Issue - meetings

That Council raise no objection to the decision to close Ysgol Maes Edwin as of 31 August 2016 with pupils transferring to other schools in accordance with parental preference and that it could therefore be implemented. 

The Chief Officer (Governance) introduced the report and explained that this was the first time the Council had been asked to consider a decision following a call-in.  He explained that it was proposed that the instigators of the call-in be permitted to speak first, with the decision makers then being able to respond, followed by a debate by all Members.    

Councillor David Healey expressed concern about whether discussion at Council was in accordance with the Constitution and whether it set a precedent.  He said that option 4 had been chosen by the Education & Youth Overview & Scrutiny Committee at the Call-in meeting on 28^th April 2016, but at previous call-ins, Members had been given clear guidance that option 4 was not a viable option as any decision made by Council would need to be referred back to Cabinet as the decision makers.  He felt that the decision to refer it to Council had raised the hopes of pupils, parents and staff at the school.  Councillor Healey suggested that the report not be considered by Council at this meeting, but be referred back to Cabinet as soon as possible. 

In response, the Chief Officer (Governance) confirmed that it was an ‘Executive decision’ and that Council could only consider the issue and make a recommendation to Cabinet.  The Chief Executive confirmed that this was a properly convened meeting and provided details for Members of the paperwork that had been despatched with the agenda. 

Councillor Clive Carver felt that option 4 allowed all Members of the Council to debate the issue, not just those on Education & Youth Overview & Scrutiny Committee. 

Councillor Nigel Steele-Mortimer said that he had proposed that option 4 be agreed as he felt that a matter of such importance, which was the future of rural schools, should be discussed by all Councillors.  He said that Ysgol Maes Edwin had been earmarked for closure and suggested that it should be recommended to Cabinet that the school not be closed and that further discussions on its future be allowed to take place.  He said that in June 2015 there were 73 pupils in the school which was only two below the figure specified when considering the sustainability of a school.  On the issue of local usage of the school, Councillor Steele-Mortimer said that it did not matter whether the children being educated at Ysgol Maes Edwin were from Flint Mountain or not.  He said that the school may have been chosen by parents because they had close relatives living in the village.  He commented on educational status and said that a number of children had come from bigger schools where they did not get on so well and added that parents and teachers had commented on the improvement in the children because of their attendance at Ysgol Maes Edwin.  In referring to a federation, he said that time had been given to enter into a federation but a proposal had not been submitted.  He felt that Flintshire County Council had a duty  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14