Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the body in question.  Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

Symon Hall, Chair of Governors at Monks Coppenhall School, asked about the funding available for the school expansions. Janice Smart responded that there was sufficient funding allocated in the budget to cover the current proposals.

To consider proposals for the expansion of Monks Coppenhall Community Primary School, Hungerford Primary Academy and the Wistaston Academy Trust.

1.    That support be given to the proposal made by the Monks Coppenhall Community Primary School Governing Body to expand the school from 420 places (2FE) to 630 (3FE) places providing an additional 210 pupil places to commence during the academic year 2017-2018.

2.    That support be given to the proposal made by Hungerford Primary Academy to expand the school from 420 places (2FE) to 630 (3FE) places providing an additional 210 pupil places to commence during the academic year 2017-2018.

3.    That the Wistaston Academy Trust be informed that their proposal to expand the school from 420 places (2FE) to 630 (3FE) places cannot be supported on this occasion and they be informed of the reasons for this decision.

The Cabinet Member considered a report seeking permission to support the proposals made by governing bodies/academy trusts to expand their schools from 420 to 630 places for implementation in 2017 in response to an identified forecast shortfall in Crewe.

A consultation exercise had taken place between 25 February and 25 March 2016 on proposals to expand three schools to which a 183 responses were received. The responses were attached to the report as Appendix 1. 

Consideration had been given to the consultation responses and the issues raised, the impact of expansion on the future viability of schools with vacancies and the proximity of Crewe schools to planned housing development and this had informed the proposal that to meet the forecast need for school places in Crewe two schools located in the north of the town – Monks Coppenhall Community Primary School and Hungerford Primary Academy, should be expanded  to 630 places.  This would ensure that there was sufficient capacity to mitigate the impact of approved new housing development in this area of the town and allow schools with vacancies forecast over the planning period to meet the demand for school places in the south of the town.

RESOLVED:

1          That support be given to the proposal made by the Monks Coppenhall Community Primary School Governing Body to expand the school from 420 places (2FE) to 630 (3FE) places providing an additional 210 pupil places to commence during the academic year 2017-2018.

2          That support be given to the proposal made by Hungerford Primary Academy to expand the school from 420 places (2FE) to 630 (3FE) places providing an additional 210 pupil places to commence during the academic year 2017-2018.

3          That the Wistaston Academy Trust be informed that their proposal to expand the school from 420 places (2FE) to 630 (3FE) places cannot be supported on this occasion and they be informed of the reasons for this decision.