Hampshire Governors' Representative Group
Notes of meeting
Date 16 October 2001
Time 6.00 pm
Venue The Professional Centre,
Winchester
Present John Brailsford Havant
John Mason Winchester
Robin Gray Fleet
Jim Duckham Fleet
Graham Ellicott Co-opted
David Chiswell Havant
Vernon Petherick Havant
Cynthia Hicks Winchester
Martina Humber New Forest
Elizabeth Anson Fleet
Terry Tillman Fleet
Jim Watt New Forest
Janet Sheriton Clerk
Michael Hewitt Charter Mark Assessor
Apologies Glyn Wadey Havant
Jane Pratt Fleet
Mike French Fleet
Sylvia Vine Havant
Action
1 Welcomes were extended to Jim Duckham,
Elizabeth Anson and David Chiswell whose
first meeting of HGRG this was and to
Michael Hewitt who was visiting Hampshire
as Charter Mark Assessor for Hampshire
Governor Services.
2 Election of Officers and Representatives
Chair - John Brailsford - nominated by
Robin Gray agreed to serve on a temporary
basis and was duly elected.
Vice Chairs - Jim Watt - nominated by John
Brailsford and duly elected.
Jim Duckham - nominated by John Brailsford
and elected
Treasurer - John Brailsford's offer to
continue in office was accepted.
Representative on Education Policy Review
Committee - Martina Humber
National Governors Council Representatives
- David Chiswell and Jim Duckham. Details
of the forthcoming NGC meeting would be AD
circulated to David Chiswell by the Clerk
who would also ask Ian Chrystie to brief
David.
VT Southern Careers - Martina Humber had
talked to the County Education Officer and
reported that Connexions had taken over
from VT Southern Careers whose consultative
group on which HGRG had had a place was now
disbanded. The CEO would take up through
Connexions Careers Board whether any HGRG
replacement was envisaged.
HGRG would pursue this matter as a Matter
Arising at CGF
3 Notes of 23 May 2001 were agreed as a
correct record
4 Matters Arising
Item 4 - Teacher Recruitment - There had
been no opportunity to discuss the various
"inducements" now available to aid
recruitment with John Wakeling at CGF.
5 Draft County Governor Forum Agenda
HGRG again requested that the Agenda make Sarah
clear and split into sections those items Kingston
which are for decision/discussion and those
which are for information
Item 1 - Virtual Schools Project - HGRG Sarah
wished to postpone discussion until after Kingston
the pilot of the proposals
Item 2 - EDP - During discussion the
following areas were identified for
consideration as the third local priority
1)
Writing
2)
Identifying and spreading best
practice in school administration
3)
Summer literacy and numeracy schools JS
4) HGRG
Transition from primary to secondary
schools especially for pupils from
small primaries
Items 1, 2 and 4 commanded general
support and would be reported back to
the LEA by the Clerk and raised at CGF
Janet Sheriton drew attention to the
requirement in the draft EDP guidance for
targets for governor recruitment. The
required target was not the best one
although the LEA would have to set it.
Other recruitment targets would probably be Felicity
set within the Action Plan. Roe
As well as what was being sent by the LEA
for circulation for consultation HGRG would
like to see all targets
Item 3 - Personnel items - Order so that Sarah
information items are last Kingston
Item 4 - Psychology Service Best Value
Review - Ian Chrystie had been a member of
the BVR Team and HGRG considered this an Sarah
important item which they welcomed the Kingston
opportunity to discuss. It should be high
on CGF Agenda
A question was raised as to whether the
Behaviour Intervention team was intended to
relieve HEPs of work.
Item 5 - SEN Code of Practice - oral Sarah
briefing. If the code has been delayed yet Kingston
again remove this item from the Agenda
Item 6 - Revised system for categorising
schools. If this item is for information
only it should be moved to the bottom of Gerry
the Agenda and no officer needed to attend Price
to talk to it
Item 7 - Budget 2002/3 - timetable and
initial assessment. The timetable was Roger
noted and HGRG looked forward to an Mead
overview of the general budget proposals at
CGF
Item 8 - Education Funding 2003/4 (central Sarah
government proposals). - HGRG would Kingston
welcome an update on the VI form funding Roger
position in 02/03 and 03/04 at CGF Mead
Item 9 - SLAs - if this is information only Sarah
please put in bottom half of Agenda Kingston
Item 10 - Education White Paper and Way
Forward Consultation Documents - Following
discussion HGRG decided not to make a
response to the full White Paper as there
was little consensus around the table on
important issues.
Way Forward - Consultation Document - NGC
had asked member associations for views and
HGRG agreed a response to both NGC and the
DfES (Appendix to these notes) which the
Chairman and Clerk would send.
V3232929 RFTD A1 3
6. Local Forum Items
New Forest Forum - Martina Humber reported:
Concern from the Forum about the lack of
consultation with schools over the
nomination of LEA governors. The process
was thought to be working satisfactorily in
other parts of the county. Individual
school concerns should be addressed by them
to officers and members. There was
insufficient broadly based concern to take John
this to CGF. Brailsfo
Forum wished to see appropriate funding for rd
clerks and the clerical support of JS
governing bodies. HGRG agreed to include An
this in their response to the Way Forward drew
consultation paper Seber/Jo
The county was asked to clarify what are hn
the criteria for acceptance to the county Wakeling
supply list and who trains the teachers on
the list
Winchester Forum - Clarification was sought
about the legality of governing bodies John
agreeing to pay the mandatory subscriptions Wakeling
of their teachers to the General Teaching
Council
Concern was expressed about the financial David
costs of schools connections to the Woodward
County's IT2000 infra-structure and county Roger
comment was sought Mead
Fleet - No items were reported for Fleet
Havant - No items reported
Fareham & Gosport - Robin Thomas, Cliff
Turner and David Hogg had attended and
discussion around SEN and Inclusion issues
had been lively and had taken the whole
meeting. Other Agenda items had
consequently been postponed.
7. School Improvement and Accountability-
This discussion paper for Secondary Heads
and Governors had been put together by Alan Alan
Rawlings working with two secondary Rawlings
headteachers. It was intended to circulate
it to secondary schools. HGRG had no
comment and agreed its circulation would be
helpful
HGRG Meeting
8. The correspondence log was noted
Martina Humber would attend the DfES/Ofsted Martina
Conference in Stratford, 1-3 November. Humber
David Chiswell and Martina Humber would
attend the NGC Council meeting and AGM in
London on 17 November and were formally
identified as HGRG's voting nominees at the
meeting. Others could attend if they
wished but could not vote. DC/MH at
It was agreed that HGRG wished to raise if NGC
possible proper government funding for
Clerks to Governors.
NGC had indicated that they wished to
appoint a General Manager following the PWC
report into their role and funding DC/MH at
commissioned by DfES and NGC jointly. NGC
There appeared to be some disquiet about
this judging by contributions to the
e-network. HGRG were concerned that the
role of any General Manager should be made
clear and the case for it be properly put
before NGC proceed. DC/MH at
Communication with Associations which had NGC
not been good historically had been better
over the past year. DC/MH at
Consideration should be given by the NGC NGC
executive to identifying one of the
executive as the contact point/co-ordinator
for each of the regions.
Decisions on the nominations and elections
of NGC officers and executive were
delegated to Martina and David who should
also vote on any other matters on the day
as they thought appropriate.
9. Chairman's Items
The HGRG delegation for County Education
Budget discussions on 14th December and
11th January were agreed as John
Brailsford; John Mason; Graham Ellicott and
Robin Gray. Martina Humber would hold the JS/AD
dates in reserve in case others were unable
to attend. The Clerk to inform Roger Mead
Headteacher/Conference Reps would be
invited to present their budget suggestions JS/AD
to HGRG on December 18th. Clerk to invite.
10. Treasurer's Items - John Brailsford
reported that NGC subs had been paid. No
budget report had been received from county
since the end of June. The clerk was asked AD/JS
to ensure the Treasurer received a
print-out before each meeting of HGRG and
to add the current budget position as a
post meeting note to these notes.
HGRG Budget position - November 2001
Budget Allocation £8000 - Expenditure £2835
V3232929 RFTD A1 5
11. HGRG Representatives feedback from meetings
Education Policy Review Committee - Martina
Humber reported that Cllr Mel Kendall now
chaired this Committee. Cllr Don Allen was
now the Executive Member for Education on
the new Cabinet.
HGRG had a non-voting place and the Parent
Governor Reps who represented parents were
voting members. PG Reps were intended to
be invited as a matter of course to HGRG
meetings though none were present tonight.
JS/AD
The clerk was asked to check that they were
being invited as a matter of course.
Post meeting note - They were sent Agenda's
and papers and receive them now as a matter
of course.
NGC - discussed above
Numeracy Strategy Group - No meeting to AD/JS
report
Southern Careers - Group disbanded - Clerk
to remove from future agendas
Asset Management Plans - John Mason
reported that landlord/tenant
responsibilities had been revised and were
to be circulated to schools. In spring
2002 standard Numbers and More Open
Enrolment (MOR) figures would be replaced
by a sufficiency/capacity figure.
12. Proposed future dates were agreed as:
HGRG
Budget Meeting
Tuesday 18 December 2001
HGRG
Tuesday 19 February 2002
Thursday 30 May 2002
Thursday 24 October 2002
County Governor Forum
Tuesday 5 March 2002
Tuesday 18 June 2002
Tuesday 12 November 2002
The Chairman extended the thanks and good
wishes of HGRG to Vernon Petherick whose
last meeting this was. Vernon had been a
member of HGRG and CGF from their inception
and everyone wished him a long and happy
"retirement" from his county roles.
The meeting closed at 9.40 pm.
HGRG Meeting
V3232929 RFTD A1 7
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