Agenda item

That Ysgol Llanfynydd be closed as of 31/08/16 with pupils transferring to other schools in accordance with parental preference.

The Chief Officer (Education and Youth) introduced the report on School Modernisation – School Standards and Reorganisation Act 2013 – Ysgol Llanfynydd.

            Following consideration of the committee and consultation report at Cabinet on 19^th January 2016, a Statutory Proposal was issued for Ysgol Llanfynydd on 29^th January 2016 which ran until 26^th February 2016.

            The areas of concern during the objection period were explained as:

·         Concerns on the accuracy of data and evidence in the consultation document (including cost of repair work) and concerns that the Council hadn’t followed process

·         Impact on the community/future use of the site should the school close

·         Opinion that federation was a viable option, concern that the Council was not actively encouraging federation

·         Opinion that closing schools should not be about money

·         Traffic and transport

·         Admission and transition arrangements

·         Potential housing developments not taken into consideration

·         Impact on children

·         Parental preference was being taken away

·         Opinion that there was not sufficient places in other schools in the area

The Council had demonstrated in its consultation documents that there was sufficient capacity within the local school network to accommodate pupils from Ysgol Llanfynydd should it close.  That view was upheld by Estyn in its response.  However, additional places if required could be established at Ysgol Parc Y Llan, Treuddyn for all current pupils of Ysgol Llanfynydd.  This would be at either no cost or minimal cost.

Based on the transport eligibility determined by the Authority, 17 pupils who lived in Flintshire and currently attended Ysgol Llanfynydd would be entitled to free home to school transport based on the assumption that those pupils transferred to their nearest school, Ysgol Parc Y Llan.

At the time of writing and presenting the report, the Governing Body of Ysgol Llanfynydd had not been able to identify a willing partnering school or schools with which to pursue a federation.  If Cabinet implemented the proposal for school organisational change at Ysgol Llanfynydd, the school would close on 31^st August 2016.  The Chief Officer explained that in making their decision, Cabinet Members should have an open mind and consider consistency factors such as resourcing of education.  The Council needed to ensure that there were sufficient number of school places, of the right type, in the right locations.  He added that on spend per pupil at schools, pupils at Ysgol Llanfynydd received £1,569 above the average spend on children at other schools.  The proposal would result in fairer and equitable funding to all pupils in the County.

The Council would take all practicable steps to ease the transition for all pupils, particularly for vulnerable learners such as those with Additional Learning Needs (ALNs) and would work alongside pupils, their parents, and the relevant schools to make appropriate transition arrangements.

Councillor Bithell reiterated that all concerns raised during the objection period had been carefully considered, explaining that the School Organisational Code had been followed at each stage of the process.  He concurred with the comments from the Chief Officer on the following: no concerns raised by Estyn; sufficient places in a nearby school; sufficient time being given for proposals of a federation; and the average spend per pupil being £1,569 higher for those at Ysgol Llanfynydd.  He explained that on the concern raised on potential housing developments, no large scale developments were detailed in the Council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP).  On the reason for the proposal, he explained that the school was above the government target of 10% surplus places, with Ysgol Llanfynydd having 57.5% surplus places.  In addition, 44% of pupils at the school were from outside the area.  The school had been subsidised for a number of years but because of the cuts made by Central Government, which were passed on to Welsh Government (WG) and then on to local authorities, the subsidy of the school was not possible or sustainable.  In concluding, he moved that Ysgol Llanfynydd be closed from 31^st August 2016 with pupils transferring to other schools in the area subject to parental preference. This was duly seconded.

In response to a question from Councillor Attridge, the Chief Officer explained that he was working with the transport team to assess which families would be entitled to free home to school transport which would be followed by an independent assessment.

The Chief Executive said it was understandable that the process would be challenged but his professional advice was that the required processes had been correctly followed which was in accordance with Welsh Government policy and Flintshire’s policy.

Councillor Shotton said the Council was prepared to fight austerity however if the status quo remained there would be an impact on the classroom in pupil / teacher ratios.  He called on other Welsh local authorities to join Flintshire in its lobbying campaign against austerity adding that Flintshire was a low funded Council which had an impact on how education was delivered. 

On spend per pupil, Councillor Shotton said the higher spend per pupil at Ysgol Llanfynydd resulted in children in other schools in the County receiving less than them which was unfair. Flintshire had increased the budget for schools by £800k but the pressures in schools were beyond that figure.  This pressure was not recognised on a national level and was a clear result of the severity of Central Government cuts.

The Chief Officer responded to a question from Councillor Shotton and explained that drop in sessions would be arranged with families to talk about preferences for children at Ysgol Llanfynydd and any siblings.  There were sufficient places in the area for all children to be educated in alternative local schools.  However children and parents had expressed a preference for the cohort to move as a group and Ysgol Parc Y Llan could accommodate all pupils and their siblings if that was their preference.

Councillor Brown asked how the numbers had been derived at for the number of pupils expected to receive free home to school transport detailed in the report.  The Chief Officer explained that it was normal practice for the authority to make projections based on information contained in the Council’s database.  There were a number of pupils at the school who did not reside in Flintshire so it would be the responsibility of their local authority to consider school transport.

In response to a question from Councillor Kevin Jones, the Chief Officer explained that if the school closed and pupils moved to alternative schools in the area, this would provide resilience and sustainability to those schools in that local network.

In conclusion, Councillor Shotton reiterated that the Cabinet would have considered any viable proposition for a federation if one had been proposed.  He explained that there was evidence of such decisions and referred to a proposal for a school closure at an alternative school which was now moving forward towards a federation following the submission of a workable proposition. 

RESOLVED:

That Ysgol Llanfynydd be closed from 31^st August 2016 with pupils transferring to other schools in the area subject to parental preference.