The Mayor amended the recommendations and then agreed them.

DECISION

1.    To note the contents of this report and the progress made in meeting the need for additional places;

2.    To note that proposals for specific schemes will be subject to separate consultation and procedures and Cabinet decisions;

3.    To agree that the initial consultation on the specification for the new Bromley Hall Primary School and Bow Primary School should proceed.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN’S SERVICES (D. JONES)

(Head of Building Development (P. Watson)

Councillor Rachael Saunders, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, introduced the report. She explained that the report was looking at how to increase school places in the future including methods of commissioning new schools. She noted the government’s Free School presumption and the impact that would have.

She then turned to look at Bow School in particular explaining why the statistics were suggesting changes in demand for places that needed further examination.

Rachel Ellman and colleagues from the Friends of Bow Primary School addressed the meeting. She expressed strong reservations to the suggestion that the development of Bow Primary School was being postponed until 2019. She highlighted the impact this was already having on local parents including those potentially taking the decision to move away over concern for school access.

Councillor Andrew Wood also addressed the meeting. He raised concerns about creating unpredictability in the supply of places and what message that gave to parents. As a general issue he was also concerned about air pollution near schools and requested that this be considered in relation to the planning for new school places.

There was a general discussion of the report during which it was proposed that the consultation process for Bow Primary School should continue at the same time as for Bromley Hall. That way, the data could be examined further and the opening of the school could be brought forward if that was found to be necessary.

The Mayor thanked everyone for their contributions and noted the issues raised, in particular around air pollution. He agreed the recommendations as amended in respect of the consultation period.

DECISION

1.    To note the contents of this report and the progress made in meeting the need for additional places;

2.    To note that proposals for specific schemes will be subject to separate consultation and procedures and Cabinet decisions;

3.    To agree that the initial consultation on the specification for the new Bromley Hall Primary School and Bow Primary School should proceed.