Issue - meetings

To assist Members, the following documents are attached:-

·         Copy of the report of the Chief Officer (Education and Youth) - School Modernisation - School Standards and Organisation Act 2013 - Ysgol Maes Edwin

·         Copy of the Record of Decision

·         Copy of the Call In Notice

            That having considered the decision, the Overview & Scrutiny Committee is still concerned about it and therefore refers the matter to Full Council.  

The Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator referred to the Call-in to the decision of the Cabinet from its meeting held on 19 April 2016 relating to School Modernisation – School Standards and Organisation Act 2013 – Ysgol Maes Edwin.  The Call-in notice had been signed by five Members of the Council.  To assist Members, the following documents had been circulated with the agenda:-

(a)       A copy of the procedure for dealing with a called-in item.

(b)       A copy of the report of the Chief Officer (Education and Youth) – School Modernisation – School Standards and Organisation Act 2013 – Ysgol Maes Edwin

(c)        A copy of the Record of Decision No. 3255

(d)       A copy of the Call-in notice signed by Councillors: Nigel Steele-Mortimer, Dave Mackie, Hilary Isherwood, Paul Cunningham and Vicky Perfect

                        The Vice-Chairman invited the Call-in signatories to address the Committee. 

                        Councillor Nigel Steele-Mortimer expressed his disappointment at the decision to continue with the closure of Ysgol Maes Edwin.  He explained that in 2008 when he had been Executive Member for Education there were 17 pupils at the school, which was extremely unsatisfactory.  He had held meetings with the Head Teacher and School Governors and had advised them that if the figures did not improve, then the options for the Council would be limited.  In June 2015 the numbers of pupils attending the school had increased to 73 which was slightly below the figure specified when considering the sustainability of a school; he felt that this showed the extent of the improvement in numbers.  On the issue of local usage of the school, Councillor Steele-Mortimer said that since June 2015, a number of children had left the school due to the concern of the parents because of the threat of closure.  He felt that whether a child attending the school lived locally or not was not important.  In referring to a federation, he felt that this would save the school and expressed surprise and concern at the reaction of governors in neighbouring schools in not being more proactive and coming forward to help, which he would encourage if a school nearby to schools where he was governor required assistance.  He commented on powers that the Council had been able to use (which came into effect in 2014) where a federation could be forced and Councillor Steele-Mortimer felt that the Council could have taken a more proactive approach to this.  He commented on the issue of finance for schools and said that education was a statutory duty and should therefore be funded before any non-statutory requirements.  He suggested that there were a number of options that could be considered before it could be said that there was insufficient funding for education. 

                        On the issue of finance, Councillor Paul Cunningham indicated that £93,000 had been spent on the school in the summer of 2015, which he felt had been unnecessary.  He said that 30 pupils had left the school since June 2015 and 74% of those now travelled further  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70

That Ysgol Maes Edwin 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 Maes Edwin, Flint Mountain.

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

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

·         Concerns about the children’s welfare, pupils had already transferred from other schools, bullying, unable to obtain a place in schools of their preference, loss of friendship, did not want a large school, support, large class sizes

·         Concern that parental preference was being taken away

·         Concerns about the consultation process, data, new housing development, process unsettling to school community

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

·         Concerns that money already invested in the school

·         Concern the Council did not allow enough time for the Governors to consider federation

·         Transport

At the time of writing and presenting the report, the Governing Body of Ysgol Maes Edwn 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 Maes Edwin, 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.  This proposal would reduce the number of surplus places in the area.  Estyn commented that ‘The local authority has given a clear rationale for the proposed expected benefits when compared with the status quo in relation to finance, surplus places and the continuity and progression in pupils’ learning’.

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.

On housing developments, the Chief Officer explained that the Council had fully considered school capacity and potential housing development yield in its consultation documents.

The proposal would result in a fairer and more equal distribution of funding to all pupils in the County.  Any transport costs, which would be minimal, would be funded through the savings generated by the reorganisation. 

Councillor Bithell concurred with the comments of the Chief Officer and added that the reason for the proposal of closure was as the trigger for the number of surplus places at the school had been hit.  There was currently only 10 pupils from the local area attending the school, with 83.6% being from outside the area.  He added that all concerns raised throughout the process had been responded to in full.

There were no large scale housing developments identified in the Council’s Unitary Development  ...  view the full minutes text for item 174