University council minutes 1 October 2024

Minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2024 at 9.15 am in the Laurie Lee Building, Pittville, Cheltenham

Membership:

Bobola Ajibola                                                  

Ingrid Barker                                                      

Thomas Chambers                                            

James Cooper                                              

Paul Crichard – A                                               

Ruth Dooley                                                     

Nicola de Iongh – A                                     

Chris Fung                                                     

Steve Gardiner

Vanessa Garratt                                                 

Dr Louise Livesey                                              

Dame Clare Marchant                                                  

Pamela Sissons                                                 

Elonka Soros                                                     

David Soutter – A                                                    

The Rt Revd Robert Springett (Chair)

Joe Sucksmith            

Julie Walkling    

Dr Peter Warry                                             

In attendance:

Julie-Ann Brooks, Director of People

Katharine Clough, Chief Marketing Officer

Prof Cathia Jenainati (for C.24.97), Head of School (Business Computing and Social Sciences)

Camille Stallard, Chief Financial Officer

Janice Smith (Observer), Good Governance Institute

Dr Matthew Andrews (Secretary to Council), Chief Operating Officer

Jess Lawson (Assistant Secretary to Council), Director (Strategic Planning and Transformation)

Penny Gravestock (Minutes), Senior Governance and Secretariat Officer

C.24.85 Prayer

The Rt Revd Robert Springett led the meeting in a prayer.

C.24.86 Welcome and Apologies

C.24.86.1 Received and noted: apologies for absence from Paul Crichard, Nicola de Iongh, David Soutter, and Jackie Labbe.  It was noted that the Rt Revd Robert Springett would be chairing the meeting, and Eleanor Hill was welcomed to her first meeting as the Board Apprentice for 2024/25.

C.24.86.2 Noted: that a representative of the Good Governance Institute, Janice Smith, would be observing the meeting as part of the governance effectiveness review. Members of Council and those in attendance introduced themselves.

C.24.87 Business of the Agenda

Noted: that there had been no request to unstar any item on the agenda, and therefore it was assumed that papers C/58/24 to C/63/24 had been approved or noted as stated. It was also noted that agenda item C.24.102 would be taken next in the meeting, immediately after C.24.87.

C.24.88 Declarations of Interest

Received: a declaration of interest from Dr Louise Livesey as a member of staff and the University and College Union (UCU).

C.24.89 Minutes of the meeting held on 25 June 2024

Resolved: it was agreed that the minutes were an accurate record of the meeting held on 25 June 2024.

C.24.90 Matters Arising (C/46/24)

Received and noted: the Matters Arising paper.

C.24.91 Chair’s Business

C.24.91.1 Received: updates from each of the Committee Chairs on key discussions held at the following meetings:

1. Council Chairs’ Group, 16 September 2024;
2. Finance and General Purposes Committee, 17 September 2024;
3. Audit and Risk Committee, 20 September 2024;
4. Remuneration and Human Resources Committee, 25 September 2024.

C.24.92.2 Noted: that since the last meeting, there had been no exercise of delegation, nor any decision made by circulation. It was noted that the Company Seal had used at the end of July 2024 for the loan agreement with Barclays (as agreed by Council in June 2024).

C.24.92 SU Update Report to Council (C/47/24)

C.24.92.1 Received: the Students’ Union (SU) update, noting in particular:

1. the latest individual and joint officer campaigns, including #kNowmore to raise awareness of the harm of drink and drugs and #webelong to address specific issues faced by international students;
2. the Think Before You Ink campaign to help guide students towards University-approved accommodation;
3. the release of the new Students’ Union strategy for 2024-2027;
4. the success of the recent Welcome Fayre with approximately 3000 students attending.

C.24.92.2 Considered:

1. student response to the restructuring programme and course consolidation, noting in particular concerns of returning students regarding the reduction in the number of helpzones and libraries;
2. the move of the Students’ Union to Oxstalls and the need to ensure it remained accessible and student-facing;
3. possible charitable funding to help finance the SOS UK Drug and Alcohol Impact Accreditation;
4. issues raised in the report relating to the attainment gap, recruitment, and retention which were key concerns that should remain a focus of Council’s discussions;
5. the impact of Welcome Week and themes coming out of that engagement with students;
6. feedback received from commercial vendors at the Welcome Fayre.

C.24.92.3 Noted: the recent activities within the Students’ Union.

C.24.93 CONFIDENTIAL: Vice-Chancellor’s Report (C/48/24)

This item was considered under Confidential Business.

C.24.94 CONFIDENTIAL: Year End Update and Budget Update (C/49/24)

This item was considered under Confidential Business.

C.24.95 CONFIDENTIAL: Student Recruitment Update – September 2024 Entry (C/50/24)

This item was considered under Confidential Business.

C.24.96 CONFIDENTIAL: FCH Future (C/51/24)

This item was considered under Confidential Business.

C.24.97 CONFIDENTIAL: Distance Learning – HEP Business Case (C/52/24)

This item was considered under Confidential Business.

C.24.98 CONFIDENTIAL: Summary Actions Following National Student Survey and Graduate Outcomes Survey Results (C/53/24)

This item was considered under Confidential Business.

C.24.99 Risk Management Policy and Report 2024/25 (C/54/24)

C.24.99.1 Received: the revised Risk Management Policy and Plan for 2024/25 as considered by Audit and Risk Committee in September 2024. The Director (Strategic Planning and Transformation) highlighted:

1. changes to the Risk Management Policy;
2. discussions at the Risk Workshop and the introduction of five categories to help collate interrelated risks;
3. the introduction of two new risks related to partnerships and UK policy change.

C.24.99.2 Considered:

1. the need to ensure ownership of risks across the University;
2. the opportunity for the University to develop its culture so that risk management was used to improve;
3. that University Leadership Group and University Executive Committee monitored risk on a fortnightly basis;
4. the need to be explicit that belonging and inclusion should run through all the University’s activity.

C.24.99.3 Resolved: Council approved the Risk Management Policy and the Risk Management Plan for 2024/25.

C.24.100 Governance Effectiveness Review – Progress Report (C/55/24)

C.24.100.1 Received: the latest progress report from the Good Governance Institute, noting that feedback had been received through surveys from Council Members, Academic Board and University Executive Committee, interviews were in progress, and a number of meetings observed. It was noted that final recommendations would be presented to Council at its meeting to be held on 26 November 2024.

ACTION: Good Governance Institute / Assistant Secretary to Council

C.24.100.2 Considered: progress to date.

C.24.101 CONFIDENTIAL: Report from Academic Board (C/56/24)

This item was considered under Confidential Business.

C.24.102 RESERVED: Independent Review (C/57/24)

This item was considered under Reserved Business.

C.24.103 Health and Safety Policy Statement 2024/25* (C/58/24)

Resolved: Council approved the Health and Safety Policy Statement.

C.24.104 CONFIDENTIAL: City Campus Property Progress Report* (C/59/24)

This item was considered under Confidential Business.

C.24.105 Annual Review of OfS Conditions of Registration: October 2024* (C/60/24)

Received and considered: the contents of the report and compliance review as assurance of how the University ensured compliance with the Office for Students (OfS) regulatory framework. 

C.24.106 Register of Council Member Interests* (C/61/24)

Noted: the declarations of interest received from Council’s members for 2024/25.

C.24.107 Internal Audit Strategy 2024/25* (C/62/24)

Noted: the internal audit strategy for 2024/25 as approved by Audit and Risk Committee. 

C.24.108 Council Schedule of Business* (C/63/24)

Noted: the Schedule of Business.

C.24.109 Minutes from Council Committees*

Noted: that the minutes from the following meetings would be available from the University Committees page on the internal Sharepoint site.

1. Finance and General Purposes Committee, 17 September 2024;
2. Audit and Risk Committee, 20 September 2024;
3. Remuneration and HR Committee, 25 September 2024.

C.24.110 Any Other Business

No other business was raised.

C.24.111 Date of Next Meeting

Tuesday, 26 November 2024 at 9.15 am (to be held via Microsoft Teams)

The Staff and Student Members of Council (with the exception of the Student Member of Remuneration and Human Resources Committee and the Vice-Chancellor) and those in attendance (with the exception of the Director of People) left the meeting.

C.24.112 RESERVED: Report from Remuneration and HR Committee (C/64/24)

This item was considered under Reserved Business.

Action list for the meeting held 1 October 2024

Minute number	Action	Responsibility
C.24.100 C.24.100.1	Governance Effectiveness Review – Progress Report   It was noted that final recommendations would be presented to Council at its meeting to be held on 26 November 2024.	Good Governance Institute / Assistant Secretary to Council