Agenda item

This Council recognises the challenging times that parents, teachers and pupils have been through in recent months as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Even in these unprecedented times this Council believes that providing children and young people in Leeds with the best possible education should be a key priority for the city and therefore believes that all children and young people should be back at school in September 2020 at the latest.

This Council welcomes additional financial support for schools provided by Government, including a £1 billion Covid Catch-Up Plan and a further £1.7 billion for school rebuilding, repairs and upgrades.

Council notes that Wetherby Ward Members have devised a plan to secure half the money required to rebuild Wetherby High School but notes that no such plan exists for Royds High School in Rothwell. Council therefore calls on the ruling administration to progress formal funding bids, as appropriate, for both schools. 

It was moved by Councillor Stephenson, seconded by Councillor Firth that this Council recognises the challenging times that parents, teachers and pupils have been through in recent months as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Even in these unprecedented times this Council believes that providing children and young people in Leeds with the best possible education should be a key priority for the city and therefore believes that all children and young people should be back at school in September 2020 at the latest.

This Council welcomes additional financial support for schools provided by Government, including a £1 billion Covid Catch-Up Plan and a further £1.7 billion for school rebuilding, repairs and upgrades.

Council notes that Wetherby Ward Members have devised a plan to secure half the money required to rebuild Wetherby High School but notes that no such plan exists for Royds High School in Rothwell. Council therefore calls on the ruling administration to progress formal funding bids, as appropriate, for both schools. 

An amendment was moved by Councillor Forsaith, seconded by Councillor D Blackburn

Delete all after paragraph 1 and insert:

“Providing children and young people in Leeds with the best possible education should always be a key priority for the City, and this is even more important in these unprecedented times to ensure that our children and young people are not casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Council recognises the huge challenges that planning for all pupils to return to full time school in September brings. In addressing the many practical and logistical issues that have been raised by teachers and Headteachers across the country, Council calls upon the Government to develop a coordinated national plan to deliver the full and safe reopening of all schools in September, recognising that substantial additional resources will be required to fulfil that plan safely.

Council notes how important interagency and flexible working has been throughout the response of Leeds to the COVID-19 pandemic and commits to considering ways to build on this approach to provide safe opportunities for learning outside of schools, using the capacity of other facilities and human resources within local communities.

Council recognises that providing home learning opportunities will be vital for children and young people who are self-isolating, and in the event of local outbreaks or further lockdowns, and that this will require additional resources.”

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Pryor, seconded by Councillor Golton

Delete all after ‘This Council recognises the challenging times that parents, teachers and pupils have been through in recent months as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.’ And add:

Council places on record its sincere thanks to all schools and academies in Leeds for their handling of this unprecedented crisis and the vital support they have provided to families across the city and pledges to continue to work in partnership with them to ensure pupils are able to safely return to school.

Council recognises Government’s recent announcement of £1bn to fund the rebuilding of 50 schools but notes no schools have yet been identified and further notes that the funding is to be spread over the next ten years.  Council further acknowledges the £560m announced for repairs and upgrades but notes that the National Audit Office issued a report in 2017 stating that £6.76bn was needed to bring schools in England up to a satisfactory standard.  Given Leeds has a backlog of repairs totalling around £100m for which the Local Authority receive just £6.1m, in addition to two secondary schools in need of a complete rebuild, Council believes the Government need to go further with their funding commitments.

The provision and maintenance of school buildings are key to providing a good education and so Council recognises that the Executive Member has once again written to Government to ask them to provide the funding that is needed to rebuild both Wetherby and Royds High Schools in addition to committing to providing sufficient funding for repairs across the schools estate and to do so as a matter of urgency.

Full motion would then read:

Council recognises the challenging times that parents, teachers and pupils have been through in recent months as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Council places on record its sincere thanks to all schools and academies in Leeds for their handling of this unprecedented crisis and the vital support they have provided to families across the city and pledges to continue to work in partnership with them to ensure pupils are able to safely return to school.

Council recognises Government’s recent announcement of £1bn to fund the rebuilding of 50 schools but notes no schools have yet been identified and further notes that the funding is to be spread over the next ten years.  Council further acknowledges the £560m announced for repairs and upgrades but notes that the National Audit Office issued a report in 2017 stating that £6.76bn was needed to bring schools in England up to a satisfactory standard.  Given Leeds has a backlog of repairs totalling around £100m for which the Local Authority receive just £6.1m, in addition to two secondary schools in need of a complete rebuild, Council believes the Government need to go further with their funding commitments.

The provision and maintenance of school buildings are key to providing a good education and so Council recognises that the Executive Member has once again written to Government to ask them to provide the funding that is needed to rebuild both Wetherby and Royds High Schools in addition to committing to providing sufficient funding for repairs across the schools estate and to do so as a matter of urgency.

The amendment in the name of Councillor Forsaith was declared lost the second amendment in the name of Councillor Pryor was carried and upon being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED – That Council recognises the challenging times that parents, teachers and pupils have been through in recent months as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Council places on record its sincere thanks to all schools and academies in Leeds for their handling of this unprecedented crisis and the vital support they have provided to families across the city and pledges to continue to work in partnership with them to ensure pupils are able to safely return to school.

Council recognises Government’s recent announcement of £1bn to fund the rebuilding of 50 schools but notes no schools have yet been identified and further notes that the funding is to be spread over the next ten years.  Council further acknowledges the £560m announced for repairs and upgrades but notes that the National Audit Office issued a report in 2017 stating that £6.76bn was needed to bring schools in England up to a satisfactory standard.  Given Leeds has a backlog of repairs totalling around £100m for which the Local Authority receive just £6.1m, in addition to two secondary schools in need of a complete rebuild, Council believes the Government need to go further with their funding commitments.

The provision and maintenance of school buildings are key to providing a good education and so Council recognises that the Executive Member has once again written to Government to ask them to provide the funding that is needed to rebuild both Wetherby and Royds High Schools in addition to committing to providing sufficient funding for repairs across the schools estate and to do so as a matter of urgency.