In accordance with paragraph 2.24 of the Council’s Committee Procedure Rules and Appendix on Public Speaking, set out in the Constitution, a total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to put questions to the committee on any matter relating to this agenda. Each member of the public will be allowed up to two minutes each to speak, and the Chair will have discretion to vary this where they consider it appropriate.
Members of the public wishing to speak are required to provide notice of this at least three clear working days’ in advance of the meeting.
Petitions - To receive any petitions which have met the criteria - Petitions Scheme Criteria, and falls within the remit of the Committee. Petition organisers will be allowed up to three minutes to speak.
Minutes:
Nic Brindle, Chief Executive of the Youth Engagement Schools (YES) Trust, addressed the committee in relation to agenda item 7: ‘Update on Recent Communication from the Department for Education (DfE) - New Alternative Provision Free School, Flag Lane, Crewe’.
The following points were raised in relation to the site, timescales and financial considerations of the proposal:
· Site: it was acknowledged that the Flag Lane site was not perfect but was central, accessible and Council?owned; it had remained derelict for some time. It was noted that alternative sites existed but were not as accessible for children and families.
· Timescales: the immediate temporary provision could be opened in the new The Dome Youth Zone from September 2026; the Trust could provide accelerated support.
· Financial considerations: the proposal would deliver significant savings for the Council, with an estimated £1.6m per year through less expensive interventions. It was commented that wider projected benefits would include reductions in exclusions, NEET outcomes and crime and antisocial behaviour, and save an estimated £60m in revenue over the next decade.
· The proposal would address longstanding inequalities in provision in Crewe.
Sapna Sanghvia, Regional Leader for Smartphone Free Childhood, addressed the committee in relation to agenda item 10: ‘Notice of Motion - Prohibiting Smartphone Use in Local Authority Schools’.
The following points were raised:
· There was extensive evidence linking smartphone use to mental health impacts, reduced concentration, sleep issues, addiction, myopia, cyberbullying and exposure to harmful online content.
· Strengthened Department for Education (DfE) guidance and funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) was welcomed, but it was stressed that phone pouches, although helpful for school staff, would not protect children when travelling to and from school.
· A ‘brick phone’?only, smartphone?free policy would be welcomed. It was noted that ‘brick phones’ were affordable, easy to enforce and supported children’s independence without online risk. It was suggested that the available funds could instead be used to supply ‘brick phones’ where needed.
· Cheshire East was encouraged to follow other examples nationally by adopting the gold standard approach for safeguarding.
As proposer of the Notice of Motion that was submitted to Full Council on 10 December 2025, Councillor D Jefferay addressed the committee in relation to agenda item 10: ‘Notice of Motion - Prohibiting Smartphone Use in Local Authority Schools’.
The following points were raised:
· The intention of the Notice of Motion was to improve pupils’ wellbeing, behaviour and safety and was not anti?technology.
· Cheshire East’s pilot schools had reported significant improvements in behaviour and safeguarding when phones were removed.
· Concerns regarding cost, SEN needs, medical needs and parental communication were acknowledged, but it was noted that early adopter schools had successfully addressed these issues.
· Councillor Jefferay supported most of the recommendations but requested that the committee highlight the strengthened DfE guidance issued on 26 January 2026, which stated that schools should be phone?free for the entire school day and that Ofsted would now review implementation. It was recognised that a statutory ban could not currently be enforced, but Councillor Jefferay requested that the Council take part in the Government’s consultation on technology use in schools, formally supporting a statutory ban, and that the Chair write to the DfE confirming this. It was proposed that the Council commit to implementing a ban without delay if discretionary powers were granted in future.
The Chair thanked the speakers for their attendance and contributions to the meeting.