Board of Scrutiny

Minutes of the meeting of 30 October 2003

Present: Mantas Adomenas, Stephen Cowley, Christopher Forsyth(chair), Elizabeth Leedham-Green, Saskia Murk-Jansen, Timothy Milner, DavidPhillipson, Roger Salmon (from item 3.4), John Spencer, Helen Thompson.

1.Apologies

The Board received apologies fromNicholas Holmes and Jennifer Rigby.

2.Minutes of the meeting of16 October 2003

The Board approved the minutesafter minor corrections.

3.Matters arising

3.1 Freedom of Information Act

John Spencer advised the Boardthat it would have under the provisions of the Act to provide any of itswritten records if requested including any information given in confidence.

3.2The Discussion of the EightReport

The Chair reported that internallyconsolidating the University's accounts would require a change to the statutesand ordinances. The Board notes that this presented no bar to the auditorspresenting consolidated accounts.

3.3Administrative support

The Chair reported that he hadbeen in correspondence with the Registrary. He presented the job descriptionfor a support officer for the Board which he had sent to the Registrary. TheRegistrary had acknowledged the letter and saidthat he would reply shortly.

The Board discussed the status ofsuch an officer.The Chair agreed topursue this question with the Registrary.

ACTION: The Chair to continue corresponding with theRegistrary on the matter.

3.4Governance course

The Chair reported that theleader of the governance course had onlyresponded to his e-mails after he had had raised the matter with theDirector of Personnel and the University Staff Development Officer.The leader of the course had now asked theBoard to provide a speaker for the session, 'amateur and excerpts: qualitycontrol' on 27 January 2004.JohnSpencer agreed to speak.

ACTION: The Chair to write to the leader of the governancecourse and offer John Spencer as a speaker.

3.5Meeting with theRegistrary

The Chair reported that he hadwritten to the Registrary and asked him to a meeting. The Registraryaccepted an invitation to attend the Board'smeeting on 27 November 2003. The Chair had told the Registrary that the Boardwas primarily interested in discussing progress on implementing the recommendationsof Shattock and Finkelstein and legal advice to the University.

ACTION: The Chair to ask the Registrary to give the Boarda written up-date on implementing Shattock and Finkelstein before the meetingon 27 November.

3.6 Clarity of Council papers

The Chair reported thathe had written to the Registrary asking if the Board could see the Councilpapers for Lent 2003. The Registrary had acknowledged the e-mail, but hadn'tyet given an answer. The Board agreed that it would be good if the issue wasresolved quickly so that it could discuss any issues arising from RogerSalmon's scrutiny of the papers at the Board's meeting with the Registrary on27 November.

Action: The Chair to press the Registrary for an earlyanswer.

3.7Other matters arising:Primate research facility at 307 Huntington Road

The Board discussed theCouncil's notice in the Reporter on29 October about the primate research facility at 307 Huntington Road. Itagreed that the notice was an unsatisfactory response to the questions aboutdisclosure of information raised in the Board's Eighth Report. The Boardremains concerned that the Council is not disclosing full details about theproposed building to the Regent House, and that the Regent House has beenmisled about the costs of the project in light of the security expenses itwould entail.

ACTION: The Chair to write to the Vice-Chancellorexplaining the Board's continuing concern.

4 Review of theResearchServices Division and the Personnel Division

The Board noted that theRegistrary had announced two separate reviews of the Research Services Division(RSD) and the Personnel Division.TheBoard considered whether, in light of this development, to scrutinise theoperations of RSD this year as it had previously determined to.The Board agreed to seek a meeting with theDirector of RSD before the end of term, where the Board would be represented bythe Chair, Nicholas Holmes, Stephen Cowley and Roger Salmon.

The Board also agreed to monitorthe progress of HERA.

ACTION: The Chair to write to the Director of RSD andrequest a meeting, and to write to the Director of Personnel and requestdocuments on the progress of HERA.

5 IPR Contracts

The Chair reported that he hadreceived confidential documents relevant to the operation of RSD. These raisedissues of commercial and legal prudence, and academic freedom.He informed the Board that he had been incorrespondence with the Registrary about this matter. He had explained to theRegistrary that the Board remained of the view that whilst it wouldn't dealwith individual complaints, it would pursue matters raised by individuals whichmight suggest systemic flaws in the operation of a part of the University.

ACTION: The Chairand John Spencer to prepare advice on the legal questions raised by thecontracts for the meeting on 13 November 2003.

6. Any other business: University Nursery

The Board noted that theUniversity had changed the contractors for the University nursery without anyconsultation with parents.

7. Date of next meeting: 13 November 2003