Minutes 21st January 2020

/in /by
Meeting: BASG EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

 
Date & Time: 21 January 2020 at 19.00 – 21.00 hours

 
Location: Waterside Primary Academy, Chesham, Bucks HP5 1QU

 
Present:

 

 

Apologies:

 Paul Randall (Chair), Anne Sheddick (Vice Chair), Jo Pearce (Treasurer), Joanne Marchant, Peter Lerner, Gwyneth Langley, Tomas Pukalski Bernadette Allison (Secretary)

 

 

Maggi Bull

 
   

Agenda Subject

 

    

Action
 

1.

  

Apologies for absence

 

  

Maggi Bull

  
 

2.

  

Notification of any other business

  

·         Feedback from meeting with NGA, BASG & BCC

·         BEP Conference

·         Training for Chairs

 

  
 

3.

  

Declaration of interest

 

  

None related to the agenda

  
 

4.

  

Approval of minutes from the meeting held on 10.12.19

 

  

Minutes approved.

 

 

  
 

5.

 

 

  

Website, Facebook, Twitter

 

  

Website – the group suggested that a list of websites for keeping governors up to date would be useful to be included on the website. This would also be very good for governor induction within Boards.

The group felt that a monthly newsletter posted on the website would be of value.

 

PR has been making use of the Twitter account. This is developing well.

 

More engagement with Facebook is needed so as to mirror the Twitter account.

Is Instagram also an option?

Instagram is primarily an image sharing social network, with more users below the age of 30.

For Facebook there is very little difference in the amount of users across various age groups. Facebook is used to disseminate information about business whereas Instagram is more focused on creating an emotional connection.

It is important to be clear what type of content BASG target audience best engages with.

 

Further discussion took place around having someone devoted to social media updating; a possible student, linked to Duke of Edinburgh awards, could be worth pursuing. For now, JP offered to take the lead in this important area. The group thank JP for offering to do this and the time required.

 

  

 

Website update

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BASG social media updates – JP
 

6.

  

BASG accounts

  

PR will follow up on bills to be paid:

·         Hosting of the website

·         Reimbursement for gift for speaker at BASG AGM

·         Any expenditure linked to refreshments at the AGM

 

Paperwork linked to accounts is still with the auditor. We have agreed that we no longer

need to have our accounts audited.

AS will collect this paperwork and pass it to

JP who will then collate and file what is required to be kept.

 

  

PR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AS

 

JP

 
 

7.

  

Spring Term event

  

PR shared with the group that he had positive follow up for possible venues for future BASG events from attendees at the latest BCC briefings.

At the moment PR is securing venue details for the next BASG Spring event on 25.03.2020.

The speaker is confirmed as Sam Henson from NGA. He will present on Spotlight on Disadvantaged.

Information about the event will be posted on the website.

A similar approach for registering as for BASG AGM will be set up.

  

 

 

 

 

 
 

8.

  

Clerking

  

JP reported that this area seems to be progressing smoothly.

There was a suggestion as to whether there could be a section on the BASG website for posting Clerking vacancies.

The group felt that as BASG promotes effective governance this would be a good way forward to promoting such an important role within Governing Boards.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

BASG website
 

9.

  

Networking meetings

 

It was felt that it is very useful to receive feedback from local networking groups.

This helps to understand issues rising related to governance across Buckinghamshire.

 

At present the following network groups are known to exist:

Area              

South Bucks – Anne Sheddick for Chairs & Vice Chairs (Signposted on website & Twitted)

 

Aylesbury –      Martin Baxter (Signposted on    website & Tweeted)

 

 

Great Marlow – Sally Brookes

Amersham/Chesham – possible revival of group

 

 

Members of BASG try to be part of as many of these groups as possible. A proforma is available for each group to feedback to BASG.

 

Information from governors from these meetings can be fed into the consultative groups which function across Buckinghamshire

 

 

·         Schools Forum

·         Side by Side Reference Group

·         School Governance Consultative Board

 

  

 

 

 

 

 
 

10.

  

BCC Briefings

  

PR presented about BASG at both briefings in January.

This is a very valuable opportunity for increasing awareness of the purpose of BASG, it’s support mechanisms and the expertise it offers for governance within Buckinghamshire.

 

  

 

 

 
 

11.

  

DfE Consultation

  

The following consultation was discussed.

 

https://consult.education.gov.uk/inspection-and-accountability-division/removal-of-the-outstanding-exemption/

 

It was felt a response from BASG would be appropriate.

A Twitter conversation could gain insight from a wider pool of governors to inform a response from BASG.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twitter

 

12.

  

Side by Side Reference group

  

PR will follow up on the last meeting by requesting the minutes.

 

  

PR
 

13.

  

School Governance Consultative Board

 

 

 

  

It is understood that the next meeting will be in March.

It was felt that Schools Forum, Side by Side, School Governance Consultative Board are joined up in communicating and feedback.

 

  
 

14.

  

AOB

  

Feedback from meeting with NGA, BASG & BCC

PR explained that this was a positive meeting with the desire to share future events and the possibility of future training dates

 

BEP Conference

This will be on 26.06.2020 at the Gateway, Aylesbury. HP19 8FF

Speakers:

Linda Hardman – Advisor Disadvantage and Valuable Pupils

Jennifer Cameron – Creating Opportunities

Dr Kathy Weston- Cultivating Relationships, parental engagement.

Two free places with BEP full package

 

PR requested that an opportunity could be considered for BASG to also be part of this event. JM requested that BASG were able to attend this event even if we had not paid into a BEP package. GL will follow these points up with BEP.

 

Training for Chairs

JP explained about how valuable she is finding the NGA Leading Development Governance for Chairs training.

The training is funded by the DfE and offers flexible learning and takes approximately three terms to complete.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GL
 

 

 

  

Date and venue of next meeting

  

Next meetings:

19.02.2020 at Waterside Primary Academy,

Blackhorse Avenue, Chesham. HP5 1QU at19.00

 

9.03.2020 at Loudwater Combined School,

Kingsmead Rd, Loudwater, High Wycombe HP11 1JJ at 19.00

 

25.03.2020 – BASG Spring Event at Booker Park Community School, Stoke Leys, Close, Aylesbury HP21 9ET 18.00 – 21.30

 

 

Meeting finished at 21.00

 

Thank you to Waterside Primary Academy for providing the venue and to JP for organising.