Source: www.glos.ac.uk. All Rights Reserved. 2026 University of Gloucestershire
Last updated: 22 December 2025
Membership:
Becki Albrighton
Ingrid Barker
Mark Burch
Thomas Chambers – A
James Cooper
Ruth Dooley
Nicola de Iongh (Chair)
Steve Gardiner
Tracey Harrison
Bianca Holland
Geoff Layer
Dame Clare Marchant
Freya Rowley
Pamela Sissons
Elonka Soros
Rt Revd Robert Springett
Joe Sucksmith – A
Julie Walkling
Dr Peter Warry
Board Apprentices:
Ben Edgington-Thomas – A
Eleanor Hill
In attendance:
Dr Matthew Andrews (Secretary to Council), Chief Operating Officer
Julie-Ann Brooks, Director of People
Jo Charles (for C.25.86), Director of Commercial and Transformation
Katharine Clough, Chief Marketing Officer
Rachel Gwynne, Interim Director of Governance
Anna Hobbs (for C.25.87), Associate Head of School Outreach & Engagement
(Arts, Culture and Environment)
Prof Cathia Jenainati, Executive Dean – Partnerships (Head of School –
Business, Computing and Social Sciences)
Dr Graham Parton, Executive Dean – Teaching Innovation (Head of
School – Education, Health and Science)
Prof Angus Pryor, Executive Dean Research (Head of School – Arts,
Culture and Environment)
Camille Stallard, Chief Financial Officer
Tanya Collins, Head of Governance and Legal
Steph Base (Minutes), Senior Governance and Secretariat Officer
C.25.75 Prayer
The Rt Revd Robert Springett led the meeting in a prayer.
C.25.76 Welcome, Apologies and Quorum
Received: apologies for absence from Thomas Chambers, Joe Sucksmith and Ben Edgington-Thomas. The Chair welcomed the following:
C.25.77 Business of the Agenda
Noted: that there had been no request to unstar any item on the agenda, and therefore it was assumed that items C.25.89 to C.25.96 had been approved or noted as stated.
C.25.78 Declarations of Interest
Noted: that there were no interests declared. All staff and student members in attendance, with the exception of the Director of People and the new Student Member of Council on RHRC, Bianca Holland, would be required to leave the meeting for the reserved item of business, C.25.99.
C.25.79 Minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2025
C.25.79.1
Considered: a Member of Council had raised some concerns about the minutes via correspondence as they were unable to attend the meeting in person. The concerns related to minute C.25.61.2, items c and g. The following were suggested in resolution:
a. For item c, that the final words be deleted, as follows: ‘c) proposed amendments the Articles of Association to reflect the new model, if approved, and the process making those.’
b. For item g, that this should be amended to remove the wording crossed through, and to add the wording in bold, as follows: ‘g) in response to an apparent fundamental misunderstanding regarding the Council Member appointment referenced within the paper, it was noted that the majority a number of respondents to the UNISON survey understood the need for the right skills and competencies should be more important.’
C.25.79.2
Noted: concerns expressed regarding a matter relating to adherence to the Council Code of Conduct. It was confirmed that these concerns should be considered by Governance and Nominations Committee.
ACTION: SIG / CFO / Officer
C.25.79.3
Resolved: Council approved the above amendments to the minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2025 by consensus. With the exception of the above, the minutes were approved as an accurate record of the meeting held on 24 June 2025.
C.25.80 CONFIDENTIAL: Matters Arising (C/46/25)
Noted: details of the matters arising as outlined in the paper.
C.25.81 Chair’s Business including Key Issues Report (C/47/25)
C.25.81.1
Received and Noted:
a. the Key Issues Report from the Committee Chairs on the key points discussed at the following meetings:
i. Finance and General Purposes Committee, 30 July 2025
ii. Audit and Risk Committee, 19 September 2025
b. an addendum that was circulated on 2 October 2025 to report on key issues from Finances and General Purposes Committee on 16 September 2025, which had been formatted to highlight the ‘3As’, to Alert, Assure, and Advise Council on the key issues, as recommended in the Governance Effectiveness Review.
C.25.81.2
Noted: since the last meeting:
a. no decisions had been made via circulation.
b. the following uses of the Company Seal:
C.25.82 Student Union Report to Council (C/48/25)
C.25.82.1
Received: the Students’ Union (SU) update, which was taken as read. The following were noted
in addition:
a. a number of current initiatives to encourage students to engage, e.g. Movember, the New Things November campaign and the GlosBound campaign which focussed on the connection between students and the wider community.
b. feedback from students about the opening of City Campus;
c. the success of the recent Welcome Fayre, which was the largest to date at UoG;
C.25.82.2
Considered: the following:
a. Council appreciated the additional statistics within the report which added context;
b. More work was needed from the University to communicate with students around the plans for Phase 2 of City Campus;
c. It would be helpful to receive statistics about the SU’s reach, in terms of how many students were engaging across all SU activity.
d. A number of public art programmes were in progress between the University and Gloucester City Council, and the Executive Dean Research (Head of School – Arts, Culture and Environment) would consult with the SU Education & Community Officer to involve them going forward.
To Note: Exec Dean Research / SU Education & Community Officer
C.25.82.3
Noted: recent activities within the SU.
C.25.83 CONFIDENTIAL: Vice-Chancellor’s Report (C/49/25)
This item was considered under Confidential Business.
C.25.84 CONFIDENTIAL: Finance Update (C/50/25)
This item was considered under Confidential Business.
C.25.85 CONFIDENTIAL: Estate Updates (C/51/25)
This item was considered under Confidential Business.
C.25.86 CONFIDENTIAL: FCH Outline Business Case (C/52/25)
This item was considered under Confidential Business.
C.25.87 CONFIDENTIAL: Strategic Collaboration with other HEIs (C/53/25)
This item was considered under Confidential Business.
C.25.88 CONFIDENTIAL: Academic Board Update for Council (C/54/25)
This item was considered under Confidential Business.
C.25.89 Health and Safety Policy Statement 2025/26* (C/55/25)
Resolved: Council approved the Health and Safety Policy Statement to ensure continued compliance with statutory obligations and alignment with the University’s strategic objectives.
C.25.90 Annual Statement on Research Integrity* (C/56/25)
Resolved: Council approved the Annual Statement on Research Integrity.
C.25.91 Governance Effectiveness review Action Plan Update* (C/57/25)
Noted: the progress to date to implement the recommendations of the Governance
Effectiveness Review.
C.25.92 Annual Review of OfS Conditions of Registration* (C/58/25)
Received and Considered: the contents of the report and attached compliance review as assurance of how the University ensured compliance with the Office for Students (OfS) regulatory framework.
C.25.93 Internal Audit Plan for 2025/26* (C/59/25)
Noted: the internal audit strategy for 2025/26 was approved by Audit and Risk Committee.
C.25.94 Register of Council Member Interests* (C/60/25)
Noted: the declarations of interest received from its members for 2025/26.
C.25.95 Review of Council Schedule of Business* (C/61/25)
Noted: the Council Schedule of Business and made no recommendations for change.
C.25.96 Minutes from Council Committees*
Noted: that the minutes from the following meetings would be available from the University Committees page on Sharepoint.
a. Audit and Risk Committee, 19 September 2025
b. Finance and General Purposes Committee, 30 July and 16 September 2025
c. Remuneration and Human Resources Committee, 1 October 2025.
C.25.97 Any Other Business
Noted: Council congratulated the Vice-Chancellor for being accepted onto a Cabinet Office
Public Sector Leaders’ Programme. Council noted this was nationally recognised as a
prestigious programme for very senior leaders, and noted the positive implications of this for
both the Vice-Chancellor’s reputation within the sector and beyond, and for the
University.
C.25.98 Date of Next Meeting
Noted: the meeting of Council on Tuesday, 25 November 2025 at 9.15am via MS Teams.
C.25.99 RESERVED: Report from Remuneration and HR Committee
This item was considered under Reserved Business
Action list for the meeting held 7 October 2025
| Minute number | Action | Responsibility |
| C.25.79 | Minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2025 | |
| C.25.79.2 | Noted: concerns expressed regarding a matter relating to adherence to the Council Code of Conduct. It was confirmed that these concerns should be considered by Governance and Nominations Committee. | SIG / CFO |
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