that start late in the afternoon.
Presentations
7. The Secretariat will provide presenters with a clear written brief that includes the time allotted for the presentation and time for any discussion arising from it. Presenters must give due regard to their time allocation.
8. Presentations from people not on the group should be taken before the minutes of the previous meeting are agreed. Presentations from group members should normally be the first substantive item on the agenda.
9. If possible, presentations from group members should be sent to the Secretariat one week prior to the meeting so that these can be distributed along with the other papers for the meeting.
Minutes of Meetings
10. The Secretariat will circulate the Minutes quickly. Any points of clarification should be sought before they issue in draft, but this should not unduly hold up the circulation of the minutes.
11. When the minutes are first circulating to the group, the Secretariat will make clear that the minutes are in draft and seek comments on them.
12. When clarification is sought on the wording of draft minutes, the Secretariat will clarify the points and incorporate any necessary changes before re-circulating the minutes.
13. Near final minutes (i.e. minutes that have been amended in the light of changes or minutes that have previously been circulated in draft but no changes have been suggested) should be circulated to the group at the same time as the other papers for the meeting.
14. Action points will be included under the relevant item and repeated at the end of the minute. If action points are subsequently amended/removed the Secretariat will ensure that changes are made to both instances of the action point.
15. If particular wording is agreed for a document this needs to be recorded word-for-word. The Secretariat or Chair, if necessary, will check the understanding of agreed wording before the discussion moves on.
Action Points
16. Actions that require circulation of readily accessible material should be undertaken as soon as possible by the relevant member.
Website
17. It is crucial that agendas, minutes and papers cleared for web publication are put on the website at the earliest opportunity. The Secretariat will immediately send the cleared papers to the Executive's web publication team.
Reviews Team: Scotland 's Colleges
November 2005