Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions and officer responses were noted.

DECISION

1.    To agree to move to the publication of a statutory notice for 28 days, in respect of the proposal to close Cherry Trees School. This will take effect from 31st August 2021, with the displaced pupils admitted to other specialist provision appropriate to their needs.

2.    To note the Equalities Assessment set out in Section 4 of the report and attached as Appendix 2 to the report.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN AND CULTURE (J. THOMAS)

(Service Head for Pupil Access and School Sufficiency (T. Bryan)

(School Organisation Manager (I. Mkparu)

Councillor Danny Hassell, Cabinet Member for Children and Schools, introduced the report on the outcome of the preliminary stakeholder consultation into proposals to close Cherry Trees School. He noted that there were only a small number of children on the school roll and that the Council had been looking at its arrangements for specialist support. It was considered that support within mainstream schools had a lot of benefits for the specific children and children more widely.

The Mayor acknowledged that the school had fulfilled its purpose for many years but that a different option was now a better solution.

Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions and officer responses were noted and the Mayor proposed the recommendations as set out. These were agreed without dissent and it was:

RESOLVED

1.    To agree to move to the publication of a statutory notice for 28 days, in respect of the proposal to close Cherry Trees School. This will take effect from 31st August 2021, with the displaced pupils admitted to other specialist provision appropriate to their needs.

2.    To note the Equalities Assessment set out in Section 4 of the report and attached as Appendix 2 to the report.