To seek approval for the council to act as the accountable body for public funding allocated to the new Hereford university, NMiTE (new model in technology & engineering), during its establishment phase.

That:

(a)   the responses to the recommendations of the general scrutiny committee at appendix 4 be approved;

(b)   Herefordshire Council act as accountable body for public funding to support establishment of a new university in Hereford; and

(c)   the chief finance officer be authorised, following consultation with the monitoring officer and cabinet member corporate strategy and budget, to complete such legal documentation as is appropriate to protect the council’s interests and take all operational decisions necessary to implement the above recommendations.

Not to act as accountable body for NMiTE. This is not recommended because, in the absence of an accountable body acceptable to the Department for education and the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership the funds are unlikely to be released and elements of the funding may be withdrawn if not used within the timescales speficied by the funders.