Commentary on Sections Process for all schools Section 6 – Notice and consultation period
21.Section 6 deals with the notice that the authority must give to the relevant consultees and the duration of the consultation period.
22.Section 6(1) requires the authority to give notice to the relevant consultees of the proposal that is being consulted on (or such part of the proposal as may affect a particular consultee).
23.Section 6(2) and (3) requires that the notice give a summary of the proposal, or the appropriate part of it, together with information as to where to obtain a copy of the proposal paper and how to make written representations, and to whom, about the proposal. The notice must also indicate the final day of the consultation period (the date by which representations must be received by the authority). In connection with the requirements set out in section 7, the notice should also give an indication – if it is known at the time – of the date, time and place of the public meeting that is to be held.
24.Section 6(4) specifies that the consultation period set by the authority shall last for at least six weeks, commencing on the day on which the authority gives notice of the proposal to the relevant consultees. The consultation period must include at least 30 “school days” (being a day on which the particular school is ordinarily open to pupils or, in the case of an FE centre, a day when the centre is ordinarily open to its students). The consultation period may fall within a single school term or straddle two terms. However, weekends, public holidays and other days on which the school is not open to pupils (including school holidays) will not count towards the 30 days minimum.