Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Local Communities

Forward Plan Ref: 2017/093

Contact: Sarah Jelley, Senior Policy and Performance Officer Tel: 07554 103437

Report by Assistance Chief Executive (CA6).

This report deals with the undetermined decisions from the 18th July Cabinet about the Florence Park site. The report also looks at the expenditure against the ‘one off’ £1m fund to provide pump priming to support community-led solutions for delivering open-access services for children and families agreed by Council in February 2017.  Following three rounds of grant funding and allocations to twenty six organisations, there is a remaining balance of £262,674. The report outlines the proposed approach to managing and allocating the remaining budget.

The Cabinet is asked to make the following decisions:

(a)  Regarding the future use of the Florence Park site:

·                     Option 1 – Support the proposal for asset transfer for Aflah Nursery (potentially subject to any further requirements that Cabinet may determine)

·                     Option 2 – Support the proposal for asset transfer and transition fund grant for Aspire (potentially subject to any further requirements that Cabinet may determine)

·                     Option 3 – Decline both proposals and seek an alternative solution

(b)Approve the proposed use of the transition fund underspend.

Cabinet agreed:

(a)  Regarding the future use of the Florence Park site to support the proposal for asset transfer and transition fund grant for Aspire. Cabinet further agreed to provide active and positive support to assist Aflah Nursery finding alternative premises; and

(b)  To approve the proposed use of the transition fund underspend and to invite Aflah Nursery to reformat their proposal as appropriate to re-apply under the new scheme for transition funding should they so wish.

Cabinet considered a report that related to the undetermined decisions from the 18th July Cabinet about the Florence Park site. The report also detailed the expenditure against the ‘one off’ £1m fund to provide pump priming to support community-led solutions for delivering open-access services for children and families agreed by Council in February 2017 and sought approval to the proposed approach to managing and allocating the remaining budget.

Mr Aquib Hafeez, Aflah Nursery, spoke in support of the proposal from the Nursery. He commented that although he was unable to guarantee 40 new nursery places at this time it would be possible should the asset transfer go ahead. The Nursery was keen to pursue working with Aspire and stated that it was not they that were unable to work alongside one another. He added that they were a well established and steadily growing nursey and that Florence Park was an ideal solution for them to continue to grow with little upheaval for the current children. They had not been found outstanding by Ofsted due to the lack of space.

Ms Misbah Rishi Hafeez, Aflah Nursery, stated that as a teacher who had taught all groups she was very aware that teaching was only part of it. She expressed how shaken she had been by attitudes expressed to Cabinet at its meeting in July that did not express community spirit. She had felt that there had been a lack of basic respect in remarks that she had found unacceptable. She felt that there had been false assumptions and stressed that whilst they were a private organisation they were seeking to fulfil the needs of the local community. She thanked the Cabinet member for his efforts throughout the lengthy process.

Cabinet expressed dismay to hear of animosity and aggression towards those involved in the nursery bid and made it clear that they were appreciative of both bids. In response Ms Rishi Hafeez stated that Cabinet had dealt with it to the best of their ability at that point and that the Nursery would respect the decision of Cabinet today.

Councillor Linda Smith, Board Member for Leisure, Parks and Sport, Oxford City Council, supported the bid from Aspire. She commented that this in no way was a reflection on the high quality nursery provision from Aflah but rather that Aspire provided the best opportunity to recreate the broad range of services formerly provided by the regrettably closed Children’s Centre. The City Council had agreed to provide £15,000 one-off matched contribution towards the project. Councillor Smith, referring to the café, added that the City Council would not allow the café contract to be a barrier to the scheme.

Jane Gallagher, speaking as a Florence Park area resident and qualified teacher supported the Aspire bid. She highlighted that it was a public building in a public park and was no place for a private business. She wished Aflah well. In response to a query from Councillor Gray as to her views on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66