January 2010

published:01 Feb 2010

The General Teaching Council for England met on Tuesday 26 January 2010 at Woburn House, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HQ at 9.30am.

Council approved the minutes of the previous meeting and noted the standard decision tracking paper setting out progress in actioning previous decisions.  The Chair and Vice Chairs’ diaries were noted.

Council received a verbal report by the Chief Executive, Keith Bartley.

Council moved to Private session to discuss the Proposed Budget and Financial Strategy for 2010-11 to 2012-13. The paper informed Council Members of the Executive Committee recommendations for the operational budget and fee level for 2010-11, with indicative forecasts for the following two years. (See press release on the GTC budget and financial strategy.)

Council returned to Public session and considered a motion put forward by a Member of Council to rescind the decision taken by Council on 6 October 2009 to ‘agree in principle for a separation of the adjudication function from the other work of the Council’. The motion was narrowly defeated.

Council received the Summary of work of Committees; the detailed report was noted and a number of recommendations as detailed within the reports were agreed. Council agreed a recommendation from the Finance and General Purposes Committee regarding the format for the disclosure of Member Expenses.

Council received a report entitled ‘Member Responsibilities – Data Protection and Information Assurance’. The paper which had been revised since the last meeting set out the personal responsibilities of each Council Member for the safeguarding of information they handle in connection with the discharge of their Council responsibilities. Members discussed and subject to a minor amendment agreed their responsibilities and approved the Members’ Data Protection and Information Assurance Responsibilities Acknowledgement Form.

Council noted a report on the GTCs ‘Performance Monitoring 2009-10 – Q3’. The paper informed Council Members of progress achieved in the third quarter of the 2009-10 financial year in implementing the current year of the four year Corporate Plan.

Council noted the ‘Financial Monitoring Report’ which was based upon fee income and expenditure up to 30 November 2009.

The Council will next meet on Wednesday 24 March 2010 at Kings Place in Central London. This will be a special Council meeting.