DECISION

1.  To note the position on the current and projected demand for school places;

2.  To agree the plans put forward in paragraph 3.12 of the report to rationalise the primary school provision in areas of surplus, 

3.  To note the progress made in relation to:

-     The development of a new primary school at Wood Wharf on the Isle of Dogs.

-     The development  and the arrangements for the appointment of the school provider for the new secondary school at London Dock;

-     The development of a secondary provision at Westferry Printworks on the Isle of Dogs and the options for determining the school to occupy this new site;

-     The progress on the expansion of Phoenix Special School on the site of the former Bow Boys Secondary School at Paton Close, E3 and the planned enlargement of Beatrice Tate Special School.

-     The plans and options for future school developments to meet the anticipated need for additional places.

4.  To agree the recommendation not to proceed with plans for a new 2FE primary school at the site of Alpha Square.

5.  To note that this report sets out the Council’s plan to exercise its Education functions, not its functions as a Local Planning Authority (LPA). It aligns with the LPA stance at the Local Plan Examination in Public, particularly on the plan to retain the majority of the current allocation of school sites.

6.  To note the specific equalities considerations as set out in section 5 of the report.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN AND CULTURE (D. JONES)

(Service Head Pupil Services and School Sufficiency (T. Bryan)

Councillor Danny Hassell, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Young People, introduced the report on planning for school places. He reported that the borough faced a number of demographic challenges with different population changes in different parts of the borough potentially leading to oversupply of places in some areas whilst others saw a deficit.

He highlighted that taking the right decisions was important to ensure that good quality education could be offered to children within the borough. He noted that the Council had worked hard to be proactive to pre-empt some of the issues that could have arisen.

The Council would be working collaboratively on any proposals that were being developed but that a number of difficult decisions were likely in the future.

During discussion, Councillor Andrew Wood, Leader of the Conservative Group, raised concerns about the temporary site for Canary Wharf College.

The Mayor noted that officers were looking into possible solutions for schools in that area including Canary Wharf College. He thanked officers for their hard work on the issues highlighted in the report and noted that he didn’t underestimate the challenging decisions which lay ahead. He then agreed the recommendations as set out.

RESOLVED

1.  To note the position on the current and projected demand for school places;

2.  To agree the plans put forward in paragraph 3.12 of the report to rationalise the primary school provision in areas of surplus, 

3.  To note the progress made in relation to:

-     The development of a new primary school at Wood Wharf on the Isle of Dogs.

-     The development  and the arrangements for the appointment of the school provider for the new secondary school at London Dock;

-     The development of a secondary provision at Westferry Printworks on the Isle of Dogs and the options for determining the school to occupy this new site;

-     The progress on the expansion of Phoenix Special School on the site of the former Bow Boys Secondary School at Paton Close, E3 and the planned enlargement of Beatrice Tate Special School.

-     The plans and options for future school developments to meet the anticipated need for additional places.

4.  To agree the recommendation not to proceed with plans for a new 2FE primary school at the site of Alpha Square.

5.  To note that this report sets out the Council’s plan to exercise its Education functions, not its functions as a Local Planning Authority (LPA). It aligns with the LPA stance at the Local Plan Examination in Public, particularly on the plan to retain the majority of the current allocation of school sites.

6.  To note the specific equalities considerations as set out in section 5 of the report.