ITEM CA9
CABINET –
EXPANSION OF
Report by
Director for Children, Young People & Families
Introduction
1.
The Cabinet Member for Schools
Improvement, at the delegated decisions meeting on
2.
The decision-making power in terms of determining the notice now lies
with the Cabinet. This follows decisions taken by the Cabinet in July
under new legislation encompassed in the Education & Inspections Act 2006
(EIA 2006) whereby School Organisation Committees were abolished and
arrangements became the responsibility of the relevant local authority. In
meeting as ‘decision-maker’ the Cabinet must have regard to government guidance
and statutory timescales otherwise a decision can be referred to the
independent Schools’ Adjudicator for reconsideration. At its meeting on 17 July
2007, the Cabinet confirmed that in considering notices as ‘Decision-maker’ it
was necessary for the Chairman of the Council to determine that the decision
could not be subject to ‘call-in’ as this would, in most cases, mean that the
Cabinet’s role would be negated by referral to the Schools’ Adjudicator. The
Cabinet decision must be made within two months of the close of the notice
period.
3.
A copy of the Informal Consultation Proposal is attached (Annex 1) (download as .pdf file). The
Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement reviewed the responses to the informal
consultation and approved the publication of statutory notices. The Statutory
Notice was published in the Oxford Times on
The
Proposal
4.
The proposal is to increase the school capacity to 1.5 forms of entry by
providing a new ‘nursery’ space, releasing the existing nursery as a Foundation
stage classroom. There will also be two additional classrooms, a community
classroom, two rooms for individual or small groups of pupils, additional
toilets and storage facilities, increased size of assembly hall space and
associated storage, a studio-initially to be used as a classroom, increased
library space and minor changes to the external covered area and hard play
provision. This will increase the capacity of the school by 90. This additional
non-classroom space will be sufficient should the school need to increase
further to two forms of entry if further housing developments in the catchment
area are given permission. This would require an additional four classrooms at
some point in the future but the school has been designed to expand to take
these if necessary.
Making
a Decision
5.
In terms of reaching a decision all proposals should be considered on
their merits but the following factors should be borne in mind but are not
considered to be exhaustive. The Cabinet must be satisfied that the statutory
consultation has been carried out prior to the publication of the notice.
Details of the consultation are included as background papers to the proposals,
available in the Members’ Resource Centre at County Hall. If some parties
submit objections on the basis that consultation was not adequate, the Decision
Maker may wish to take legal advice on the points raised. If the requirements
have not been met, the Decision Maker may judge the proposals to be invalid and
should consider whether they can make a decision on the proposals. Alternatively
the Decision Maker may take into account the sufficiency and quality of the
consultation as part of their overall judgement of the proposals as a whole.
6.
The effect on standards, school improvement and diversity. The government aims to
create a dynamic system shaped by parents that delivers excellence and equality
closing weak schools and encouraging new providers and popular schools to
expand. Decision Makers should be satisfied that the proposals will contribute
to raising local standards of provision and improved attainment and consider
the impact on choice and diversity. They should pay particular attention to the
effect on groups that tend to under-perform including children from certain
ethnic minorities and deprived backgrounds. The decision-maker should consider
how the proposals will help deliver the ‘Every Child Matters’ principles.
7.
School characteristics. The decision-maker should consider whether there
are any sex, race or disability discrimination issues that arise and whether
there is supporting evidence to support the extension and take into account the
existence of capacity elsewhere. The decision-maker needs to consider the
accessibility of the provision for disadvantaged groups as the provision should
not unduly extend journey times or cost.
8.
Funding and land. The decision-maker should be satisfied that any capital required to
implement the proposals will be available.
Financial
and Staff Implications
9.
Financial and staff implications are covered in the Detailed Project
Approval No ED 676, which was approved at the Delegated Decisions by the
Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement on 5 February 2008 subject to the
determination of this Statutory Notice. Financial provision of £1,800,000 has
been identified for the building works and the school will meet day-to-day
repair and maintenance, costs and structural repairs and staffing costs as part
of the Council’s Fair Funding arrangements.
RECOMMENDATION
10.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to either:
(a)
reject the proposals; or
(b)
approve the proposals; or
(c)
approve the proposals with a modification (e.g. the proposal
implementation date); or
(d)
approve the proposals subject to them meeting a specific condition.
JANET TOMLINSON
Director for Children, Young People & Families
Background papers: Responses
to the Informal Consultation
Contact
Officer: John Phipps –
Service Manager Capital Planning (Property & Assets) Tel: (01865) 816455
March 2008
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