A WORCESTERSHIRE-wide group designed to give school governors a stronger voice over issues of concern is appealing for more support.

The Worcestershire Association of Governors - WAG - has vacancies on its executive committee for governors from the county's six districts, including Wyre Forest.

Chairman, Alan Hasell, said it was vital that the districts were fully represented to ensure they had a fair and equal voice.

"It's not an arduous commitment but WAG does play an important consultative role and we need to be up to strength to ensure this can be properly fulfilled and that we have the capacity to effectively take up issues on behalf of governors," he explained.

A position on the executive involves just one evening meeting a term, which is held in Worcester, and executive members can also join a range of LEA consultative committees.

The WAG group is responsible for making governor nominations to the Schools Forum, which considers matters relating to the schools' funding formula, the Schools Admissions Forum, which looks at admission arrangements and produces information for parents, and the School Organisation Committee - SOC - which deals with organisational changes proposed by the LEA in the wake of objections.

It is also up to WAG to appoint governor representatives to several other non-statutory consultative committees.

A major initiative currently affecting all schools is the introduction of workforce re-modelling and WAG is looking at the financial and staffing implications of the latest phase, which is to ensure that teachers have 10 per cent of their time set aside for preparation, planning, and assessment.

The group would like to hear from any governors with concerns and from those whose schools have found solutions to this problem.

Mr Hasell added: "We are here to work with the LEA and other interested parties on matters of mutual concern and we are keen to hear from governors on workforce re-modelling and any other topics that are causing worries."

The annual meeting of WAG is being held next Thursday in the Lecture Theatre at County Hall, Worcester at 6.30pm. All governors are welcome to attend.

Any governor interested in joining the executive, or wanting help or information, should visit the WAG website which can be found at www.worcestershire.gov.uk/wag/ where they will find the email address of their local member.