School Standards and Framework Act 1998

119 Early years development partnerships

(1) Every local education authority shall establish for their area a body to be known as an early years development partnership (“the partnership”).

(2) In establishing the partnership and determining its constitution the authority shall have regard to any guidance given from time to time by the Secretary of State.

(3) The authority may establish a sub-committee of the partnership for any part of their area.

(4) The authority shall make arrangements—

(a) for the meetings and proceedings of the partnership and any such sub-committee, and

(b) for the partnership (and any such sub-committee) to be provided with accommodation and with such services as the authority consider appropriate.

(5) The functions of the partnership shall be to work with the authority—

(a) in reviewing the sufficiency of the provision of nursery education for the authority’s area for the purposes of section 118, and

(b) in preparing early years development plans under section 120.

(6) The Secretary of State may by order confer on early years development partnerships such additional functions as are specified in the order.