EDUCATION, ENGLAND Citation and commencement 1 This Order may be cited as the New Horizons Kent–Somerset Virtual Education Action Zone Order 1999 and shall come into force on 1st December 1999. Interpretation 2 In this Order— “partners” means those persons listed in Schedule 1 to this Order; and “zone school” means a school listed in Schedule 2 to this Order. Constitution of education action zone 3 The schools listed in Schedule 2 to this Order shall constitute collectively an education action zone under the name of the New Horizons Kent–Somerset Virtual Education Action Zone (“the zone”) for the purposes of Chapter III of Part I of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. Education Action Forum 4 There shall be an Education Action Forum for the zone to be known as the New Horizons Kent–Somerset Virtual Education Action Forum (“the Forum”), the membership of which shall include— a one person appointed by the governing body of each zone school, unless any such governing body choose not to make such an appointment; b either one or two persons appointed by the Secretary of State; and c one person appointed by each partner, unless any partner chooses not to make such an appointment. 5 The Forum may at any time appoint additional members as follows— a up to three persons representing the interests of business; b up to three parents of registered pupils attending zone schools; and c up to three persons representing the interests of the education sector generally in the area served by the zone schools. Disqualification for membership of the Forum 6 Articles 7 to 9 shall have effect for the purpose of prescribing the circumstances and cases in which a person is to be disqualified for holding, or continuing to hold, office as a member of the Forum. Disqualification for membership of the Forum—bankruptcy etc 7 1 Subject to the provisions of this article, a person shall be disqualified for holding, or for continuing to hold, office as a member of the Forum if he has been adjudged bankrupt or has made a composition or arrangement with his creditors; and a member, on becoming so disqualified, shall give written notice of the fact to the secretary to the Forum. 2 Where a person is disqualified by reason of his having been adjudged bankrupt, that disqualification shall cease— a unless the bankruptcy order made against that person is previously annulled, on his discharge from bankruptcy; and b if the bankruptcy order is so annulled, on the date of the annulment. 3 Where a person is disqualified by reason of his having made a composition or arrangement with his creditors and he pays his debts in full, the disqualification shall cease on the date on which the payment is completed and in any other case it shall cease on the expiration of three years from the date on which the terms of the deed of composition or arrangement are fulfilled. Disqualification for membership of the Forum—criminal convictions 8 1 Subject to paragraph (2) a person shall be disqualified for holding, or for continuing to hold, office as a member of the Forum if— a within five years before his appointment would otherwise have taken effect or since his appointment, he has been convicted, whether in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, of any offence and has had passed on him a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of not less than three months without the option of a fine; b within twenty years before his appointment would otherwise have taken effect, he has been convicted as aforesaid and has had passed on him a sentence of imprisonment for a period of more than two and a half years; or c he has at any time been convicted as aforesaid and has had passed on him a sentence of imprisonment of not less than five years. 2 For the purposes of this article there shall be disregarded any conviction by or before a court outside the United Kingdom of an offence in respect of conduct which, if it had taken place in any part of the United Kingdom, would not have constituted an offence under the law in force in that part of the United Kingdom. Disqualification—absence from meetings 9 Any member of the Forum who, without the consent of the Forum, has failed to attend the meetings thereof for a continuous period of six months beginning with the date of a meeting shall, on the expiry of that period, be disqualified for continuing to be a member of the Forum without prejudice however, to his re-appointment. Chairman’s tenure of office 10 The chairman of the Forum elected in accordance with paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, shall hold office for one year from the date of his election (unless he resigns his office earlier), without prejudice to his eligibility to be re-elected for a further such period. Estelle Morris Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment 4th November 1999