FE Governance

Agenda Items

The agendas will reflect the annual cycle of business and will include items which must be approved by the governing body at the appropriate time. Other items to include are the minutes of the last meeting and any outstanding matters.

The clerk usually prepares the agenda for discussion with the chair and principal, they may wish to add items to the agenda that reflect their positions. In practice, all three collaborate to identify a broad range of issues that need to be brought to the governing body:

the clerk ensures relevant business items are included on the agenda in line with the annual cycle of business and ensures outstanding items from previous meeting and committees are included

the chair includes items that members of the governing body are interested in

• the principal includes development, policy, strategic issues and trends within
• the wider environment.
• A general format for an agenda is:
• time and location of the meeting
• apologies for absence
• minutes of the previous meeting
• invitation to members to declare an interest in any item
• list of issues to be addressed with the required action on each item (for information, for decision,etc.)
• a note of any items which are confidential.

How do members of the governing body put forward items for inclusion on the agenda? The mechanism for doing this should be in the standing orders.
In most cases it is only an agenda issued by the clerk that has authority. By exception, the chair or vice chair may issue an agenda in specific circumstances where the meeting is called to discuss matters relating to the clerk or where serious and urgent matters must be discussed. These special circumstances are referred to in the Instrument of government clause 12 (special meetings called by the chair, vice chair or a group of 5 members).

The Instrument of government states that the agenda should be issued at least seven days in advance of the meeting. It is better to give more time, to allow members to prepare adequately for the meeting. Supporting papers should be sent at the same time. If a paper is late, it is common practice to issue the agenda with a note showing the paper will follow.

The cycle of business will enable you to plan and commission the papers that will be required. Managers responsible for producing the reports will find it helpful to know the deadline you are working to and to be given plenty of time to prepare them.
In spite of your careful planning, it is possible that on occasions papers will be late. It is not good practice to table reports, but if you have no alternative, you could allow time at the beginning of the meeting for members to read and prepare for the discussion. If possible it might be better to defer the item to the next meeting.