10 July 2003 Minutes

Board of Scrutiny

Minutes of the Meeting Heldat Noon on

Thursday 10 July 2003 at Selwyn College

Present: Stephen Cowley, Christopher Forsyth, DavidHowarth (for the first part of the meeting), Elisabeth Leedham-Green, RobinLachmann, Jack MacDonald (for the second half of the meeting), Oliver Rackham,Jennifer Rigby, John Spencer, Helen Thompson.

Apologies: Susan Lintott, Timothy Milner.

1)Reports of Meetings. Meetingswith the Director of Finance (7.30-9.00 am on Friday 4 July with the Chairman,the Secretary and Susan Lintott), and the Registrary (1.00-1.50 pm onMonday 7 July with the Chairman, the Secretary and Elisabeth Leedham-Green)were noted. Both meetings had been helpful and productive and had clarified anumber of issues as regards the eighth report. In particular the Director ofFinance had agreed that without unspecified further savings or income, theprojected deficit in 2006/7 would be £9.5 million. He had also clarifiedmatters as regards the University of Cambridge Contributory Pension Scheme andhad good news as regards the Research Grant Module. Inter alia, theRegistrary had updated the Board as regards progress on the Shattock andFinkelstein recommendations.

2)The Eighth Report. The purpose of the meetingwas to discuss an almost final draft of the eighth Report. A draft version hadbeen circulated the day before, and a more polished version was tabled. Anumber of suggestions were made that the Chairman agreed to incorporate. It wasagreed to submit a version to the Registrary for comment as soon as possibleafter the end of the meeting.

Inter alia, it was agreed to add a favourable comment on theselection procedure of the new Vice Chancellor and to shorten the descriptionof the Board’s difficulties in obtaining the Finance Working Party’s specialstudies.

3)Dates of Future Meetings. It wasagreed that there would be a short meeting at 12.30 pm in Selwyn on 10 July2003 in order to sign the eighth Report. The Secretary sent his apologies inadvance.

It was agreed tohold a meeting at noon on Thursday 2 October to which the newly elected membersof the Board would be invited.

It was proposed to hold thefollowing meeting at noon on Thursday 16 October. However, this time and datewould have to be finalised by the new Board.