Issue - meetings

Report of the Senior Manager Children and Young People Strategic Commissioning, Education and Inclusion seeking permission to commence six weeks of pre-statutory consultation on proposals to close three schools out of the following six – Bitterne Park Infant & Junior, Tanners Brook Infant & Junior and Oakwood Infant & Junior and create three all through primary schools, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 12/13 9646)

On consideration of the modified report of the Cabinet Member forChildren’s Services, Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  To approve the commencement of four separate, six weeks, pre-statutory consultations.  The four separate, but similar, proposals for consultation are:

·  Discontinuance of Bitterne Park Infant and expansion of Bitterne Park Junior to accommodate 4-11 year olds.

·  Discontinuance of Oakwood Infant and expansion of Oakwood Junior to accommodate 4-11 year olds.

·  Discontinuance of Tanners Brook Junior and expansion of Tanners Brook Infant to accommodate 4-11 year olds.

·  Discontinuance of Heathfield Junior and expansion of Valentine Infant to accommodate 4-11 year olds.

(ii)  To approve the establishment of four steering groups for each pairing of co-located schools to oversee the consultation on the possibility of a transitioning to a primary.

(iii)  To delegate authority to the Director of Children’s Services and Learning, following consultation with the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services, to determine the final format and content of consultation in accordance with statutory and other legal requirements.

(iv)  Subject to complying with Financial and Contractual Procedure Rules, to delegate authority to the Director of Children’s Services and Learning, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, to do anything necessary to give effect to the recommendations in this report.