Part IResponsibility for education
Chapter IAdministration
Funding authorities: Supplementary
7Provision of information
1
Each funding authority—
a
shall provide the Secretary of State with such information or advice in connection with any function of his relating to the provision of education as he may from time to time require, and
b
may provide the Secretary of State with such information or advice relating to such provision as they think fit.
2
The information and advice provided under subsection (1) above shall be provided in such manner as the Secretary of State may from time to time determine.
3
A local education authority shall make such reports and returns, and give such information, to the funding authority as the funding authority may require for the purpose of the exercise of their functions.
4
A funding authority shall make such reports and returns, and give such information, to any local education authority as the authority may require for the purpose of the exercise of their functions.
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.
9Supervision of funding authorities by the Secretary of State
1
In exercising their functions each funding authority shall comply with any directions contained in an order made by the Secretary of State.
2
In respect of the exercise by the funding authority of functions in respect of any grant-maintained school, such directions may relate to grant-maintained schools generally or to any class or description of such schools.
3
Before making an order under this section, the Secretary of State shall consult the funding authority unless, for reasons of urgency, it is not in his opinion reasonably practicable for him to do so.
4
Sections 68 and 99(1) of the [1944 c. 31.] Education Act 1944 (powers of Secretary of State where local education authority are acting unreasonably or are in default) shall apply in relation to a funding authority and the functions conferred on them by or under the Education Acts as they apply in relation to local education authorities and the functions conferred on them by or under that Act.
5
Subsection (4) above does not prejudice the generality of subsection (1) above.
10Extension of functions of Audit Commission
1
Section 220 of the [1988 c. 40.] Education Reform Act 1988 (extension of functions of Audit Commission) is amended as follows.
2
At the beginning of subsection (1)(c) there is inserted “the Funding Agency for Schools, the Schools Funding Council for Wales or”.
3
After subsection (2)(bb) there is inserted—
bc
with respect to studies relating to the Funding Agency for Schools, the agency;
bd
with respect to studies relating to the Schools Funding Council for Wales, the council
4
In subsection (2)(c) after “school,” there is inserted “the funding authority or”.
11Compulsory purchase of land
In section 17(4) of the [1981 c. 67.] Acquisition of Land Act 1981 (statutory undertakers) after paragraph (a) of the definition of “statutory undertakers” there is inserted—
aa
the Funding Agency for Schools,
ab
the Schools Funding Council for Wales