Agenda for Children & Young People Cabinet Member Meeting on Monday, 12th July, 2010, 4.30pm

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Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 3, Hove Town Hall. View directions

Contact: John Peel, Democratic Services Officer 

Items
No. Item

1.

Procedural Business

    Minutes:

    1a        Declarations of Interest

     

    1.1      There were none.

     

    1b       Exclusion of Press and Public

     

    1.2       In accordance with section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (‘the Act’), the Cabinet Member for Children & Young People considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during an item of business on the grounds that it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press or public were present during that item, there would be disclosure to them of confidential information (as defined in section 100A(3) of the Act) or exempt information (as defined in section 100I(1) of the Act).

     

    1.3       RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of item 14, Non-Public Minutes of the Previous meeting and item 15, Proposed New School for Hove Interim Measure as both items were exempt under Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

     

     

2.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 64 KB

    Minutes from the previous meetings on 22nd March and 26th April 2010.

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    2.1             RESOLVED- That the minutes of the previous meetings held on 22 March and 26 April 2010 be approved as an accurate record subject to the following amendments-

     

    61.4 ’by the Soil Associations’ Food for Life Bronze standards

     

    61.8 ‘Councillor Fryer noted the opt-out system used in some countries resulting in higher uptake and if an adoption of this system would lower the unit cost’

3.

Items reserved for discussion

    (a)  Items reserved by the Cabinet Member

     

    (b)  Items reserved by the Opposition Spokesperson

     

    (c)  Items reserved by Members, with the agreement of the Cabinet Member.

     

    NOTE: Petitions, Public Questions, Deputations, Letters from Councillors, Written Questions from Councillor, and Notices of Motion will be reserved automatically.

    Minutes:

    3.1             RESOLVED- All items were reserved for discussion by the Cabinet Member.

     

4.

Petitions pdf icon PDF 53 KB

    One petition received (copy attached)

    Minutes:

    4.1             Valerie Paynter presented a petition on behalf of the saveHove group. The petition had received 714 signatures by the date of publication with another 357 presented at the meeting bring the total to 1,071. Signatories included the Chair of the Regency Society, 16 members and the Chair of the Brighton Society and the former Chair of Montpellier and Clifton Hill Association. Ms Paynter explained that the building was much loved and its return to Infant and Primary School use would benefit the whole community.

     

    4.2      The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People answered that the Council had explored and continued to explore opportunities for increasing primary capacity across the city. A part of this exploration had been discussion with City College over the likely future of the Connaught Centre.

    Negotiations continue and, whilst it is recognised that the Connaught Centre would provide an ideal site in south Hove for a primary school, the cost of purchase and potential refurbishment costs must be set against the present planned and costed works and the likelihood of severely restricted budget cuts for the foreseeable future.

    The paper entitled Proposed New School for Hove Interim Proposal presented at today’s CMM meeting identifies the Connaught site and other possibilities for the establishment of three form entry reception class provision for September 2011.

     

     

     

     

     

5.

Public Questions pdf icon PDF 44 KB

    (The closing date for receipt of public questions is 12 noon on 2 July 2010)

     

    1) One question received from Valerie Paynter (copy attached)

    Minutes:

    5.1             Valerie Paynter presented a public question to the meeting "What changes to the strategies and policies of the previous Labour Administration concerning school provision generally - infant & junior school provision in particular - has this Conservative Administration made over the last 3 years?"

     

    5.2             The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People answered that a great deal had been achieved by the administration in the last three years and many changes have been made. There had been a resurrection of the proposals for an academy at Falmer, the administration had sorted out the mismatch of infant and junior numbers at Balfour, and had proactively provided new primary school places in many schools across the City. We have provided 210 extra places so far with another 3 extra forms of entry planned.

    The administration had also embraced the Value for Money agenda and had reduced and streamlined the organisation of Children’s Services by reducing the top management team and protecting front line services.

    Education policy has largely been dictated by central government and to that end both the labour and conservative members in Brighton & Hove have seen the priority to be the successful delivery of an effective educational infrastructure and broad curriculum offer.

     

    5.3             Valerie Paynter asked a supplementary question on the restrictive covenant put into the deeds of Connaught when it was built and asked if this covenant was still in place.

     

    5.4             The Cabinet Member responded that this matter would be investigated and a response provided to Valerie Paynter when clarified.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

6.

Deputations

    (The closing date for receipt of deputations is 12 noon on 2 July 2010)

     

    No deputations have been received as of the date of publication.

    Minutes:

    6.1             No Deputations had been received.

     

7.

Letters from Councillors

    No letters have been received as of the date of publication.

    Minutes:

    7.1             No Letters from Councillors had been received.

     

8.

Written Questions from Councillors

    No written questions have been received as of the date of publication.

    Minutes:

    8.1             No written questions from Councillors had been received.

     

9.

Notices of Motions

    No Notices of Motion have been received as of the date of publication.

    Minutes:

    9.1             No Notices of Motion had been received.

     

10.

Decision of Statutory Proposals for the Expansions of Primary Schools pdf icon PDF 84 KB

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

    Decision:

    1.                  That the Cabinet Member confirms the statutory notice and resolves to permanently expand Goldstone Primary School by one form of entry from September 2011 subject to the grant of planning permission under Part 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.  This condition must be met by September 1st 2010.

     

    2.                  That the Cabinet Member confirms the statutory notice and resolves to permanently expand Westdene Primary School by one form of entry from September 2011 subject to the grant of planning permission under Part 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.  This condition must be met by September 1st 2010.

     

    3.                  That the Cabinet Member confirms the statutory notice and resolves to permanently expand Queens Park Primary School by half a form of entry from September 2011 subject to the grant of planning permission under Part 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.  This condition must be met by December 1st 2010.

     

    Minutes:

    10.1.       The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services concerning the Decision of Statutory Proposals for the Expansions of Primary Schools.

     

    10.2.       Councillor Hawkes welcomed the report as the next step in what had been a long and thorough process.

     

    10.3.       RESOLVED- That the Cabinet Member approve the recommendations of the report as follows:

     

    1.                  That the Cabinet Member confirms the statutory notice and resolves to permanently expand Goldstone Primary School by one form of entry from September 2011 subject to the grant of planning permission under Part 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.  This condition must be met by September 1st 2010.

     

    2.                  That the Cabinet Member confirms the statutory notice and resolves to permanently expand Westdene Primary School by one form of entry from September 2011 subject to the grant of planning permission under Part 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.  This condition must be met by September 1st 2010.

     

    3.                  That the Cabinet Member confirms the statutory notice and resolves to permanently expand Queens Park Primary School by half a form of entry from September 2011 subject to the grant of planning permission under Part 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.  This condition must be met by December 1st 2010.

     

11.

Proposed Creation of a new all through Primary School to replace Balfour Infant and Junior Schools pdf icon PDF 89 KB

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

    Additional documents:

    Decision:

    1.                  To note and endorse the proposal to amalgamate Balfour Infant and Junior Schools.

     

    2.                  To agree to the publication of the required Statutory Notices to progress this proposal.

     

    3.                  That the results from the statutory consultation process are referred to Cabinet Member Meeting on 11th October 2010 for decision.

    Minutes:

    11.1           The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services on the proposed creation of a new all through primary school to replace Balfour Infant and Junior Schools.

     

    11.2           The Cabinet Member noted that these proposals now had the support of the governing bodies of the school.

     

    11.3           Councillor Hawkes stated that she was pleased that the proposals now had the support of the governing bodies and hoped that this would bring a resolution to a matter discussed since the creation of the unitary authority.

     

    11.4           RESOLVED- That the Cabinet Member agree to the recommendations of the report as follows:

     

     

    1.                  To note and endorse the proposal to amalgamate Balfour Infant and Junior Schools.

     

    2.                  To agree to the publication of the required Statutory Notices to progress this proposal.

     

    3.                  That the results from the statutory consultation process are referred to Cabinet Member Meeting on 11th October 2010 for decision.

12.

Proposed New School for Hove Interim measure pdf icon PDF 81 KB

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

    Decision:

    1.                  To establish in Hove a 3 form entry temporary school expansion taking 90 Reception age children, opening in September 2011  

     

    2.                  To base this temporary expansion at the Connaught Centre site or another site subject to further negotiation.

     

    3.                  To make arrangements for the management of the additional places by a Hove primary phase school for a period of up to two years.

     

    4.                  On 11 October to present the Cabinet Member with proposals identifying the site and governance of the temporary provision.

     

    Minutes:

    12.1         The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services on Proposed Additional Primary Places in Hove (NB- Item was originally titled ‘Proposed new school for Hove Interim Measure’).

     

    12.2         The Cabinet Member informed the meeting that it was felt that the Connaught site was deemed the ideal location and negotiations were underway with City College.

     

    12.3         Councillor Fryer asked what would happen to the provision of adult education currently undertaken on the site and what this meant for the proposals for a school at the Hove Park site.

     

    12.4         The Schools Futures Project Director responded that no decision had been made on the use of the site yet and consultation on the best option for all forms of education was ongoing. He added that proposals for the Hove Park site were fully addressed in the part two item of the agenda however the negotiations at the preferred site of Connaught would ultimately impact upon plans for the other sites.

     

    12.5         RESOLVED- That the Cabinet Member approves the recommendations as follows:

     

    1.                  To establish in Hove a 3 form entry temporary school expansion taking 90 Reception age children, opening in September 2011  

     

    2.                  To base this temporary expansion at the Connaught Centre site or another site subject to further negotiation.

     

    3.                  To make arrangements for the management of the additional places by a Hove primary phase school for a period of up to two years.

     

    4.                  On 11 October 2010 to present the Cabinet Member with proposals identifying the site and governance of the temporary provision.

     

13.

Proposed extending of the age range of Benfield Junior School pdf icon PDF 80 KB

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

    Decision:

    1.                  To note and endorse the proposal to create an all through primary school by changing the age range of Benfield Junior School from 7 – 11 as at present to 4 to 11 from September 2011. 

     

    2.                  That the results from the initial consultation exercise are referred to Cabinet Member Meeting on 11th October 2010 for decision. 

     

    Minutes:

    13.1         The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services on the proposed extension of age ranges at Benfield Junior School.

     

    13.2         Councillor Hawkes welcomed the proposals which she believed would give a secure future for the children of the school.

     

    13.3         Councillor Fryer referred to item 3.7 and asked what the benefit would be to more infant places and a decrease in junior places. The Head of Capital Strategy and Development Planning answered that the three form entry would continue at junior level until 2012. However, the proposals were part of a wider re-organisation which if successful would create an additional two forms of entry in the Portslade area of the city. A report on this would follow and wide ranging consultation on the matter would begin imminently.

     

    13.4         RESOLVED- That the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People approve the recommendations as follows:

     

    1.                  To note and endorse the proposal to create an all through primary school by changing the age range of Benfield Junior School from 7 – 11 as at present to 4 to 11 from September 2011. 

     

    2.                  That the results from the initial consultation exercise are referred to Cabinet Member Meeting on 11th October 2010 for decision. 

     

14.

Part Two Minutes- Exempt Category 1 & 3

15.

Proposed new school for Hove interim measure

Minutes:

15.1         RESOLVED- That the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People accept the recommendations as per item 12 of the agenda.

 

16.

Part Two Items

    To consider whether or not any of the above items and the decisions thereon should remain exempt from disclosure to the press and public.

     

    Minutes:

    16.1         RESOLVED- That the above items remain exempt from disclosure to members of the press and public.

     

 


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