Issue - items at meetings - Expanding the premises of Aldrington Church of England School – Final Decision

Report of the Interim Director, Children’s Services (copy attached)

            RESOLVED – (1) That the Children and Young People Committee endorse the decision to proceed with the proposal subject to securing planning consent necessary for the extension by 31 August 2013;

(2) That the Children and Young People Committee recommend that on 28 March 2013 Council confirms the statutory notice and resolves to expand the premises of Aldrington Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School from September 2013 subject to securing the necessary planning consent by 31 August 2013.

59.1    The Committee considered a report of the Interim Director of Children’s Services the purpose of which was to report the representations and objections received during the statutory notice period following agreement by the Committee at its meeting on 14 January 2013 to the provision of an additional form of entry for September 2013 at Aldrington CE Primary School. No representations or objections had been received during the statutory notice period and therefore endorsement of the proposal was being sought from the Committee.

59.2    It was confirmed that in line with the current Council’s Constitution all decisions regarding proposed changes to the Council’s school admission arrangements needed to be determined at full Council. This meant that the final decision regarding enlargement of the premises of Aldrington Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School would need to be taken by full Council at its meeting on 28 March 2013.

59.3    Councillor Lepper referred to background papers which had been circulated with this report which had related to proposed extension of Stanford Infant School (this proposal had been rejected at the last meeting of the Committee), stating that it would have been useful had that information had been provided with the earlier report. The Head of Capital Strategy explained that all of the relevant paperwork received up to the expiry of the statutory consultation period had been made available in the Members rooms and via the Political Assistants’ rooms at King’s House, as background documents and Members had been advised accordingly. The outcome of the further statutory consultation had been included as an appendix to the papers circulated for consideration at Committee that day.

59.4    Councillor Lepper stated that the Members Rooms were not easily accessible to all Members between meetings depending on where their Wards were located. In the past full copies of all relevant documents had been circulated to Members individually. The Chair stated that thought could be given to this matter for future occasions but considered that it was important to note for the purposes of the Committees decision on this issue that no objections had been received in respect of the proposals for the expansion of Aldrington Church of England Primary School.

59.5    A vote was taken and Members agreed to refer the matter to Full Council for decision as set out below.

59.6    RESOLVED – That the Children and Young People Committee endorse the decision to proceed with the proposal for providing an additional form of entry for September 2013 at Aldrington CE Primary School subject to securing planning consent necessary for the extension by 31 August 2013; and

59.7    RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL – That the Children and Young People Committee recommend that on 28 March 2013 Council confirms the statutory notice and resolves to expand the premises of Aldrington Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School from September 2013 subject to securing the necessary planning consent by 31 August 2013.