What are the implications for the two proposed new SEN schools (at Bamburgh and at Hebburn) of the new regulations about school competitions?
New regulations have only recently been introduced that encourage a wide range of bodies to run schools, similar to the way the Church of England and the Catholic Church currently operates voluntary aided schools.
The new regulations require local authorities to open to competition the establishment of new schools through publishing "competition notices". This adds about 4 or 5 months to the legal process, before statutory closure and opening notices can be published.
The council decides which proposal should be selected, unless the council is one of the proposers, in which case the Schools Adjudicator makes the final decisions at the end of the statutory notice period, including the decision about which proposal should be selected.
Statutory proposals that involve stand-alone closures, and non-statutory proposals about schools reorganisation (for example to demolish or extend parts of buildings) are of course unaffected by the new regulations.
Who would decide on a name for the new school, the school logo, uniform etc.
The governing body decides.