68.  

Declarations of Interest

The Chair reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting.

69.  

Minutes

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th September 2007, be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

70.  

Public Question Time

No public questions were asked under Standing Order 28.

71.  

Northern Sector Primary School Places

            The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and the Group Director, Children submitted a joint report setting out and analysing the options available to the Council for the provision of additional primary school places in the Swindon Northern Sector from September 2008 and beyond.

Letters received from the Governing Body of St. Francis Church of England Voluntary-Aided Primary School and the Diocese of Bristol Board of Education, on the proposed expansion of that school, were tabled at the meeting.

            Councillor Garry Perkins, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, referred to the difficult decisions facing the Council regarding the pressure on primary school places in North Swindon. He described how new schools were financed and commented on the reasons for the unanticipated demand for primary school places in North Swindon. He reminded Cabinet of the unprecedented new school building programme that had already taken place in North Swindon that had been primarily funded by the Council, and not by developers or Government grants. He gave an assurance that every effort was being made to identify solutions to the problems being experienced in the Northern Sector.

Councillor Nick Martin, Cabinet Member for Resources, in supporting the joint report’s recommendations, explained the financial context and referred to the implications of each of the options being considered by the Council. He referred to the scale and pace of housing development in North Swindon that was outside of the control of the Council, and to the difficulties of the Council alone being able to fund and provide the community infrastructure to support these development areas.

Councillor Justin Tomlinson, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Recreation and a North Swindon Ward Councillor, in supporting the recommendations, drew attention to the concerns being expressed by parents over the problem of primary school places in the area. He referred to the limited ability of the new schools to expand to meet the demand and to the efforts that were being made to identify solutions. He welcomed the comments expressed at the “Open Forum” meeting held prior to Cabinet by a parent from the Oakhurst area of North Swindon which he believed reflected the views of local residents who were keen to build their communities. Local schools were a key part of this and he was hopeful that the Council would be able to find solutions for local residents. 

            Resolved – (1) That the Cabinet notes the options for the admission of additional pupils to primary schools in the Swindon Northern Sector from September 2008 and beyond, as set out in the joint report, together with the other implications identified.

            (2) That the Cabinet supports the Governing Body of St Francis Church of England Voluntary-Aided Primary School in its decision to admit an additional 26 pupils above the admission number from September 2008 and to consult on the long-term expansion of the School admission from 30 to 60, through the provision of temporary accommodation from September 2008 and through submitting this autumn a grant application to the Department of Children, Schools and Families for the provision of permanent accommodation from September 2010 or 2011.

            (3) That, further to the decision in (2) above, new capital funding of up to £400,000 (to be reduced to £40,000 in the event that 90% grant funding from the Department of Children, Schools and Families can be secured) be earmarked through the Council’s annual Capital Programme “refresh” for the provision of additional temporary accommodation at St Francis Church of England Voluntary-Aided Primary School in September 2008 and 2009, and that a further sum of £400,000 be earmarked as the Council’s 10% contribution towards the cost of providing permanent accommodation at the School from September 2010 or 2011, noting that there will be an implication on the Revenue account, as set out in the financial implications section of the joint report, should it not prove possible to accommodate these sums within the overall capital resources available.

            (4) That the provision of additional accommodation (a double mobile classroom in each case) at Haydonleigh Primary School, from September 2008, and Abbey Meads and Catherine Wayte Primary Schools, from September 2011, in order to enable all three schools to become all-through two-form entry Primary Schools be approved, and that new capital funding of £600,000, timed to support the achievement of these timescales, be earmarked through the Council’s annual Capital Programme “refresh”, noting that there will be an implication on the Revenue account, as set out in the financial implications section of the joint report, should it not prove possible to accommodate these sums within the overall capital resources available.

            (5) That, further to the decision in (4) above, the Group Director, Children undertakes a consultation on the longer-term expansion of Haydonleigh, Abbey Meads and Catherine Wayte Primary Schools by fixing a long-term admission number of 60.

(6) That the Group Director, Children be authorised to carry out further investigations into the future need for school places at primary level in the Swindon Northern Sector and the potential solutions to address any shortfall.

(7) That the Group Director, Children and the Director of Finance submit a further report to the Cabinet as soon as practicable clarifying whether the recent Government announcement of capital funding for Swindon, as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007, includes any additional resources to fund educational needs, including those in the Northern Sector.

(8) That the Cabinet expresses its appreciation for the cooperation and support shown by all the schools and their governing bodies referred to in the joint report, to assist the Council to move forward quickly to find solutions to the pressure on primary school places in North Swindon, and for the support they have shown their local communities.

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in the report to the meeting.