Whilst there is no requirement to have a company secretary, the academy trust will need someone to undertake the tasks of a company secretary, including filing the annual return, annual accounts, resolutions and forms and updating the company books. We commonly advise that schools appoint either the business manager or the clerk to fulfil this role. If you do not have anyone to fulfil this role we can provide company secretarial support. The role of Company Secretary is distinct to that of the Clerk or Governance Professional though it is not uncommon for the same individual to fulfil both roles.