Issue - meetings

This report considers the changes introduced by the Education and Inspections Act 2006 regarding the abolition of the School Organisation Committee (SOC) and the revised responsibilities and functions of the Local Authority and Local Admission Forum (LAF). Members are asked to determine new membership arrangements for the Local Admission Forum.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member:

• Note the abolition of the Schools Organisation Committee and the new duties of the Local Authority and the Local Admissions Forum.
• Approve the proposed membership of the Local Admissions Forum set out in the table at paragraph 8 of the report.

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  to establish the Local Admission Forum

Members considered a report that informed them of changes introduced by the Education and Inspections Act 2006 regarding the abolition of the School Organisation Committee (SOC) and the revised responsibilities and functions of the Local Authority and Local Admission Forum (LAF). Members were asked to determine new membership arrangements for the Local Admission Forum.

The Officer stated that since the report had been written he had received a letter from the Department for Education Services (DfES) which said that the new Local Admissions Forum could not be implemented until 25^th May 2007. The Officer had also made a telephone call to DfES to query that all maintained schools nominate a member and was awaiting a detailed response from them. Members supported the Officer in this and were very aware that if all schools nominated a member to attend this meeting and they all attended it could make for a very large, and possibly, unmanageable meeting.

The Officer also stated that events and information was changing on a daily basis and some of the finer details would not be agreed until a later date.

Members pointed out that there was no proposal to include representation from the local community or specific representation of teachers; the Officer confirmed this. Both Members and Officers agreed that there were weaknesses in the guidance at this stage and therefore it was important to look out for further developments and details regarding the implementation of this Forum.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member:

• Note the abolition of the Schools Organisation Committee and the new duties of the Local Authority and the Local Admissions Forum.
• Approve the proposed membership of the Local Admissions Forum set out in the table at paragraph 8 of the report.

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  to establish the Local Admission Forum