§ MR. J. A. PEASE (Essex, Saffron Walden)To ask the Secretary to the Board of Education if he will state what will be the functions of the Haverhill and District School Board between 1st July, the appointed day upon which the West Suffolk County Council assume control over the provided schools in its area, and 1st October, the appointed day upon which the Essex County Council assume control over the provided schools in its area. During the above period whose duty will it be to look after the education of the children residing in one county and hitherto in attendance at an elementary school in the other; who will remunerate the attendance officer and whose servant will he be, and how will his remuneration be apportioned; how will the debts on the buildings and joint costs in connection therewith be apportioned between schools erected in the two counties. How and when is the balance standing to the credit of the Haverhill and District School Board to be apportioned; with a balance in hand by the School Board sufficient to carry on the schools within its area to 1st October, can the West Suffolk County Council issue a precept for the area already provided for; if so, what becomes of the share of the credit-balance paid by the ratepayers in the Suffolk portion of the School Board area.
(Answered by Sir William Anson.) Between the 1st July and the 1st October, the School Board will continue to carry out its ordinary functions in the portion of its district which lies within the County of Essex. During this period the West Suffolk education authority will be responsible for the attendance at 102 school of all children residing within their portion of the School Board district, irrespective of what school they are attending; and the School Board will be under a similar obligation in respect of the remainder of the district. Each body will be responsible for providing and paying for their own attendance officer. The apportionment of any debts or balances will be a matter for agreement between the West Suffolk and the Essex education authorities under Section 68 of the Local Government Act of 1894. The West Suffolk County Council have power to raise a rate over the whole of their area. After the balance has been apportioned the share of the Suffolk portion of the district will be placed to the credit of that district.