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<p>The Department for Communities and Local Government has the overall responsibility
for local authorities' whistleblowing procedures. The Department for Education does
take steps to ensure that the schools maintained by local authorities have adequate
arrangements.</p><p> </p><p>Maintained schools are required to submit to their local
authorities a Schools Financial Value Standard return. Question 20 of the return requires
schools to confirm that all staff are aware of the school's whistleblowing arrangements
and to whom they should raise concerns. The return defines whistleblowing as the confidential
raising of problems or concerns within an organisation. The accompanying guidance
suggests that schools' arrangements should be based on local authority policies and
that staff should be made aware of the protections that are available to them.</p><p>
</p><p>The Department also requires that local authorities' Schemes for Financing
Schools should contain a provision requiring authorities to set out the procedure
to be followed by persons working at a school or school governors who wish to complain
about financial management or financial propriety at the school, and how such complaints
will be dealt with.</p>
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