Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Children and Families that contains details of a proposal brought forward to meet the local authority’s duty to ensure a sufficiency of school places. Specifically, this report details a proposal to expand St Edward’s Catholic Primary School to permanently increase the number of places offered at the school in Reception from 20 to 30 places from September 2022 and which seeks a final decision in respect of this proposal. 

Further to Minute No. 11, 23 June 2021, the Director of Children and Families submitted a report detailing a proposal brought forward to meet the Local Authority’s duty to ensure a sufficiency of school places. Specifically, the submitted report presented a proposal to expand St. Edward’s Catholic Primary School to permanently increase the number of places offered at the school in Reception from 20 to 30 places from September 2022.  The submitted report summarised the representations received during the statutory notice period and which sought a final decision on the proposal.

Prior to the meeting, Board Members had received for their consideration the full (redacted) versions of the representations received as part of the Statutory Notice process, which was in addition to the summaries as detailed within the submitted cover report.

In introducing the report, the Executive Member highlighted that the matter had been considered by the Children and Families Scrutiny Board, with it being noted that the statement and recommendations of the Scrutiny Board arising from such consideration were appended to the report. The Executive Member confirmed that he was happy to accept all of the Scrutiny Board recommendations, and specifically regarding the recommendation that all consultation responses be shared in full with Executive Board Members, it was suggested that these be handled as ‘Background Documents’ which would be published alongside the agenda papers, but not form part of the formal agenda, so that Board Members had access to such information.

In considering the report, a Member highlighted the importance of ensuring that any agreed actions arising from consultation with Ward Members, specifically in response to transport, highways or access issues were not delayed, but implemented during the relevant construction period, with it being undertaken that any specific concern that a Member had would be investigated.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the proposal to expand St. Edward’s Catholic Primary School to permanently increase the number of places offered at the school in Reception from 20 to 30 places with effect from September 2022, be approved;

(b)  That the recommendation to exempt the decisions arising from this report from the Call In process, for the reasons as set out in paragraph 23 of the submitted report, be approved;

(c)  That it be noted that the responsible officer for the implementation of such matters is the Head of Learning Systems;

(d)  That the conclusions and recommendations of the Scrutiny Board (Children and Families) arising from its consideration of the proposal to increase learning places at St. Edward’s Catholic Primary School, as appended to the submitted report, be noted and accepted.

(The Council’s Executive and Decision Making Procedure Rules state that a decision may be declared as being exempt from the Call In process by the decision taker if it is considered that the matter is urgent and any delay would seriously prejudice the Council’s or the public’s interests. In line with this, the resolutions contained within this minute were exempted from the Call In process, as per resolution (b) above, and for the reasons as detailed within paragraph 23 of the submitted report)