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Chairing

Chair's action

The power of chair's action and how it is used on governing boards

Guidance
10/12/2025
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Chair’s action is the procedure by which the chair of the board can take unilateral decisions, bypassing board or committee voting, in specific circumstances of urgency.

As a legal concept, chair’s action only exists in the regulations governing maintained schools – the School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) (England) Regulations 2013. The term does not exist in the legal framework for academy trusts, but the articles of association allow trusts to create a similar power, and many have chosen to do so for when urgent decision-making might be needed.

Chair’s action should be used sparingly. Maintained school boards must exercise the function in accordance with the guidelines set out in the regulations. Academy trusts should clearly set out the circumstances in which it can be used in the trust’s scheme of delegation and may wish to consider incorporating the rules found in the regulations.

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