MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SCRUTINY

MINUTES

Thursday, 8 February 2007 at 12.00pm

New SCR, Selwyn College

Present: Dr Nick Holmes (Acting Chair); Dr Elisabeth Leedham-Green (Secretary); Miss Emma Easterbrook (Support Officer); Mr Roger Greeves; Mr Frank King; Mr Michael Kuczynski; Dr Peter Sarris; and Mr Richard Stibbs.

1.

Apologies

Mr Nick Downer (Chair); Dr Margaret Glendenning; Dr Catherine Pitt; and Mr David Yates.

2.

Minutes of Meeting on 25 January 2007

Approval deferred until Meeting of 22 February 2007.

3.

Matters Arising

None.

4.

Meeting with Andrew Reid

-       Nick Holmes and Mr Richard Stibbs attended.

-       The presentation and comprehensibility of the University’s Accounts has improved

-       Pensions: USS institutions have assumed responsibility for extra pension costs of early retirements to avoid a general increased contribution rate

-       CPS: Recent evaluation has been completed but not yet published

-       Administrative staff: Concern was raised regarding the continued rise in cost

-       RAM: It has saved money

5.

Finance

-       Richard Stibbs attended the Discussion of the Annual Reports and the Abstract of Accounts and spoke on behelf of the Board

6.

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

Any Other Business

Oriental Studies and Portuguese

-       The Board will review the process at a later date

-       Concern raised regarding need for consultation of benefactors of departments

Legal Services

-       Concern raised regarding the need to brief solicitors, and the cost of defending cases versus settling

Students Complaints Procedure

-       To be reviewed

CR-UK Building

-       Concern raised that University had not obtained best value-for-money on the investment of private donations.

9.

Date of next meeting

Thursday, 22 February 2007 at 12.00pm

New SCR, Selwyn College

Guest: Dr Tim Mead                                                                              

Emma Easterbrook

Support Officer

18 February 2007