8Value-for-money studies of grant-maintained schools
(1)Each funding authority shall make arrangements for carrying out such value-for-money studies of grant-maintained schools in England or, as the case may be, Wales as in their opinion are required or as the Secretary of State may direct.
(2)The authority shall, in particular—
(a)in forming an opinion as to whether any value-for-money study is required to be carried out in pursuance of this section, have regard to the desirability of value-for-money studies being carried out at regular intervals, and
(b)in determining the scope of any value-for-money study to be carried out in pursuance of this section otherwise than on the direction of the Secretary of State, have regard to the scope of any value-for-money study which is being or has recently been carried out.
(3)In this section “value-for-money study”, in relation to any grant-maintained school, means—
(a)any examination into the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which the governing body of the school have, in discharging their functions, used grant made by the authority, and
(b)any study designed to improve economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the management or operations of the school.