Please note the report and appendices for this item are attached to the 31 May 2011 Executive agenda. Members are therefore requested to bring the Executive agenda with them to this meeting.

The Executive Member for Children’s Services introduced his report, which set out the outcome of the review of school organisation in Dunstable and Houghton Regis, as informed by the Council’s Education Vision, and described the options by which the aspirations of this vision could be achieved.  The Executive Member further explained his rationale for recommending Option 1 as his preferred option, which in his opinion reflected the latest education policy for school improvement, the increasing independence of schools from the local authority and the Council’s responsibility to support underperforming schools.

The Committee then received representations from 2 speakers, as follows:-

1.            Mr V Dunnell, Parent Governor at St Christopher’s Lower School, Dunstable, who expressed concerns regarding the consultation process with parents in recent proposals made by schools where the Council is not necessarily the decision maker; and

2.            Cllr S Goodchild, who referenced the Council’s vision as a good document and supported consideration of Option 4, if the overriding imperative was to raise educational standards, and challenged the Executive to consider what success would look like.

There followed debate amongst Members of the Committee and the Executive Member for Children’s Services regarding the merits and demerits of the 4 options contained within the report. The key issues raised during this debate included:-

·                    The freedom of schools and academies to choose their own delivery structures and the need for the local authority to trust parents, governors and teachers in making those choices;

·                    The financial constraints facing the local authority and the need to be realistic within these constraints;

·                    The perceived lack of serious consideration of Option 4 (and other two tier options) due to financial constraints;

·                    The difficulties of encouraging schools to co-operate and form hard federations;

·                    Issues of deprivation, and how best to address them within school structures;

·                    The changed strategic role of the local authority in light of the increasing number of schools moving to academy status;

·                    The need for the Council to be creative and a force for good if federations are to be effective; and

·                    The pastoral care of children moving through the school system;

No consensus was reached during the debate however the following recommendation was moved and seconded:-

1.                  That Option 4 is considered to have more merit in raising educational standards than Option 1;

2.                  That Option 1 is not considered to meet the needs of our children; and

3.                  That Options 3 & 4 should be further considered by the Executive and educational reasons given why either should not be favoured over option 1.

A recorded vote was requested, the result being:-

For:- Cllrs K Janes, P Hollick, N Aldis, Mrs S Clark, N Costin and Parent Co-optee H Copley

Against:- Cllrs D Bowater, I Mackilligan, R Pepworth & A Dodwell

Abstained:- Parent Co-optee D Landman, Church of England Co-optee J Reynolds & Roman Catholic Co-optee Mrs F Image

Accordingly the recommendation was carried.

RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTIVE

1.                  that Option 4 is considered to have more merit in raising educational standards than Option 1;

2.                  that Option 1 is not considered to meet the needs of our children; and

3.                  that Options 3 & 4 should be further considered by the Executive and educational reasons given why either should not be favoured over option 1.