Central Bedfordshire Council news and press releases

Elections for a parent governor representative for Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Monday, 3 June 2019

We have recently undertaken an election to appoint four parent governor representatives on the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Following that process, there is still a vacancy for a parent governor representative of a maintained school. Therefore, letters have been sent to all parent governors of schools maintained by the local authority seeking nominations for the posts.

This committee scrutinises performance, considers children’s services policy and offers comments that inform the council's Executive in making decisions.

Candidates are required to self-nominate, and parent governors in any school phase (lower, primary, middle, secondary or upper) are eligible.

The council’s Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee is one of four overview and scrutiny committees which are responsible for reviewing service delivery and performance, helping to develop council policy and making recommendations to the council’s Executive. Its role includes overseeing the Executive’s education functions.

 The role of a parent governor representative is to:

  • act as a non-political voice for parents in the area; representing to the local authority the main education issues which concern parents of pupils maintained by the authority
  • liaise with the other parent governor representatives on their own local authority
  • attend and contribute to the meetings of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and any working group meetings that might be set up by that committee and to which you may be appointed as a representative
  • establish good relations with other members of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee and officers of the council
  • feedback the local authority’s discussions and decisions made on education to the parents
  • abide by the local authority’s rules on committee procedures (the Constitution)
  • act with due propriety according to standards laid down for the conduct of Councillors and co-opted members in local government

The closing date for nominations is 4pm on 1 July 2019 and in the event of there being more than one candidate, an election will commence on 2 July 2019 with a closing date of 4pm on 29 July 2019. The successful candidate will be appointed until 30 April 2023.

The Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee meets during the day, roughly every eight weeks, usually at Priory House, in Chicksands and the first meeting the successful candidate would be required to attend is 10 September 2019.

Although the parent governor representatives are voluntary positions, they will receive a meetings allowance of £75 for up to four hours or £150 for more than four hours, together with travel expenses.