Issue - meetings

That, subject to the agreement of the detailed financial information for the expansion as set out in the submitted Part 2 report, the business case for the provision of an additional 1 form of entry (210 places) primary places in Ashtead be approved.

Reasons for Decision:

The school is a vital part of the Council’s education offer in the local area. Increasing the number of school spaces within Ashtead is essential to ensure that the County Council performs its statutory duty of educating all resident pupils who request a school place.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by either the Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee or the Children and Education Select Committee]

The Leader of the Council invited Mr Townsend, local Member for Ashtead to speak on this item. He began by stating that there were massive issues about the provision of primary school places in this area. He said that he was not against the expansion of this school but was concerned about the mitigation aspects and he also drew attention to the consultation process.

The Cabinet Member for Schools and Learning welcomed his comments and said that she knew this school and had attended local residents’ meetings. She said it was a school currently rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted and that it was popular with parents. She acknowledged that the expansion would create a large primary school of 660 primary places, which would help meet the basic need requirements in the Ashtead area from September 2015.

She also informed Cabinet Members that the local catholic primary school was also being expanded to create additional faith places in the area.

It was agreed that mitigation and highways issues would be discussed within the Part 2 section of the meeting.

RESOLVED:

That, subject to the agreement of the detailed financial information for the expansion as set out in the submitted Part 2 report, the business case for the provision of an additional 1 form of entry (210 places) primary places in Ashtead be approved.

Reasons for Decision:

The school is a vital part of the Council’s education offer in the local area. Increasing the number of school spaces within Ashtead is essential to ensure that the County Council performs its statutory duty of educating all resident pupils who request a school place.