Dear Mr Martin

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST

I write in response to your Freedom of Information request of 13^th August 2009. You asked for the following information:-

1. The Council policy, guidelines or any other such documents that confirm the provision of School Governing Body Clerking service(s) that are provided (or supplied) to your community schools.
I am looking for the procedures, training manuals, guidance or other similar documents that provide direction and assistance to such persons provided (or supplied) by the Council to Community Schools, so as to assist such persons to discharge their duties to Governing Bodies effectively.

In response to your first question, please see the attached Service Level Agreement. Clerks are provided with the DCSF copy of the Guide to the Law for School Governors. Each term copies of the termly newsletter and development programme are sent to all clerks. Clerks are able to attend any training or briefings and training is offered in the autumn term.  A copy of the DCSF programme along with various other documents covering a range of topics is available on the Governornet website at the link below:-

www.governornet.gov.uk

Support is available through the training and Governor Services Section of Children's Services.

2. The number of Sefton Community schools that 'buy into' or request such services as stated in 1 above as provided or supplied by the Council.

There are 11 community schools which buy into the Service Level Agreement.  In addition to this, we clerk the Governor's meetings at Sefton's 4 Nursery schools.

Section 17 (7) (a) of the Freedom of Information Act states that public authorities must provide applicants with particulars of how they may complain about the handling of their request for information should they wish to.

Any such complaint should be directed to Richard Roscoe, Data Protection and Information Security Officer, 4^th Floor, Merton House, Stanley Road, Bootle, L20 3JA. Should you choose to request a review of the decision taken and are dissatisfied following the authority's review, you are entitled under Section 17 (7) (b) of the Act to apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision notice.

Further information can be found at:-

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545700

www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require anything else or have any queries.

Yours sincerely

Catherine Larkin

RESEARCH AND INFORMATION MANAGER

Children's Services

9th Floor Merton House

Stanley Road,

Bootle,

Merseyside, L20 3JA