FOI for governor minutes

[nomeentiende]

The school where I'm a governor has received an FOI request from a parent for all Full Governing Body and committee meeting minutes for the last 5 years. My initial thought is that the amount of time it would take for someone to go through all the minutes and redact anything confidential would push the request over the £450 limit, and this would therefore be reasonable grounds for refusal. Does that seem reasonable? There must be plenty of other schools have had similar requests in the past, so perhaps a precedent has been set one way or another - any pointers would be helpful.

Nothing wrong with asking advice of MN, though it does imply the OP hasn’t received appropriate training/support so far.
OP, a parent stakeholder should absolutely not have to resort to issuing a FOI request to get the FGB minutes. They merely have to ask for them and they should be given promptly (as others have said, best practice would be that they were already published in the school website). So, did the parent ask for them and was told no? If so, you should be concerned as to why. I’ve been involved in four schools governing bodies/parent councils and the only school where stakeholders had to issue an FOI to get the minutes most definitely had something to hide. And the Head is no longer in place.

But flag why are people having to send in foi requests and SARS so frequently?

In this particular case it seems the person is having to do it because governors don't realise the minutes are public domain and haven't published any information about meetings etc.

I got accused of making vexatious complaints because my sons CAT tests were removed from his student page after I asked why support had been withdrawn. They said because he no longer needed it and removed his records. I quoted from the record and they sent me false written evidence of levels. Long story short as I was applying for EHCP I needed to do SAR for educational records quoting o wanted this information and what information on it I was expecting blah blah.
This sort of shit went on and round in circles.

My use of requests was necessary because information was being hidden by school for their benefit.

And monk wasn't a trouble maker. EHCP granted, change to appropriate placement given, complaint upheld and judge ripped school to shreds for trying same games in his court.

I'm absolutely not saying my personal experience is reflective of all experiences or this case (although very reflective of send parents experiences!).

But that often the public only go to hassle of making something formal when they've exhausted all other options. There's a lot of law learning and paperwork involved!

I am a CoG and have had to deal with FOI requests in my day job.

Firstly get in touch with the FOI officer at your local Council and they will deal with it. I am assuming you are still LA and not an Academy, if the latter is the case back to the trust for them to deal with.

If they are on your website, then they will send them the link, you do not have to give them physical copies. However they do have a right to see your Part II or Confidential minutes, so someone will need to review them and redact where appropriate.

As to your issue with them being vexatious, then make sure that your complaints policy has a section dealing with vexatious complainants. I have been a school governor for almost 30 years and yes, you do get parents who occasionally fit this category and like the boy who cried wolf you need to be aware of their issues but you are not necessarily obliged to react unless the complaint is genuine.

Hi all, just hopping on this old thread with a question. I have recently asked the clerk of our school governors by email for some committee meeting minutes and he said that he doesn't need to give them to me as they are committee minutes. Is this true? I thought that all minutes were available to an 'interested member of public.'

@soweneo

ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/definition-documents-2021/4018892/dd-schools-eng-20211029.pdf

The ICO make it clear for schools in England that they expect them to publish (on p6)

"• Minutes of meetings of the governing body and its committees
Publish the minutes, agendas and papers considered at such meetings, unless an exemption applies to the information or parts of it."

So yes they should give you the committee minutes.

@PatriciaHolm thank you!

@PatriciaHolm
sorry to ask but could I get your thoughts on this. I asked to see minutes and now they seem to be talking about an FOI - I just asked to see them as an interested person! Have attached their reply (took out the names) They seem to be making it very difficult

It is not a FOI request. You are just asking to see minutes which are public documents. This shouldn't be hard for any governor to produce for you (if the clerk has left).

We used to print them out and leave in a folder at school.....but honestly it was a waste of paper as never looked at. Now ours are available on request... we can print or email the document.

See screen shot below

@Mumdiva99 thank you! That was what I thought I was doing anyway, so I don’t know why they are suddenly sending me a document with a schedule of fees? Surely I don’t have to pay to see Governor’s minutes???

As a new governor you may find this gov.uk link useful. www.gov.uk/government/publications/licensees-professional-development-for-school-governors/licensees-professional-development-for-school-governors

I thoroughly agree.

@soweneo you do know you have identified your school on here. Did you mean to do that?

Hello @soweneo just to let you know that we have hidden you post as it contained some identifying information. Please use the report feature on the thread - bottom right of any post, to let us know if you would like us to delete this post or reinstate it.
Best wishes,
MNHQ

As PPs. They don't need FOI, they should all be available for inspection by any member of the public who asks

That shouldn't ever be in the minutes. Often it will be obvious, I.e. the head of science, but minutes shouldn't name names

I'm a Clerk and none of my schools publish minutes on the website. I want them to. I suggest it frequently. But they don't.
I write my minutes properly. I give them grief in meetings when they use names they shouldn't. They don't go in the minutes.
I store electronic versions of final approved minutes (with any corrections from draft and date of approval) in a folder by year
If at some point anyone requests them it will take approx 5 minutes to provide them.