Issue - items at meetings - Options for additional reception classes for September 2012: Proposed Temporary Expansion of Goldstone, Westdene, Queens Park and Connaught.

Report of the Strategic Director: People (to be circulated separately).

(1)               That the responses to the consultation undertaken since the Cabinet meeting on 10^th November be noted;

(2)               That the proposal to temporarily increase the intake of Goldstone Primary, Westdene Primary Queens Park Primary and West Hove infant (Connaught Road site) by one form of entry for September 2012 only be agreed;

(3)               That the Strategic Director People be authorised to submit a request to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator for an in year variation in respect of Goldstone Primary, Westdene Primary, Queens Park Primary and West Hove Infant School Connaught Road site.

164.1    The Cabinet noted the special circumstances for non-compliance with Council Procedure Rule 7, Access to Information Rule 5 and section 100B (4) of the Local Government Act as amended (items not considered unless the agenda is open to inspection at least five days in advance of the meeting), were that the consultation ended on the 13^th January 2012 and sufficient time was required to properly consider and address the response within the report.

164.2    Councillor Shanks stated that in view of recent comments attributing remarks to her being made about the decision on the matter being pre-determined, which she refuted, she felt that it would be better to withdraw from the meeting during consideration of the matter.

164.3    Councillor Randall introduced the report and stated that it was intended to extend for one year only the intake number at four schools in the Hove and Hove/Brighton area, due to the increase in places required resulting from an increase in projected pupil numbers for September 2012.

164.4    Councillor G. Theobald stated that he believed two of the governing bodies were opposed to the increase in numbers and had expressed concerns over their infrastructure and ability to accommodate the additional pupils.  He also noted that at the last Cabinet meeting he had been informed that the Strategic Director People could direct the schools to take the additional places, but noted that the report provided for the Schools Adjudicator to be requested to approve the proposed variation.

164.5    The Chair stated that the council had listed to the Governing Bodies and parents of all four schools and needed to take into account the needs of the city as a whole and address the situation that had arisen.  He also stated that the concerns raised had been considered and it was felt that the proposed changes were the appropriate ones to meet the council’s responsibility to the pupils.

164.6    Councillor Mitchell stated that it was regrettable that the two schools had to be directed to accept the increase in places.  She also queried whether the sibling link would be a factor and did it mean a change in policy for all families across the city.  She also noted that paragraph 4.4 referred to a meeting with parents and asked for confirmation of where that meeting was held.  She queried whether the Schools Adjudicator was likely to change their view on the proposals in light on the objections that has been raised.

164.7    The Schools Future Projector Director stated that the meeting with parents had been held at Kings House and the postal code being used was BN15, which effectively meant that the catchment area was for local children.

164.8    The Monitoring Officer confirmed that there was a requirement to refer the matter to the Schools Adjudicator and technically they had the power to take the final decision, however he did not expect them to get involved.

164.9    RESOLVED:

(1)   That the responses to the consultation undertaken since the Cabinet meeting on 10^th November be noted;

(2)   That the proposal to temporarily increase the intake of Goldstone Primary, Westdene Primary Queens Park Primary and West Hove infant (Connaught Road site) by one form of entry for September 2012 only be agreed; and

(3)   That the Strategic Director People be authorised to submit a request to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator for an in year variation in respect of Goldstone Primary, Westdene Primary, Queens Park Primary and West Hove Infant School Connaught Road site.

Note:   Councillor Shanks withdrew from the meeting during consideration of the item and the decisions thereon.