Liaise with External Audit each year who verify that the correct amounts have been paid over Appointing non-teaching school staff Clarification needed – is this payroll processing or is it wider? Suspending a governing bodies’ right to a delegated budget where necessary (when schools budgets and staffing decisions revert to the local authority) Cost to LA in staff time of publishing notices to withdraw powers, and consequential costs of running schools when powers have been removed. Monitoring governing bodies compliance with local authority financial scheme of investigating non-compliance including undertaking investigations into alleged fraudulent activities or mismanagement of school assets Sending to the Secretary of State governing bodies’ financial statements Production of Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) statements Compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act etc. in so far as compliance cannot be delegated to governing bodies Monitoring of health and safety performance, provision of health and safety policy and guidance, production of generic risk assessments, provision of advice on compliance with statutory obligations. Monitoring and reporting functions as the supervisory authority of school companies formed by governing bodies Further details awaited from DfE. Compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty, publishing information to show compliance and setting itself specific, measurable equality objectives Further details awaited from DfE. Setting up a standing advisory council on religious education Costs of SACRE meetings Prepare an agreed syllabus of religious education Nominated officer with an Advisory Group of religious leaders and other interested parties to ensure that schools have access to the latest syllabus and training.
The right to inspect school registers The LA has a duty to inspect maintained schools’ registers. The LA discharges this by reaching agreement with schools to carry out register audits to assist with their attendance policy procedures and absence management. Specific landlord duties for community schools under education legislation to ensure school buildings have certain facilities e.g. safe escape routes, playing fields, weather resistant etc. Undertaking condition surveys, fire risk assessments, asbestos surveys, glazing surveys, works to ensure compliance with health and safety compliance e.g. kitchen ventilation schemes, the decommissioning and disposal of surplus school building stock, the provision of estates services in respect of lettings, wayleaves and easements granted by schools The Authority carries out ‘landlord visits’ and advises on maintenance responsibilities. General health and safety duties as an employer Provision of Competent Persons to ensure compliance with statutory obligations, provision of health and safety training(traded), Approval of high risk visits and school visit guidance(traded), advice on safeguarding issues, other roles as outlined above. Managing the risk from asbestos in community school buildings Provision of training for asbestos duty holders (Headteachers) and asbestos management surveys. Central Support Services Pupil support & extra-curricular activities including provision of clothing grants; outdoor education, including field studies; music services, visual & performing arts. Costs of Sport and Outdoor Education Service e.g. Whitehall/Lea Green. Music Partnership funded by separate specific grant Premature retirement & redundancy costs Funding redundancy costs (not premature retirement costs which are the responsibility of the school concerned) of school staff (unless good reason not to fund centrally) Direct cost of redundancy payments to staff through VR/CR processes Moderating teacher assessments for Key 1 (equivalent duties for Key Stages 2 and 3 are funded Ensuring that all schools are subject to moderation of assessments over a period of time.