11 December 2006
The Council have now considered the Eleventh Report of the Board of Scrutiny (Reporter, 2005-06, p. 888) and the remarks on the Report made at the Discussion on 10 October 2006 (Reporter, p. 83). They comment on the recommendations of the Board's Report in turn.
Recommendation 1: The University should contain the rate of expansion of its administration, both in terms of head-count and cost, within the rate of growth of the University as a whole.
The Council give careful scrutiny to expenditure on administration in the University, but believe that expenditure must be judged against administrative need and do not consider that any absolute principle of the sort recommended should be applied. The Council have recently welcomed the initiative by the Registrary to undertake a development programme, within existing budgetary provision, for the Unified Administrative Service, some aspects of which will be implemented in 2007.
Recommendation 2: Any reorganization of non-School institutions should focus only on areas where expectation of an improvement in performance and value-for-money can be reasonably demonstrated.
As a normal rule the Council agree, but there may be other reasons why reorganizations of non-School institutions may need to take place, for example compliance with externally set standards, or regulatory requirements, or good human resources practice.
Recommendation 3: Appropriate Ordinance changes should be secured in advance of any administrative reorganization of Syndicates or comparable independent units.
The Council accept this recommendation.
Recommendation 4: When major capital projects substantially exceed their approved costs, this should be reported to the University.
The Council accept this recommendation. In such circumstances they would normally expect to report through the Allocations Report.
Recommendation 5: Council should actively engage the University in developing proposals for North-West Cambridge.
A North-West Cambridge Strategy Group, chaired by Mr Alexander Johnston, an external member of the Finance Committee, has begun work. It is expected that the Group will wish to engage in extensive consultation within the collegiate University.
Recommendation 6: The minutes of the Information Strategy Group should be published on the University website.
This will be done.
Recommendation 7: Once incorporated, Cambridge Enterprise should publish annual accounts and a report of its activities.
This will be done, either in the Reporter or on the University website. (The Council have under review the arrangements for publication to and consultation of the Regent House.)
Recommendation 8: The University should embark on a thorough updating of the Ordinances to ensure that they fully reflect Graces that have been approved.
The Council agree and have asked that the necessary work should be brought forward by the officers as soon as possible.
Recommendation 9: Council should consider allowing more time for the consideration of certain Reports before Discussions are held.
The Council accept that timing is sometimes less than ideal. That particularly occurs in relation to financial reports, where important information may arise at a late stage from external sources, but where there is a necessity to have in place, for example, an approved budget at the beginning of the financial year. The Council will take the matter into account in their review referred to in the response to Recommendation 7 above. In conclusion the Council wish to record their appreciation of the care and attention which the Board have devoted to the matters under their review.