Issue - meetings

The Schools Forum is a statutory body established by the local authority in accordance with the School Forums (England) Regulations 2012. It advises the authority on matters relating to the funding of schools and must operate in line with statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education (DfE).

The Forum has, in recent years, operated successfully using virtual meeting arrangements in a hybrid environment.

To reflect this established practice and ensure clarity and compliance with governance requirements, it is proposed that the Terms of Reference are updated to formalise meetings as being held remotely. The revised Terms of Reference ensure that arrangements continue to meet statutory expectations, including openness, transparency and public access.

The Senior Democratic and Overview and Scrutiny Officer presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Schools Forum was a statutory body established by the local authority in accordance with the School Forums (England) Regulations 2012. It advised the authority on matters relating to the funding of schools and must operate in line with statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education (DfE).

The Forum had, in recent years, operated successfully using virtual meeting arrangements in a hybrid environment.

To reflect this established practice and ensure clarity and compliance with governance requirements, it was proposed that the Terms of Reference were updated to formalise meetings as being held remotely. The revised Terms of Reference ensured that arrangements continue to meet statutory expectations, including openness, transparency and public access.

There was no discussion on this item.

RESOLVED that:

(a) Future meetings of the Schools Forum are held remotely; and

(b) the revised Terms of Reference at Appendix 1 be approved with regards to remote meetings and arrangements for public attendance

Voting – For - Unanimous