Updated - January 2025
The Blackpool Schools Forum is established in accordance with the Schools Forums (England) Regulations 2012, which are amended through subsequent Schools and Early Years Finance (England) Regulations.
Membership
The Blackpool Schools Forum shall have 19 members as follows:
- 2 maintained primary school headteachers or senior management team members
- 1 maintained primary school governor
- 0 maintained secondary school headteacher or senior management team member
- 10 academy school headteachers or senior management team members
- 1 maintained special school headteacher or senior management team member
- 1 academy special school headteacher or senior management team member
- 1 pupil referral unit headteacher or senior management team member
- 3 non schools nominated members.
The proportion of primary, secondary and academy representatives will be reviewed at the first meeting of the academic year to ensure that the proportions remain representative of pupil numbers in each phase.
Each school, academy, federation, multi-academy trust or academy sponsor may nominate either one headteacher (or senior management team member) or one governor but not both. Federations, multi-academy trust and academy sponsor representing three or more schools in Blackpool may nominate up to two representatives.
The term of office for each representative shall be for three years and each member may hold more than one term of office subject to being re-selected in the appropriate manner.
Where a member ceases to hold the office by virtue of which they became eligible for appointment (e.g. head or governor of a specific phase or school category) an election shall take place where the remaining term of office exceeds one year. For vacant appointments of less than one year remaining the Schools Forum will have the right to co-opt a suitable person fulfilling the requirements of the vacated position.
Members may nominate an appropriate substitute from the group they represent, to attend the forum on their behalf subject to notification in advance, to the clerk.
Election of school representatives
The 16 places held for school and Academy members shall be elected for a three-year term.
The groups may determine their own procedures for nomination which will usually include elections.
Normally the election shall be organised by officers of the Children’s Services Authority (CSA). Nominations will be sought from all schools.
Nominees must provide details of the category to be applied for and agree to the nomination. The CSA will give two term-time weeks’ notice of the nomination process and closing date.
The CSA will issue voting papers not later than 10 working days from the closure date for the receipt of nominations and allow a further 10 working days for the closing date of voting.
Each school will be able to vote for the total number of vacant places within the category of their school, e.g. primary school headteachers may vote for up to two primary headteachers and primary governing bodies for one primary governor.
Each governing body will make its own decision on the method by which it exercises its voting rights.
All schools will be notified of the results of the elections within 7 working days of the close of the election. Where a group fails to make a nomination within two months of the vacancy arising, the remaining representatives in the relevant group may nominate a representative to be appointed to fill the vacancy.
Where there are no remaining representatives of the relevant group the remaining schools members may nominate the representative to fill the vacancy.
Appointment of non-schools members
Nominations will be sought by the CSA from relevant bodies. For this purpose, relevant bodies are as follows:
- Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) Early Years providers
- Trade union
- Post-16 providers
The non-schools members on the Forum shall comprise one representative of each of the above bodies. Where more than one relevant association exists, the arrangements for the selection of a single representative shall be at the discretion of the CSA. The CSA may appoint to any of the 3 non school members positions in the event that there are no nominations received.
Eligibility for non-school membership of the Forum shall not include Council officers or elected members.
The Secretary of State may determine that a relevant body should not be represented following complaint to him/herself by any person.
The CSA shall notify all schools of any appointments of non-schools members within one month of the appointment.
Meetings and proceeding
Meetings of the Schools Forum shall be held in public at least four times a year. schools forum papers, minutes and decisions will be published promptly on the council’s website.
The forum shall be quorate if at least 40% of the total membership is present.
The forum will elect a chairman and vice chairman annually by a simple majority of votes cast. The chairman may not be an elected member or council officer.
Voting will take place by a simple majority votes of members present indicated by a show of hands.
In the event of an equality of votes cast on any matter, the chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
Only schools members, academy members, and the private, voluntary and independent sector member may vote on the funding formulae. Votes on de-delegation of permitted items will be restricted to maintained school members of the phase or phases affected.
Local authority attendees may only participate in meetings if they are the relevant lead member for children’s services or resources (or their representative), the director of children’s services (or their representative), the chief finance officer (or their representative), or are providing specific financial or technical advice (including presenting a paper to the forum).
Changes to the constitution and terms of reference may be made by the executive, only after consultation with the schools forum.
The CSA has responsibility to update the schools forum constitution and working practices in line with changes in legislation.
The Education and Skills Funding Agency may attend meetings of the forum and may participate in discussions.
Functions
The Forum must be consulted by the CSA on matters relating to:
a) any changes, and the financial effect of changes, in the formula used to allocate school budget shares and this consultation will allow sufficient time to take account of any views expressed to be incorporated into the school budget shares before the beginning of the financial year.
b) contracts which are paid or may be paid out of the schools budget where the estimated value is greater than £150,000 p.a.
The CSA shall consult the forum annually in respect of the authority’s functions relating to the schools budget, in connection with the following:
a) the arrangements to be made for the education of pupils with special educational needs
b) arrangements for the use of pupil referral units and the education of children otherwise than at school
c)arrangements for early years education
d) prospective revisions to the relevant authority’s scheme for the financing of schools; and
e) administrative arrangements for the allocation of central government grants paid to schools via the relevant authority.
The CSA will consult the forum on matters concerning the allocation of the dedicated schools grant. Regulations stipulate that schools forums will not have any powers to initiate proposals.
Accountability to schools and others
The forum shall, as soon as reasonably possible, inform the governing bodies of all schools of all consultation carried out.
The Forum shall provide copies of minutes of its meetings to the council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
Expenses of the forum
All expenses of the forum will be charged to the schools budget (as defined by the Local Government Funding blocks).
Members of the forum shall be entitled to reimbursement of all reasonable expenses in connection with attendance at meetings, in accordance with the rates set out in the council’s members’ allowance scheme.