Commentary on Sections Process for all schools Section 9 – Consultation report
32.Section 9 covers the stage of the consultation process around preparation and publication of the consultation report.
33.Section 9(1) requires the authority, on receipt of the report from HMIE, to review the proposal consulted on, having particular regard to the written and oral representations received and to HMIE’s report.
34.Section 9(2) and (5) require the authority then to prepare a report on the consultation – the “consultation report” – and publish it in both electronic and printed form, and advertise its publication in an appropriate manner. It will be for the authority to determine what is appropriate in the circumstances.
35.Section 9(4) obliges the authority to inform those who made timeous written representations of the publication of the consultation report.
36.Section 9(3)(b) and (c) requires the authority to make the consultation report available for inspection (at all reasonable times and without charge) at its head office and on its website and at any affected school or at a nearby library or other suitable place near the school. The information contained in the report must also be made available, again without charge, to those who may reasonably require the information in another form – for instance in other languages or in a form appropriate to those with visual impairment etc.