Parent Governor Vacancy

Ref: MJB/KR

6 September 2023

Dear Parent

I am writing to seek nominations from parents willing to serve on the Somercotes Local Governing Body with immediate effect. There is one vacancy to be filled. A ‘parent’ for the purpose of the election is a person with ‘Parental Responsibility’ as defined by the Children Act 1989 and includes married parents, mothers of non-marital children and divorced or separated parents. It may also include unmarried fathers who may acquire parental responsibilities by agreement with the mother or by means of a Court Order. Guardians, non-parents in respect of whom a Residence Order is made and local authorities in respect of whom a Care Order is made may also acquire parental responsibility. A Parent Governor must have a child in Somercotes Academy at the beginning of the Academy Year in September 2023.

There are circumstances which disqualify parents from standing for election to the Governing Body, but not from proposing or voting for candidates. An annex is attached detailing these circumstances. Employees of the Academy are not eligible for nomination.

Parents who wish to stand for election please complete the electronic nomination form via this link:https://forms.office.com/e/5zSyp6c5ag by no later than 9:00am on Wednesday 13 September 2023. The QR code below can also be used to access the electronic nomination form. Alternatively, a paper copy of the form can be collected from the Academy Reception office. It is also possible to propose another parent. If you wish to do this then please collect a nomination form from the Academy Reception office and ensure you have their permission before submitting the form.

On the closing date for the receipt of nominations, if the number of candidates is the same as, or fewer than, the number of vacancies, then all candidates will be duly elected unopposed. If, however, there are more candidates than vacancies an election by secret ballot will be held.

The result of the election, (or if any election was not necessary, the name of the nominee) will be published on the website as soon as possible after the count.

I look forward to receiving your nominations.

Yours faithfully

Annex

Qualifications and Disqualifications to serve as a Parent Governor

A person must be aged 18 or over at the date of their election or appointment. No current pupil of the academies in the Trust shall be a governor.

A person shall be disqualified from holding office or continuing to hold office as parent governor if:

• s/he becomes incapable by reason of illness or injury of managing or administering his own affairs;
• s/he is absent without the permission of the Governing Body from all their meetings held within a period of six months, and the governors resolve that his office be vacated;
• s/he has been declared bankrupt and/or his estate has been seized from his possession for the benefit of his creditors and the declaration or seizure has not been discharged, annulled or reduced; or
• s/he is the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or an interim order;
• s/he is subject to a disqualification order or a disqualification undertaking under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986; or
• s/he is subject to an order made under section 429(2)(b) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (failure to pay under county court administration order);
• s/he ceases to be a governor by virtue of any provision in the Companies Act 2006;
• s/he is disqualified from acting as a governor by virtue of section 178 of the Charities Act 2011 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that provision); or
• s/he is otherwise found to be unsuitable by the Secretary of state;
• s/he has been removed from the office of charity trustee or trustee for a charity by an order made by the Charity Commission or the High Court on the grounds of any misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of the charity for which he was responsible; or to which he was privy; or which he, by his conduct, contributed to or facilitated;
• s/he has, at any time, been convicted of any criminal offence, excluding any that have been spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 as amended, and excluding any offence for which the maximum sentence is a fine or a lesser sentence except where a person has been convicted of any offence which falls under section 178 if the Charities Act 2011;
• s/he has not provided to the Trust a criminal records certificate at an enhanced disclosure level under section 113B of the Police Act 1997.