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.