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Education for Life Scrutiny Committee – 19.06.08 EDUCATION FOR LIFE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD AT PENALLTA HOUSE, TREDOMEN PARK ON THURSDAY, 19TH JUNE 2008 AT 5.00 P.M. PRESENT: Councillor Miss. L. Hughes - Chairman Councillor M.P. James - Vice-Chairman Councillors: R. Bidgood, H.W. David, W. David, M. Davies, R.T. Davies, J.O. Evans, D.M. Gray, D.T. Hardacre, Mrs. G. Oliver, Mrs. R. Potter, D.W.R. Preece, D. Rees, J.E. Roberts, G.D. Simmonds, K. Smallman, J Taylor. R. Woodyatt Cabinet Member: Councillor P.J. Bevan Together with: S. Rosser (Chief Executive), B. Hopkins (Assistant Director, Planning and Strategy), P. Gomer (Assistant Director, Community Leisure), J. Lawrence (Assistant Director, Learning, Education and Inclusion), D. Perkins (Head of Legal Services), P. Mears (Chief Planning Officer), G. Williams (Principal Solicitor/Deputy Monitoring Officer), F. Santos (EYDCP Development Officer), J. Williams (Senior Officer, Forward Planning), J. Jones (Scrutiny Co-Ordinator), G. George (Committee Services Manager), R. Thomas (Committee Services Officer) Co-opted Members: Miss J.G. Jenkins (UCAC), Mr J. Bills (CGA), Mrs S. Evans (CGA) APOLOGIES An apology for absence was received from Councillor Mrs. A. Collins. And representatives Ms L. Keeling (NAHT), Mr R. Parsons (ATL) CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME The Chairman welcomed members of the public to the meeting, together with Janice Thompson, Rudry Primary School Headteacher, and Alison Cleeve, Rudry Primary Chair of Governors, who were to address the Committee regarding agenda item 3(1) - Proposal to Establish a Primary School at Waterloo with Effect 1st September 2010. 1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest made at the beginning or during the meeting. 1 Education for Life Scrutiny Committee – 19.06.08 2. MINUTES RESOLVED that the minutes of the last meeting held on 8th April 2008 (minute nos. 1 - 10, page nos. 1 - 4), be approved as a correct record. 3. CALL-IN PROCEDURE : PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A PRIMARY SCHOOL AT WATERLOO WITH EFFECT 1ST SEPTEMBER 2010 Members considered, under the councils Call in procedure, the decision taken by the Cabinet on 27th May 2008 not to proceed with proposals to establish a primary school at Waterloo from September 2010 and that officers investigate and report to a future meeting on the costs of upgrading the existing, poor and constrained accommodation at Rhydri Primary School which was not fit for purpose and a consultation procedure for establishing a welsh medium school on the Waterloo site. The Council’s Monitoring Officer reported that this request was valid within the terms of the Council's Constitution and had been supported by the appropriate number of members. The call-in was made on the grounds that the Cabinet decision of 27th May 2008 was made without regard to material facts or information which in the opinion of the members making the Call in request have led to a different decision being made by Cabinet. Members were then invited to consider the merits of the Call-in request and to decide whether the Cabinet decision was made without regard to material information, which would lead to a different decision being made by Cabinet. At the start of the debate the Chairman first invited the signatories to the petition to speak in support of the Call in. Their arguments were summarised as follows: - The Cabinet decision had in their opinion been taken without proper consultation with interested parties including parents teachers the governing body and pupils. It displayed a disregard for the consultation process that had been followed for an English medium school - Estyns report whilst praising the standards achieved in the recent inspection drew attention to the limitations imposed by the building including the fact that there was little opportunity to withdraw pupils with Special Educational Needs from classes to receive specialised teaching. - The main buildings and classrooms were very small and did not provide adequate space for the number of pupils in the school especially in the light of the forthcoming Foundation Phase for younger pupils. - The Education for Life Scrutiny Committee had not been given an opportunity to discuss the decision taken on 27 May 2008 that was felt to have been made without any regard to any long-term educational strategy for either english or welsh medium education. - Approximately 52% of the pupils who attended the school reside from outside the catchment area with only 36 pupils from Rhydri village. - The Cabinet decision will delay the opening of a new school and pupils and staff will continue to work in building deemed not fit for purpose however much was spent on it. - The new school at Waterloo should be opened as an English school alongside a further long-term look at the provision of welsh medium education. in the light of surplus places in the three Caerphilly welsh primaries 2 Education for Life Scrutiny Committee – 19.06.08 - Pupils rights as contained in the United Nations Convention on Children’s Rights had been ignored. - Members referred to the e-mail from DTZ, circulated to all members, seeking confirmation as to whether the school will operate in english or welsh as this may affect the Section 106 agreement. The Head Teacher of Rhydri Primary and Chairman of Governors then addressed the committee and supported and amplified many of the comments made by previous speakers. They both expressed, on behalf of staff and governors, their disappointment at the Cabinet’s decision and wholeheartedly supported a relocation to the Waterloo site to build on the good educational standard of Rhydri school. They referred to the shortcomings of the existing building and praised the work of the staff in achieving the standards recognised by Estyn in spite of these shortcomings. This school in common with other small schools found it very difficult to meet the curriculum needs. They also referred to a suggestion that the village hall could be used for additional teaching requirements. This was not considered realistic, as it would lead to a loss of about three hours per week teaching time in travelling between buildings. A petition had been collected in support of the proposals to build a new school on the Waterloo site. Remaining on the present site was not an option. There had been no active local campaign to save the school. The Council’s Assistant Director of Education for Planning and Strategy explained the background to the Public Notice process that had lead to a recommendation in the report to Cabinet on 20th May for approval to proceed with the proposal to establish the primary school from September 2010. As there have been no statutory objections, the Authority was expected to make a decision regarding implementation of the proposal by 28th May 2008 (4 months from the date of the Published Notice). The matter had been deferred to a special meeting of the Cabinet on 27th May 2008 who had not supported that recommendation. The time limit for the original decision had therefore passed and any future proposals would be required to commence from the outset. Members also had been circulated with the views of the Bedwas Cluster Coordinator who believed that the possible education for all children living in the Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen area would only be met by the original proposal of establishing a new English medium primary school for Rudry children, within the catchment of Bedwas High. After listening to the views expressed by all parties present (with the exception of Councillor J.O. Evans who abstained having not heard all the debate) it was agreed that the Cabinet decision of 27th May 2008 was made without regard to material information, which could have lead to a different decision being made by them. It was moved and seconded that “The matter be referred to full council for discussion; this will give an opportunity for all members to fully discuss the present situation” An amendment was moved and seconded that “The matter be referred back to Cabinet for them to reconsider their decision” In accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 15.4, it was moved and seconded, and by a majority vote agreed that there would be a recorded vote. The following members voted for the amendment: Councillors M. Davies, Miss L. Hughes, M.P. James, Mrs R. Potter, J.E. Roberts, J Taylor (6) 3 Education for Life Scrutiny Committee – 19.06.08 The following members voted against the amendment: Councillors H.W. David, W. David, R.T. Davies, D.M. Gray, D.T. Hardacre, Mrs. G. Oliver, D.W.R. Preece, D. Rees, G.D. Simmonds, K. Smallman, R. Woodyatt (11) The following members voted for the motion: Councillors H.W. David, W. David, R.T. Davies, D.M. Gray, D.T. Hardacre, Miss L. Hughes, Mrs. G. Oliver, D.W.R. Preece, D. Rees, J.E. Roberts, G.D. Simmonds, K. Smallman, R. Woodyatt (13) The following members voted against the motion: Councillors M. Davies, M.P. James, Mrs R. Potter, J Taylor (4) Councillor J.O. Evans abstained from voting having not been present during the whole of the debate. The motion was therefore declared carried and the matter be referred to full council for discussion to give an opportunity for all members to fully discuss the present situation and any report to that meeting to make reference to the United Nations Convention on Children’s Rights. The Scrutiny Committee adjourned for a five minute break and reconvened at 6.15 p.m. 4. CABINET REPORTS The Cabinet reports listed on the agenda had not been requested to be brought forward for review at the meeting.

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