Agenda item

(To receive a report by Michelle Andrews, Interim Head of Property and Technology Management which invites the Committee to consider a report on the Proposal to expand the capacity at Scampton Pollyplatt Primary School (Final Decision))

A report was received which invited the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee to consider a report on the proposal to expand the capacity at Scampton Pollyplatt Primary School (final decision) which was due to be considered by the Executive Councillor for Adult Care and Health Services, Children’s Services on 27 June 2014.

Members were advised that the report concerned the permanent expansion of the capacity at Scampton Pollyplatt Primary School in order to accommodate the increasing number of primary age children in Scampton.  The proposed implementation date was 1 September 2015.  If approved, an additional purpose built classroom would be provided to ensure that the appropriate infrastructure and facilities were in place for the number of pupils on roll.  It was noted that the proposal was to increase the published number of children from 20 children per year group to 30 children per year group.

It was reported that a number of objections had been received during the first element of the consultation, but these had been resolved, and no further objections were received in the second phase of the consultation.

The Committee was provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

• The demand for places at the school was very local and from the Scampton area rather than the surrounding villages.  Officers were also aware of the additional pressure from the presence of the RAF at Scampton.  It was believed that this proposal would manage this demand;
• Concerns were raised regarding the potential for an increase in workload for each class.  Members were informed that although the proposal was to increase the size of each year group from 20 to 30 children this would necessarily mean an increase in class sizes and additional teaching resources would be put in place;
• The expected cost of the expansion was likely to be around £230k, and it was noted that there was a standard price per square metre for this type of project;
• In terms of consultation, officers consulted with a range of interested parties including the local councillor, and sometimes a response was received.  It was noted that the consultation carried out by the authority was wider than just the statutory consultees;
• Members commented that they were pleased that the needs of the local community were able to be met;
• The new classroom would be placed so that it benefitted the whole school.  The work would also include some additional remodelling of other areas of the existing school, to ensure that the building would meet the needs of the school;
• Members were in favour of constant improvements to schools, and it was essential that more modern elements could be added.  It was important that the county council continued to modernise its facilities.  It was also commented that more space within a school would always be useful;
• It was confirmed that the new classroom would replace the existing temporary structure;
• Concerns were raised regarding whether the school would be able to survive if the RAF decided to pull out of Scampton in the future.  Members were advised that discussions had taken place with RAF Scampton, and it was believed that if that did happen, there would still be sufficient demand for school places as the RAF was likely to continue to house families in the village;
• In order to manage any fluctuations in pupil numbers in the future, it was planned that some of the smaller classrooms would be used as resource space;
• Members raised concerns regarding the implementation and importance of school travel plans, and it was felt that schools should be encouraged to put these into practice, and also needed to be taken into account when building new schools.  Members were advised that officers were making much stronger links with the planning and highways departments and also had early engagement with highways schemes to determine what the pressures may be and what safety schemes may be required.  It was also noted that a scrutiny review of the County Council’s speed management policy had recently been completed, and school travel plans and use of safety features, such as school safety zones, around schools had been discussed and recommendations put forward;
• It was noted that it was not always feasible for children to walk to school;
• Members welcomed the involvement with highways and planning on school developments.

RESOLVED

1. That the Committee support the recommendation to the Executive Councillor set out in the report;
2. That the following comment be passed to the Executive Councillor:

·         The Committee welcomed the early involvement of the Highways and Planning Departments in the discussions regarding the impact of school expansions on school travel and parking to see where safety schemes may be required.