Agenda item - Public Involvement

To consider the following matters raised by members of the public:

(a)       Petitions: to receive any petitions presented to the full council or at the meeting itself;

(i)            Brighton Kids Not Commuters

(b)     Written Questions: to receive any questions submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 12 September 2016;

(c)     Deputations: to receive any deputations submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 12 September 2016.

21a     Petitions

21.1    The Committee considered the petition Brighton Kids Not Commuters which was presented to Council on 21 July 2016 by Naomi Campbell and Natalie Cowell.

            The Chair stated:

The working group have taken advice from a large number of respondents including the Brighton Kids Not Commuters campaign and the petition you have brought through council in July to this committee today. I would like to thank you for your involvement and your efforts to ensure the voice of your community is heard during this phase of the work.    In not taking forward the options put forward in the engagement phase I hope the petitioners can see evidence of the working group listening to their concerns.

21.2    RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the report.

21b     Written Questions

21.3    (i) Secondary School Admission Arrangements

            Ms H Deeley presented the following question:

Why can't the whole consultation process be started again, (because the recent one was flawed and results massively skewed dependent on geographical location) looking at the real problem (social equality) and coming up with a better solution that actually is fair and offers ALL children in the city a choice rather than just a few ?

            The Chair provided the following response:

Thank you for your question to the committee. Whilst I appreciate you feel that the consultation was flawed and skewed by the volume of respondents from certain parts of the city I can assure you that the working group that I have chaired have understood the pattern of responses received. However a full range of views have been discussed and considered. As the report states, we know we would not be able to please everyone.  The working group’s conclusions are the result of considering all views and opinions.  The working party will reconvene when the site of the new school is known and any future change to admission arrangements will require a formal consultation when residents will be able to express their views.

            Ms Heeley asked the following supplementary question:

How come the working party has drawn conclusions from the consultation and come up with new proposals based upon these results when they know they are skewed?  How is that fair to the underrepresented areas.

            The Chair provided the following response:

Whilst areas may have been underrepresented in the amount of responses received we have heard what all areas of the city have said. It is not possible to provide a system that meets all parent’s wishes whether that be for choice, for certainty, for safe and reasonable journeys or to address social equality. The working group’s conclusions have endeavoured to balance the aims and priorities of all those affected by school admissions. Any proposed change will be subject to formal consultation.  

21.4    (ii) Secondary School Admission Arrangements

Ms S Fearn presented the following question:

Brighton University planned to provide a new school for children in the central and east of the city. How can the council's plan for this school to be placed into the existing central catchment offering those children three choices be fair for the children in the east who will continue to have only one "choice”.

The Chair provided the following response:

We must await the confirmation of the permanent site for the new free school before final proposals are developed for future catchment areas.

In 2018 if, as expected, the school opens without a catchment area then the parents of children in the east will be able to state a preference for this school as well as their catchment school. The concerns expressed about choice for those in the east of the city have been heard and when the working party reconvenes I know the members will give it due consideration.  

            Ms Fearn asked the following supplementary question:

Does the chair person agree that these plans discriminate against the children of working families in east Brighton many of whom are on low incomes but are not entitled to free school meals simply because they work and that it would have been fairer to ALL children to adopt option B with a consensus of 65% representing a compromise for all.

The Chair provided the following response:

All our schools are on the journey of improvement that can be seen in some great results last year. Children in east Brighton have access to improving schools and in 2018 it is expected that they will have access to the new University of Brighton secondary school. The wish for more choice was heard by the working group alongside the views of others about extra journeys, distance to schools, safe routes to school, going to school with friends and maintain the community feel of schools. The working group will continue to explore the issues when the permanent site of the new school is known. However the need for compromise is a theme that I am sure will come up again.

21c      Deputations

21.5    There were none.