School Standards and Framework Act 1998

16 Power of LEA to appoint additional governors

(1) If at any time this section applies to a maintained school in accordance with section 14(1), then (subject to subsections (2) and (3)) the local education authority may appoint such number of additional governors as they think fit.

(2) Where this section so applies in the case of a school falling within section 15(1) (school subject to formal warning), the power conferred by subsection (1) above is only exercisable within the period of two months following the end of the compliance period.

(3) Where this section so applies in the case of a school falling within section 15(6) (school requiring special measures), the power conferred by subsection (1) above is only exercisable if the following conditions are satisfied, namely—

(a) the relevant document has been sent to the Secretary of State;

(b) the authority have received a notice in writing from the Secretary of State in which he acknowledges receipt of that document; and

(c) a period of not less than ten days has elapsed since the date of the notice.

(4) The Secretary of State may in respect of any particular school determine that subsection (3)(c) shall have effect as if the reference to ten days were to such shorter period as he may determine.

(5) In relation to any appointment made by the local education authority by virtue of subsection (1) to the governing body of a school, the instrument of government for the school shall have effect as if (despite anything in Part II of Schedule 9) it provided for the local education authority to appoint such number of additional governors as they think fit.

(6) If at any time—

(a) this section applies to a voluntary aided school other than one falling within section 15(6), and

(b) the local education authority have exercised their power to appoint additional governors under subsection (1),

the appropriate appointing authority may appoint such number of additional foundation governors as is equal to the number of additional governors appointed by the authority.

(7) Any additional foundation governors appointed under subsection (6)—

(a) shall cease to hold office at the time when the additional governors appointed by the authority cease to do so; and

(b) shall not be eligible for re-appointment except where, and to the extent that, those governors are re-appointed.

(8) If—

(a) at any time this section applies to a voluntary aided school falling within section 15(6), and

(b) neither of paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 14(3) for the time being applies in connection with the same report falling within section 15(6)(a),

the appropriate appointing authority may (subject to subsection (9)) appoint such number of additional foundation governors as they think fit.

(9) The power conferred by subsection (8) is only exercisable if the following conditions are satisfied, namely—

(a) the relevant document has been sent to the Secretary of State;

(b) the appropriate appointing authority have received a notice in writing from the Secretary of State informing them that he has received that document; and

(c) a period of not less than ten days has elapsed since the date of the notice.

(10) In the case of any appointment made by virtue of subsection (6) or (8) to the governing body of a school, the instrument of government for the school shall have effect as if (despite paragraph 14 of Schedule 9) the instrument provided for the appropriate appointing authority to appoint such number of additional foundation governors as they are authorised to appoint under subsection (6) or (8) (as the case may be).

(11) Subject to subsection (12), references in this section to the appropriate appointing authority in relation to any voluntary aided school are references—

(a) to the appropriate diocesan authority, if it is a Church of England school, Church in Wales school or Roman Catholic Church school; or

(b) in any other case, to the person or persons by whom the foundation governors are appointed.

(12) Where, in the case of any voluntary aided school not falling within subsection (11)(a), there are different powers to appoint foundation governors, references in this section to the appropriate appointing authority are references—

(a) to all those persons who have any such power acting jointly, or

(b) if they are unable to agree, to such of them acting jointly, or such one of them, as the Secretary of State may, after consulting all those persons, determine.

(13) In this section “the relevant document” means a copy of a statement prepared—

(a) under section 18 of the [1996 c. 57.] School Inspections Act 1996, or

(b) under section 17 of that Act, if the school does not have a delegated budget within the meaning of Part II of this Act.