Education Reform Act 1988

36Delegation to governing body of management of school’s budget share

(1)This section applies where in the case of any local education authority the authority’s financial provision for county and voluntary schools is subject to regulation by a scheme.

(2)Subject to section 37(4) of this Act, in the case of any county or voluntary school maintained by the authority in respect of which financial delegation is required for any financial year under the scheme, it shall be the duty of the authority to put at the disposal of the governing body of the school in respect of that year a sum equal to the school’s budget share for that year to be spent for the purposes of the school.

(3)The times at which, and the manner in which, any such sum is put at the disposal of the governing body shall be such as may be provided by or under the scheme.

(4)Subject to section 49(1) of this Act, the authority may not delegate to the governing body of any school required to be covered by the scheme in any financial year the power to spend any sum appropriated by the authority for the purposes of the school in that year otherwise than as required or permitted under the scheme.

(5)The governing body of any school which has a delegated budget—

(a)shall be entitled, subject to any provision made by or under the scheme, to spend any sum made available to them in respect of the school’s budget share for any financial year as they think fit for the purposes of the school; and

(b)may delegate to the head teacher, to such extent as may be permitted by or under the scheme, their power under paragraph (a) above in relation to any part of that sum.

(6)The governors of a school shall not incur any personal liability in respect of anything done in good faith in the exercise or purported exercise of their power under subsection (5) above.