| Location | BY REMOTE ACCESS THROUGH TEAMS |
|---|---|
| Date | 30th January 2025 |
| Time | 5.00pm |
| Minutes Membership | P. Adams, Prof. J. Barratt, S. Greco, R. Harrison, M. Hartland, J. Hoyland (Board Chair), M. Llewellyn, A Prichard, A Rao, A Robertson, R. Sartain, C. Sharp, J. Staniforth (Principal/Chief Executive), P. Tucker, and J. Vernon. Clerk to the Board – T. Cottee |
| Apologies | D. Blasczyk, A. Caesar-Homden and M. Thompson. |
PART I – OPEN ITEMS
01/25. Declarations of Interest
M. Hartland as a candidate for the Board Vice Chair vacancy. He was not present in the meeting for the duration of Board Min. No. 02/25.
The Clerk to the Board took the Chair.
02/25. Election of Board Vice Chair
Further to Board Min. No. 60/24, in accordance with the Board’s succession planning procedures, the Board considered the election of a Board Vice Chair.
One valid nomination for Board Vice Chair had been received (candidate statement previously circulated) from M. Hartland, having been proposed by J. Hoyland and seconded by R. Sartain.
Having considered the candidate statement and there being no other nominations, it was unanimously agreed that M. Hartland be appointed Board Vice Chair for a Two-Year Period with effect from 30 January 2025.
Action: Clerk to amend Board documentation and support Board Vice Chair in Induction
J. Hoyland in the Chair.
03/25. Principal/CEO Verbal Report
The P/CEO provided a verbal report as follows –
- The Board was reminded that
- in July 2024, the Government had made provision for a funded 5.5% increase to teachers’ pay for 2024/25, to schools and sixth form colleges which had become 16-19 academies; however, this provision excluded the institutions that remained designated sixth form colleges.
- Because some colleges had received a funding uplift for an improved pay award, while others had not, the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) had challenged the Government’s decision, bringing a claim for a Judicial Review.
- Members of the National Education Union (NEU) had undertaken several days of industrial action which had affected the college.
- In December 2024, the Government had agreed to offer additional funding for all teachers’ pay awards from Easter 2025. The SFCA consequently withdrew its legal action.
- The Sixth Form College National Joint Council employers’ side was now offering members not in receipt of the Government’s additional pay funding, a 3.5% increase for all teachers from 1 September 2024 and an increase of 5.5% from 01 April 2025.
- This offer had been rejected by the NJC teacher unions and their dispute with the Secretary of State for a fully funded pay increase, and with college employers, was ongoing.
- There was no prospect of the industrial action being taken by the NEU ending and the NASUWT was now conducting an industrial action ballot amongst its members.
The college would continue to plan carefully to mitigate the impact of industrial action on teaching. The Board acknowledged the actions being taken and recognised that continued industrial action would potentially impact the college.
The meeting ended at 5.24 p.m.