Agenda item

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet pursue option 2, establishing a working group to explore reorganisation for the Reigate Primary Planning Area.

2.    That Cabinet agree the timescales and scope for the working group as outlined in Annex 1.

3.    That Cabinet agree to delegate authority to the Director of Land & Property in conjunction with the Executive Director of Children Families and Lifelong Learning to commission initial desk-based viability studies up to £0.6m.

4.    That Cabinet pursue the determination of the live planning application (Reference RE22/01796CON) for option 1, to establish if this is a viable option.

Reasons for Decisions:

As the majority of respondents to the consultation selected option 2, the recommendations are to continue to look for alternative solutions and pursue option 2 by establishing a working group to explore re-organisation options as set out in recommendation 1.

It has not been possible to identify any potentially viable sites other than Woodhatch Place, or to identify a solution for Reigate Priory Junior School (RPJS) to remain a 600-place junior school on the current site for the reasons set out in Annex 2 of this report. The working group will look at re-organisation options to provide sufficient school places in the area. Possibilities could include the Woodhatch site and the existing school sites, including the potential for a smaller school at Priority Park and other potential sites. The evaluation criteria are set out at Annex 1, this includes the need for any solution under Option 2 to be comparable in cost to Option 1. Cabinet Agreement for the timescales and scope of the working Group is sought under recommendation 2. More information about the role, functions and scope of the working group and timescales is available in Annex 1: Working Group Terms of Reference.

Surrey County Council would not ordinarily recommend a closure of a school that provides quality education and continues to meet the needs of local pupils, however, school closure or school closure as part of an amalgamation may be considered by the working group, if an alternative cannot be found, or if a school no longer meets the needs of children. 

Recommendation 3 ensures relevant delegated authority to ensure sufficient feasibility is completed for any solution identified by the working group. There may be feasibility studies across multiple schools as part of the agreed option. The original site search for a 5FE (5 Form Entry) Junior school may be refreshed alongside any additional site search as part of option 2.

There is no guarantee of finding viable options and this process will further delay a secure future for RPJS. To ensure a continuity of sufficient school places for children and young people in Reigate, it would be sensible and reasonable that, as set out in Recommendation 4, Surrey County Council pursues determination of the live planning application to relocate Reigate Priory Junior School to Woodhatch Place, (Ref RE22/01796CON), by submitting additional information to address the issues identified by the Planning and Regulatory Committee when referring it back to the applicants. This is in order to fully understand if this option is a viable solution.

Recommendation 4 relates only to proceeding to determination of the planning permission. This is to keep all possible options open for consideration at this time and as a back-up if an alternative cannot be identified or if a more urgent need arises to re-locate RPJS from the current site. This is because of the uncertainties in making all the changes which may be necessary under option 2 and doing so within a reasonable time frame.

A further decision will be required by Cabinet later in 2024 to determine
how to proceed, taking into consideration the recommendations of the working group and the outcome of the planning application.

(The decisions on this item can be called in by the Children, Families,

Lifelong Learning & Culture Select Committee)

The Leader explained that Item 10 and Item 4b on the agenda would be considered together. The issues surrounding Reigate Priory Junior School had been long standing and a way forward was needed.

The report was introduced by the Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning who explained that the council desired the best outcome for children attending Reigate Priory Junior School which required a safe and productive teaching environment. The future of the school had been a complex issue. The council initially wanted the school to remain on the current site but there were a number of issues including health and safety which meant this option was not reasonably feasible or deliverable. The report explains why the school cannot remain in the current building. The Department for Education agrees that the current school building is not in line with modern learning requirements and that any re-provision or redevelopment of a like-for-like school on the same site is restricted. Although the current school building is rich in heritage and in an idyllic location, there are a number of restrictions with the building including accessibility issues, a public right of way which runs through the current site, issues with classroom heating, not enough toilets and roofing issues. As the building is a Grade I listed building there are restrictions on the building.

The report recommends establishing an education working group to explore reorganisation for the Reigate Primary Planning Area. Alongside this, it is also recommended that the live planning application (Reference RE22/01796CON) is pursued to fully understand if building a school on a new site at Woodhatch Place is viable. The recommendations from the working group would be shared with Cabinet in the summer.

There were three public questions. Kate Gray stated that the Cabinet should be aware that the Department of Education and Reigate and Banstead council have stated that reprovision of the school on the existing site was achievable. She asked if the council would remove the exclusion on full reprovision on the existing site from the working group scope and focus the working group on properly evaluating this option. The Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning stated that the decision that the current site was not suitable for redevelopment was reached through extensive feasibility work conducted by the Department for Education in consultation with Reigate and Banstead Borough Council's planning and conservation teams, as well as Historic England representatives.

Chris Morris stated that he did not believe that public consultation regarding the future of the school was fair and open, and therefore did not adhere to the principles of a lawful consultation. He was concerned as to why the option for the school to remain on the current site had been removed from the scope of the working group and asked if the council could review this.

Richard Oldham attended the meeting on behalf of Justin Gibson and asked if Cabinet would reverse the exclusion of the current site in the scope of the working group, remove Woodhatch place from options A and B in the report recommendations and if Cabinet Members could then tender their resignations.

The Leader stated that the report clearly set out why the current site was not a feasible option for the future of the school. Woodhatch Place would not be removed as an option as a possible school site and would be considered by the working group. The Leader clarified that Reigate and Banstead Borough Council was not responsible for providing school places. In terms of resignations of Cabinet Members, this would ultimately be decided at the ballot box in May 2025. The issue at hand was difficult but ultimately the current school building was unsafe and a decision needed to be progressed on the future of the school. This would be considered by the working group who would start their work imminently with a decision coming back to Cabinet in either June or July 2024.

RESOLVED:

1. That Cabinet pursue option 2, establishing a working group to explore reorganisation for the Reigate Primary Planning Area.
2. That Cabinet agree the timescales and scope for the working group as outlined in Annex 1.
3. That Cabinet agree to delegate authority to the Director of Land & Property in conjunction with the Executive Director of Children Families and Lifelong Learning to commission initial desk-based viability studies up to £0.6m.
4. That Cabinet pursue the determination of the live planning application (Reference RE22/01796CON) for option 1, to establish if this is a viable option.

Reasons for Decisions:

As the majority of respondents to the consultation selected option 2, the recommendations are to continue to look for alternative solutions and pursue option 2 by establishing a working group to explore re-organisation options as set out in recommendation 1.

It has not been possible to identify any potentially viable sites other than Woodhatch Place, or to identify a solution for Reigate Priory Junior School (RPJS) to remain a 600-place junior school on the current site for the reasons set out in Annex 2 of this report. The working group will look at re-organisation options to provide sufficient school places in the area. Possibilities could include the Woodhatch site and the existing school sites, including the potential for a smaller school at Priority Park and other potential sites. The evaluation criteria are set out at Annex 1, this includes the need for any solution under Option 2 to be comparable in cost to Option 1. Cabinet Agreement for the timescales and scope of the working Group is sought under recommendation 2. More information about the role, functions and scope of the working group and timescales is available in Annex 1: Working Group Terms of Reference.

Surrey County Council would not ordinarily recommend a closure of a school that provides quality education and continues to meet the needs of local pupils, however, school closure or school closure as part of an amalgamation may be considered by the working group, if an alternative cannot be found, or if a school no longer meets the needs of children. 

Recommendation 3 ensures relevant delegated authority to ensure sufficient feasibility is completed for any solution identified by the working group. There may be feasibility studies across multiple schools as part of the agreed option. The original site search for a 5FE (5 Form Entry) Junior school may be refreshed alongside any additional site search as part of option 2.

There is no guarantee of finding viable options and this process will further delay a secure future for RPJS. To ensure a continuity of sufficient school places for children and young people in Reigate, it would be sensible and reasonable that, as set out in Recommendation 4, Surrey County Council pursues determination of the live planning application to relocate Reigate Priory Junior School to Woodhatch Place, (Ref RE22/01796CON), by submitting additional information to address the issues identified by the Planning and Regulatory Committee when referring it back to the applicants. This is in order to fully understand if this option is a viable solution.

Recommendation 4 relates only to proceeding to determination of the planning permission. This is to keep all possible options open for consideration at this time and as a back-up if an alternative cannot be identified or if a more urgent need arises to re-locate RPJS from the current site. This is because of the uncertainties in making all the changes which may be necessary under option 2 and doing so within a reasonable time frame.

A further decision will be required by Cabinet later in 2024 to determine
how to proceed, taking into consideration the recommendations of the working group and the outcome of the planning application.

(The decisions on this item can be called in by the Children, Families,

Lifelong Learning & Culture Select Committee)