Agenda item

An issues paper prepared by the Conservative Group is attached for the consideration of Council.

The Constitution Procedure Rules relating to Opposition Business are attached for information.

Councillor Kaye introduced the issues paper prepared by the Conservative Group, highlighting that in his view schools were failing the current generation of pupils, who were leaving education lacking the skills and work ethic employers required.  Whilst recognising that Enfield had seven Academies, the Opposition Business Paper was looking for the Council to more proactively embrace Government policy relating to the creation of academy and free schools.

Whilst also appreciating the pressure to address the demand for pupil places, concerns were highlighted at the decision to locate a new partnership school within vacant retail premises on Fore Street, Edmonton.  These concerns related to design of the building, the potential impact on the sibling link and as it was not felt to be the best environment for education.  In addition concerns were also highlighted in relation to the decision to expand Worcesters School, which had not been identified as a proposal within the revised Pupil Places Strategy agreed by Cabinet in November 2010.  The Opposition Group felt there was a need to examine more practical alternatives and increase the level of consultation regarding the development of additional school places.

Councillor Orhan, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, responded on behalf of the majority group.  Welcoming the debate on this issue she advised that the one of the Administration’s highest priorities was to ensure a place was available in a good school for every child in the borough.  The revised primary school places strategy was being implemented with a secondary school strategy due out in autumn 2011.  Whilst the number of school places had been increased, the current government had limited the funding available.  At the same time demand for places was increasing, with an external assessment of projected demand highlighting the need to adopt a more flexible approach to the way these places were planned and provided.  Further demand was also likely to be generated as a result of the Government’s proposed changes to Housing Benefit regulations and social welfare reforms.  Despite significant reductions to the education budget by Central Government it had still been possible to provide additional high quality pupil places using innovative solutions (such as the vacant retail premises on Fore Street) situated close to children’s homes.  Despite being subject to call-in, it was important to note that this decision was subsequently confirmed by Overview & Scrutiny Committee with members supporting the overall strategy.

The tension between the need to create additional pupil places and management of other related issues such as design, traffic and parking had been fully recognised along with the need to look for innovative solutions to address these concerns and ensure full consultation.

The cross party scrutiny review of the primary pupil places strategy undertaken by members of the Children & Young People Scrutiny Panel was also very much welcomed and it was hoped that work on implementation of the strategy would continue, supported by both groups on the Council.

Following a debate, Councillor Kaye summed up on behalf of the Conservative Group by highlighting:

1.      support for the free school agenda, as a means of addressing the need for additional pupil places, which it was felt the Council should be looking to fully embrace.

2.      the need to focus on standards as well as buildings, in terms of education provision.

3.      that the Conservative Group was not objecting to the proposed expansion or development of partner schools agreed in relation to St George’s Roman Catholic, Prince of Wales or Houndsfield schools but did have ongoing concerns about the use of a vacant retail unit on Fore Street for the provision of a partner school and at the proposed expansion of Worcesters School.

4.      the proposal to explore alternative premises and sites within the Council’s ownership that could be more suitably used for school provision as well as ensuring:

·              full consultation before future proposals were made for school expansion or partner schools;

·              the development of clear management arrangements for partner schools;

·              that traffic management issues were fully addressed prior to any proposal for a school expansion or partner school development;

·              compliance, in terms of any school expansion or partner school development with “standards for school premises” guidance issued from the DFEE; and

·              that any proposal for school expansion or partner school development fully addressed security arrangements for users of the new school facility, particularly if the site chosen was remote from the partner school and not within the boundaries of an existing school site

In response to the debate and recommendations made within the Opposition Business paper, Councillor Orhan highlighted that:

1.      whilst the Council was working in partnership with the new free schools, this approach could not be relied upon as the only means of meeting the projected level of demand for pupil places.

2.      as part of its ongoing strategy the Council would continue to explore all available options in terms of potential sites for educational provision.  Neither Millfield House or Southgate Town Hall were considered as appropriate.

3.      the Administration remained fully committed to consultation.

4.      work was already being undertaken, involving headteachers, in planning and developing management arrangements for the successful implementation of partner shools.

5.      the need to consider how traffic management issues could be addressed had already been recognised.

6.      although in the process of being amended the “standards for school premises” guidance would be considered.  An assurance was also provided that proper security arrangements would be in employed at all expanded or partner school sites.

7.      the proposals relating to St George’s Roman Catholic, Prince of Wales or Houndsfield schools were now in the process of being implemented.

In order to move forward Councillor Orhan urged all members of the Council to support the ongoing development and implementation of the Pupil Places Strategy and hoped that members from both groups on the Council could work together in order to deliver a high quality of education for the benefit of all children across the borough.

With the agreement of both Groups no vote was taken on the outcome of this item.