Issue - meetings

Cabinet Portfolio Holder: Councillor Colin Hayfield

This report recommends proposals for allocating resources in the Education (Schools) Capital Programme to specific projects.

Resolved

That Council approves the addition of £15,694,411 to the capital programme to deliver the schemes outlined in Section 3.

Councillor Colin Hayfield (Portfolio Holder for Education and Learning) explained to Council that the purpose of the Education Capital Programme is to ensure that there is sufficient capacity in schools to accommodate all children. The reason the report was before Council was because of the value of the funds being allocated. Councillor Yousef Dahmash seconded the motion and reserved the right to speak.

Members of Council made the following observations and comments.

• School expansions are generally to be welcomed but the growth of one school can be detrimental to its neighbours, if it draws children away from them.

• It is important that members and officers communicate well over proposals. This helps to ensure that sufficient funding is made available for expansion.

• The way in which schools are funded means that there can be a lengthy delay between the commencement of operation of an expanded school (with additional staff and pupils) and the funding for that operation being delivered.

• Funding for education is not evenly distributed across the country. A levelling of that funding would be welcomed in Warwickshire where it is significantly lower than some other areas.

• It currently takes too long to commission and build new primary schools in areas of major residential development such as Rugby and Nuneaton.

• Secondary schools will soon see a significant increase in their roll.

• There is too much reliance on developers playing their part in providing new schools as part of expansion. Not only should the council ensure that developers contribute what is owed but this should be done in a timely fashion.

In response to members’ comments, Councillor Hayfield noted that the Council has no control over which school parents and carers send their children to. Good schools will always be popular. Predictions for places, he added, tend to vary from year to year.

The system of predicting demand needs to be able to cope with the vagaries of parental choice etc. Council was reminded that every school carries an environmental impact. It is important to ensure that any new developments are as environmentally sustainable as possible. Council was informed that the Nuneaton Challenge Board is examining issues around achievement in schools in that area. The recommendation was put to the vote. It was agreed unanimously.

Resolved:

That Council approves the addition of £15,694,411 to the capital programme to deliver the schemes outlined in Section 3 of the published report.