School Standards and Framework Act 1998

Section 11.

SCHEDULE 1 Provisions relating to an Education Action Forum

Powers

1 (1) An Education Action Forum may, subject to sub-paragraph (2), do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is incidental or conducive to, the carrying out of any of its functions.

(2) A Forum shall not have power to borrow money.

Chairman

2 The members of an Education Action Forum shall elect one of their number to be chairman of the Forum, who shall hold office for such period as is specified in the order by which the Forum is established under section 10(1).

Committees

3 An Education Action Forum may—

(a) establish a committee for any purpose; and

(b) authorise any such committee to exercise such of its functions as it may determine.

Proceedings

4 The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision as to the meetings and proceedings of an Education Action Forum.

5 The validity of the proceedings of an Education Action Forum shall not be affected by a vacancy among the members or any defect in the appointment of a member.

6 Subject to the preceding provisions of this Schedule, an Education Action Forum may regulate its own procedure and that of any of its committees.

Accounts

7 (1) It shall be the duty of an Education Action Forum—

(a) to keep proper accounts and proper records in relation to the accounts,

(b) to prepare in respect of each financial year of the Forum a statement of accounts, and

(c) to send copies of the statement to the Secretary of State and to the Comptroller and Auditor General before the end of the month of August next following the financial year to which the statement relates.

(2) The statement of accounts shall comply with any directions given by the Secretary of State as to—

(a) the information to be contained in it,

(b) the manner in which the information contained in it is to be presented, or

(c) the methods and principles according to which the statement is to be prepared.

(3) The Comptroller and Auditor General shall examine, certify and report on each statement received by him in pursuance of this paragraph and shall lay copies of each statement and of his report before each House of Parliament.

(4) In this paragraph “financial year” means the period beginning with the date on which the Forum is established and ending with the 31st March following that date, and each successive period of twelve months.

Application of seal and proof of instruments

8 The application of the seal of an Education Action Forum shall be authenticated by the signature—

(a) of the chairman or of some other person authorised either generally or specially by the Forum to act for that purpose, and

(b) of one other member.

9 Every document purporting to be an instrument made or issued by or on behalf of an Education Action Forum and to be duly executed under the seal of the Forum, or to be signed or executed by a person authorised by the Forum to act in that behalf, shall be received in evidence and be treated, without further proof, as being so made or issued unless the contrary is shown.

Charitable status

10 An Education Action Forum shall be a charity which is an exempt charity for the purposes of the [1993 c. 10.] Charities Act 1993.