The Education (Adjudicators Inquiry Procedure etc.) Regulations 1999

Date and notification of inquiry

9.—(1) The date fixed by the adjudicator for the holding of an inquiry shall, unless he considers such a date impracticable, be not later than 12 weeks after the relevant date; and where he considers it impracticable to fix a date within that period, the date fixed shall be the earliest date after the end of that period which he considers to be practicable.

(2) Unless the adjudicator agrees a lesser period of notice with the proposer and the relevant objectors the adjudicator shall give not less than four weeks written notice of the date, time and place for the holding of an inquiry to–

(a)every proposer;

(b)each relevant objector; and

(c)each objector who has been required under regulation 5(2) to serve a statement of case.

(3) The adjudicator may vary the date fixed for the holding of an inquiry, whether or not the date as varied is within the period of 12 weeks mentioned in paragraph (1); and paragraph (2) shall apply to the variation of a date as it applies to the date originally fixed.

(4) The adjudicator may vary the time or place for the holding of an inquiry and shall give such notice of any such variation as appears to him to be reasonable.

(5) The adjudicator may require a proposer to take one or more of the following steps–

(a)not less than two weeks before the date fixed for the holding of an inquiry, to publish a notice of the inquiry in one or more newspapers circulating–

(i)where the inquiry relates to a draft school organisation plan, in the area of the relevant local education authority, and

(ii)where the inquiry relates to a school or proposed school, in the area served or proposed to be served by the school or proposed school;

(b)to serve a notice of the inquiry on such persons or classes of persons as he may specify, within such period as he may specify; or

(c)where the inquiry relates to a school or proposed school to post a notice of the inquiry in a conspicuous place near such school or the site of such proposed school, within such period as he may specify.

(6) Every notice of inquiry published, served or posted pursuant to paragraph (5) shall contain–

(a)a clear statement of the date, time and place of the inquiry;

(b)a brief description of the matter the subject of the inquiry.