§ Mr. BaldryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidance he has given to local education authorities as to who is responsible for meeting legal costs of school governors involved in litigation relating to opting-out procedures or other litigation arising out of the Education Reform Act 1988.
§ Mrs. RumboldThe Department wrote to the chief education officers of all local education authorities in England on 13 February on the question, inter alia, of costs relating to legal action against governors in connection with applications for grant-maintained status under the Education Reform Act 1988. The relevant paragraph stated
This is a matter which could only be determined finally by the Courts. But the Secretary of State's view is that, where the governing body has acted in good faith in pursuance of its duties, any legal costs it may incur in such circumstances would qualify as part of the expenses of running the school to be defrayed by the local education authority in accordance with section 114(2) of the Education Act 1944. The costs would therefore fall to be met by the local education authority: there would be no personal liability on individual governors".
§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the names, the areas and type of those schools in respect of which he has received a notification concerning a governors' resolution or parent petition for a ballot for a grant-maintained school.
§ Mrs. RumboldThere is no duty on governors to notify the Department when ballots on grant-maintained status are pending. Ballots have been completed at 29 schools. In addition, the Department is aware that governors have passed the necessary two resolutions, or have received a written request from parents, in respect of the following schools:
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School and LEA Character (county school unless otherwise
indicated)
Beechen Cliff School, Bath, Avon Comprehensive Boys—11–18 Claremont High School, Harrow, Brent Secondary Mixed—11–18 Chesterfield School, Derbyshire Comprehensive Boys—13–18 St. Helena School, Chesterfield, Derbyshire Comprehensive Girls—13–18 Foster's Grammar School for Boys, Sherborne, Dorset Grammar Boys—11–18
School and LEA Character (county school unless otherwise
indicated)
Lord Digby's Grammar School for Girls, Sherborne, Dorset Grammar Girls—11–18 Ribston Hall High School, Gloucester Grammar Girls—11–18 Marling Grammar School, Stroud, Gloucester Grammar Boys—11–18 voluntary-controlled Stroud Grammar School, Stroud, Gloucester Grammar Girls—11–18 voluntary-controlled Gaynes Comprehensive School, Upminster, Havering Comprehensive Mixed—11–18 Hadham Hall School, Herts. Secondary Mixed—11–18 Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, Hammersmith and Fulham (ILEA) Secondary RC Boys—11–18 voluntary-controlled Weald of Kent Grammar School for Girls, Tonbridge, Kent Grammar Girls—11–18 Castle Hall Middle School, Mirfield, Kirklees Middle—9–13 Ruffwood Comprehensive School, Kirkby, Knowsley Comprehensive Mixed—11–19 Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, Lancs. Grammar Mixed—11–18 St. Francis Xavier RC Comprehensive School, Liverpool Comprehensive Boys—11–18 voluntary-aided Chichele School, Rushden, Northants. Secondary Girls—11–18 Siddal Moor High School, Heywood, Rochdale Secondary High Mixed—11–18 The Guildford County School, Surrey Secondary Mixed—12–18 Droylsden County High School, Tameside Comprehensive Girls—11–16 Hindley Park High Community School, Wigan Comprehensive Mixed—11–16