ASTON UNIVERSITY

Minutes of the 258th COUNCIL meeting, Wednesday, 25th June 2008.

PRESENT: Mr Geoffrey John (in the Chair) Professor Julia King Dr Christine Braddock Mr Matt DaleyMr Guppy Dhariwal Mr Michael Farrell Dr Ged Fisher Dr John Fletcher Professor Graham Hooley Dr Elspeth InschProfessor Ashok Kochhar Mr Richard Middleton Dr Pam Moores Mr Mike RussellDr Peter Seville Mr Gurj SummanMr Paul Williams

APOLOGIES: Professor Martin Griffin Dr Derek Harris Dr John Parnaby Mr Glyn PitchfordMr Dilly Rehal The Rt Hon The Lord RookerMr Paul Spooner

ABSENT: Dr Khurshid Ahmed Professor Mike West

IN ATTENDANCE: Mr Stewart Comfort Mr Gareth Evans

BY INVITATION: Mr Gary Dugmore (for items 08/76-79)

CONGRATULATIONS

08/56 The Chairman, on behalf of the Council, extended congratulations to the following lay governors:

Dr Khurshid Ahmed, on his receipt of a CBE under the 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honours round;

Dr Elspeth Insch, on her recent appointment as a Deputy Lieutenant for the County of West Midlands.

APOLOGIES

08/57 The Council, on receiving apologies for absence, noted that governors should make every effort to attend all meetings, and that permission of the Chairman was required by staff members in the event of their attendance not being possible on any occasion.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

08/58 There were no new declarations of interest from governors, or from those in attendance, with respect to any agenda items.

CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES

08/59 The Council received Paper CO/08/16, with reference to membership of the Council, and noted that:

Class 2 [lay members]

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The appointment and re-appointment of governors within Class 2 from 1st August 2008 were the subject of recommendations from the Nominations Committee, and, in this connection, a full report from the Committee comprising these recommendations was to be considered by the Council under a subsequent agenda item (see also Minute 08/68 below).

Class 3 [academic staff]

Dr John Fletcher had been re-elected by the Academic Assembly to serve on the Council within Class 3, for a further period of two years from 1st August 2008.

It was further noted that arrangements for election of a member of the Senate to serve on the Council within Class 3 from 1st August 2008 (vice Dr Peter Seville) were currently in progress, and that the eventual appointment resulting from this electoral process would therefore be reported to the next meeting of the Council.

ACTION: Deputy Secretary/Academic Registrar

Class 4 [student representatives]

Further to the recent election of Sabbatical Officers of the Students’ Guild, the following would hold the appointments indicated, and, consequently, assume membership within Class 4, from 1st July 2008:

Mr Gurj Summan (President of the Guild, vice Mr Dilly Rehal);

Mr Drew Williams (Vice-President (Education and Welfare), vice Mr Matt Daley).

CHAIRMAN’S ACTION

08/60 The Council received Paper CO/08/17, which reported that the Chairman, acting on behalf of the Council under authority delegated to him at the meeting held on 12th March 2008 (Minute 08/33 (iii) refers), and on the recommendation of the Finance and Major Projects Committee (at its meeting held on 28th April 2008), had agreed the University’s signing of a contract for the provision and operation of a Combined Heat and Power plant on the Aston campus.

08/61 Further details concerning the CHP proposal had been provided for governors in the Minutes of the meetings of the Finance and Major Projects Committee held on 25th February 2008 (included with papers for the March Council meeting: Committee Minutes 08/21-23 refer) and on 28th April 2008 (included with the current Agenda: Committee Minutes 08/54-56 refer). A recent press release concerning the work of Utilicom Group Limited, to which the CHP contract had been awarded, had accompanied Paper CO/08/17 by way of additional background information for the Council.

MINUTES

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08/62 The Minutes of the 256th meeting of the Council, held on 12th March 2008, were approved, and were signed by the Chairman as an accurate record.

08/63 The Minutes of the 257th meeting of the Council (a special meeting held immediately following the conclusion of a joint Strategy Away-day for members of the Council and Senate), held on 14th May 2008, were approved, and were signed by the Chairman as an accurate record.

LAY MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL: REPORT FROM THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE

08/64 The Council considered a report from the Nominations Committee, containing recommendations for appointments to the lay Class of Council membership.

08/65 It was noted that the Committee had met on two occasions - on 12th March and 11th June 2008 - to discuss, for onward transmission to the Council, possible appointments to four lay vacancies arising on the Council from 1st August 2008.

To assist it in this task, the Committee had received:

details of the indicative wishes of the four lay (Class 2) governors whose current periods of appointment on the Council would come to an end on 31st July 2008, given in response to an invitation for their names to be considered under the Committee’s latest round of deliberations (note: one such governor - namely, Dr Ged Fisher - had confirmed to the Committee that he did not wish to seek re-appointment);

details of individuals previously retained by the Committee in a ‘pool’, together with some new suggestions from members, for consideration as potential future lay governors at Aston;

some suggestions from the University’s Development and Alumni Relations Office for potential lay Council appointees; and

nominations from the Standing Committee of Convocation for the appointment of Aston graduates to lay membership of the Council.

08/66 The Council further noted that the Committee had recognised the need for appointing to the Council each year some new people with a record of achievement, within or outside their substantive careers, which could be applied to the University’s benefit (in the context of the role that the Council had as governing body of the University). At the same time, and by means of an updated matrix identifying the generic, functional and technical skills, together with sectoral experience, which Aston would wish its lay governors to bring, the Committee had endeavoured to ensure that the overall range of expertise across the Council’s lay membership could reflect the needs and aspirations of the University, as well as helping to fulfil the requisite responsibilities for proper institutional governance. In seeking to strike the right balance between continuity and ‘new blood’, and to embrace and achieve an appropriate experience/skills ‘profile’ among the lay Class as a whole, the Committee had also paid regard to the importance of

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incorporating within the Council membership representation of the diversity of communities served by the University.

08/67 The Council was also advised of the Committee’s view that, as a general principle, future lay appointments on the Council should typically be for one three-year period. This would not, however, preclude the possibility, if considered appropriate in individual cases, of recommending that a second term be served.

08/68 RESOLVED:

(i) To approve a recommendation of the Nominations Committee that the following current lay governor be re-appointed to membership of the Council, for a further period from 1st August 2008 to 31st July 2011:

Dr Elspeth Insch

(ii) To approve recommendations of the Nominations Committee that the following persons be appointed to membership of the Council as new lay governors, in each case from 1st August 2008 to 31st July 2011 (vice Dr Ged Fisher, Dr John Parnaby and Mr Glyn Pitchford):

Sir John Sunderland

Sir John Sunderland, who was knighted in 2006, has forty years of experience working within the Cadbury Schweppes Group in the UK and overseas, on both the confectionery and beverage sides of the business. Having joined Cadbury in 1968, he undertook a number of senior leadership roles within the company, culminating in successive appointments as Chief Executive Officer (from 1996 to 2003) and as Chairman (from 2003 to 2008). He has held various other directorships and offices in key trade and business organisations, including: President (2004-06) and Deputy President (2003-04 and 2007-08) of the Confederation of British Industry; President of the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (2002-05); President of the UK Food and Drink Federation (2002-04); and Director of the Rank Group plc (1998-2006). In addition, he is currently a Non-executive Director of Barclays Bank plc (since 2005), a Director of the Financial Reporting Council (since 2004) and member of a number of prestigious Advisory Boards.

Mr Nicholas Tamblyn

Mr Tamblyn, who is an Aston graduate (BSc, Managerial and Administrative Studies, 1979) and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, has, since 2003, held appointment as Finance Director of Perkins Slade Limited, one of the largest independent regional insurance brokers in the country. This company primarily acts for a wide range of larger corporate clients and amateur sporting and leisure associations, with gross written premiums of approximately £50 million. His senior-level experience in Chartered Accountancy and his strong financial, commercial and management skills have been developed in both domestic and international environments over the last twenty-five years, during which he has held roles as Finance

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Director and as Chief Executive of listed and private companies, as well as a Partnership with KPMG LLP.

Dr Perween Warsi

Dr Warsi is the Managing Director of S & A Foods Limited - a company supplying ready-made meals to UK and European outlets that she herself founded in 1987, having begun the business one year earlier making ethnic finger foods from her kitchen. The company has created some 1,300 jobs in inner-city Derby, enjoys an annual turnover of more than £100 million, and is in receipt of 28 awards by way of recognition for its success in food manufacturing.

Dr Warsi served from 1997 to 1999 as a member of the Department of Trade and Industry Advisory Committee on Competitiveness, and currently sits on the CBI National Committee. She has received a number of prestigious personal accolades - including Midlands Business Woman of the Year (1994), a RADAR People of the Year Award (1995), a Woman Entrepreneur of the World Award (1996), and a First Woman Lifetime Achievement Award (2005) - as well as having been awarded the MBE (1997) and the CBE (2002).

(iii) To approve a recommendation of the Nominations Committee that the following current lay governor be co-opted to continuing membership of the Council for a fixed period from 1st August to 31st December 2008, during which he would continue to chair the Finance and Major Projects Committee (in order to complete the financial cycle and related business for the 2007/08 Financial Year):

Dr John Parnaby

Governors were advised in connection with this proposal that the Privy Council had been consulted on the possibilities of co-opting onto Aston’s governing body, and that, provided any co-opted arrangement was of an ad hoc, time-limited nature, the Privy Council would be content to leave the matter to the University. The Council further noted that Dr Parnaby would remain beyond the period of his co-opted Council membership as Chair of the Aston Academy of Life Sciences Limited, and he would be invited to attend any subsequent meetings of the Council for discussion of matters concerning that subsidiary company.

(iv) To approve a proposal from the Chairman, further to approval of the above recommendations from the Nominations Committee for appointments to the lay Class of the Council, that the following governors be confirmed as Chairs, with effect from 1st January 2009, of the Council committees indicated:

Mr Mike Russell - Finance and Major Projects Committee (vice Dr Parnaby)

Mr Nicholas Tamblyn - Audit Committee (vice Mr Russell)

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The Council noted that the Chairman, under authority delegated to him at the meeting held on 12th December 2007 (Minute 07/205(v) refers), would, during the Summer of 2008, act on behalf of the Council, following consultation with other University Officers and the relevant committee Chairs, on the filling of vacancies due to arise at the end of the current session 2007/08 for lay members to serve on certain Council committees.

ACTION: Chairman/Deputy Secretary

VICE-CHANCELLOR’S REPORT

08/69 The Council received Paper CO/08/18, together with an oral report from the Vice-Chancellor.

08/70 The following points, additional to those covered in the pre-circulated Paper, were noted:

(i) A Search Committee of the University had appointed Dr Robert Berry, at present Chief Technology Officer for Messaging Technology, based at the IBM Development Laboratories in Hursley, to take up the position of Executive Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science from 1st September 2008 (vice Professor Ashok Kochhar).

(ii) The first series of Inaugural Lectures, held during session 2007/08, had proved extremely successful, being well attended by staff and students at Aston, by members of the Convocation and by persons from outside the University.

(iii) The Vice-Chancellor wished to convey best wishes to a team of over one hundred of the University’s staff and students who, later in the day, would be participating in the Cancer Research UK ‘Race for Life’ 5km event for women at Cannon Hall Park, and congratulations to Aston’s staff football team which had won the recent ‘University Masters World Cup’ Group B tournament, held in Switzerland.

(iv) Acceptances for places on undergraduate programmes had increased, with the number of ‘conditional firm’ acceptances by UK applicants for 2008 entry currently amounting to some 2,400, an improvement of 20% on the corresponding position a year previously. Increases in the numbers of overseas undergraduate and postgraduate acceptances had also occurred.

(v) Recently-published national ‘league tables’ had seen Aston move up from 30th to 18th position in that conducted by The Guardian but fall to 28th from 15th in The Times Good University Guide. The Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor advised the Council that serious attention was already being given within the University to a number of measures - including student satisfaction levels, the overall staff-student ratio, the employability of graduates and (whilst ensuring no dilution in academic standards) the percentages of first-class and upper second-class honours degrees awarded - with a view to improving Aston’s position in future rankings.

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REPORT FROM THE EXECUTIVE OF THE GUILD OF STUDENTS

08/71 The Council received Paper CO/08/19, together with an oral report from the Guild’s Vice-President (Education and Welfare).

08/72 Governors conveyed their congratulations on learning of the great success of the first ‘Astonbury’ music festival, a joint event, run on the campus site by the Guild of Students and the University, which had taken place on 7th June 2008 and had been attended by approximately 3,000 students and staff.

FINANCE REPORT: PERIODS 1-8 (MARCH 2008) AND 1-9 (APRIL 2008)

08/73 The Council received Papers CO/08/20 and CO/08/21, together with an oral report from the Director of Finance and Business Services.

08/74 The Director of Finance and Business Services advised the Council that the most-recently completed Management Accounts (covering Periods 1-10) indicated a further improvement in the University’s forecast position, such that there was an operational surplus of between £1.8 and 1.9M, without taking account of the Student Residences contract. It was also noted that, for the period from 1st April to 31st July 2008, the forecast included provision for increased funding in support of the Aston University Pension Scheme (AUPS), with current cost contributions charged at 18.35% and a monthly charge of £95k by way of contribution to past service costs. Additional AUPS charges had been similarly incorporated within proposals for the next budget year (see Minutes 08/76-79 below).

08/75 Governors welcomed the inclusion in the Management Accounts, with effect from those covering Periods 1-9, of a separate statement relating to capital expenditure.

UNIVERSITY BUDGET FOR 2008/09

08/76 The Council considered Paper CO/08/22, describing the budget proposals for 2008/09 that had been recommended by the Finance and Major Projects Committee after due consideration at its meeting on 9th June 2008.

08/77 It was noted that the proposed Budget for 2008/09 achieved a break-even result following the incorporation of previously-unforeseen additional AUPS charges amounting to £1.1M. The Council was further advised, however, that, largely as a result of the rising costs of oil, food and raw material inputs, the latest inflation figures were showing an upward trend, with current expectations of inflation remaining at 4.3% over the coming year. This was of particular concern to the University, given that the pay award agreed with the relevant campus unions from October 2008 was based on the higher of 2.5% (that is, the inflation-rate assumed within the Budget) or the Retail Prices Index. An RPI of 4.3% would result in an additional cost to the University for the next Financial Year of £765k (£874k in a full year).

08/78 The Council also noted that, at its next meeting (on 28th October 2008), it would receive, and be invited to consider, proposals for the use of the premium surplus funds, which were available to the University as a consequence of the agreed Student Residences redevelopment and amounted to some £14.3M. It was also suggested in this connection that a

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cashflow matrix be developed by the Finance and Major Projects Committee, with a view to ensuring that the premium funds were being invested strategically and assisting the management of associated risks.

ACTION: Director of Finance and Business Services

08/79 RESOLVED:

That the report on the budget proposals, as presented, be endorsed, and that the University’s Budget for 2008-09 be approved by the Council.

ACTION: Director of Finance and Business Services

PROPOSED COUNCIL KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

08/80 The Council received and discussed Paper CO/08/23, setting out revised proposals for specific, ‘high-level’ Key Performance Indicator targets against which progress in subsequently implementing the University Strategy, ‘Aston 2012’, might be measured and reviewed by the Council, as institutional governing body.

08/81 It was noted that the proposed KPIs now before the Council incorporated a number of suggestions made both by governors at the last ordinary Council meeting, held on 12th March 2008 (Minutes 08/17 and 08/19 refer), and by members of the Council and Senate in the course of their recent annual Strategy Away-day (on 14th May 2008). The Council further noted that, in addition to these ‘high-level’ measures, more detailed KPIs, for monitoring at University and School levels, were being developed in respect of Aston’s strategic objectives.

08/82 In the course of discussion, a suggestion was made that further consideration be given to how the effectiveness of the University’s recently-adopted Human Resources Strategy might be explicitly covered under the KPI concerned with staff job satisfaction.

ACTION: Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor/Mr Paul Williams

08/83 RESOLVED:

To approve the adoption of the ‘high-level’ KPIs, as proposed.

ACTION: Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE JOINT COUNCIL-SENATE STRATEGY AWAY-DAY

08/84 The Council received Paper CO/08/24, which provided an overall summary of principal points arising from discussions at ‘breakout’ sessions held, as part of the recent joint Council-Senate Strategy Away-day (on 14th May 2008), with a view to facilitating small-group, and subsequent plenary, consideration of key topics relating to ‘Aston 2012’. Governors had also received with papers for the Council meeting a complete set of more detailed reports on the ‘breakout’ sessions, written by the group’s rapporteurs.

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08/85 Among the consequential actions were some specifically for the Council’s attention. In particular, a ‘breakout’ session concerned with the question of ‘What can Lay Governors on Council do to support the Strategy?’ had concluded that:

(i) Council should be invited to consider possible ways in which the role and contribution of governors at Aston might be further enhanced.

(ii) Council should be invited formally to adopt an annual programme of work, setting out those major and/or statutory items of business that would specifically require governing body consideration within future cycles of meetings.

It was noted that, with reference to (i) above, governors would shortly have an opportunity to offer comments and suggestions under the inaugural annual exercise for the Review of Council Effectiveness, in respect of which a questionnaire was to be issued during the Summer of 2008. With reference to (ii) above, a suggested draft calendar of business had been circulated with the Council Agenda (as Paper CO/08/24(a)) for consideration at the meeting.

08/86 RESOLVED:

To approve the adoption of an annual programme of work, as appended to these Minutes.

ACTION: Deputy Secretary

MAJOR PROJECTS

08/87 The Council received Paper CO/08/25, detailing current issues in relation to the agreed redevelopment of the University’s residential estate.

08/88 The following statement concerning the Student Residences Project from Mr Glyn Pitchford, who had been unable to attend the meeting, was read out to the Council, for recording in the Minutes:

“I believe the next Council meeting will be the first one we will have held following the completion of the Residences Agreement, ignoring the Away-day meeting when this was not discussed. Council will be aware of my role, along with that of Mike Farrell, in examining all risks attached to this particular project. Speaking both as a lay governor and as a property expert, I really do believe the University owes a great debt of gratitude to the team which delivered what I regard as one of the most complex development deals I have ever examined. I largely attribute the success of this project to your Director of Finance (Mr Guppy Dhariwal), but also in some part to the Project Manager, Neil Pountney. Without Guppy’s input and his unique skills, I very seriously doubt that financial success of this magnitude could have been accomplished.

Of course, there remains the risk that the main building contract will not be honoured, and so it follows that final success cannot be measured until we achieve practical completion and our students successfully occupy the completed scheme. Nonetheless, to get this far is indeed no mean

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achievement. We should congratulate the team and look forward to a successful conclusion of the next phase.”

08/89 It was reported that the Finance and Major Projects Committee, at its meeting held on 9th June 2008, had given further consideration to the provision of the Information Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure within the planned new residences. Having obtained further detailed costings, the Committee had formally agreed that the costs of ‘CAT 6’ cabling be included within the construction contract with respect to the Student Residences Project’s first phase, so as to provide a hard-wired capability in the residences concerned. Additionally, and with a view to achieving value for money, the Committee had agreed that an invitation to tender for the management and provision of ICT services within the new residences should be prepared, to include an emphasis on the use of major expert network providers and operators. The Council further noted that ISA (Information Systems Aston) would be invited to tender on the same basis as potential providers from outside the University.

ACTION: Director of Finance and Business Services

REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL

Finance and Major Projects Committee

08/90 The Minutes of the meetings of the Finance and Major Projects Committee held on 28th April and 9th June 2008 were accepted.

08/91 RESOLVED:

(i) That, further to consideration by the Council of Paper CO/08/26, and on the recommendation of the Finance and Major Projects Committee which had received and discussed a proposed budget for the 2008/09 Financial Year with respect to the conferencing business at Aston, approval be given to:

the consolidation of the existing operational businesses - namely, Conference Aston and the Aston Business School Conference Centre - into a single (‘Conference Aston’) limited subsidiary company of the University, with effect from 1st August 2008;

in advance of 1st August 2008, the formulation of a tenant repairing/insuring lease for the Aston Business School Conference Centre from the University, as lessor to Conference Aston Limited, with respect to those areas in ABS that are operated by the conferencing business for a period of 10-15 years, for a value of £800k per annum and with a rent-review period of 3-5 years; and

the mutual acceptance between the University and Conference Aston Limited of a Service Level Agreement, outlining the University services to be provided to the subsidiary and the basis of recharge.

ACTION: Director of Finance and Business Services(ii) That, further to receipt by the Finance and Major Projects Committee

of a brief update on possibilities for the future development of the

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University’s sports facilities, authority be delegated to the Chairman of the Council and the Committee’s Chair, as well as to the Vice-Chancellor and relevant members of her Executive Team, to act on behalf of the Council as they might consider appropriate in progressing any necessary plans during the Summer of 2008.

ACTION: Lay Officers/Vice-Chancellor/Chief Operating Officer/Director of Finance and Business Services

Audit Committee

08/92 The Minutes of the meeting of the Audit Committee held on 15th May 2008 were accepted.

08/93 The Audit Committee, and, subsequently, the Council, had received, with the Agenda for their respective meetings, a copy of a letter dated 31st March 2008 from the Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, confirming the outcome for Aston of the Funding Council’s annual risk assessment exercise. The overall assessment by HEFCE was that the University was currently ‘not at higher risk’, and that it was meeting the accountability obligations set out in the Funding Council’s Financial Memorandum and Accountability and Audit Code of Practice. It was further noted that the letter made reference to a ‘number of estate issues to address’, and, while recognising that the University was examining the issues, asked that HEFCE be kept informed of progress on these matters (including the Student Residences Project).

ACTION: Vice-Chancellor/Chief Operating Officer/Director of Finance and Business Services

Senate

08/94 The Minutes of the meetings of the Senate held on 23rd April and 4th June 2008 were accepted.

08/95 RESOLVED:

(i) To endorse in principle, on the recommendation of the Senate and for immediate operational effect, proposals for change in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances relating to the Senate’s terms of reference, which had been prepared for the Senate consequent upon the recent review of its committee structure, on the understanding that formal approval of the proposed changes would be sought in due course as part of a wider, ongoing review of the University’s constitution.

ACTION: Deputy Secretary/Academic Registrar

(ii) To approve, on the recommendation of the Senate, a request from the Foundation Degree Centre and the School of Engineering and Applied Science for the following titles to be listed as Foundation Degree awards under Ordinance VIII. 3(a) [Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates of the University]:

FdA Foundation Degree Arts FdEng Foundation Degree Engineering

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FdSc Foundation Degree Science

REPORTS AND SCHEDULES

Research Grants and Contracts

08/96 To approve the schedules of Research Grants and Contracts set out in Papers REG/08/210 and REG/08/322, and to congratulate all those who had secured income.

Acceptance of Indemnities in Government Contracts

08/97 To endorse action taken in respect of two collaboration agreements (as detailed in Paper CO/08/27) by University Officers delegated to act on behalf of the Council in accepting indemnity clauses in contracts for substantive research projects with government departments.

08/98 In the course of a brief discussion, the Council asked that the scope for insuring against the acceptance of such indemnities be investigated further.

ACTION: Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor/Director of Finance and Business Services

Use of the University Seal

08/99 RESOLVED:

To approve the use of the University Seal in sealing documents 2739 to 2758 inclusive, as detailed in Paper CO/08/28.

Proposed Student Fee Levels

08/100 RESOLVED:

(i) To approve the adoption by the University of tuition fee levels for the session 2008/09, in respect of new programmes carrying standard fees, as detailed in Paper REG/08/336.

ACTION: Academic Registrar

(ii) To delegate to the Chairman authority to take such action on behalf of the Council as he might consider appropriate, following subsequent determination by the University Executive of proposals for tuition fee levels:

to apply in session 2008/09 for ELQ (Equivalent or Lower Qualifications) undergraduate students; and

to apply in session 2009/10 for international students and programmes carrying premium/non-standard fees.

ACTION: Chairman/Deputy Secretary/Academic RegistrarVALEDICTORY REMARKS

08/101 RESOLVED:

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To thank the following retiring governors for their outstanding contributions to the work of the Council and to the life of the University:

Class 1 [ex officio members]

Professor Ashok Kochhar (outgoing Executive Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science)

Class 2 [lay members]

Dr Ged Fisher (Deputy Chairman)Mr Glyn Pitchford

Class 4 [student representatives]

Mr Matt Daley (outgoing Guild Vice-President (Education and Welfare))Mr Dilly Rehal (outgoing Guild President)

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

08/102 It was noted that the next meeting of the Council would be held on the revised date of Tuesday, 28th October 2008.

Signed ………………………………………… Dated 28th October 2008 Mr Geoffrey John

Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council

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APPENDIXASTON UNIVERSITY

Annual Programme of Work for the Council

Listed below is a summary of major and/or statutory items of business specifically requiring the Council’s consideration in its future cycles of meetings:

Item To be considered by the Council in

Half-yearly Reports on progress against ‘high-level’ Key Performance Indicators October

Declarations of Interests by Governors and Council Committee members for coming session October

Accounts for previous Financial Year (on reference from Finance & Major Projects Committee) October

External Audit Management Letter for previous Financial Year (on reference from Finance & Major Projects and Audit Committees)

October

Audit Committee Annual Report for previous session (on reference from Audit Committee) October

Institutional planning submission to HEFCE, comprising Five-year Financial Forecast, Annual Monitoring Statement and Corporate Planning Statement (on reference from Finance & Major Projects Committee)

October

Reports on Annual Council Performance Reviews December

Half-yearly Review of Risk Management December

Review of Financial Forecasts (including student numbers) February

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Item To be considered by the Council in

Annual Report on Health and Safety February

Appointments/re-appointments to lay membership of Council (on reference from Nominations Committee)

March

Half-yearly Reports on progress against ‘high-level’ Key Performance Indicators March

Dates of Council meetings for following session March

Annual Review (jointly with Senate) of University Strategy May

Budget for next Financial Year (on reference from Finance & Major Projects Committee) June

Half-yearly Review of Risk Management June

Review of membership of Council Committees June

Student fee levels for future sessions June

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