MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COLEG SIR GAR HELD AT THE
GRAIG CAMPUS, LLANELLI ON THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY 2015
Present:
Mr Roger Evans, MBE (Chair)
Mr Jon Daniels (Vice-Chair)
Dr Alun Hughes (from 17:39)
Mr Hywel Jones
Mr Philip Owen
Mr Paul White
Mr Barry Liles (Principal)
In attendance:
Mr Marcus Beaumont (Company Secretary/Clerk to the Board)
College Management:
Mrs Caroline Peek (Assistant Principal Business, Innovation and Estates)
Mr Mike Williams (Assistant Principal Planning, Information and Finance)
Mrs Ceris Harries (Director of Estates)
Mr Ralph Priller (Director of Financial Services)
Section 1 Preliminary Matters
The meeting commenced at 17:30
The Chair welcomed Ms Caroline Peek to her first meeting following her appointment as Assistant Principal
Business, Innovation and Estates.
ACTION
BD 15/01/1.1
Apologies
Mr John Morrissey (Staff Governor)
Miss Amy-Victoria Prior (Student Rep.)
Mrs Rosemary Pritchard
Mr Ben West
Mrs Debbie Williams (Associate Member)
Dr Andrew Cornish (Assistant Principal)
BD 15/01/1.2
Declarations of Interest
None.
BD 15/01/1.3
Minutes of the Board meeting held on 2nd October 2014
The minutes were approved as a true record.
BD15/01/1.4
Matters arising from the above mentioned minutes.
BD 14/11/1.4
Board Vacancy
The Principal updated the Board on progress in UWTSD
Council nominating a replacement for Ven Randolph
Thomas. The need to increase female membership of the
Board was discussed and agreed.
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BL to
follow
up with
UWTSD
RISK
Section 2 To Approve
BD 15/02/2.1
Committee Report and Minutes of the Curriculum and Standards
Committee meeting held on 20th October 2014.
Mr Paul White presented his report highlighting Sector Subject Area target
setting and the benefits of the RAG rating provided and the need to adopt
higher aspirations. The Chair raised the need to maintain standards
despite FE funding reductions. The Vice-Chair raised questions on linking
outputs to ALIS data and whether the college is prepared to reduce some
elements of the training and learning jigsaw. There was considerable
discussion on the availability of data and how the college can benchmark
itself. The use of distance travelled data for non-A Level provision was
also discussed. The Principal reported that this was being looked at by
DfES. The importance of A levels in college marketing was discussed.
Mr White reported that the committee were focused on achieving
excellence.
Although results were good there was still room for
improvement and that setting more ambitious targets is important. The
Board expressed its thanks to the committee and requested that it
continue its work in driving up standards. The report and minutes were
approved.
BD 15/02/2.2
Committee Report and Minutes of the Planning and Resources
Committee meeting held on 20th November 2014
Mr Hywel Jones presented his report. He highlighted:
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College slightly below target on FE recruitment;
Some curriculum areas suffering from staff on long term sick leave;
Lower milk prices having impact on farm finances;
The ceasing of grant funding affecting Business Development;
The funding pressures on the college (to be discussed later in the
agenda).
Mr Jones reported that he had requested that the Farm Manager report to
future meetings on farm performance. The report and minutes were
approved.
BD 15/02/2.3
BL to
arrange
for JO
to
attend
P&R
comm
Committee Report and Minutes of the Audit and Risk Management
Committee meeting held on 27th November 2014
Mr Philip Owen presented his report. He highlighted:
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Safeguarding and Health and Safety reports received;
Approval of the Committee Annual Report;
The increased financial surplus achieved in 2013/14 mainly due to a
growth in WBL provision.
Mr Owen reported that the report from the colleges’ external auditors,
PriceWaterhouseCoopers, was excellent, clear and well presented. He
wished to record his congratulations to the college management team for
their financial management performance. The report and minutes were
approved.
BD 15/02/2.4
Committee Report and Minutes of the Search, Governance and
Remuneration Committee held on 2nd December 2014
Mr Paul White presented the committee report. He highlighted:
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Discussion on proposed funding cuts;
The need to replace Mr D Gilbert as an Associate Member of the
Board;
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BL to
expedit
e DG
replace
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Progression planning and student representation on committees;
Updates from the two working groups on Link Governors and
Governance Excellence;
The agreement to continue on 14-19 Networks;
Mr White reported that the committee deferred discussion on the future
role of the committee. After discussion on the trialling of paper agendas
the Board agreed that they could be introduced for use by Chairs. The
report and minutes were approved.
BD 15/02/2.5
Annual Governance Report 2013/14
The Company Secretary presented the annual report on Board and
Advisory Body activity in 2013/14. A minor change to the membership
table was agreed. Subject to this the Annual Report was approved.
Section 3 Awareness, Strategy and Vision
BD 15/03/3.1
Financial Statements Yr Ended 31st July 2014
Mr Priller introduced the financial statements for Coleg Sir Gar and CCTA
Enterprises. He confirmed that they had been approved by the Audit and
Risk Management Committee and ratified by Search, Governance and
Remuneration Committee on behalf of the Board. Approval of the Financial Statements was confirmed.
BD 15/03/3.2
3.3/3.4
Principal’s Report (incorporating item 3.3 and 3.4 from the agenda)
The Principal presented his verbal report including: The HE finance agreements have yet to be finalised which has led to
the delay in producing the Merger Outcome Report until early February 2015. He confirmed that negotiation with the University on the
agreements have gone well.
 Targets and milestones for 2014/15 have been agreed with the Committee however these may need to be reviewed in light of funding
changes.
 Formal agreement across the FE sector to award a 1% pay increase
backdated to 1st August 2014. The Board discussed the background
and cost to the college of implementing this proposal. The 1% pay increase was approved.
 The requirement for staff to register with the new Education Workforce
Council which will be phased in over the next three years with lecturers registering from 1 April 2015 and Training Advisors by 2017. He
felt that this requirement was a positive move forward;
 The work of the Welsh Language Commission on increasing standards with the development of one standard across Wales. He would
report again once the standard had stabilized;
 Post-16 transport costs was again being considered by Carmarthenshire County Council as part of its cost cutting measures and is currently out for public consultation. Mr Liles outlined the work undertaken by the college on stressing the vital importance of this support.
Additional efforts to argue against the cut in post-16 transport funding
was discussed;
 The impact of milk price falls on First Milk including a £10m deficit and
a two week delay in payments. Mr Liles advised that this matter will
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ment
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be taken to Audit and Risk Management Committee as a significant
risk. As a shareholder the college may be requested to buy more
shares in the company. Mr Liles described how the college farm system allowed it to adjust milk production and the use of concentrates
putting us in a better position than many farmers who had little flexibility. Mr Daniels suggested that the college should seek ways to respond to this as an opportunity;
That Edwina Hart, AM, Minister for Economy, Science and Transport
opened the college’s Jacquard Loom. Concerns over continued
European Funding to support this and other projects were discussed.
Mr Priller reported that A4B, who administer the funds, is a significant
debtor to the college;
That the UWTSD Group has a unified commercial team to be formally
launched in March 2015. A preliminary launch event is scheduled for
the 23rd February with the Group sponsoring the Inaugural West
Wales Business Awards
He was pleased to report the continuation of the L5 Green Dragon
Award, being awarded the Insider Wales College of the Year Award,
and being shortlisted for the Innovation in Teaching and Learning
Award at the prestigious Times Ed. Supplement Awards.
He was also pleased to report the award of a UK Silver Manufacturing
medal plus two highly commended awards at the 2014 UK Skills
Show.
He brought the Boards attention to the re-launch of the college art
school on 11 December and that this year will be the 60 th anniversary
of the Ammanford Campus as a college. It wa also noted that it is the
30th Anniversary of the formation of CCTA/Coleg Sir Gar.
The formal opening of the Graig Learning Hub to be undertaken on 5 th
March 2015 with Ebbi Ferguson, NUSW officer and former college
student and board member to officiate.
The report was accepted.
BD 15/03/3.5
Corporate Board Member Matters – Funding Changes – impact on
2015/16 provision and impact on college vision and strategy.
Mr Williams presented potential funding reductions for 2015/16 and outlined impact on provision and the college’s wider strategy and vision. Mr
Priller circulated a paper on budget position from 2013/14 through
2014/15 to 2015/16. In addition to significant increased costs in relation to
pension contributions the Welsh Government have imposed a further 10%
reduction on the college’s FE funding. Potential savings to offset shortfalls
were discussed based on a best and worst case scenario. A considerable
and lenghty discussion was held on the potential impact of cuts to funding
and what action the college might take to ensure the college’s continued
sustainability. The board were highly cognisant of the impact on the college’s mission, activity and importantly its core purpose of teaching &
learning as a result of these cuts. Mr Liles stressed the need for all Board
members to ensure Welsh Government members are fully aware of the
impact funding cuts will have on both students and employers. It was
agreed that management should continue to investigate the impact on targets and milestones for the period to the end of 2016/17 and to bring detailed proposals to a future meeting.
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Section 4 Any Other Business
BD 15/04/4.1
None.
Section 5 Date, Time and Venue of Next meeting
BD 15/05/5.1
Next meeting of the Board of Coleg Sir Gâr Limited will be 19 th March 2015 at
5.30 p.m. at the Graig Campus.
The meeting concluded 20:35
___________________________
Roger Evans
Chair
____________________________
Marcus Beaumont
Company Secretary
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