Regulation 26 Determination of initial teacher and parent governors
Where proposals are required to be published under regulation 12, 14 or 15 in respect of schools forming a new group or groups merging paragraphs (2) to (9) of this regulation apply for the purpose of determining the persons who are to be named in the proposals as proposed initial governors of any elected category.
The existing governing bodies of the schools to be named in the proposals (not being hospital special schools) shall each be under a duty to secure that–
the number of parent governors specified or to be specified in the proposals are elected by a single electorate consisting of registered parents of registered pupils at those schools (each such parent having the same number of votes); and
the number of teacher governors specified or to be specified in the proposals are elected by a single electorate consisting of teachers at those schools (each such teacher having the same number of votes).
The duty under paragraph (2) above shall be performed as soon as possible after it is known which schools are to be included in the proposals for the group.
It shall be for the governing bodies of the schools to determine any question whether a person is a registered parent of a registered pupil or whether a person is a teacher at the school in question.
Subject to the provisions of this regulation, it shall be for the governing bodies to make all necessary arrangements for, and to determine all other matters relating to, any such election.
The powers conferred by paragraph (5) above include power to make provision as to qualifying dates but does not include power to impose any requirement as to the minimum number of votes required to be cast for a candidate to be elected.
An election of parent or teacher governors which is contested must be held by secret ballot and the information supplied to those entitled to vote shall include the following–
in the case of candidates for teacher governor the school at which the teacher teaches and a statement to the effect that teacher governors have the same obligations in respect of all the schools in the group,
in the case of parent governors the school with which the parent is most closely associated by virtue of his child’s attendance at the school and a statement to the effect that parent governors have the same obligations in respect of all the schools in the group.
The arrangements made under paragraph (5) above shall, in the case of an election of a parent governor, provide for every person who is entitled to vote to have an opportunity to do so by post or, if he so prefers, by having his ballot paper returned to one of the schools to be named in the proposals by a registered pupil at that school.
Where the schools named or to be named in the proposals are all hospital special schools the parent governors to be named in the proposals shall be selected jointly by the existing governing bodies and, if they fail to agree on the selection, it shall be made by the Secretary of State or in accordance with directions given by him.
Where proposals are required to be published under regulation 12 or 13 in respect of a school joining an existing group, the teacher and parent governors on the governing body of the existing group shall be named, respectively, as the initial teacher and parent governors in the proposals.