Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 No. 1759 (NI. 13)

PART VII N.I. FINANCING OF SCHOOLS

CHAPTER I N.I. FINANCING OF SCHOOLS BY BOARDS

Schemes for financing schools N.I.

Arts. 44 - 54 rep. by 2003 NI 12

Suspension of financial delegation for mismanagement, etc. N.I.

55.—(1)  [F1 Where it appears to [F2 the Authority], in the case of any relevant school with a delegated budget,], that the Board of Governors of the school—

(a) has been guilty of a substantial or persistent failure to comply with any requirements or conditions applicable under the scheme; or

(b) is not managing the appropriation or expenditure of the sum put at its disposal for the purposes of the school in a satisfactory manner,

[F2 the Authority] may suspend the Board of Governors' right to a delegated budget by giving the Board of Governors (subject to paragraph (4)) not less than one month's notice of suspension.

(2) Any notice under paragraph (1) shall specify the grounds for the proposed suspension, giving particulars of any alleged failure on the part of the Board of Governors to comply with any requirements or conditions applicable under the scheme and of any alleged mismanagement on its part.

(3) A copy of the notice shall be given to—

(a) the principal of the school;

(b) the Department; and

(c) where the school is a Catholic maintained school, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools,

at the same time as the notice is given to the Board of Governors.

(4) [F2 The Authority] may suspend the right mentioned in paragraph (1) of any Board of Governors to which it has given notice under that paragraph before the expiry of the period of notice if it appears to the board to be necessary to do so by reason of gross incompetence or mismanagement on the part of the Board of Governors or other emergency.

(5) [F2 The Authority] may withdraw a notice given under paragraph (1) at any time before the expiry of the period of notice.

(6) If [F2 the Authority] exercises its power under paragraph (4) or (5), it shall immediately give written notification of its action and, in the case of action under paragraph (4), of the reasons for it to—

(a) the Board of Governors and principal of the school;

(b) the Department; and

(c) where the school is a Catholic maintained school, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools.

(7) During any period when a Board of Governors' right to a delegated budget is suspended under this Article, the duty of [F2 the Authority] under[F1 Article 6(1) of the 2003 Order] shall not apply in relation to that Board of Governors.

F1 2003 NI 12

F2 Words in Order substituted (1.4.2015) by Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 12), Sch. 3 para. 1(1)(a) (with Sch. 2 para. 4(3), Sch. 3 para. 1(2)); S.R. 2015/35, art. 2(b)

Review of suspension N.I.

56.—(1) It shall be the duty of [F3 the Authority]—

(a) to review before the beginning of every financial year any suspension under Article 55 which is for the time being in force;

(b) for the purposes of that review, to afford—

(i) the Board of Governors of the school concerned;

(ii) the principal of the school concerned; and

(iii) where the school is a Catholic maintained school, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools,

an opportunity for making representations with respect to the suspension and to have regard to any representations made by the Board of Governors, the principal or that Council;

(c) to revoke any such suspension where [F2 the Authority] considers it appropriate to do so.

(2) [F2 The Authority] shall give—

(a) the Board of Governors concerned;

(b) the principal of the school concerned;

(c) the Department; and

(d) where that school is a Catholic maintained school, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools,

written notification of its decision on any such review.

(3) The revocation of a suspension on a review under this Article shall take effect as from the beginning of the financial year next following the review.

F2 Words in Order substituted (1.4.2015) by Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 12), Sch. 3 para. 1(1)(a) (with Sch. 2 para. 4(3), Sch. 3 para. 1(2)); S.R. 2015/35, art. 2(b)

F3 Words in art. 56(1) substituted (1.4.2015) by Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 12), Sch. 3 para. 20(2) (with Sch. 2 para. 4(3)); S.R. 2015/35, art. 2(b)

Appeal against suspension or refusal to revoke it N.I.

57.—(1) A Board of Governors shall be entitled to appeal to the Department against—

(a) the imposition of any suspension under Article 55; or

(b) any refusal of [F2 the Authority] to revoke any such suspension on a review under Article 56.

(2) On an appeal under this Article, the Department—

(a) may allow or reject the appeal; and

(b) shall have regard, in making its determination, to the gravity of the default on the part of the Board of Governors and the likelihood of its continuing or recurring.

F2 Words in Order substituted (1.4.2015) by Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 12), Sch. 3 para. 1(1)(a) (with Sch. 2 para. 4(3), Sch. 3 para. 1(2)); S.R. 2015/35, art. 2(b)

Financial delegation: staff N.I.

58.—(1) The following matters in relation to staff at controlled and maintained schools with delegated budgets, namely—

(a) the determination of staff complements;

(b) the regulation of conduct and discipline of staff;

(c) the suspension and dismissal of staff; and

(d) the making of payments in respect of dismissals or resignations of staff,

shall be subject to Schedule 2.

(2) A scheme may provide for applying this Article and Schedule 2 in relation to persons employed to work—

(a) partly for the purposes of school activities and partly for the purposes of non-school activities (that is to say, activities, other than school activities, carried on on the school premises and wholly or mainly under the management or control of the Board of Governors of the school); or

(b) solely for the purposes of non-school activities,

as if all such activities were school activities.