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The Birmingham Bursar Group was formed as the result of an initial meeting held at Walmley Junior School on 24 November 1999 and attended by sixty schools, with a further fifty schools having expressed interest in joining. In 1999 Grant Maintained schools were abolished together and the Funding Agency for Schools was closed down and all schools in the State Sector received their annual funding through their Local Authority once more via its Fair Funding Formula.
Until that time Bursars from Birmingham schools belonging to a Bursar group were members of the Midland Bursar Group. Once funding to Birmingham schools was received from one source again there was considerable sense in forming a local group as funding issues became localised.
The then Headteacher from Walmley Junior School , Mr Ron Henderson welcomed everyone and encouraged those present to realise the value the formation of a Bursar Group could bring to all schools. Mrs Kate Rowles, the then Chair of the Midland Bursar Group had been invited to outline the benefits of a Bursar Group and explain how the Midland Group operates. Mrs Rowles explained how valuable members found the group in terms of support and sharing experiences and networking with each other. Each meeting of the Midland Group also always included leading speakers from the world of Education Finance. The Midland Group met each school term.
There was widespread support from the audience for the formation of a Birmingham Group and it was agreed to call the group “Birmingham Bursars’ Group.”
Michael Jameson, Business Manager at Fairfax School then spoke. He explained the benefits of members joining the National Association, and the proposed a series of objectives for the new group. These were agreed as holding a termly meeting locally with invited speakers on a mid week day, with an annual subscription for each member of £20 to include lunches at each meeting.
A committee of volunteers was formed offering broad representation across the spectrum of local schools: -
| Michael Jameson |
Secondary |
Chairman |
| Lynda Smith |
Primary |
Secretary |
| Liz Guest |
Infants |
Treasurer |
| Kath Philpott |
Primary |
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| Ann Bannister |
Secondary |
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| Roger Groom |
Secondary |
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| John Collins |
Secondary |
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It was agreed that this new Committee would meet and put together a proposed Constitution to be agreed by the membership at the first formal meeting of the group.
The first formal meeting of the group then took place on 2 March 2000 at Fairfax School, when Peter Rickard from the National Bursars Association and David Waller from Centre for Education Management were the guest speakers, and the proposed Constitution was agreed together with the first year’s subscription fees. Further meetings that year took place at Swanshurst School and at the Centennial Centre.
Since then the group has steadily increased its membership year to year, outgrowing schools as venue options and 2007 membership is just below 150, more than a third of Birmingham schools. In 2005 the group’s popularity and growth led to the appointment of a paid group administrator, Suzanne Edmonstons.
The group continue to meet once each school term and In recent times have met regularly at the Tally Ho Sports and Conference Centre, Pershore Road, Edgbaston. Over the years a succession of leading speakers from the DCSF, ASCL, NBA, HCSS, etc have spoken to our meetings as well as a number of LA colleagues. Martyn Scott from Education Finance has a regular slot at each meeting.
Five of the original committee remain today. Membership is open to all Bursars/Business Managers and Senior Administrators in schools. Membership fees change from year to year (April to March) and are available on request from the Treasurer or Group Administrator.
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