Board meeting minutes 26 June 2019
Updated 9 November 2021
© Crown copyright 2021
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-mobility-commission-board-meeting-notes/board-meeting-minutes-26-june-2019
Attendees: Commissioners
Alastair da Costa (Chair)
Saeed Atcha
Steven Cooper
Pippa Dunn
Sam Friedman
Harvey Matthewson
Jody Walker
Sandra Wallace
Liz Williams
Sammy Wright
Secretariat
Members of the Secretariat
Apologies
Dame Martina Milburn
Jessica Oghenegweke
Farrah Storr
Introductions
1.0 The Director of the Secretariat started off with apologies. The Chair, Alastair da Costa, introduced the facilitators and the agenda.
Strategy day – part 2
2.0 The strategy formation process from May was revisited: discover, divergence, define and convergence. It was agreed that the convergence phase, with a concrete strategy plan, would be agreed at the July board meeting.
2.1 The values for working together were recapped. A unanimous agreement was made on which values the Commission should abide to.
2.2 There was a facilitated group discussion for each of the four statutory responsibilities:
-
publishing an annual report setting out our views on the progress made towards improving social mobility in the United Kingdom
-
promoting social mobility in England, for example, by challenging employers, the professions, universities and schools to play their part in promoting social mobility
-
carrying out and publishing research in relation to social mobility
-
providing advice to ministers on how to improve social mobility in England – this advice must then be published
2.3 There was collective agreement on the significance and purpose of each responsibility; and common understanding of Secretariat and Commissioner activities.
Education select committee recap
3.0 There was an open discussion on the Education Select Committee meeting on 18th June. Discussion included:
-
acknowledgement that Commissioners may be non-political but that the Commission sits in a political space
-
the comments made by Committee members and our actions to address the key ones including a new communication strategy with Committee members
Action: Secretariat to inform the Select Committee of Commissioners’ background as they were incorrectly described as ‘the great and the good’ and to proactively share any new research publications.
Assessing the Commissions’ impact
4.0 The following points arose from the discussion:
-
monitoring our recommendations for the following: discussed, supported or ignored by both Parliament and Parliamentarians
-
stakeholders and organisations that have engaged with us
Research project updates
5.0 Discussion on research projects and Commissioners assignments.
Feedback on MARCH methodology
6.0 The MARCH approach (monitoring, advocacy, research, championing and holding to account) was discussed as a way to deliver on our statutory responsibilities.
Next steps
7.0 The Director of the Secretariat provided a brief timeline of activities over the next few months. The next board meeting was agreed for 31 July in London.