To enable the committee to provide assurance on the adequacy with regards to the risk framework on the measures the council is taking as the accountable body for the new model in technology & engineering (NMiTE) and the milestone payments from the Department for Education (DfE).

The chief finance officer presented the report. 

It was noted that the council’s responsibility as the accountable body had ceased with the payment to NMiTE from the Department for Education (DfE).    The final payment had been received by the council on 15 April from the DfE and transferred to NMiTE straightaway.   Any other funding which NMiTE had received would be overseen by the relevant scrutiny committee. 

It was further noted that  the progress with regard to some of the milestones were part of the funding agreement that the council were not required to provide comment on and that they would be the responsibility of the NMiTE Board and the DfE. 

The council had been supportive of NMiTE since the beginning and would continue to be supportive. As part of the ongoing NMiTE growth, they were looking at building and expanding in the city to teach students and student accommodation in Station Approach.  The student accommodation at Station Approach would house NMiTE students as well as students from the Hereford College of Arts. 

It was confirmed that there was no requirement to report back to council that the accountable body status had now ceased. 

It was proposed by Councillor Nigel Shaw and seconded by Councillor Dave Boulter that the report be noted. 

For:                 6

Against:           0

Abstentions:    0

RESOLVED that the report be noted.