HC Deb 24 July 1907 vol 178 cc1567-8
MR. WHITEHEAD (Essex, S.E.)

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the recent appointment by the borough council of Marylebone of representative managers, for the three groups of London County Council schools in Marylebone, and to the fact that the council disregarded the nominations under which candidates had been nominated for particular groups of schools, notwithstanding the resolution of the council of 8th June and the agenda issued to borough councillors on 17th June; and whether he proposes to take any steps in the matter.

(Answered by MR. John Burns.) I am aware that the borough council at a recent meeting appointed their representatives on the managers for the three groups of county council schools in the borough. Nominations for the purpose were required to be sent in by a prescribed date, and this was done. I understand that nearly all the nominations were made for particular groups of schools, but that in three cases no group was mentioned, and further, that, while for one group there were eleven nominations to till eight vacancies, for another there were only eleven nominations for twelve vacancies. As regards the third group, the number of nominations was the same as that of the vacancies. I am informed that at the meeting, after the voting on the first group of nominations, with which were included the three nominations before referred to, the presiding chairman, with the concurrence of the nominators, included the unsuccessful nominations with the nominations for the second group of schools, and that the unsuccessful nominations for this group were included with the nominations for the last group. Moreover, it is stated that the presiding chairman, at the request of one or two of the nominators, before any voting had taken place, allowed the interchange of a few of the nominations from one group to another. I am also informed that the borough council's resolution of the 6th June in no way prescribed the method of appointment at the meeting, or limited the discretion of the presiding chairman in the matter. It is not one which comes within my jurisdiction, and I have no authority to take any action with regard to it.