October 2009

last updated:29 Sep 2009

The General Teaching Council for England met on Tuesday 6 October 2009 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 received a paper entitled ‘Who adjudicates?’ which informed Council of the principles which lie behind the separation of adjudication from the other work of the Council. Council agreed in principle for a separation of the adjudication function from the other work of Council that work on long term measures for achieving the separation be progressed alongside the Corporate Governance strand of the Teaching in 2012 programme; and agreed that options for interim changes within the current governance structure be reported back to Council in January 2010.

Council received the Summary of work of Committees. They noted the paper and agreed a number of recommendations including Lead Member roles and methods for Member engagement on the various Teaching in 2012 programmes, Council Member representation on outside bodies and the direction of travel in terms of the GTC’s accountability policy thinking.

Council received a report entitled ‘Member Responsibilities – Data Protection and Information Assurance’. The paper 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.  Council referred the matter back to the November meeting of the Executive Committee in the light of issues raised by Members at the Council meeting.

Council received a report on the ‘GTC Performance Management Process’. Council noted the changes made to the GTC’s corporate planning and performance management systems, and noted the progress achieved to date in implementing operational plans and 2012 projects. Council will also noted a number of changes which had been made to the Professionalism 2012 Project.

Council noted the Financial Monitoring Report which was based upon fee income and expenditure up to 31 July 2009.

Finally Council received a paper entitled ‘GTC Representation on the Institute for Learning Advisory Council’ they agreed the recommendation that the GTC submit an expression of interest in taking a stakeholder place on the new IfL Advisory Council which will be in place in 2010.

The Council will next meet on Tuesday 26 January 2010 at Woburn House in Central London.