Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair/Vice Chair.

Mr I Garforth was elected as Chair.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and invited those present to introduce themselves.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Reverend C Sedgewick, Diocesan Board of Education for the Diocese of the Church of England and Ms J Taylor, Further/Higher Education Establishment Group.

To note any declarations of interest.

Mr I Garforth informed the meeting that he was a trustee of the South Leeds Academy Trust and a Director of the Sponsor of Cross Flats Academy. Under the terms of reference these were not interests that would require him to withdraw from the discussion and take no part in the making of any recommendations.

To note that the attached terms of reference for the Board have been slightly amended.

The amendments are:-

·  to remove as a member the Learning and Skills Council;

·  to amend para 3. 4 which deals with declarations of interest; and

·  to alter the quorum for meetings increasing it from 1 group to 2 group

A copy of the terms of reference for the School Organisation Advisory Board (Leeds) was submitted.

Mrs A Oldroyd, Legal Adviser to the Board informed the meeting that the terms of reference had been slightly amended to incorporate the following revisions:-

·  to remove as a member the Learning and Skills Council;

·  to amend paragraph 3.4 which deals with declarations of interest; and

·  to alter the quorum for meetings increasing it from 1 group to 2 groups

Mr I Garforth made reference to the use of the term ‘’governor’’ contained within the terms of reference and the Legal Adviser to the Board agreed to revisit this issue.

RESOLVED – That the amended terms of reference for the School Organisation Advisory Board (Leeds) be noted and approved.

To consider a report of the Legal Adviser to the Board explaining the role of the Board in considering the school competition bids and making recommendations to the Executive Board to assist the Executive Board in reaching a decision in relation to the new school proposals.

The Board considered a report by the Legal Adviser to the School Organisation Advisory Board explaining the role of the Board in considering the school competition bids and to make recommendations to the Executive Board to assist the Executive Board in reaching a decision in relation to the following new school proposals:

Public consultation took place in September and October 2011 on the need for new primary schools at Florence Street in Harehills and the site of the former South Leeds Sports Centre. The Executive Board agreed to proceed with competitions for new schools in January 2012. This entailed publishing two statutory notices, one inviting interested parties to submit bids to run the schools, and the second publishing details of the bids and inviting comments. The second notice expired on 20 August 2012.

The invitation to bid notices resulted in six academy bids for Harehills and four academy bids for South Leeds.

The bids for Harehills were Academies Enterprise Trust, The Co-operative Trust, Lilac Sky Schools, LEAF Academy Trust, Leeds Muslim College and

Rainbow Schools.

The bids for South Leeds were Academies Enterprise Trusts, Lilac Sky Schools, Rainbow Schools and the Learning Trust South Leeds.

Prior to discussing the proposals, the Board noted that the Lilac Sky Schools bid for both Harehills and South Leeds had been withdrawn.

The Board considered the following background information:-

• Copies of the invitation to bid, bids received, and responses received

• Report from Children’s Services in relation to recommendation on the preferred bidder in competitions for new primary schools

In addition to the above, the Board received representations from the following representatives who responded to Board Members’ questions and comments:

Mr P Brennan – Deputy Director of Children’s Services  (Learning, Skills and Universal Services) and Ms L Savage – Senior Planning and Bids Manager, Capacity Planning and Sufficiency Team, Children’s Services

Board Members discussed the report from Children’s Services and, in summary, specific reference was made to the following issues:-

• Clarification if the DfE had been asked to exclude any bidders and on the validation process
• Clarification if another site had been identified in South Leeds
• Concern that the Harehills site would not be ready and the issues around car parking and access
• Clarification of how Children’s Services viewed the role of Academies
• The need to commend the Learning Trust South Leeds’s bid to build on their 0-19 offering in the area and to welcome their strong vision in this respect
• The need to use existing practices within the School Improvement capacity
• The need to acknowledge that the Co-operative had strong values with links to the Trinity University College which would result in a closer relationship
• Clarification of the aims of a Foundation School
• Clarification of the value of a Trust and concerns expressed about there future aspirations
• The personal view expressed by the Roman Catholic Church Diocese that you cannot operate a multi faith system in view of the many elements and that such a system needed competition
• Clarification of how Children’s Services perceived  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To identify future business for the Advisory Board.

The Legal Adviser to the Board reminded the meeting that the term of office for Members of the Board was a maximum of three years.

The current position as at 13^th September 2012 was as follows:-

• Reverend C Sedgewick – three year’s term of office to expire on 9^th October 2012
• Mr I Garforth - three year’s term of office to expire on 9^th October 2012
• Ms T Haggerty - three year’s term of office to expire on 9^th October 2012
• Mr D Kenny - three year’s term of office to expire on 9^th October 2012
• Ms J Taylor - three year’s term of office to expire on 1^st July 2013

It was also noted that there remained a current vacancy on the Schools Group.

The Legal Adviser to the Board informed Members that the next time there was a need to convene a Schools Organisation Advisory Board meeting there was a requirement for Members to be nominated by their respective groups and then re elected.

RESOLVED – That the current position be noted.

To be arranged as and when required.

(The meeting concluded at 2.45pm)