A probe into the academy trust that paid nearly 拢5,000 in 鈥渃onsultancy services鈥 to its CEO鈥檚 mum was kept under wraps while officials ruled on its merger. The revelation has reopened the debate around the transparency of important academy decisions. These are made in behind-closed-doors regional advisory board meetings, attended only by senior government officials and school leaders. The Department for Education stressed information about its 鈥渓ive investigations are confidential鈥, but education adviser and former trust CEO Frank Norris argued the decision to withhold the information about Heart Education Trust was a 鈥渕istake鈥.聽 He said: 鈥淚 understand the desire to resolve these matters quickly, but just allowing time for the investigation to be completed would have allowed the regional board [to have] the full range of evidence. Frank Norris 鈥淭hat would have meant the decision that was ultimately made in the longer term is more likely to be a securer decision.鈥 , published earlier this month, revealed 29 breaches of academy rules had been uncovered at the Heart Education Trust last year.聽 The four-school MAT 鈥渆ntered into four related-party transactions totalling 拢4,747 with a former senior staff member without proper policies, contracts or adequate value for money assessments鈥. The report said these weren鈥檛 disclosed in annual accounts or to the Education and Skills Funding Agency, as required. Minutes make no mention of probe Heart鈥檚 most recent accounts 鈥 for 2023-24 鈥 show rules covering 鈥渞elated-party transactions were not adhered to in relation to transactions totalling 拢1,790鈥. The payments were made to the trust鈥檚 founding chief executive Christina Kenna for 鈥渃onsultancy services and other support鈥. She is the mother of Hazel Cubbage, who succeeded her as Heart CEO in 2022. Cubbage did not provide a comment in relation to the government findings. The report said that, alongside the investigation, DfE鈥檚 鈥渞egions group led its own intervention with the trust鈥, which resulted in Heart鈥檚 schools transferring to the Unity Schools Partnership in September 2024. The department鈥檚 advisory board for the east of England met in April the same year to discuss the move. DfE guidance states members, who are usually trust leaders, 鈥渉elp inform鈥 government judgements but 鈥渁re not decision makers鈥. Notes from the meeting make no mention of the probe. Norris said it 鈥渓ooks as though some of this information has been withheld because of a desire to move things on quickly鈥. The DfE said its 鈥渓ive investigations are confidential鈥. This is to 鈥減rotect鈥 the probe鈥檚 鈥渋ntegrity鈥, ensure 鈥渁 fair and due process is followed and to protect individuals involved鈥. It added: 鈥淐onfidential matters would not be discussed in an open forum and would not be reported in notes publicly available. [Advisory board] notes are not intended to be minutes of the meeting.鈥