This Council notes with growing concern the shortage of school places in Leeds meaning that in some cases parents have to accept that their children will not attend a local school.
This Council further notes that the requirement to deliver more new housing in the city is likely to place further strain on school place planning. While the recent meeting to address basic need provision in the city has made a start, this Council believes that there is still a need for a coherent strategy to deal with a shortage in school places and the continuing growth in both birth rates and housing.
This Council therefore instructs officers to bring forward proposals to Executive Board by Spring 2013 that will fully fund the required education provision within the authority, whether this is through use of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) or Section 106 agreements or other sources of funding, and that these proposals should complement the plans being developed as part of the Core Strategy.
J PROCTER
Minutes:
It was moved by Councillor J Procter, seconded by Councillor G Latty that this Council notes with growing concern the shortage of school places in Leeds meaning that in some cases parents have to accept that their children will not attend a local school.
This Council further notes that the requirement to deliver more new housing in the city is likely to place further strain on school place planning. While the recent meeting to address basic need provision in the city has made a start, this Council believes that there is still a need for a coherent strategy to deal with a shortage in school places and the continuing growth in both birth rates and housing.
This Council therefore instructs officers to bring forward proposals to Executive Board by Spring 2013 that will fully fund the required education provision within the authority, whether this is through use of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) or Section 106 agreements or other sources of funding, and that these proposals should complement the plans being developed as part of the Core Strategy.
An amendment was moved by Councillor Blake, seconded by Councillor Congreve, to delete all after ‘this Council’ and replace with:
‘reaffirms its commitment to tackling the projected shortage of school places in the city as a key priority.
Council notes with concern that last year there were 3000 more pupils entering Leeds primary schools than moving up to secondary school. This unprecedented rise in the birth rate together with the significant ambitions for housing growth outlined in the core strategy presents a major challenge to planning school places for the city.
Council welcomes the grip on this issue taken by the administration and the progress made to date to address the challenge through closer inter-departmental working post Education Leeds and by establishment of a cross-party working group.
Council officers will shortly report to Executive Board on the draft Community Infrastructure Levy charging regime. This will look at the role of Section 106 agreements and the CIL in meeting infrastructure requirements. It will examine how they can help to meet the additional demands for school provision in areas of new housing development.
However Council acknowledges that the issue is exacerbated by the Government’s schools policy and particularly the investment in free schools, which sit outside our ability to plan education provision.
Therefore Council requests the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Education, following consideration of the Section 106 and CIL report by Executive Board, to highlight our concerns, to clarify the reality of the funding situation and to express our willingness to work with Government departments to find a comprehensive funding and planning solution to address future basic need requirements.’
The amendment in the name of Councillor Blake was carried, and upon being put as the substantive motion, it was
RESOLVED – That this Council reaffirms its commitment to tackling the projected shortage of school places in the city as a key priority.
Council notes with concern that last year there were 3000 more pupils entering Leeds primary schools than moving up to secondary school. This unprecedented rise in the birth rate together with the significant ambitions for housing growth outlined in the core strategy presents a major challenge to planning school places for the city.
Council welcomes the grip on this issue taken by the administration and the progress made to date to address the challenge through closer inter-departmental working post Education Leeds and by establishment of a cross-party working group.
Council officers will shortly report to Executive Board on the draft Community Infrastructure Levy charging regime. This will look at the role of Section 106 agreements and the CIL in meeting infrastructure requirements. It will examine how they can help to meet the additional demands for school provision in areas of new housing development.
However Council acknowledges that the issue is exacerbated by the Government’s schools policy and particularly the investment in free schools, which sit outside our ability to plan education provision.
Therefore Council requests the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Education, following consideration of the Section 106 and CIL report by Executive Board, to highlight our concerns, to clarify the reality of the funding situation and to express our willingness to work with Government departments to find a comprehensive funding and planning solution to address future basic need requirements.’
On the requisition of Councillors J Procter and J L Carter, the voting on the amendment was recorded as follows:-
YES
Akhtar, Atha, Blake, Bruce, Charlwood, Congreve, Coulson, Cummins, Davey, Dawson, Dobson, Dowson, Dunn, Gabriel, P Grahame, R Grahame, Groves, C Gruen, P Gruen, S Hamilton, Hanley, Hardy, Harington, Harland, G Harper, J Harper, A Hussain, G Hussain, G Hyde, Illingworth, Ingham, Iqbal, Jarosz, Khan, J Lewis, R Lewis, Lowe, Lyons, Macniven, Maqsood, A McKenna, J McKenna, Mitchell, Morgan, Mulherin, Murray, Nagle, Nash, Ogilvie, Rafique, Renshaw, Selby, Sobel, Taggart, E Taylor, Towler, Truswell, Urry, Walker, Walshaw, Yeadon.
61
NO
Anderson, J Bentley, S Bentley, Buckley, Campbell, A Carter, J L Carter, Chapman, Cleasby, Cohen, Collins, Elliott, Finnigan, Fox, Golton, M Hamilton, Harrand, Lamb, G Latty, P Latty, Lay, Leadley, Marjoram, J Procter, Varley, Wadsworth, Wilkinson, Wood.
28
ABSTAIN
A Blackburn, D Blackburn, Gettings.
3